National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have called for dissolution of the controversial joint states and local governments account.
The groups have rather called for the creation of dedicated account for Local Governments where funds due to them can be remitted directly from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).
In addition, the groups during a rally in Abuja on Thursday, demanded that powers of States to conduct elections for local governments should be taken away from State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), leaving such powers exclusively for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The demands were contained in a communique drafted after a one-day national dialogue in Abuja, organised by the Social Development Integrated Centre, which they said was aimed at achieving local government autonomy in Nigeria.
The document was also endorsed by the Social Development Integrated Centre- Social Action, Nigeria Financial Intelligence Agency (NFIU), Socialist Workers League, Centre for Social Studies and Development, Coalition of CSOs on Local Government Autonomy, Relief International, Communities Budget Advocates and Civil Rights Council.
NULGE President, Ambali Olatunji, who read the communiqué noted that areas of the constitutions that empower the State Houses of Assembly to make laws for the local governments should be expunged as the local governments are a separate tier of government.
“The citizens must also demand for records of all funds spent on behalf of LGAs by the States and advocate for clear local government procedures, policy and financial managements”, it read in part.