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  • LG autonomy: 50% of Nigeria’s problems solved – NULGE

    LG autonomy: 50% of Nigeria’s problems solved – NULGE

    Mr Ambali Olatunji, National President, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), says  over 50 per cent of Nigeria’s problems will be addressed following the Local Government autonomy ruling by the Supreme Court.

    Olatunji, who made this known in an interview on Thursday in Lagos, was reacting to the ruling by the Supreme Court, granting LGAs financial autonomy.

    Recall that the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Federal Government, seeking to grant full autonomy and direct funding to all 774 local government areas in the country.

    The Supreme Court, on Thursday, declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for local government administrations.

    Olatunji, who expressed joy at the ruling, described the feat as freedom and a new dawn for the country.

    “We believe that with the local government autonomy judgment, over 50 per cent of Nigerian problems have been fixed.

    “Also, we hope there will be financial integrity at the local government levels and all financial transactions will be tracked.

    “We will be working with anti-corruption agencies to ensure growth and development.

    “So, we are happy and it is a fulfilment of long-awaited dreams and the struggle in the last 15 years have come to a victorious end,” he said.

    The union leader also said that with the judgment, insecurity would become a thing of the past; joblessness would be addressed; poverty and infrastructural gaps would be reduced.

    “We appreciate the media, our social partners, especially the Nigeria Labour Congress, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria for their resilience and support,” Olatunji said.

  • Local government operations grounded as workers join NLC strike

    Local government operations grounded as workers join NLC strike

    Operations in local government areas across the nation have been grounded following the strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports this is coming after the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) directed it’s members to comply with the strike declared by the NLC and TUC.

    In a statement by Comrade Isah Gambo, General Secretary, NULGE members of the Union had withdrawn their services since midnight.

    The statement reads: “Comrades, the above jointly signed letter from NLC and TUC is a directive to all affiliate Unions to comply with.

    “As a result of this, the National Secretariat of NULGE is by the above letter directing all State Chapters and Local Branches across the federation to instruct all our members nationwide to withdraw their services effective 12:00 midnight of 13th November, 2023.

    “The indefinite strike shall commence as scheduled above until further directive from the NLC/TUC.

    “Injury to one is injury to all”

  • Tinubu’s economic policy is hurting the masses – NULGE President, Olatunji

    Tinubu’s economic policy is hurting the masses – NULGE President, Olatunji

    Ambali Olatunji, the National President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, has posited that President Bola Tinubu’s economic policy is hurting the masses.

    Olatunji disclosed this on Tuesday during the opening session of a two-day National Youth Conference in Benin, Edo state.

    He added that Tinubu also criticized Tinubu for running an over-bloated cabinet comprising ministers and an entourage of aides.

    Noting that Tinubu needs to understand the plight of the people, Olatunji said that 45 ministers and a horde of aides are a huge burden on a fragile economy.

    He also condemned the removal of fuel subsidy without a mitigation plan and stated that the current economic policy of the administration is hurting the poor and vulnerable most.

    He said, “We should be talking of cutting down on the cost of governance at a time like this rather than doing things that exacerbate the already bad situation. About 26 ministers and a few aides would have sufficed considering what the country is currently undergoing.

    “The president also hurriedly removed the fuel subsidy without the fuel subsidy without putting in place measures to cushion the effect, which is why we are at this abysmal level. Hopefully, he will retrace his steps, and the country can move in the right direction.

    “You cannot say Nigerians should adjust their standard of living while you live an extravagant life. Nigerians are going through harrowing experiences. People are frustrated, but we should not lose hope.”

    Recall that Tinubu removed fuel subsidy in June, resulting in a nationwide hike in the cost of goods and services.

  • Subsidy Removal: NULGE demands 300% minimum wage increment

    Subsidy Removal: NULGE demands 300% minimum wage increment

    The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has called for 300 per cent increment in the minimum wage for workers across all sectors due to the inflation caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.

    NULGE National President, Mr Ambali Olatunji, said this in a communique jointly signed by Mr Isah Gambo, General Secretary of the union, at the end of its regular National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

    Olatunji said that the 300 per cent rise was imperative considering the inflation necessitated by the removal of fuel subsidy on local government staff.

