LG has been bastardised, cannot deliver its mandate to the people, says NULGE president

President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ibrahim Khalid, has lamented what he called bastardisation of the local government system in Nigeria to the extent that it cannot deliver its mandate to the people.

Khalid, while fielding questions from journalist in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, shortly after meeting with Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu on the union’s current agitation for local government autonomy in Nigeria, bemoaned that the local government system, which is the most closest to the grassroots, cannot perform its function simply because it is missing in the governance of the country and has not be allowed to function as an autonomous body.  

“What is happening in Nigeria today is like recolonising the Nigerian people by Nigerian people themselves. People at the grassroots level are disconnected.

“What is due to the local governments should go to them, so that they can function and play the role they are supposed to play on people,” he advised.

Khalid said if local governments were not important, even developed countries, such as the United States, United Kingdom and France, would have since abrogated them.

He attributed the raising rural-urban migration and the increase of Nigerian youths seeking greener pastures in European countries to failed local government system in the country.

He commended the National Assembly for passing the local government autonomy Bill into law and sending it to State Houses of Assembly for concurrent legislation.

The NULGE president also met the leadership of the state House of Assembly to seek their support on their current agitation for local government autonomy in the country.