Environment | Active News Africa

Distinguished Senator Alphonsus Ubanesse Igbeke, Lead Consultant to the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), has hailed the Federal Government’s support for grassroots Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) penetration as he led the launch of the South-East LPG Penetration Programme and Cylinder Distribution, describing it as a major milestone in Nigeria’s clean-cooking and energy-transition agenda.

Senator Igbeke spearheaded the initiative in his capacity as head of the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP)/ALGON Technical Working Group at the landmark event hosted at the Landmark Event Center in Owerri by the Imo State Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Imo State Government off-takers.

The event was described as “a decisive step in the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative,” a programme established to harness Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources for economic growth and energy transition, with significant progress targeted by 2030.

Widely acknowledged for his grassroots advocacy, Senator Igbeke stressed that effective collaboration among the Federal, State and Local Governments is essential to ensure that LPG reaches households nationwide. He described the initiative as “a cornerstone of Nigeria’s clean-cooking transition,” explaining that it is “designed to convert one million homes annually from traditional cooking methods to LPG, with the ambition of reaching over five million households nationwide by 2030.”

Earlier in the ceremony, the Imo State Governor, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Chinyere Ekomaru, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and His Excellency Senator Dr. Hope Uzodimma for what she termed “such a timely intervention.” She pledged the support of Imolites and beneficiaries of the programme, noting that “vulnerable women and families are core beneficiaries,” and affirmed that Imo State “will continue to align its policy direction with that of the Federal Government, which shares a similar vision for sustainable energy and grassroots development.”

In his remarks, Senator Igbeke expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the Renewed Hope Agenda, which he said “has created an enabling environment for sustainable energy access, particularly for rural communities.”

He further commended the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (Ph.D.), and the Permanent Secretary for their “unwavering support in driving the initiative to the grassroots.”

The press release noted that the NGEP/ALGON Technical Working Group under Senator Igbeke’s leadership “continues to expand natural-gas infrastructure across Nigeria, ensuring its use among vulnerable populations while aligning with national energy-security goals.” With the South-East launch, the group was said to be reinforcing “its role as the primary vehicle for delivering clean-cooking solutions to local communities,” while also “guaranteeing safe handling of LPG through manpower training, advocacy, risk analysis, and community engagement.”

Describing the programme as evidence of inclusive energy planning, the statement said, “The South-East LPG Penetration Programme stands as a testament to the Chairman’s NGEP/ALGON TWG commitment to inclusive energy strategies and his determination to ensure that no community is left behind in Nigeria’s journey toward sustainable domestic energy.”

Senator Igbeke also thanked the ALGON National President, Hon. (Engr.) Bello Lawal, “for providing the enabling environment for women in local governments to take advantage of LPG distribution and extend clean-cooking solutions to rural households and communities nationwide.”

The ALGON Lead Consultant was accompanied at the event by ALGON’s Director of Finance and Accounts, Mallam Nuhu Ozigi.

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has reiterated its commitment to strengthening security, boosting food production and advancing sustainable development at the grassroots, following the conclusion of its 52nd National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting held on December 18, 2025, at the Blue Springs Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja.

At the meeting, which lasted over six hours, the NEC deliberated on pressing national and local government concerns, with particular attention to the escalating insecurity and kidnappings across the country.

The Council expressed grave concern over the abduction of children, mothers and other vulnerable citizens, condemning the acts in strong terms.

The resolutions were contained in a statement signed by the ALGON National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Anani Hamisu, on December 19, 2025.

While acknowledging the efforts of the Federal and State Governments, the NEC urged them, alongside security agencies, to intensify intelligence gathering, deploy modern and state-of-the-art equipment, strengthen search-and-rescue operations and expand community policing initiatives to enhance collaboration between law enforcement agencies and local communities.

ALGON stressed that restoring public confidence in security is critical to governance, noting that the inability to protect citizens undermines all other government responsibilities. In this context, the Council acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in addressing national security and economic challenges, while calling for increased protection of vulnerable populations, particularly within Local Government Areas that remain porous and exposed. The NEC reaffirmed its optimism about strengthening local governance and pledged continued collaboration with the Federal Government, State Governments and Development Partners to ensure effective service delivery at the grassroots.

On agriculture and food security, the NEC highlighted the poor condition of rural roads and the shortage of agricultural equipment as major challenges confronting farmers. The Council resolved to explore broad partnerships and all available avenues for agricultural development in support of Federal and State Government initiatives aimed at promoting food security. It emphasized the need to support farmers with modern tools, access to credit facilities and adequate security to enhance productivity and sustain rural livelihoods.

Healthcare delivery also featured prominently in the deliberations, with the NEC underscoring that functional healthcare facilities remain central to ALGON’s priorities. The Council committed to strengthening partnerships with UNICEF, Fred & Fred and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to improve and expand healthcare services across the 774 Local Government Areas and Area Councils nationwide.

The NEC further regretted the poor state of projects in many Local Governments and called for urgent interventions to bridge infrastructural gaps. It emphasized the importance of upscaling Internally Generated Revenue through innovative strategies to reduce overdependence on federal allocations and improve financial sustainability at the local level.

Addressing the growing challenge of youth unemployment, the Council described the situation as a pressing concern requiring targeted empowerment programmes at the grassroots. The NEC appealed to the Federal Government to ensure inclusive employment plans that would enable Local Government Areas to present qualified candidates for ongoing and future recruitment exercises across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

In addition, the NEC announced plans to hold ALGON Week and the General Assembly next year, describing the events as platforms designed to introduce innovation into the association’s activities. The Council also inaugurated the Northern Forum of ALGON, the Progressive Exco and the Women’s Wing, known as WALGON Excos, in Abuja. The Wife of the ALGON National President, Hajiya Zainab Musa Umar, emerged as the Woman President alongside other officers.

In closing, the NEC reaffirmed ALGON’s commitment to unity, growth and effective grassroots governance, pledging to continue working with all stakeholders to address pressing national challenges and to strengthen the role of Local Governments in Nigeria’s overall development.