Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Over 800 staff of the Oyo State local government staff under the aegis of National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, today protested in the major streets of Ibadan demanding for autonomy of the third tier of government in the state.

The aggrieved staff who dressed in various NULGE branded T-shirts also carried placards with various inscriptions to express their annoyance at government’s refusal to allow the local government to be independent politically, financially, and administratively.

The inscriptions in the placards they carried read, “Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, says Local Government Autonomy is a must and sacrosanct for the overall economic and social development of the grassroots”, “NULGE demands: financial autonomy, political autonomy, administrative autonomy. Without Local Government, no state government, and no National government.  Beware of mischief makers”,

“LG autonomy is for development”, “Government should support LG autonomy”, “Scrap JAAC, conduit pipe for corruption”, “Scrap SIEC, wuru-wuru election”,

“Save our future, support LG autonomy”, “LG Autonomy is beyond salaries”, “Let local government be”, and “Hunger is a horrible killer than war. Please stop killing us with hunger”.

The workers who commenced their protest from the Labour House, headquarters in Ibadan peacefully marched to the Oyo State Government secretariat, Agodi where letters of demands were delivered to the governor and speaker of the state.

The protesters were led by the State Chairman, Comrade Titilayo Sodo,and  the South West Chairman, Comrade Oludare Famofo in company of other state executive members.

Speaking, Comrade Sodo called on the Federal and State government to implement the Supreme Court judgment of 2002 which negates continuous appointment of caretaker committee chairmen to run the affairs of local government noting that the practice has hindered the effective development of LGs across the country.

According to him, granting administrative autonomy to local government in the country would enhance quick development and growth at the grass roots level, which would translate to making democracy participatory and impactful on the people.

He also frowned at the system of operating joint ‎account between the local and state government describing it as conduit of siphoning funds and depriving people at the grassroots of the needed development.

He said, “Our core demand in requesting for local government autonomy includes: political, financial and administrative autonomy of LGAs. Abolition of State/LGA joint account, payment of 10% internally generated revenue by State governments to LGAs, stopping the deduction from LGA’s federal revenue allocation by State governments. Proposal for payment of teachers’ salaries to be on first line charge of FAAC, abolition of SIEC and reverting the conduct of local government elections to INEC, implement the ruling of Supreme Court judgment against appointment of caretaker committees for LGs and reckless dissolution of elected local government councils”.