    Accordingly to him, it is the position of NULGE that there should be 300 per cent rise in the minimum wage for all Local Government workers and other public servants including private sector workers.

    He also said that considering the overbearing posture of the state governors on local government which had left it prostrate in the country, there was need for state of emergency to be declared on local government administration.

    This, he said would address the infrastructural decay, poverty and state of unemployment across the local governments in the country.

    Olatunji also said that government as a matter of urgency should create a special intervention fund to take care of aforementioned social welfare and infrastructural decay through the Ministry of Special Duty.

    NUGLE boss said that the proposed fund should be able to carter for projects and programmes in conjunction with local government.

    He further called on the federal government to establish a special agency to collaborate with the local government administration in administering the fund for the development and the transformation of the rural areas.

    He added that considering the state of insecurity that had affected food production in the country, the local government administration should be assisted in establishing special vigilante to protect farmers.

    He, however, acknowledged the effort of federal and state governments to cushion the effect of the economic policies on citizens.

    Olatunji also urged the government to utilise the 800 million dollars from World Bank to provide mass transit and other interventions especially in the auto-mobile spare parts companies, to carter for the transport need of the masses.

    “This will discourage importation, alternate energy provision (CNG), vocational skill acquisition centers for youth and women,” he said.

    He also advised government to give tax rebate/holiday for low income earners and small scale entrepreneurs, as a way of encouraging and sustaining their businesses.

    He condemned the attacks on local government secretariats in Plateau, Anambra, Abia and Enugu states by gunmen nothing that they were unwarranted.

    Olatunji while calling for urgent re-opening of the 17 local governments in Plateau shut down as a result of alledged political crisis, urged the SGF to expedite action on the scheme of service for the local government.

    “It is the conviction of the union that autonomy for local governments remains the best way to return the country to the part of development and growth.

    “This will translate to the direct funding of local governments without which no genuine national development can be achieved,” he said.

    He also called for the establishment of Local Government Police (Community Police) to address the spate of insecurity across the country.

    Olatunji further called for special rural allowances for local government staff to discourage rural-urban migration.

  • LG workers’ strike: Enugu State Govt, NULGE, NUT trade blame

    LG workers’ strike: Enugu State Govt, NULGE, NUT trade blame

    The  Enugu Government, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) have traded blame for the ongoing strike by workers in the local government councils of the state.

    Newsmen reports that local government workers, including public primary school teachers and Primary Health Care (PHC) workers in the state on July 27, began a strike over alleged non-implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage.

    The strike was announced after a joint press conference by the leadership of the NUT and NULGE in the state.

    The Chairman of NUT in the state, Chief Theophilus Nweke, told newsmen that the action which has crippled the affected sectors was due to the government’s insincerity in the negotiation process.

    Nweke said that the ongoing strike was the second time in two months that public primary school teachers were embarking on such action over the same matter.

    ”The patience of the workers in those sectors is being overstretched as the government has not made any concrete commitment to pay the minimum wage and its consequential adjournments.

    ”It is sad that pupils in the public primary schools could not participate in terminal examinations that could determine their promotions to the next class as the academic calendar was disrupted by the strike.

    ”The situation is more worrisome as the health centres in both urban and rural areas has remained closed.

    “The government is aware of this strike but has not come up with any solution. We are not happy being on strike. So, government should look into it for industrial harmony,” he said.

    He said that government had made an attempt to cajole them into suspending the strike by approving the payment of the minimum wage for workers in Grade Levels 1 to 6 in the affected sectors.

    He, however, said that the labour unions would not fall for such bait as those that fell within such range were insignificant.

    Nweke said that out of the 24, 000 workers in the local government system, including primary school teachers, those in Grade Levels I to  VI were less than 2,000.

    Also speaking, the President of NULGE in the state, Mr Kenneth Ugwueze, said that it was unfair that the affected workers had been denied the minimum wage for 30 months.

    Ugwueze said that some workers in the affected sectors still earned as low as N18, 000 monthly.

    “This is the first time from the Old Anambra  that we are having salary disparity and some categories of workers paid differently for over two years.

