BY ENYIM ENYIM

ONITSHA-Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Anambra State chapter, weekend supported the proposed establishment of state police in states of the federation by the Senate.

President of the union, Mr Jerry Nnubia, who spoke with Vanguard, said the issue of state police as one of the Senate’s major agenda for deliberation was a welcome development.

Nnubia said in view of the security situation in the country, it was time governments at state levels were allowed to have their own police for the protection of lives and property in their respective areas.

“Looking at what is happening today, Boko Haram activities, the high level of kidnapping and armed robbery, I support state police so that insecurity of lives and property would be effectively tackled.”

He said with state police in place there would be total commitment by the police who will have indigenes as officers in their respective states.

Nnubia called on Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, to rescind his decision to sack non-indigenes of the state because of the controversial minimum wage, saying that it would create  confusion in the country.

Describing the policy as obnoxious, he said it would cause disaffection among governors whose workers would be affected in the exercise.

He said: “We are all Nigerians and we are all Igbos. Therefore we have a right to live and work in any part of this country. so, we should not discriminate or marginalise ourselves at a time we are talking of unity of the country.”

On the tenure elongation of caretaker committee chairmen in the 21 local government areas of Anambra state, the NULGE boss described it as an unhealthy and unfortunate development.

He said: “It is not only a breach of the Anambra State law on local government 1999 section 4(1) which came into effect on March 28, 2000, but an aberration because it also contravenes section 7(1) of the 1999 constitution which guarantees the local government system by democratically elected government.