The Association of Concerned Local Government staff in Osun State has called on local government workers to immediately resume their duties.
The group which is a faction of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) accused Dr. Nathaniel Ogungbangbe the President of Osun NULGE of unilaterally shutting down local government secretaries, maternity centers, and marriage registries without consulting other union members or holding a congress.
Briefing newsmen in Osogbo on Saturday, Adedayo Adekunle and Akin Adepoju, state coordinator and secretary respectively alleged that Ogungbangbe’s decision was made to please his sponsors and further his personal interests.
They noted that the shutdown has had severe consequences, including health risks to hundreds of pregnant women and thousands of children due to the closure of maternity centers and immunization centers.
Additionally, they said the shutdown has denied citizens essential services, including marriage certificates and local government identification. Local government workers have also been unable to access study leave and cooperative loans, hindering their career advancement.
According to them, “The Osun NULGE is apolitical..” But to show the height of Ogungbangbe’s desperation, he joined the People’s Democratic Party in suit against the APC Chairmen and Councilors thus making himself and NULGE a contending party in the struggle for the soul of the Local Government. He has the right to continue to maintain his suit as a person but cannot justifiably close down the Local Government Service without carrying along all other Unions and members of NULGE.
“ NULGE is apolitical and we cannot be dragged to any political issues to the extent of instituting a case against a party that is in contention over the control of local government administration in Osun state. We therefore state equivocally that the said litigation is in personal capacity of Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe and not unbehalf of Osun NULGE.
“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.
“It is our duty and we are ready to work with those who are already lawfully at the local government secretariats through a Court of Appeal Judgment and if tomorrow, the Supreme Court say otherwise or their tenure expires, we are still going to work with those who would be occupying the political offices in our local governments, that is our covenant.
“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 lives and properties of all the workers.
“We also assure our members that all the infraction committed by Ogungbagbe against the constitution of our union will not go unchallenged at the court of law to discourage a very bad precedent in civil service and NULGE administration. This is the time to save million lives,” they said.
