By: Okey Muogbo
The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has promised to remove multiple taxes on foodstuff as an effort to reduce inflation and cost of food items.
This was one of the decisions reached at its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Enugu, Enugu State on Monday.
The meeting also re-emphasised ALGON’s call for state police to help curb insecurity in Nigeria.
A communique, issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Hon Solomon Onah, National Publicity Secretary of the Association said the meeting also passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of ALGON under it incumbent President, Hon Alabi David.
ALGON according to the Communique, eqully re-iterated the Association’s demand for 4-Year term for elected local government councils as well as increased revenue from the Federation Account for the local governments to 35%.
The Communique was made available to the media by the Media Aide to ALGON President, Mr Obiora Orji.
The Communique also recorded that NEC extended appreciation to all its representatives during the submission of ALGON’s Memoranda on the 1999 Constitution Amendment during the Zonal Public Hearing of Senate and the Federal House of Representatives.
It hoped that favourable considerations would be given to the issues raised and also urged its members to continually engage Members of the States and National Assemblies.
Amongst its key issues are Uniform 4 Year Tenure for Local Government Chairmen in Council, conduct of Local Government Elections as at when due, increase in Federation Account Allocation to Local Governments to 35.5% as well as abrogation of State and Local Government Joint Account.
Others were supports for the establishment of State Police to curtail the rising insecurity challenges.
On the issue of multiple taxation, ALGON took the initiative of bringing to an end ‘Multiple Taxation of goods and services, and illegal road blocks across the country with National Anti Multiple Taxation Scheme (NAMTAXS) and National Transit Insurance Scheme (NATIS)’.
This, according to the Association, will optimally address food security challenges, reduce cost of goods and inflation in the country and strengthen the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the Local Governments and Area Councils in collaboration with the States, Federal Government and their stakeholders.
NEC was happy that the projects will seek to assemble all the road users and capture them into its tax net.
In addition, NEC set up a five (5) man committee to properly harmonize all modalities for their take off and report back in two weeks for implementation.
The Association however expressed deep displeasure with particularly with the Contractor over the limited and poor number of the projects executed across the country.
Consequently, NEC directed that the Contractor, Messrs Mathan Nigeria Limited should move back to site within One Week and that additional 300 PHCs should be completed, fully equipped and delivered to ALGON on or before the end of August, 2021.
It warned that it will not hesitate to take necessary steps to enforce compliance by the Contractor.
A Vote Of Confidence was passed on the National President, Hon Kolade David Alabi, for his inclusive leadership by all Members of the National Executive Council (NEC) across the country.