    “You can imagine the impact it has on the rural populace. Immunization activities have been put on hold,” he said.

    Ugwueze said that the issue was no longer a question of meager financial allocations as the figures accruable to the various councils had improved tremendously.

    “We had a meeting with the fourth committee constituted by government to resolve the matter but they requested that we suspend the strike before they open negotiations with us.

    “However, it is on record that we have negotiated with previous committees for 30 months but nothing came out of it.

    “We are no longer able to feed our families considering the hyper inflation in the country,” Ugwueze said.

    When contacted, the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Enugu State, Prof. Osy Okanya, said that government was serious about resolving the lingering strike.

    ”50 per cent of the problem has been settled.

    ”The state government planned to begin payment of the minimum wage in those sectors by August but for the actions of the union leaders.

    “Government made it clear that implementation of the minimum wage in those sectors will start immediately for those in Grade Levels I to VI while we work out the consequential adjustments for Grade Levels 7 to 16,” he said.

    Okanya said that government has convened a meeting with the labour leaders to work out the consequential adjustments without knowing that the unions had the intention of going on strike.

    “There is willingness on the part of government to pay and we need some patience.

    “While we are calling the unions back to the negotiating table, we are also making informal moves to find a middle ground in order to get it done quickly,” Okanya said.

  • 2023: Don’t re-elect governors opposing LG autonomy – NULGE

    2023: Don’t re-elect governors opposing LG autonomy – NULGE

    Mr Olatunji Ambali, the National President, of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), has called on Nigerians not to vote for those state governors opposing local government autonomy.

    Ambali made the call in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the ongoing Conference of Nigeria State of Assembly Speakers at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan.

    “We are appealing to the people that any governor that is against the local government autonomy should be voted out of office, because they are not fit to lead the country,” NULGE president said.

    He said the union leaders were in Ibadan to address the Speakers to enable them to understand that their agitations was nothing, but a patriotic duty.

    Ambali said that they had contacted strategic stakeholders, such as paramount rulers, opinion leaders and other well-meaning Nigerians on the need for autonomy of the council in the country.

    He, however, disagreed with Gov. Seyi Makinde’s position in his keynote address at the conference, that local governments would not be sustainable, if allowed to gain autonomy.

    The president urged the governor to show interest in Nigeria and should not allow himself to be pushed by self-interest.

    “We have realised that those making side comments are doing it as self-serving and not in the patriotic interest of their people,” he said.

    Ambali said that allocation from the Federal Government was enough to sustain local governments without adding the internally generated revenue.

    He said they were aware that workers in Oyo State were less than 10,000, while workers in Rivers are over 20,000 with salary package for Rivers State to be over N2.5 billion.

    “Despite that, in September 2021 to be precise, the allocation released by FAAC in October, it is on record that Oyo State earned over N5 billion.

    “In this regard, if Rivers State that has more workers than Oyo State got less than N3.5 billion, what happened to the balance?

    “We are not also talking about the burden put on local governments by various state governors that local governments should fully fund primary education, which is supposed to be the statutory role of the state governments,” Ambali said.

    He expressed confidence that local government could pay salary, carry out infrastructure developments, address insecurity and give good governance to the people, if allowed to earn their allocations.

    The union president said that autonomy would allow connection between the government and the people, give hope to youths and women through skills acquisition programme.

    Ambali said that elections in the past were conducted and the process then produced credible leaders that were acceptable to the people.

    “What we are experiencing now is a charade we can’t call election; it could be regarded as coronation, appointment and promotion.

    “While we are having that, the governors want to continue to pilfer local governments’ funds; that’s why they put their cronies that can’t question them in office.

    “If we must get it right at the local government level, we must allow credible elections because it will give room for democratic involvement,” he said.

    The NULGE leader said it was now difficult for local governments to patch and tar roads and meet other obligations as it were in the past.

    “We need to restore Nigeria back to how it used to be; people no longer know the difference between a governor and local government chairman.

    “That’s not the narration; Local Governments should be returned to a service-centre that would be able to provide social services,” he said.

    Ambali said all security challenges were local, adding that local governments should be allowed to provide security and safety in the rural communities.

