ALGON advocates harmonious tenure for LG Chairmen

…describes the call for LG scrapping as unfortunate

By Bashir Bello, KANO

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON has on Wednesday advocated for a harmonious tenure of three or four years for the local government chairmen across the country in order to serve the electorates effectively.

The ALGON former Deputy National President, Mr Constantine Ikiako made the call while briefing newsmen during their National Executive Council, NEC meeting on Wednesday in Kano.

Ikiako also described as unfortunate a recent call by a lawmaker for the scrapping of the third tier of government.

“The national and state assembly needs to ensure that there is the harmonious tenure for local governments. For instance, some spend six months, some two years while some three years.

“So, we have to make it at least three or four years. So, these are the issues we are discussing and ensure we synchronised them.

“Similarly, before we came in, ALGON was used for conduit pipe to get contracts. But we are saying ALGON is not a contract awarding institution.

“ALGON can no longer be an award contracting establishment, ALGON is supposed to be a place where we are discussing with the United Nations, ECOWAS and international Community.

“We want our office to be turned into where ideas are discussed properly.

All we hear are the contracts that were awarded before we came in, and the president said it just stopped.

“Unfortunately it was witnessed with a stip resistance, but we vowed it must be stopped so that we can focus on re-engineering in partnering with developmental agencies to grow the local governments.

“Our prayers are that subsequent government will realise that local governments need to survive for Nigeria to be better.

“I heard somebody saying that local governments should be scrapped, a National assembly member for that matter, it is sad and very unfortunate.

We all came from local government, and the president also came from local…