ALGON probes investments in Niger Delta Power Coy, Paris Club refund, others
*Seeks complete autonomy for LGs
*Sets 5 years development agenda
By Chris Ochayi— ABUJA
The Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, has announced a decision to verify and probe the state of its investments in the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC.
The National President of ALGON, Kolade Davis Alabi, who disclosed this during the second General Assembly of the association held in Abuja, also revealed that a similar verification exercise would be carried out at Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA.
To ensure prudent exercise, Alabi further revealed that the association had engaged the services of consultants to conduct the verification not only in NDPHC and NSIA, but also the Paris Club refund and more importantly, recovery of the financial obligations due to ALGON.
He said the exercise will also include revisiting the completion and equipping of the Primary Health Care Centres nationwide.
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According to him, there are ongoing efforts to recover ALGON House in Abuja, adding, “We engaged the services of consultants to verify Local Governments Investments in Niger Delta Holdings Company, NDHC; Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA; Paris Club refund and, more importantly, recovery of the financial obligations due to ALGON, revisit the completion and equipping of the Primary Health Care Centres.”
Alabi, while pointing out challenges and setbacks facing the association, noted that “Our greatest challenge so far has been that of arbitrary suspension or removal of democratically elected local government administrators.
“Our appeal, therefore, is to have democratically elected chairmen and councillors and wish to encourage all to embrace this position.”
He pointed out that, “Though the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) is a welcome initiative, what we seek for is devolution of powers, both financial and administrative, with concomitant fiscal devolution;
“Complete autonomy for local governments/area councils, which is more desirable for their effective administration and service delivery to the people;
“Review of 1999 Constitution as relates to Local Government administration, uniform tenure of four-year term for local government administration;
“An end to unconstitutional deductions from the local government’s account (without recourse to the Local Government) from the Federation Account;
“Decentralisation of the Nigeria Police and having in its place State Police that will make policing more effective.”
On the 2021 road map for the association, Alabi called for the strengthening of ALGON’s relationship with the European Union Cooperation (EU). Integration of Local Authorities of Nigeria in the European Cooperation Programming Process 2021 – 2027.
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