A faction of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Osun State has called on the local government workers to resume work in the interest of the general public and local government workers.
The faction described the protracted withdrawal of services by workers as the height of irresponsibility and sheer wickedness, noting that grounding local government services subjects members of the public to unnecessary hardship with denial of basic government services.
The local government workers under the auspices of the Association of Concerned Local Government Staff in Osun State, said the local government employees cannot continue to be denied their monetary and career privileges over needless withdrawal of services.
State Coordinator of the faction, Adedayo Adekunle and Secretary, Akin Adepoju during a press conference held at the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Osogbo accused the Osun NULGE President, Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe of nepotism and flagrant disobedience to the constitution of NULGE, especially in respect to the withdrawal of services.
According to the NULGE leaders, “Our dear colleagues and patriots, a clarion call summons us today to review the ongoing events in our state.
“The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Osun State has wrongly and selfishly pitched our union against the people of the state in total disregard to the core values and principles of NULGE.
It is unfortunate that the NULGE leadership has turned the union to their family affairs with total disregard to the leadership and structure of the union at all levels.
“You will all recall that Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, the President of NULGE recently signed a letter to close down the local government secretariats. Despite the fact that the State Branch of the Union has a paid Secretary, Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe wrongly signed the circular personally to close down the local government secretariats, Maternity Centers, and Marriage Registries without holding any Congress of Local Government workers, just to please his selfish interest in the state.
Despite his claim that Local Governments are no longer safe for staff to work in, he opened the local governments for the purpose of conducting his second term election where he succeeded in manipulating himself to win a second term. No life was lost during the elections. No person was arrested and social parties were held during the day and nights to celebrate the success. Yet, all Maternity Centers were locked against women and children and they were and are still sentenced to death by the reckless shutdown of the Local Government Service in Osun State by this desperate politician in the garb of a unionist.
For over a month now, those who need marriage certificates, local government identification and other important documents have been denied unjustly. Local Government workers who are due for study release are watching helplessly and the local government cooperative loan deductions that usually serve as reliefs for members in time of need could not be assessed because of illegal withdrawal of services.
“Our oath, culture and philosophy are to serve all government legally in power. If it is APC today or PDP tomorrow, our business is public service delivery and not any political party in power.
“We therefore call on all local government workers to resume immediately. We assure to provide leadership by liaising with security agents to ensure the security of the lives and properties of all the workers.
Recall that NULGE and the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, had in February called on local government workers to stay off secretariats for security reasons.
The state governor, had, after swearing in the newly elected chairmen and councillors advised them not to report to the local government Secretariats to avoid an outbreak of violence.
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has also thrown its weight behind calls for local government workers to resume work in the interest of peace and tranquillity in the state
