The Commonwealth Local Government Forum on Thursday in Abuja met with government officials to strengthen relations between the Federal Government, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria and LG councils with a call on Nigeria to speed up the payment of its debts to the organisation.
The Secretary-General of the CLGF, Mr. Carl Wright, made the plea during a courtesy call on the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki.
He said the meeting was ahead of the forthcoming conference of the forum, which the CLGF will hold in Kampala, Uganda next month.
He said, "We are partnering with our colleagues at the UNDP on where local governments sit in the picture of the MDGs, in a post-2015 development agenda.
"The conference brings together about 600 senior representatives and a majority of federal ministers from the 54 Commonwealth countries. Earlier today, we met the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Anyim Pius Anyim) over the issue of unpaid dues and debts owed the Commonwealth LG Forum and he gave us the assurance that the money would be paid."
In his response, the minister said, "I know that what will strengthen the work of any union globally is the dues their members pay; so, if the fees are not paid, it will affect negatively not only the image of that member country in the eyes of other members, but also the coordination of the activities of the association.
"You said the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has already addressed that and the only thing that I may wish to add is that I will liaise with him to make sure that all outstanding fees from us or from our own side are settled."
