As the agitation for the autonomy of local government is yet to receive presidential assent, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) wants a unified tenure system of 4-years for elected government officials at all levels in the country.
The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), has called for the adoption of a unified four-year tenure for elected local government officials in the country.
Mu’azu Aminu Maifata, the National President of ALGON, who made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lafia, was optimistic that, the single-term tenure for all elected representatives will be guaranteed good governance and quality service delivery to the people, especially at the grassroots.
The ALGON President was also confident that, the move would ensure quality representation at the grassroots level.
He called on members of the National Assembly to urgently amend the nation’s constitution to unify the tenure of local government officials across the country.
“The tenure of local government officials should be made four years to enable us to deliver on our campaign promises to the electorates.
”It is unfortunate that the tenure of local government officials in some states is even one or two years.
”So, I wonder how these officials will deliver good governance within such a short period of leadership,” he lamented.
On the proposed N62,000 national minimum wage, the ALGON boss called on the federal government to increase the monthly allocations of the 774 local government areas in the country.
He maintained that the move would enable the councils to pay the new minimum wage when it finally becomes a law.
Maifata, who is the Chairman of Lafia local government, however, lauded Governor Abdullahi Sule for granting autonomy to all the councils in the state.
He called on other governors to emulate Sule, toward the overall development of the country, particularly the grassroots.
On the present security situation in Lafia, the ALGON President explained that the partial curfew imposed in the locality is a measure to tackle the increasing rate of kidnapping and other crimes within the state capital.
“We restricted the movement of motorcycles between 6 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and tricycles between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
“This is because security reports has it that criminal gangs are using these two means of transportation to perpetrate crimes and operate between the restricted hours,” he explained.
Muazu-Maifata, however, said that the security situation in Lafia has improved, adding better strategies would be adopted for the safety of lives and property.
