ALGON Insists On Virile Local Government And Councils

Association of Local Governments of Nigeria National (ALGON) has insisted on virile Local Governments and councils.

Gatekeepers News reports that the President of the association, Hon Alabi Kolade David made this known at the just concluded Zonal Public Hearing by ALGON.

He described 2021 democracy day as a unique one at the twilight of all forces of change and existential threats against democratization at the local level which according to him have gathered so much momentum in recent times.

He said it has been established that democracy has become the legitimate demand of all local communities in Nigeria.

He said, “Today most of the countries of the world are in the process of implementing political and administrative reforms aimed at decentralizing and strengthening their local governance.

“We all know that democracy is not an event but a complex and continuous process and that is why we must sincerely continue to advocate for a strong local governments/Councils.”

He added that “Indeed, this June 12, therefore, makes it essential that we collectively weight the gains and losses if we can honestly develop our potentials and resources for growth.

“It is in this regard that this year’s event has been geared towards stock-taking, advocating for the promotion and development of democracy at the local level, identify people’s capacity to manage development leveraging on our diversities to design appropriate systems to suit various peculiarities through the anticipated outcome of the proposed alterations.”

Alabi also noted that his administration in ALGON with his NEC, BOT and management are convinced that sustainable development in both strong and in weak economies can only be rescued if local government is empowered to play its role based on recognized principles of participation and transparency.

“It will be recalled that there have been several clamour for either enactment or implementation of efficient local government laws as captured in Sections 7, 163, 163/5 of the 1999 Constitution as (Amended), of which even the framers of the constitution now realize that it is not a cookbook with standard recipes for success in Nigeria as it were.

“For instance fragmented local governments tenure don’t always lead to productivity which is part of the problem,” he said.

ALGON opines that there is a clearly held truth that unfortunately, the constitutional boundaries established decades ago are presently hurting the system and need to be redressed.

ALGON National President also drew the attention of Nigerians as it affects running a fragmented local government tenure as experience has shown that such have not led to responsiveness to local government operation.