NULGE seeks establishment of EFCC, ICPC in local council offices to tackle corruption

• Wants APC to adopt LG autonomy

The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has urged the Federal Government to create offices for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) in the headquarters of all local councils in the country to curb corruption.
     
The union’s President, Ambali Olatunji, who disclosed this in Abuja, also called on the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to adopt local government autonomy as policy ahead of its convention slated for this month. 
   
He said: “Establishment of both EFCC and ICPC in Council headquarters will help keep a close watch on political leaders and civil servants.”
   
As a means of curbing corruption and instilling best global practice, Olatunji urged government to appoint local government auditor general among council government accountants, forensic auditors, saying they have their own peculiarities and with structure on ground, councils would be able to comply with best practices across the world.

“A well-equipped community police system will stem the scourge of kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and terrorism that are seen in almost all the rural communities. If we must address high rate of insecurity pervading our country, local government must be autonomous. The local governments must be allowed to establish community police and they must be allowed to carry arms.

“If government allows community police to carry small arms, they will be able to apprehend insecurity at the local level before they expand and become uncurtailable. As at today, no Nigerian can freely move around the country.”  
     
NULGE also expressed support for direct primary of choosing candidates for political contestations, saying, “we support direct primaries because it will return power to the people. Let people decide at the local level who will fly their party flags in contesting elections. We cannot continue to exclude the people from choosing their representatives freely. We can no longer allow cabals to determine the fate of millions of people.”
     
NULGE lauded the Jigawa State government for granting full autonomy to the local government councils in the state. 
     
“Our belief is that local government administration has become a caricature of what it should be over time due to the systematic destruction of the local government system by the same political actors led by the governors across the country. It is only Jigawa state that has demonstrated the implementation of local government system in good spirit. The governor of Jigawa state has demonstrated being a true democrat,” Olatunji stated.