Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said the rot now experienced in the local government administration in Nigeria started with the military regime and further worsen by politicians.
The ex-President stated this on Tuesday when he played host to the new President of the National Union of Local Government Employees, Comrade Akeem Ambali, at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Penthouse residence in Ogun State.
Ambali, the new NULGE National President had visited the former President to seek his intervention and contribution on the planned delisting of local government from the 1999 constitution by the National Assembly.
Ambali told Obasanjo that the bill is an attempt to kill local government administration in the country.
He said union leaders have been mandated to visit members of the lower chambers in their constituencies as part of advocacy and engagement to ensure they stand with the people.
Responding to the matter, Obasanjo said Local government administration in Nigeria needs prayer to survive.
He said: “I am of the view that the situation needs prayers. A situation whereby a local government cannot even afford a grader to make local roads motorable, a situation where they cannot build a hospital or provide for the educational needs of their people is not what we want the local government to be when we are creating the 1976 Reform
“Well, the rot actually started by the military, who wanted to have such local councils in their respective areas. This increased the number to 774 from about 300.”
“But, the politicians further make it worse with corruption. These were not what we envisioned when we created local government reform in 1976. Local governments are expected to provide overall quality of life for the people who reside in their communities, but is that what we have now?” Obasanjo queried.
The ex-president, however, urged the local government workers in the country to be prayerful for things to get better.
