The 32^nd Commonwealth of Local Government Forum (CLGF) Board Meeting is scheduled to hold in Abuja, Nigeria tomorrow and Friday, June 12 – 13, 2014.

“This is the first time the CLGF Board Meeting would be taking place in Nigeria. The Meeting is expected to have in attendance most senior Ministers and elected government leaders from across the Commonwealth,” said Ozoya Imohimi, Assistant Director/Head, Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs.

The CLGF is a voice for local government in the Commonwealth. It works to promote and advocate democratic values and good governance in the Commonwealth; encourage the exchange of experience among local government practitioners; support practical capacity building and develop a Commonwealth wide network of local government.

Tied to the Board Meeting and preceding it is a conference on ‘Local Governance and Local Development in Nigeria: Post 2015’ for key local government stakeholders to allow for some useful interaction and discussion of best practices policies from around the world. This is scheduled to hold today at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja.

“The main objectives of the Conference are to brainstorm and design strategic choices that Nigeria needs to make to ensure that local governance drives development in the country; facilitate interaction and cross fertilisation of ideas on global best practices that can be adapted in Nigeria and; to acquaint participants with strategies that can ensure quick wins in improving local government administration in Nigeria,” Imohimi said in an e-mailed statement to News Express.

He disclosed that chairmen of key National Assembly Committees, representatives from the National Union of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), representatives of the 36 States Ministries of Local Government and CLGF Board Members will be in attendance at the Conference.

Hosting the Conference for key local government stakeholders and the CLGF Executive Board Meeting on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria is the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

As a prelude to the Conference and CLGF Board Meeting, the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs organised a Validation Workshop on draft Scheme of Service and Financial Memoranda for Local Government on June 9, while Local Economic Development Symposium was held yesterday, also in Abuja.

•Photo shows Special Duties Minister, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki.

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