President Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ibrahim Khalil has attributed the increase in poverty among average Nigerians to lack of absolute autonomy of local government administration.
Khalil stated this Sunday while briefing journalists at Wudil town, in the Wudil local government area of Kano state.
He said the global pandemic of COVID- 19 has drastically affected the development of local government administration and it was a great set back to the development of the nation.
The NULGE president said the steps embarked upon by the state governors rejecting the autonomy of local governments was unwise and it is a serious challenge to the security of the nation.
“He stated that if local government administrations are handicapped financially, job opportunities for the teaming youths at local level would not be available, which can lead to the mass trooping of youths to the urban centers and resulting in an increase in the rate of crimes and other social vices.”
He however said NULGE would not relent in the struggle for local government autonomy with the aim of ensuring a better life for the nation.