  • LG Autonomy: NULGE executives stage protest in Ogun State

    LG Autonomy: NULGE executives stage protest in Ogun State

    Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Obafemi Owode chapter, Ogun State has staged a protest demanding for the autonomy of Local Governments in the state.

    NULGE executives and a score of members of the Union gathered at Mowe bus-stop in Ogun state chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with different inscriptions stating demand of Local Government autonomy.

    The protesting NULGE executives and members headed to the resident of Hon. Damilola Soneye, who is representing Obafemi Owode Constituency at the Ogun state House of Assembly.

    Although, the protesters didn’t meet Hon Soneye at home, but that didn’t deter them from making their grievances known.

    Speaking to the representatives of Hon.Soneye, comrade Bola Faupe mentioned that their demands aren’t something difficult to do.

    ” We just want him Hon. Soneye who is unavoidably absent today to please help push the bill when it’s being introduced at the Ogun state House of Assembly. We urge him to join in this advocacy of Local Government autonomy”

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    NULGE decries ‘rape’ of local government system in Nigeria

    NULGE chairman, Obafemi Owode Local Government comrade Kabir Oluwaseyi expressed displeasure over the state of affairs of Local Government in the state. He therefore admonished the Ogun Assembly members to endorse the Local Government autonomy bill at the floor saying it will help the 3rd tier of government perform its duties .

    ”I want us to all agree that the Local Government is then closest tier of Government saddled with the responsibility of catering for people at the grassroots.

    ”Thus, the actualization of this responsibilities cannot be accomplished without granting the Local Government autonomy to implement their desired goals.

    ”We want a Local Government that can evacuate refuse, build good health facilities, rehabilitate rural roads, provide pipe borne water supply, pays staff leave bonus and perform her statutory duties as stated in the 1999 Nigeria constitution as amended” He said

    ”We also do not want OGSIEC to conduct Local Government elections anymore, INEC should be saddled with that responsibility

    ”NULGE has therefore decided to pray,mobilize, and give her full support to every House of Assembly member who vote for the passage of Local Goverment autonomy in their political careers

    ”In the same vein, NULGE members will not hesitate to as well mobilize and vote against any House of Assembly member who vote against the total passage of Local Government Autonomy in their political careers”

    When TheNewsGuru.comTNG contacted Hon.Soneye, he said that he was in support of their agitation and would do everything within his power to ensure that he alongside his colleagues try their best to endorse the bill when it’s introduced to the floor of the House.

    According to him, he’s been agitating for Local Government , Legislative and Judiciary autonomy for years and would gladly be in support of this particular demand.

    ”I’ve always been an advocate of Legislative and Judiciary autonomy, I’m fully in support of the Local Government autonomy. I will do everything with my capacity to push for it at the floor of the house and ensure that it sees the light of the day” He said

     

     

     

  • JUST IN: NULGE elects new president

    JUST IN: NULGE elects new president

    The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has elected former North West Vice President of the union, Comrade Ahmed Labbo as its new national president.

    The election took place at Green Desert Palm Hotel, Airport Road, Kano.

    Labbo’s election follows the death of the former National President, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel Abdulkadir, on October 7.

    It was gathered that the deceased was to complete his tenure in March 2021.

    His demise created a vacancy, which according to NULGE, must be filled by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union.

    According to the union’s constitution, the national vice president was supposed to have taken over the leadership but he has been incapacitated by health challenge, it was learnt.

    Following a motion by one of the members at an emergency meeting, NEC, which is composed of all NULGE States presidents and national officers of the union, unanimously picked Labbo, who is next in hierarchy.

    There will be an election before March to throw up new officials, the union said.

    Labbo paid glowing tribute to their deceased leader and sought contributions from his subordinates to enable him succeed.

    “The responsibility is not an easy one but with your cooperation, the job will be easy for me.

    “We must focus on providing better livelihood for all our members and staff who shall be there tomorrow.

    “Our leader, during his lifetime was known as ‘Mr. Autonomy,’ because he was always on the frontline of mobilising the nation’s workforce at the grassroots to develop this tier of government for greater productivity and efficiency, while also ensuring the protection of workers’ rights and welfare.

