LG Autonomy’ll Expand Political Space For Youth Participation – NLC boss
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By Nedum Noble
National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Anambra state, Comrade Jerry Nnubia has said that the union would not rest on its oars until the struggle for the Independence of local governments is won.
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He said granting political and financial autonomy to the local governments would give political space and leverage on youths seeking political offices.
Speaking when the body took its advocacy drive for autonomy to the State’s House of Assembly, in conjunction with Coalition of Civil Societies, Nubia insisted that LGAs in the country must be free from the strangleholds of state governments.
He blamed the chaotic demand for higher office by youths to lack of local government autonomy and non conduct of local government election thereby pushing many youths to jump the ladder.
“Where you high-jack everything to national level, you exclude the people and will not encourage inclusion,” he said.
The convener of the civil society groups under the aegis of Civil Society-Labour and Media Alliance in Anambra state (CiSoL-MEDAAS),
Elder Eloka Okafor, said they were in the house to canvass support for and persuade the House to vote in favour of the amended sections of the 1999 constitution as the National Assembly has done.
Presenting his paper to the Anambra legislators, Okafor said the group agreed on eight amendments especially the area that dealt with local government autonomy for the interest of the state and especially local governments in the country.
“While we appreciate that the each State House of Assembly member has the constitutional right to vote on the amendments, it is expected that such voting shall be in consultation with their various constituents, so as to reflect the wishes of the citizens before casting their votes in line with the wishes of those they represent.
“To this end, this coalition of over twenty organized groups in the state, with the overall goal of lending strong voice on issues of accountable governance, public policy and application of public resources for the good of the citizens of the state, deemed it fit to engage the process, so as to prioritize the people oriented bills among the bills available for amendment.
“It is also aimed at developing engagement strategies and action plans that will generate support by the members of the State House of Assembly.
“For these prioritized bills that will expectedly strengthen good governance and dividends of democracy to the people, especially those at the grassroots, we strongly urge the 30 members of the Anambra State House of Assembly to vote ‘yes’ in their favour”.
