OGUN, FIRST IN SOUTH WEST TO PASS BILL ON LG AUTONOMY SAYS AMBALI, NULGE PRESIDENT

 OGUN, FIRST  IN  SOUTH WEST TO PASS BILL ON LG AUTONOMY SAYS AMBALI, NULGE PRESIDENT

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 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.

Ambali said, "we have directed from the national that any state that passed the Local Government Autonomy Bill, workers from the local government should come out en-mass and vote for that government en-block, and we mean that.

"I said it in Kano yesterday that any state government that Cote in support of local government autonomy, local government workers should come out pray, mobilize, work and vote for that government.

"In fact in the south western part of Nigeria, Ogun State happens to be the first state that passed the Local Government Autonomy. If the governor has not consented, the House of Assembly would not have passed it.

" The governor said it was part of his campaign promises when he was coming on board that will allow a functional local government in the State and he has kept his promise", he explained.

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.

According to Comrade Ambali, "all the requests of my branch in the State was speedily attended to in a frank and sincere manner. For example, the governor donated a bus to the State branch of the union. He also gave directive that the union Secretariat will be restructures and completed by his administration.

He said the governor has also directed that a Committee that 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.

Ambali informed that Prince Abiodun also used the occasion to let them into the 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 governor, the NULGE President continued, has not sacked any staff of the local government service, despite all the challenges, applauding the State government for its workers friendly posture.

"The governor said he is coming out with a programme that will take care of the poorest of the poor and the vulnerable in the social net. He has directed a conditional cash transfer to the people so that their purchasing power will increase and this will also increase the State Gross Domestic Product", Comrade Ambali concluded.