By Olasunkanmi Akoni
LAGOS — THE Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, has called for expunging of the state/local government joint account from the constitution, saying “it will bring sanity to the local government system.”

The Federal Government in the proposed constitution amendment wants to scrap state/LG joint accounts and make local governments autonomous.

National President of the association, Mr. Ibrahim Khaleel, who addressed newsmen in Lagos on the proposed constitution amendment, said the joint account had been the main problem of local government system because the state government always abused it.

He said: “There are illegal and sundry deductions from local government fund through the joint account by the state government. And also imposition of undemocratic structures (caretaker committee) to run the affairs of local government contrary to section 7 of the 1999 constitution by state government.”

He added section has helped shield and create escape route for many state government to manipulate local government affairs.

According to him, “it has been the anti-development instruments used to frustrate every progressive and patriotic action to make the local government work since the return of the country to democracy in 1999.”