The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ALGON

  • NIMC partners ALGON on NIN enrolment in rural areas

    NIMC partners ALGON on NIN enrolment in rural areas

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has solicited the support of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) to establish enrolment centres in the 774 local governments for effective grassroots National Identity Number (NIN) registration.

    NIMC Director-General Chris Onyemenam made the call during the first Local Government Areas (LGAs) Summit on the National Identity Management System (NIMS) yesterday in Abuja.

    He said NIMC will soon set up the centres and kick off local government NIN enrolment.

    According to Onyemenam, “NIMC is calling for collaboration and partnership of the ALGON because there is need to upgrade the nation’s database and records, if we don’t do this we can never have up to date national identity management system.”

    He added that if the country has “no way of telling the identity of an individual and affirming that identity, we will not be able to collect government revenues properly both at Federal, State and local government levels and we would not be able to wage a good war against crime and criminal activities especially those that are related with identity of an individual.”

    He said “the journey of carrying out massive local government NIN enrolment can only be a success with the effective and collaborative cooperation of Local Government Chairmen in partnership with NIMC.

    Chief Nwabueze, who is the leader of the delegation said, the summit has been grouped into three zones with Abuja to cover the Northeast, Northwest; Lagos to cover Southwest and while Asaba will cover Southsouth.

    The arrangement, he said, is to allow the summit cover the zones and eliminate challenges that might come up if chairmen gather in one hall for such a meeting.

    “It is good that NIMC took this bold step, knowing that using ALGON will record good success in NIN registration,” he said.

  • FCTA demolishes ALGON building in Abuja

    FCTA demolishes ALGON building in Abuja

    The Development Control Unit of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished a three-storey building at the national headquarters of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) at Eller Crescent, Maitama, Abuja.

    The building, said the District Officer in charge of the area, Isah Aliyu, was being erected on a pathway in a close.

    He said several quit notices had been served on the building, even from the foundation stage, but the owner did not show up at the Development Control Unit to prove the legality or otherwise of the land.

    Aliyu said several attempts to compel the security man, who was found at the site, to receive copies of the papers, were abortive. He reportedly failed to receive them.

     

     

     

     

  • ALGON hails Ajimobi

    The Oyo State branch of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) yesterday lauded Governor Abiola Ajimobi for changing the face of the state.

    ALGON, in a statement by its Chairman and Secretary, Mr. Yekeen Popoola and Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye respectively, said that Ajimobi achieved this feat in less than two years through the various developmental projects his administration initiated.

    The association, which also felicitated with the governor on his 63rd birthday, explained that the beautification project, infrastructural development and urban renewal programmes embarked upon by the governor has successfully improved the aesthetics of Ibadan, the state capital and other parts of the state.

    The statement read in part, “It is clear to all that this administration came in with a clear vision and a determination to pursue it for the overall benefit of the people of the state. The massive developmental efforts at the grassroots also complement those at the state level to drive the transformational agenda which is aimed at improving the standard of living of the good people of Oyo State as well as attract investors to the state.

    “In accomplishing these lofty goals, Senator Ajimobi is creating opportunities for our people to create wealth and earn a decent living in an atmosphere of peace.

     

  • ALGON to Okorocha: respect judgment on 27 councils

    ALGON to Okorocha: respect judgment on 27 councils

    Local Government chairmen yesterday resolved to push for financial autonomy for the grassroots administration in the expected new constitution.

    At the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Abuja, the chairmen urged Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha to abide by the judgment of the Court of Appeal and ensure that the 27 local council chairmen are restored to office with all the outstanding statutory allocations due to them paid.

    In a communiqué read by National President of ALGON, Nwabueze Okafor, the Chairmen resolved to fight for the financial and administrative autonomy of the local councils.

    Okafor said: “ALGON NEC came up with resolutions that the issues relating to the autonomy of Local Government administration should not be subject of negotiation. We believe that local councils are about the most viable platforms to relate to the grassroots and bring development to the people of Nigeria . We have resolved to continue to pursue the financial and administrative autonomy of the local government system in Nigeria.”

    In the communiqué, ALGON said it will also fight to ensure that elections are conducted in those councils where there are no elected executives.

    He listed states that have so far complied with the constitutional provision by conducting local government elections to include, Enugu, Lagos, and Akwa Ibom…

    While insisting that ALGON will fight to see to the implementation Section 7 of the constitution which provides for democratically elected council executives, he appealed to governors to conduct elections into the local councils.

    He said the body will encourage states to continue to support local government authorities in their areas as it is through this avenue that development can reach the grassroots.

    Okafor expressed concern over the face-off between the Imo State Government and the chairmen of the councils.

    The association urged the Imo state government to take urgent steps to arrest the near-anarchy looming in the state by releasing accumulated funds belonging to the councils so that they can be used for development which has been stagnated since the conflict started.

    “NEC also expressed concern that the issues relating to the face-off between the. government of Imo state and the local council chairmen has become a festering one and one that is casting a serious slur on democracy in Nigeria . The NEC believes that democracy should not just start and end with the Federal and state governments, but that democracy should also be made to take root at the local government levels. It is the position of ALGON NEC that the government of Imo state should just respect the rulings of the Appeal Court to restore the chairmen to their offices but it should try to restore to them the full compliments of their offices.

    “In this regard, ALGON in its communiqué urges the Imo state governor to ensure that the chairmen have access to all the funds that have accrued to their councils so that they can effectively discharge their functions.”

    He said the NEC decided to expand the presentation made earlier on the review of the constitution by setting up a committee to examine laws and status that affect the operation of local government administration in the country.

    He said the intention is to identify all areas where there are conflicts and areas that may be impeding the smooth operation of councils and then come up with positions that will be forwarded to the constitution review committee.

    About 20 local government chairmen made up those elected through a democratic process attended the meeting.