The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON)

  • ALGON lobbies for passage of autonomy bill

    The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has urged the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to hasten process of passing the Local Government Autonomy bill into law.

    Chairman communiqué committee, Ahmed Isyaku, stated this during the Association’s End of Maiden Conference in Abuja.

    According to Isyaku, the needs to have local government autonomy and the desire of the 774 local government councils of to have a unified body prompted the convergence of local government vice chairmen of Nigeria.

    “There is need to have local government autonomy to remove the current bottlenecks in local government administration in the country.

    “There is need to eradicate the current idleness of vice chairmen and to have a well-structured local government administrative setting that will provide a defined role and official responsibilities to the offices of the vice chairmen to eliminate power tussles between the chairmen and vice chairmen.”

    Chairman of the committee also harped on the needs for socio-economic development and wellbeing of the grassroots.

    He urged State Assemblies to focus attention on ensuring strict compliance to local government administration laws operating in their respective states.

     

  • Recent APC victory is sign of things to come -Buhari

    …Says APC will win 2019 elections

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura on Friday said that the string of victory recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in bye-elections in Bauchi, Katsina and Kogi States is sufficient proof that 2019 elections will be won by the party.

    He spoke while receiving the representatives of the 34 Chairmen of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Katsina State.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said: “coming against the backdrop of the victory in Ekiti governorship election, the string of victory by our party, the APC, is a clear indication of the way things will go in 2019.

    Read Also:Buhari canvasses economic support for rural women

    ‘‘For those who are discerning; those who have ears and eyes they will see, hear and understand. Those who don’t understand are entitled to their mistaken assumptions.” he said

    Buhari, therefore, emphasized that the victories in the recent polls are indeed “the sign of things to come.”

    He thanked the leaders of the association for paying Sallah homage to him and for their message of congratulations on the performance of the party and the administration, assuring them that he would continue to do his best for the nation.

    Speaking on behalf of the members, the Chairman of ALGON in the State, Alhaji Mohammed Na’Allah, expressed their support and commitment to the success of the Buhari Administration.

    At another meeting with the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Katsina State, President Buhari expressed his continued determination to respect the diversity of the country, saying that he will run a government that is fair and just to all Nigerians.

    The President thanked the CAN leadership in the State for living in peace and harmony with other religious groups, and for supporting his administration in its policies and programmes

    The CAN leaders who spoke during the visit, the State Chairman, Rev. Nelson Onyeakachukwu, and an elder and coordinator of the Christian Pilgrimage in the State, Haruna Danjuma expressed happiness with the President’s performance.

    They described him as the State’s good ambassador who had made everyone proud.

    “Christians in Katsina are happy with both Governor Masari in the State and yourself at the center. We will continue to support both of you,” the CAN leaders told the President.

  • Kwara shares N4bn loan to offset teachers, LG workers’ salary arrears

    The Kwara State Government has shared  N4 billion credit facility  between  the State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ) and the local government councils  to offset part of the salary arrears owed their workers.

    The state Joint Account Allocation Committee ( JAAC ) shared the loan between SUBEB and local government councils late on Monday.

    The newsmen reports that the 16 local government councils in the state received N1.150 billion.

    Also, the State Universal Basic Education ( SUBEB ), responsible for primary and junior secondary school workers, got N2.150 billion.

    Mr Joshua Omokanye told newsmen that the state government obtained the loan following an agreement among the executives of the 16 local government areas.

    The newsmen reports that Omokanye is the current Chairman of the State’s Association of Local Governments of Nigeria ( ALGON ).

    Omokanye, also the Chairman of Oyun Local Government Area, said that N400 million from the loan was earmarked to pay local government pensioners.

    He added that N300 million would go into the payment of allowances owed former political office holders at the council level.

    Read Also: Kwara monarchs get N49m arrears

    According to him, the part payment of salary arrears will ameliorate the sufferings of the staff of the two government units.

    The meeting was attended by the chairmen of 16 local government councils in the state and their treasurers.

    Also, the permanent secretaries in the state Ministries of Finance and that of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs attended the meeting.

    Others that also attended include: the chairman of the state Local Government Service Commission and leaders of labour unions among others.

    The newsmen reports that the Kwara House of Assembly approved the request from Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed to obtain the loan two weeks ago.

    NAN

  • Commission of Inquiry: Katsina vows to recover N58.5bn diverted funds

    Commission of Inquiry: Katsina vows to recover N58.5bn diverted funds

    The Katsina State Government on Sunday said it would use all legal means to recover N58.5 billion allegedly diverted by former governor Ibrahim Shema and some of his lieutenants.

    Gov. Aminu Masari said this in Katsina while receiving the main report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on missing funds and properties from the commission’s Chairman, Mr Ado Ma’aji.

    He said the state government had established the commission to investigate the loss of funds and properties during the last days of his predecessor’s tenure.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Shema was the governor of Katsina State from 2007 to 2015.

    Masari said the state government was not investigating monies spent on executing projects but direct withdrawals from bank accounts belonging to ministries and parastatals.

    The governor said that a White Paper on the issue would soon be forwarded to the state Ministry of Justice for legal consideration.

    Masari said that the funds that were allegedly diverted by the people in question were so huge that the government would not contemplate on not retrieving them.

    He said administrative actions would be taken on those involved that are still serving the state government, while those who are no longer on the state payroll would face legal action.

    “The amount in question is so huge that it cannot be a mistake.

    “If we have such money, we would have transformed the state and made it much better than what it is now.

    “Government will take immediate action on officials found to be involved.

    “We’ll look at the system and those wrongs not connected to individuals would be checked to forestall future occurrence,” he said.

    The governor assured the people of the state that he would pursue the recovery of the money no matter how long it would take.

    Ma’aji had earlier said the commission discovered that a whooping sum of N58.5 billion was unaccounted for after analysing 13 Memoranda presented to it and evaluation of the testimonies of witnesses.

    He said the amount was more than the N55.5 billion the commission came up with during its submission of the interim report.

    The chairman said that the difference was the outcome of a painstaking and critical verification of the figures in producing the main report.

    He said more than N17.9 billion was found to have been diverted under the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) and that over N14.9 billion went unaccounted for under the state’s Roads Maintenance Agency (KASROMA).

    He added that more than N10.1 billion was also unaccounted for on the activities of the Ministry of Environment, Department of Community Development, Special Duties, Girl Child Education and Almajiri affairs.

    He said over N15.4 billion was lost or unaccounted for on the activities of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).

    Ma’aji said bulk of the amount was withdrawn from the state’s Joint Local Account into ALGON’s account, and that there was an instance of 87 cheques of between N9 million and N10 million withdrawn in cash on the same day.

    He said the 89 withdrawals were made on May 28, 2015, which was the twilight of Shema’s administration in the state.

    Reacting to the development, Shema said that he was being witch-hunted by Masari’s administration.

    Shema, who spoke through one of his aides, Mr Oluwabusola Olawale, said that he did not commit any fraud during his tenure.

    The ex-governor said that he executed meaningful projects for the development of the state, adding that he has no regrets serving the people of the state.