The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) are poised to test their might against the states governors and the Houses of Assemblies in their battle for local government autonomy.
The National Assembly voted overwhelmingly for autonomy for LGAs, judiciary and others during the week.
The local government workers said that they are battle-ready to resist any attempt by Governors to scuttle the passage of the Bill at the State Houses of Assembly after it was passed by the National Assembly.
Federal lawmakers on Tuesday approved proposed amendments to the 1999 constitution to grant financial autonomy to state legislatures, judiciary and the 774 local government areas in the country.
The approval followed voting on the report of the ad hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (Fifth Alteration) Bills, 2022.
President of NULGE, Akeem Olatunji, said the labour movement got a credible intelligence that some Governors were making frantic efforts to ensure that the needed concurrence on passage of the Bill at the State Houses of Assembly does not see the light of the day.
He said the 36 Governors under the aegis of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) Kayode Fayemi are hell-bent on destroying the third tier of government – a situation he said had caused insecurity at the grassroots.
Olatunji claimed that market women, youths, artisans and other unions are already being mobilised to occupy all 36 State Houses of Assembly and remain there till the Bill gets approvals.
He added: “We are going to organise, occupy all Houses of Assembly in the 36 States. All of us, market women, youths, artisans among others have to come together to occupy various States Houses of Assembly until this autonomy bill concurrence is granted.”
