Nigeria @ 62: ALGON National President Calls for Strengthening of Local Government Institutions
… Urges Nigerians To Elect Credible Local Government-friendly Candidates in 2023 Elections
The National President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Kolade David Alabi has sent in his goodwill message to Nigerians as the country marks its 62nd Independence Day celebration.
Speaking to Newsmen at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on his way back to Lagos after official duties, Alabi noted that for Nigeria make optimal progress, it must divorce itself from the present style of service delivery that has no ‘bottom-up approach’.
He said that by taking a retrospective look at the sacrifices made by the founding fathers especially the framers and designers of the tiers of government where balance and horizontal development are guaranteed as a key component of growth, it has become imperative that the Local Governments and Councils are given their right relevance and privilege.
He is also of the opinion that the responsibility to ensure that Nigeria move forward from its present state which will be hinged mainly on political will, leadership recruitment process guaranteed by free, fair, and credible election for good governance if it must take its fulcrum from the grassroots where Nigerians majorly reside for wider development spread.
He further opined that there is the need for total commitment by every eligible voting Nigerian to use the opportunity provided by the coming 2023 general elections to fix the myriad of problems besetting the rural populace.
Said “now that electioneering campaign has commenced, ALGON will continue to insist that only local government-friendly candidates from Presidential, National Assembly, Governors, Reps, State Assemblies, Chairmen and Counselors with issues of Councils as vital part of their manifestoes will be mobilized and supported by Nigerians at the grassroots who are always at the receiving end dysfunctional leadership.
Reacting to questions by a select group of journalists, he said that ALGON made it a categorical resolution after several meetings and consultations.
According to him, ALGON is interested in the devolution of power, transparent elections, creation of state police, fairness, and equity in fiscal responsibility.
He noted that “there is an urgent need for value orientation as the country marks its 62nd independence anniversary today which will enable Nigeria to take advantage of the coming 2023 general elections to change the course of our history for the good of the communities.
“ALGON is seen as the hope of the grassroots and as the only Government closer to them, and the noticeable hunger across the communities is an indictment of the communities with vast arable lands but lacks the resources, funding, and technology.
“The organic rise in crimes, armed robbery, banditry, and kidnapping.
“There is a need for conscientious political inclusion of the LGAs leveraging on the vast knowledge of the present crop of Council Chairmen who are getting more conversant with the pressing peculiar needs of these communities, and have both intellectual and legacy information on what can turn the communities around”, Hon. Kolade David Alabi said.
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