By David Okpashi
The Association of Local Government of Nigeria has insisted, boasting that it has the capacity to address insecurity, hunger health facilities, near collapse of education and other critical infrastructure in the grassroots level.
It has also vowed to collaborate with the various state governments, security agencies and other stakeholders to reinvigorate unity and peace co-esistence respect for rule of law and prudent management of resources.
ALGON in a communique issued at the end of its 48th National Executive Meeting in Lafia, Sunday said the local councils across the country would jealously tackle health care services, collaborate with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to address insecurity, hunder restore the lost glory at the grassroots
The communique which was jointly signed by the ALGON chairmen of Gombe and Ogun States, Barr. Sani Haruna and Hon. Emiola Gazal respectively, also expressed their readiness to embark on meaningful projects in their respective LGAs that would have positive impacts on the lives of their people.
According to the communique, all the local government councils in the 774 in Nigeria would be guided jealously and judiciously in the management and use of the resources available to the local councils to provide adequate development, improve on the lives of the people at the grassroots.
“All Local council chairmen across the country will be well-guided in the area of information to promote peace, harmonious existence between the third tiers of governments and other relevant stakeholders in line with global best practices as obtainable in other advanced countries of the world.”
The communique read in part, “It is important to state equivocally that the Local Government Councils can and will address issues of insecurity in collaboration with State Governments, address all its responsibilities in the of Primary Health Care, Basic Education, Water, Rural Development and other critical Infrastructures, as enshrined in the 4th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).
“The NEC appreciates all the private concerns, institutions, and corporate bodies that made valid presentations at the Council meeting on the development of Local Governments; and pledges to collaborate in the interest of the larger populace of the grassroots.
“The communique expresses gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, members of the Nigeria Governors Forum, the judiciary, the National Assembly, the Attorney General of the Federation, critical stakeholders, the media, civil society organisations and the entire leadership of our local communities for the historic Supreme Court judgment, which granted autonomy to the local governments.”
ALGON further expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the judiciary for the respective roles they played in ensuring that Local Government Councils function properly as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.