From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has commended the members of the National Assembly for the decision and courage to vote in favour of local government autonomy in the ongoing constitution review.
ALGON appealed to state Houses of Assembly and others involved in the amendment process to give maximum support and unhindered consideration to the section that gives autonomy to the local government administration.
ALGON National President David Kolade Alabi, in a statement on Tuesday, described the decision of NASS on local government autonomy as a “new dawn” for democracy and local government administration.
‘It is not about us now but about bequeathing a formidable future to the next generation unborn. Let us save the system and allow it to succeed. ALGON will remain consistent in identifying with the people in achieving this lofty goal since we have no other constituency but the Councils,’ he said.
‘This opportunity is remarkable and must be supported to make visible progress. It has become imperative that the States and Federal governments make conscientious sacrifices to see to the successful outcome of the autonomy of the council to guarantee unhindered freedom, increase access to participation for every citizen.
‘This action has been the position of the present National Executive Council of ALGON. It is when this is achieved that all issues bedevilling us, notably, insecurity, lack of basic infrastructure, poor health care and service delivery at that level can be tackled frontally.’
He said that ALGON has continued to insist that a strong local government system will address all difficulties being faced in the governance system and will importantly catalyze in creating the structural change that will ramp up development across the Country
He thanked the National Assembly, the Presidency, some local government friendly states for their support and appealed to Governors and States Houses of Assembly to give maximum support needed for the successful completion of the constitution amendment.