The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE), Comrade Akeem Ambali, has lauded the Ogun State Government for being the first to pass the Local Government Autonomy Bill in the South Western part of the country.
Speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta on Friday after he led members of the State chapter of the union to a meeting with the State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Comrade Ambali said the gesture would empower council administrations and ensure more dividends of democracy at the grassroots levels.
He explained that the national body of the union has directed that any state that passed the Local Government Autonomy Bill, workers from the local government should of such state should vote for that government
Commending governor abiodun for fulfilling his campaign promises to pave way for a functional local government in the State If elected, comrade ambali urged his members to support his re-election bid for second term
The NULGE President described the meeting as historic as discussions focused on not only the welfare of the workers at the local level, but on plans to further scale up infrastructural development at the grassroots.
He said the meeting has demonstrated the genuine commitment of the administration’s respect for workers, cherish relationship with the labour unions and the zeal to further bring development and growth to the local areas.
He informed that the governor has also directed that a Committee to look into how fund would be released to local government Councils to make them more functional, would be set up, while a blue print that would see that each local government area has a Grader and a Bulldozer, for massive grading of rural roads, would soon be roll out by the State government.
Comrafe Ambali also informed that Prince Abiodun also used the occasion to let them into some of the challenges the State is facing which include; dwindling revenue, governance and abandoned road projects that dotted the State’s landscape, pledging to surmount them with the support of the people.
The NULGE President affirmed that governor abiodun has not sacked any staff of the local government service, despite all the challenges, applauding the State government for its workers friendly posture.