    “We shall uphold his (Abdulkadir’s) unique contributions to labour movement, governance at all levels and democracy issues, particularly his many years of constant and strong advocacy for Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria.
    “Today is a day to look inward and assess ourselves on how well we will love to be remembered after we have exited the union.
    “It is a clarion call to all of us to be strong and united, believing that together we will uphold the principles of Abdulkadir, as we know he stood for peace and unity.
    “I believe even in death he will be proud he left behind strong and verile foot soldiers, dogged in the attainment of the ideals of the founding fathers of our great union which he pursued till his demise.
    “NULGE staff should expect better and improved welfare packages. Issues of minimum wage, staff pension and promotion shall be of great importance to us. This is because we hold our staff in high esteem since we see them as the engine room of our union,” Labbo said.

  • Gunmen kidnap ex-NULGE chairman in Edo

    Gunmen kidnap ex-NULGE chairman in Edo

    A former chairman of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Akoko-Edo branch, Alhaji Jimoh Olumoye, has been kidnapped on his way to farm.
    Alhaji Olumoye was abducted along Igarra-Okpe Road on Sunday afternoon while driving in his car to pick his children from the farm.
    A member of the family who pleaded anonymity said his children raised alarm when they saw their father’s car with the doors opened and his phones abandoned.
    According to him, “His children had gone to the farm early in the morning and he promised to go and picked them in the afternoon before he would attend his family meeting.
    “The children waited endlessly for their father and when they did not see him, decided to be trekking home. On their way home, they met his car on the road with the four doors opened and his mobile phone abandoned. After searching for their father fruitlessly, they decided to now come home to inform the family.
    “We have been praying for his safety, we are worried because he is a civil servant who also farms to augment whatever he is earning as a civil servant. We are appealing that his abductors release him unhurt. He has an aged mother and everybody is scared of breaking the news to her, we are really worried”.
    The source said the family has lodged a formal complaint at the Igarra police station.
    It was gathered that several vigilance groups in Igarra, Ojah, Ogugu and environs in Akoko-Edo local government area and their counterparts in Owan East have been mobilized to comb the forests around the area.
    A member of the vigilance group said, “It was only the State Security Service that responded to our call immediately we heard of the incident and called them. We have mobilised our members and we trying to track them down in the forests so they would move out to other states close to us.
    How, the Edo State Police spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, could not be reached for comments.

  • Confusion as gunmen assassinate NULGE Chairman in broad daylight in Bayelsa

    There was confusion in Bayelsa as gunmen assassinate the Chairman, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees,Mr. Okaye Igali on Friday.

    The 53-year-old Igali was reportedly murdered in a broad daylight on Friday by unknown assassins along Anyama-Ijaw road in Southern Ijaw area of the state.

    It has yet to be ascertained the motives behind the killing of Igali.

    Community folks said that as soon as their mission was accomplished, the suspected assassins, hurriedly escaped from the scene.

    The Secretary, Anyama-Ijaw Communinity Development Committee, Warifagha Yagila, confirmed the killing of the LGA NULGE boss, saying that the victim was attacked while in a hired commercial tricycle.

    The CDC Secretary noted that the deceased had boarded the tricycle to Anyama-Ijaw waterfront from where he had wished to board a speedboat before his killers, who were allegedly trailing him, opened fire on him.

    Yagila, in a Whatsapp message said, “The victim (Okaye Igali) was in a tricycle going to Anyama-Ijaw waterfront where he could board a speedboat to his destination when the gunmen attacked him.

    “They (assailants) left him seriously injured in the process with his intestines coming out of his stomach. Igali died a few minutes after the attack at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was rushed to.”

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, confirmed the killing of the 53-year-old man.

    Butswat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said in a statement on Saturday that preliminary investigations revealed that the attack on Igali, 53, was a premeditated murder.

    The police spokesman said, “Okare Igali was shot and killed by unknown gunmen along Anyama-Ijaw Road in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on Friday, February 9, 2018 at about 1.44pm.

    “Preliminary investigation revealed that the attack was a premeditated murder. The incident was reported about three hours later. However, our tactical teams have swung into action to arrest the culprits. Investigation is ongoing.”