Mr. Ambali Olatunji, National President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), believes that the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy will resolve over 50 percent of Nigeria’s problems.
In an interview on Thursday in Lagos, Olatunji reacted positively to the Supreme Court’s decision to grant financial autonomy to local government areas (LGAs).
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 LGAs in the country.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to withhold funds intended for local government administrations.
Olatunji expressed joy over the ruling, describing it as a new dawn and a significant step forward for the country.
“We believe that with the local government autonomy judgment, over 50 percent of Nigeria’s problems have been fixed,” Olatunji said. “We also hope there will be financial integrity at the local government levels, and all financial transactions will be tracked.”
He added that NULGE would collaborate with anti-corruption agencies to ensure growth and development.
“We are happy and see this as the fulfillment of long-awaited dreams. The struggle of the past 15 years has finally come to a victorious end,” he said.
The union leader also stated that the judgment would address issues such as insecurity, joblessness, poverty, and infrastructural gaps.
“We appreciate the media, our social partners, especially the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria for their resilience and support,” Olatunji added.
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