Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that local government allocations are paid directly.

The Congress urged the government and state governors not to play politics with the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment directing local governments to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to receive their allocations directly.

President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, made the appeal while speaking at the 8th National Administrative Council meeting of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Abuja on Sunday.

The labour leader pledged NLC’s support in ensuring NULGE’s fight for full autonomy was achieved.

Ajaero said: “We have got autonomy now. I want to plead with the Federal Government not to play politics with the autonomy we have gotten. The release of funds to local governments should not be at the whims and caprices of the government.

“It’s a position of the law. It is not if you like me, you send me money. If you don’t like me, you won’t send me money. I think we should get that.

“The very moment the judicial arm of government, the highest court in the land, gave that ruling; they are not doing anybody any favour any longer. And even the president agrees with it.

“So, I don’t understand their sense of delays any longer. So, the NLC, NULGE and all trade union movements in Nigeria will work with all of you to make sure that we fight any infraction at any unit, be it council, be it state. Our struggle has been highlighted in such a way that it will not be a way of telling them to obey the law.

“It is no longer agitation. This is another way of enforcing the law, which was voluntarily entered into. We are not at the mercy of any governor; we are not at the mercy of any President. We are not at the mercy of any minister.

“So, today, on behalf of the labour movement and NULGE which happens to be one of the strongest affiliates of Congress, to say that we are not going to take it kindly to any local government, to any state, where this issue of autonomy is not properly implemented.”

Ajaero, who commended past leaders of NULGE for efficiently piloting the affairs of the union and for maintaining a smooth process of democracy and transition, advised the new leadership to follow the precedents already set by others.

He said: “If your tenure is expiring, you conduct an election and handover. There is no need for manipulation to stay in office forever.”

Former President – General of NULGE, Comrade Ambali Olatunji, charged members of NULGE not to be deterred by the delay in the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment on LG autonomy.

He said: “NULGE has changed the narrative, the industrial landscape in Nigeria. No matter what is happening now our union will progress, and celebrate achievement of outstanding issues.

“The little we have achieved in my time people have continued to celebrate but it was not by our making, we are only your agents of change.”

Newly elected President-General of NULGE, Comrade Aliyu Kankara, pledged his commitment to prioritise the welfare of members, human capacity development, and continue the struggle for implementation of a total LG autonomy.