Date: 2017-09-11

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has challenged local government workers to be specific on areas that require autonomy or restructuring in their demands.

He gave the challenge during a courtesy call on him by the National Vice-President of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Patrick Igwe, at government house Ilorin.

The governor, who said that the agitation for local government autonomy deserved a definitive statement, noted that the "relationship between arms of government is purely guided by the constitution and the laws of the state."

He advocated for a special funding window for education at the basic level to guarantee strong foundation for children at the formative level.

He said "funding of basic education currently tied to the local governments needs to be reviewed as capacity of local governments to adequately meet this statutory responsibility has recently been challenged as a result of dwindling national resources."

Earlier, the National Vice Chairman of NULGE, Comrade Igwe, said he was in the state to appeal for support of the state House of Assembly on the need to pass the bill on local government autonomy.