Tina Amanda
Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, comprising of the South-South Geo-political Zone, has demanded the passage of financial autonomy for the state judiciary, legislature and local governments.
The Labour Congress led by its Rivers State Chairman, Beatrice Itubor, made the demand during a rally to the Rivers state House Assembly, in solidarity, advocacy and support to the ongoing legislative initiatives.
According to her, financial autonomy for the local government, judiciary, legislature and total administration autonomy for the local government, will boost the economy, create employment for the teeming youths and improve lives of the Nigerian workers as well as rural dwellers.
“We are here to rally for your support because we voted you people in to sit of power, we have been directed to carryout this rally just as it is applicable to all geopolitical zones of the country. The Bill on autonomy is about to be brought to the States, for the state assemblies to deal with.
“The mobilization and advocacy is to ensure that the voices of workers are heard on this very important issues. Our show of support for the ongoing legislative initiative with regard of granting total autonomy to local government, state legislature and judiciary is against the background of efforts to misrepresent recent supreme court judgement on Executive order 10.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress wishes to categorically reinstate its full support to the autonomy, as we believe that it will safeguard our democracy, boost our economy, create employment opportunities, curb Youth restiveness, insecurity, and freeing the local government, judiciary and legislature arms of government from executive control.
“Our demands are as follows; (1) passage of local government financial autonomy, (2) passage of local government administration autonomy, (3) passage of financial autonomy to the state judiciary and state legislature, (4) passage of power to enforce remittance of accruers into federation account and review of revenue allocation formulas, (5) passage of independent candidacy.”
Also, the President National Union of Local government Employees, NULGE, Ambali Olatunji, maintained that in the past, the local government served as development centers providing social amenities, and engaged with the youths directly.
“You and I know that in the past, local government has served as centers for developing its rural communities, fighting insecurity, providing employment for its people. In the past chairmen had less pressure from their constituency because their local governments were servicing the communities well.
“As of today, Nigeria is sinking to collapse, once financial autonomy, administrative autonomy is granted to local government, over fifty percent of Nigerian problems will be resolved.”
Receiving NLC at the state Assembly on behalf of the Speaker, Ikunyi Owaji, House Committee Chairman on Education Representing ONELGA Constituency, Christian AHIAKWO, said he will transmit the message the Honourable Speaker for proper action.
