A professor of law, Samson Erugo, says LCDA workers remain legitimate employees of states, not local governments.

Mr Erugo disclosed this in an interview in Lagos.

He was reacting to the fate of LCDA employees in some states following the apex court’s pronouncement.

The Supreme Court, in a judgment on July 11, granted financial autonomy to the 774 LGAs.

“The fate of the LCDA workers, therefore, seems arguable and has always been so because the LCDAs are not established under the constitution.

“So, strictly speaking, they are not employees of the LGAs but of the states. They remain legitimate employees of the respective states within the recognised LGAs under which they serve,” Mr Erugo explained.

Mr Erugo said there was nothing wrong with the states creating development areas.

He, however, noted that the challenge would be attempting to force such development areas on the federation for funding or the states seeking to fund the LCDAs by sharing the federal allocations meant for recognised LGAs.

“In cases of such illegitimate sharing before now, the desirable change has come with the Supreme Court judgment. However, in any case, the workers are protected,” he said.

Another lawyer, Chris Ayiyi, the principal partner at Ayiyi Chambers, said, “My worry is the clash between the LCDAs and the recognised LGAs. The states should implement the order of the Supreme Court.”

(NAN)