LG autonomy: Deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians, ALGON tells council chairmen 

Following a recent judgment of the Supreme Court which granted full autonomy to all local government areas in the country, the National President of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Aminu Mu’azu-Maifata, has called on the 774 council chairmen to use the opportunity of the autonomy to positively touch the lives of the people at the grassroots.

Speaking during a press briefing in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital, on Monday, the ALGON President explained that the autonomy granted to the LGs would enhance democracy at the grassroots level across the country and empower local authorities to make decisions that would have positive impacts on the lives of their people.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for his efforts to ensure that local government councils begin to function properly as enshrined in the constitution.

The ALGON president, who is also the incumbent Chairman of Lafia LG, further assured all that henceforth, all council chairmen across the country will do everything within their powers to deliver the dividends of democracy to their people.

Mu’azu-Maifata said, “Before the pronouncement of the Supreme Court, the autonomy has been there, clearly spelt out in the constitution, but the players were not allowing it to see the light of the day.

“But with this pronouncement, we know that everybody has keyed into it. Nigerians are now waiting to see that the pronouncement of the Supreme Court becomes a reality.

“So, I want to call on all the council chairmen in the 774 LGs of the country to ensure that you give your people the best of leadership. You need to deploy all the necessary expertise at your disposal to see that you deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

“As council chairmen, we have high expectations from the federal government, the governors and all Nigerians, so we should not disabuse these positive expectations, most especially from  President Bola Tinubu who has a passion to see that local government councils in the country are functioning, as stated in the constitution.”

He urged his colleagues (774 council chairmen) to pay more attention to the issues of payment of salaries; building and rehabilitation of basic healthcare facilities; supporting schools at the grassroots to function properly; and ensuring adequate security at the grassroots; among other basic amenities which would make life more meaning to the people at the grassroots level.

Mu’azu-Maifata further called on all relevant stakeholders, including local government officials and the general public, to support the Supreme Court’s judgment and work together towards harnessing its positive impacts for the benefit of the entire citizens of the country.

On the N62,000 proposed minimum wage by the Federal Government, the ALGON President appealed for an increase in the monthly allocations to the 774 LGs in the country to enable them to pay the new amount when it is finally made a law.

“Once the new minimum wage is enacted by the National Assembly and becomes a law, every council chairman must obey. But how to obey such a law is what we will look into. By sourcing funds to pay salaries; We are also going to find ways to attract and harmonize resources so that we will not default,” he added.