The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has called for financial, administrative and political autonomy for local governments.

The NULGE national president, Ambali Olatunji, said in Lagos on Saturday that autonomy was important for Nigeria to grow its gross domestic product more and curb insecurity.

Mr Olatunji spoke in an interview with journalists.

He said: “We must make local governments to be financially, administratively and politically autonomous.

“We must consider community policing so that there must be guarding at the community level.

“Our policing policy should not be reactionary, but pre-emptive to be able to address insecurity.

“Our opinion is that the local government must be the platform for policing evolution in Nigeria.”

The labour leader also called on the federal government to create a policy that would address unemployment at the local government level.

He called for the revival of the vocational skills acquisition department of local governments.

According to him, this will ensure that women and youths in the rural communities are trained and empowered.

“The vocational skills acquisition department across local governments has been erased systematically over time.

“This level of government should be given adequate attention to address the needs of those in the rural settings.

“It will go a long way to improve livelihoods and ensure a better Nigeria for everyone,“ Mr Olatunji said.

(NAN)