*Declares support for State Police
By Maurice Okafor, Enugu and Nwakpa O Nwakpa
The National Leadership of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has commended Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for the state’s secure and peaceful atmosphere.
The governor was also lauded for the giant feats his administration has recorded in infrastructural development with the limited resources at its disposal.
Addressing newsmen after members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of ALGON inspected some projects being embarked upon by the Gov. Ugwuanyi administration across the state, the National Chairman of the association, Hon. Kolade David Alabi, said that “my impression about Enugu State is what the legal minds will call fact speaks for itself”.
The ALGON National Chairman, who disclosed that they were in Enugu for their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, stressed that “Gov. Ugwuanyi has done very well”.
Hon. Alabi further said: “I was completely amazed when I got to the College of Medicine (ESUT) that is being put in place by the Executive Governor.
“You know this COVID-19 pandemic has already exposed that we have deficit of healthcare facilities, and what the governor is doing is commendable.
“The Commissioner for Information has told me that he (Ugwuanyi) has also provided Isolation Centres in the General Hospitals. That is commendable too.
“Enugu is peaceful; we have seen that; like I said, to measure a state is to look at the security of that state”.
Speaking on ongoing calls for State Police, the ALGON boss urged the Federal Government to grant the request to enhance the security of the country.
“We also use this medium as a point of contact to the Presidency that they should grant State Police because to me security is a bottom-top approach. It is not a top-bottom approach, and when we adopt this bottom-top approach to security then the country will be safe for all of us”.
Hon. Alabi also applauded the Council Chairmen in Enugu State for their efforts in promoting peace, security and infrastructural development in the rural communities, adding: “From what I have seen so far, they have also performed creditably well”.
He added: “It is not all about building infrastructure; it is also about investing in physiological infrastructure which is what we have seen. They are promoting peace, art and culture and it is a very good one.
“So, thank you to the Chairman of ALGON in Enugu State (Hon. Solomon Onah) you have done well. Since yesterday we came into Enugu, the way you conducted the affairs of ALGON is the best in the country. I gave them a good mark yesterday and of course there is a reward for that.
“Our purpose in Enugu State is to hold our National Executive Council meeting and this is the third since we decided to be rotating our NEC meeting. Before now we use to hold our meeting in Abuja.
“The reason for doing that is that we want to assess the performance and the activities of all our people in various states and you agree with me that it is a good one.
“We can’t sit in Abuja and know what is going on in all the states and all the local government areas in the country”.
In his remark, the Chairman of ALGON in Enugu State and Chairman of Udenu LGA, Hon. Onah, expressed delight at the verdicts by the national body of the association on the modest achievements of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration and that of the council chairmen in the state.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, who led the team to the project sites such as the Nike Lake Road T-junction flyover bridge, Enugu East LGA, the Nsukka Township Stadium and the ESUT Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine projects, spoke of the significance of the projects to the health and socio-economic wellbeing of the people of Enugu State.
The Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman of ALGON, Mr. Odunayo Adegbero, and some State and National Executive Council Members of the association accompanied the National President on the tour.
