No Going Back On Total Autonomy For Judiciary, Local Govt — NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that it was not shifting ground on total autonomy to be granted to the judiciary and local governments in the country.

NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said this during a protest at the venue of a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja on Friday.

According to him, the current status quo was hampering the development of the country, saying governors should grant autonomy to other tiers of government in line with the recent amendments to the 1999 constitution.

He said “We are aware that the Governors Forum will be meeting here.

“We are aware that they are meeting to look at other issues. But we have three demands. Those demands are one, autonomy for the local governments. Two, autonomy for the judiciary. Three, autonomy for our State Houses of Assembly.

“That’s the reason we are here. If it is not on their agenda, they must put it on their agenda. And it must pass through.

“We are tired of going in cycles. The underdevelopment in Nigeria today can be traced to the fact that the local government system is not working.

“The funds of the local government are not being given to them. We are aware that the funds for the local government are now pocket money for the boys. We are aware that there are no credible elections in the local government system. And, therefore, the issue of joint accounts, we don’t want that to happen again.

“The members of the National Assembly have done their bit. All those issues have been contained in the proposed constitution amendments.

“We are also aware that those Bills, as passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly, have been transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly. And, therefore, we want them to do the needful,” Wabba stated.