NULGE advocates establishment of community policing

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has urged the Federal Government to sanction the establishment of community police to tame the rising cases of kidnappings and banditry ravaging the country.

The union stated this in a communique it issued at the of its National Executive Council (NEC) which took place in Abuja recently.

The communique which was jointly signed by the President of the union, Ambali Olatunji and General Secretary, Isah Gambo, respectively, said local government councils should be allowed to carry out community policing activities to protect the lives and properties of their citizens within their jurisdiction.

NULGE argued that the commencement of policing at the community level will lay to rest banditry, incessant killings, kidnapping and all other vices.

“Alarming rise in insecurity with Nigeria. The NEC-in-Session recognising the critical need for prompt and concerted action, we collectively express our deep apprehension and call for urgent measures to tackle the multifaceted challenges threatening the nation’s stability. We emphasise the necessity for collaboration among federal, state and local government authorities as well as the active involvement of community leaders, traditional rulers and religious heads in developing comprehensive strategies to combat insecurities in Nigeria,” it stated.

NULGE observed this having recognised the evolving landscape and the importance of efficient governance at the grassroots level, it called for a timely revision of the scheme of service by the National Council of Establishment to ensure optimal functionality and service delivery by its members in the local government councils in Nigeria.

It added: “The session urges relevant authorities to initiate the process of reviewing the Scheme of Service without delay. A forward-looking and inclusive approach to this revision is essential for building resilient and effective local government systems that can adapt to the evolving needs of our communities.”

Though the process for the revision of the national minimum wage is ongoing, NULGE urged the Federal Government and employer bodies to engender a living minimum wage that is enough to enhance the living standard of workers.

In the same vein, the union called for 100 per cent in the pension allowance of retirees for them to be able to cope with life challenges associated with senior citizens.

NULGE also seeks the establishment of an intervention fund for infrastructural development of local government, saying, “It is important to tell well-meaning Nigerians that Local Government infrastructure is becoming ineffective, decaying and moribund. This has led to rural-urban migration and security threats. The Session therefore calls for prompt intervention from the Federal Government to all 774 Local Governments across the nation to enable them to perform their statutory functions as detailed in the 4th Schedule of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended.”

The union, while commending the National Assembly and all the States that positively considered and accented to the Local Government Autonomy Bill, observed that unfortunately, it did not sail through the required two-thirds of the entire States to complete the process.

To achieve full autonomy for the local government councils, NULGE called on the National Assembly to reintroduce the passage for the urgent and unequivocal implementation of local government autonomy in Nigeria.