- I will work closely with LGs to abolish the payment of percentage salaries
African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kogi State, Hon. Leke Abejide has promised to grant local government autonomy to all the 21 LGAs in the state when elected come November 2023.
Abejide stated this during his consultation visit to the paramount traditional rulers in Kogi East, West and Central senatorial districts of the state.
Hon. Leke Abejide said the local government remained the most important tier of government because “it is the closest to the people”.
He stated that through the financial autonomy, the local governments will be able to function well and build sustainable peace.
He noted that in an effective kocal government, the visibility of a state government and its impact can only be felt by the people through granting financial autonomy.
This, he said, would enable the people to overcome the challenges foisted upon them by crises of leadership, as well as improve security at the local government and communities across the state.
“Local government autonomy is meant actually for development purposes, which will also make unemployed youth be gainfully employed, reduce poverty at the local level in the state and abate crime rates,” he said.
Hon. Leke Abejide noted that his emergence as Governor would guarantee the freedom the 21 LGAs will enjoy, as his administration would partner with local governments for joint projects on infrastructural development, adding that however, “we need to build projects that will benefit the people most.”
“The local government’s autonomy will help the government at all levels to focus on developmental projects.”
Abejide assured that he will run a government that will work closely with the local government to abolish the payment of percentage salaries to local government staff and workers as local government workers and teachers have suffered enough.
“We shall work closely with the local government administration to build trust with the people and abrogate satanic percentage payment of salaries to local government workers, we shall adopt an inclusive approach through the state House of Assembly to get the self-sufficiency of the local government done,” he said.
