The Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Balarabe Abdullahi, has applauded the National Assembly for the passage of the Local Government Autonomy Bill in the constitutional amendment.
The Speaker gave the commendation while receiving members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) from the North Central States at the House of Assembly complex in Lafia.
The NLC members from the Six States of the North Central and FCT are in Nasarawa State House of Assembly to demand autonomy of LG, Judiciary and the Legislature.
The Speaker said that the House would continue to identify with workers by making laws and passing resolutions that would have a direct bearing on their lives.
“This struggle is our own struggle. It is a collective struggle and we must fight it to the end.
“We in Nasarawa Assembly are labour friendly, NLC in the State can attest to that, the issue of local government autonomy is long overdue and I want to assure you that we shall do your bidding, go home and sleep, when we get communication on LG Autonomy we will give it expeditious passage, it’s long overdue.
“On the issue of judicial and Legislative autonomy, I can confidently say that nobody can change the autonomy of the legislature and Judiciary because it’s already a constitutional matter.
“What remains on the issue of the state legislature and judiciary autonomy is Implementation.
“Very soon, their implementations will commence by the grace of God.“
The Speaker appreciated the National Assembly for voting in favour of local government autonomy in the constitutional amendment.
“Our Governor has said it time without no that he doesn’t temper or have anything to do with LG funds, we trust him for that and we are fully supporting him on that.“
The speaker wished the NLC well in their collective struggle.
Meanwhile, the NLC Chairman, Nasarawa State, Comrade Yusuf Iya, who led other NLC Chairmen of the North Central States said that the peaceful protest was to demand state legislature and judiciary autonomy as well as autonomy for local government.
Iya said that autonomy would promote transparency, accountability and good governance in the country.
He further commended the House for being workers friendly and called for its sustenance.
It would be recalled that members of NLC carried placards with different inscriptions such as workers’ demands for autonomy of LG, State Assemblies and Judicial autonomy, we support LG councils autonomy among others as the workers comprised of members of all NLC affiliate bodies and their leaders from Nasarawa, Kogi, Plateau, Niger, Kwara states and the FCT.
PIAK
