The Plateau State 9th Assembly under the leadership of Yakubu Sanda has assured the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employee NULGE that the House will not hesitate to pass the Local Government Autonomy Bill.
Sanda gave the assurance while addressing the National President of NULGE alongside other Exco’s and members of the union who were at the Assembly complex in continuation of their agitation for Local Government Autonomy.
The speaker who spoke through his deputy, Saleh Yipmong after listening to the Union’s agitation, informed them that they are representing the people and their powers lies with the people so they will not hesitate to do the will of the people they are representing.
“We are assuring you Mr. President before your exco’s that we are coming from the 17 local government areas of Plateau State…, you said you will not go to sleep, but Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda has asked me to tell you to go and eat and sleep very well. We are telling you that the leadership of Yakubu Sanda is very much aware and is desirous of the local government Autonomy and even beyond ” he added.
Earlier, the National President of the NULGE, Comrade Ambali Olatunji who led members of the union to the state Assembly complex, explained to the speaker the advantages of the autonomy and the need for the House to pass the bill.
He attributed the insecurity the nation is face with, to the collapse of the local government system in Nigeria which is also contributing to forcing the rural populace to migrate to the urban areas.
He recalled what he described as those good days, how between 1983 to 1998 that local government were constructing roads, organizing weekly security meetings, doing skills empowerment among other things, but regretted that all those things are no more due to the collapse of the system.
Speaking for the civil society organizations, Comrade Steve Oluko opined that for Nigeria to prosper and to continue prospering, the answer and antidote is the local government Autonomy. “So we are waiting for the Plateau State House of Assembly to pass the law now” he concluded.
The Local Government workers who stormed the House of Assembly in a peaceful demonstration were carrying placards with banners containing inscriptions of their demands with music as they match into the complex.