By Callistus Agwaza, Jalingo
Some residents of Taraba State on Thursday kicked against the plan by the Association of Local Government of Nigeria(ALGON) in the state to revoke all indigenes’ certificates issued to citizens of the state in the past, saying the policy was dead on arrival.
Mr Auta Kefas told our correspondent in Jalingo that the association was wrong in its decision, saying most of the indigenes’ certificates issued since 1991 were duly signed my council chairmen and revoking them will require a law or a resolution of the House of Assembly.
On his part, Hon. Umar Sarkinbawa of Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) said the policy only exposed the emptiness of the current administration in the state.
According to him ALGON Taraba State as an association lacks the powers to issue such a directive, noting that no institution revoke her certificate in such manner.
“Do they mean a university would wake up one day and declare the certificates issued to their graduates as illegal and it will stand?
“How would you revoke all indigenes’ certificates issued to people just on account that some people are faking the certificates.
” The sensible thing to do is to find a way of tracking the fake certificates if you are sure they are in circulation, ” he said.
ALGON Taraba State had in a press briefing on Thursday said it suspended all indigenes’ certificates issued in the past in the state.
Chairman of the association and the Executive Chairman of Ibi local government council, Hon. Bala Bako who announced the suspension in Jalingo said the decision became necessary to check proliferation of fake indigene certificates by some misguided individuals.
“We have observed the proliferation and production of fake indigene certificates and consequently we have suspended all hitherto local government indigene certificates issued.
“We have approved the issuance of a new one wherein all applications or request for such certificates must be routed through ward or village heads to the Chairman for endorsement.”
The association also said it has resolved to work closely with security operatives and traditional rulers to tackle insecurity in the state.
This is even as the association said it will set up sensitization committees at ward levels to create awareness on the coronavirus pandemic to check community spread.
