The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Ogun State has expressed concern over what it described as the state government’s undue interference in local government administration.
In a statement released after its State Executive Council meeting in Abeokuta, the union said it regrets that, despite the Supreme Court judgment, directives from the National Assembly, and President Bola Tinubu’s clear instructions, Governor Dapo Abiodun has yet to implement local government autonomy.
According to NULGE, this failure has left local councils without basic furniture, operating with poor infrastructure, and employing demotivated staff working under harsh conditions—factors that have hampered effective administration at the grassroots level. The communiqué was signed by NULGE President Adefesobi Adebayo and made available to journalists on Thursday.
The union also warned that it might withdraw from the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the state government and the Nigeria Labour Congress on the contributory pension scheme, accusing the government of reneging on its obligations.
Highlighting violations of the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines local government functions, NULGE noted that the 20 local councils in Ogun State are underperforming due to state government interference. Sources of revenue—such as mobile advertising, motor park and garage fees, and tenement rates—have been seized by the state, denying councils the funds needed to deliver essential services.
The union emphasized:
“Since the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, regarding direct allocations to local governments, the Ogun State Government has refused to comply. This is affecting the functionality of local government as the third tier of government.”
NULGE therefore demanded the immediate implementation of full local government autonomy, in line with the Supreme Court ruling, National Assembly pronouncements, and President Tinubu’s directive.
The union also criticized the state government’s refusal to place Heads of Local Government Administration on a consolidated salary structure similar to other civil servants, urging the governor to act to boost morale. It pointed out that neighbouring states like Osun and Ondo have already implemented such structures for local government administrators.
In closing, NULGE reaffirmed its position that it would not hesitate to pull out of the contributory pension scheme agreement if the government fails to honor its commitments.