By Okon Okon

The Federal Government says it will implement the Proof of Address (POA) system across the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country as part of measures to address insecurity and improve service delivery.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the North-West, North-East, and North-Central Geopolitical Zones Stakeholders’ Sensitisation Meeting.

The event was organised by the Office of the SGF in collaboration with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to drive President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to addressing the nation’s key challenges.

Akume, represented by Mr Nadungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said the meeting marked the formal inauguration of the nationwide POA sensitisation, starting with the Northern Geopolitical zones.

He said previous meetings had been held with stakeholders in Abuja, which produced key resolutions and a communiqué that was disseminated to all states.

”The POA initiative is designed to provide every resident with a verifiable and secured address, which will be integrated into administrative processes across the public and private sectors,” he said.

According to him, the initiative will enhance national security, improve planning and service delivery, and promote a more structured society.

In his remarks, the ALGON President, Mr Bello Lawal, described the meeting as timely and critical to the future of grassroots governance, national security, and socio-economic development.

Lawal noted that the local government system, being the closest to the people, plays a vital role in functions like street naming and house numbering, which formed the basis of the addressing ecosystem.

He lamented the long-standing neglect of these functions, which he said had contributed to fragmented urban and rural addressing systems, poor service delivery, slow emergency response, and inadequate planning data.

”In many rural communities, households lack recognised addresses, undermining access to services and effective law enforcement,” he said.

Lawal added that the POA system would offer a transformational opportunity to formalise address identities for households, businesses, and facilities nationwide.

In the same vein, Mrs Rose Mibwala, General Manager, Postcode and Addressing System at the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), said the initiative reflected a collective commitment to building a secured, inclusive, and digitally integrated Nigeria.

”For NIPOST, addressing is no longer just about mail delivery; it is a cornerstone of digital identity, financial inclusion, national security, and effective service delivery,” she said.

Mibwala commended the collaboration between NIPOST and ALGON on the POA system and lauded efforts to integrate postcodes and addressing into local governance structures. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Deborah Coker