Nigeria’s 774 local government areas have been asked by President Bola Tinubu to implement his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda at the local level.
Tinubu made the announcement on Tuesday during the first-ever Annual National Conference of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Council Chairmen, which took place in the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.
Tinubu stated in a statement released by the Presidency that the way government policies affect Nigerians’ lives in their communities should be used to gauge their effectiveness.
He stated, “The theme, ‘Cascading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to the Grassroots,’ goes to the heart of our national assignment because government only becomes meaningful when its impact is felt in our people’s daily lives.” What happens in our wards, villages, cities, and communities is the real litmus test for policy, not what is said in Abuja.
The President recalled his time as Lagos State’s governor, when his administration worked to establish more local councils, which resulted in the establishment of the 37 Local Council Development Areas.
It brings back memories of my belief in grassroots governance from my time as Lagos State’s governor. The 37 Local Council Development Areas are the result of our administration’s pursuit of more local councils. We took this action because a rapidly expanding population necessitated a deeper relationship between the government and the populace.
“Our vision and focus was about shortening the distance between government and the governed, widening access to services, and creating more centers of local development, in contrast to some narratives that gained currency,” he stated.
According to Tinubu, his administration has been pursuing national development since 2023 because it firmly believes that Nigeria cannot develop from the center alone.
“Building on that experience, my administration has been pursuing national development since 2023, with a stronger conviction that Nigeria cannot develop from the center alone.” “Development needs to start at the bottom,” he stated.
Additionally, he emphasised the Federal Government’s legal intervention that resulted in the Supreme Court’s ruling upholding local government authority.
When this Administration petitioned the Supreme Court to uphold our local governments’ financial independence and constitutional rights, it showed political will. The July 11, 2024, ruling was historic. According to Tinubu, local government autonomy is a tool for service rather than an aim in and of itself.
He tasked the elected council members and council chairmen with making ensuring Nigerians had access to better primary healthcare, basic education, rural roads, water supply, food production, and assistance for small enterprises.
“Better primary healthcare, basic education, rural roads, safe water, stronger food systems, support for small businesses, and opportunities for women and young people must be witnessed and experienced by Nigerians throughout the nation,” he stated.
According to the President, elected officials have substantial obligations as a result of the autonomy provided to local governments.
“It will help to deliver these dividends if you know where the clinic lacks medication, where farmers need support, where young people need opportunity, and where tension is starting to rise,” he stated.
Tinubu asked the councils to plan and carry out projects using technology, trustworthy statistics, and evidence-based decision-making.
Your councils must become hubs for strategy, execution, early warning, and quantifiable outcomes in order to meet these objectives. The culture of evidence-based decision-making, powered by technology and trustworthy statistics, must be ingrained in you,” he stated.
He said that the strategy aligned with the administration’s renewed emphasis on enhancing grassroots planning, coordination, execution, and accountability.
The President stated that security was still his administration’s top concern, pointing out that the Federal Government had been working to improve and modernise the nation’s security institutions.
“The security issue has been the top focus since the beginning of this administration. “Our military institutions have been strengthened, equipped, reformed, and security personnel have been trained by the Federal Government,” he stated.
However, Tinubu claimed that community-level involvement was the only way to bring about enduring peace.
Nonetheless, the government is aware that communities must work together to create enduring peace. In order to secure your sphere of influence, I thus implore you to increase your interaction with traditional rulers, religious leaders, women’s and youth organisations, community associations, and legitimate security agencies. Grievances must be avoided, identified, and resolved before they escalate into emergencies, he said.
The President also asked the council chairmen to prevent violence and encourage peaceful participation as the general elections of 2027 get near.
“I implore you to discourage division and implement a zero-tolerance policy for violence, hate speech, intimidation, and thuggery. Make sure that our young people aren’t tricked into abusing drugs under false pretences,” he continued.
Tinubu also called on the council leaders to ease tensions, promote security cooperation, and uphold the right of citizens to choose how they want to be elected.
He said, “I further urge you as leaders at the community level to douse tensions, support lawful security coordination, and respect the right of citizens to make their choices freely.”
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According to him, the Renewed Hope Agenda needs to be made apparent by advancements in local business, employment, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and food security.
It’s crucial to note that when people can participate in elections in a peaceful manner and have faith in the process, our democracy is enhanced. This idea aligns with our ongoing dedication to credible and peaceful elections. The president stated that the Renewed Hope Agenda needs to be made apparent at the local level, particularly in the areas of food security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, employment, and local business.
Additionally, Tinubu called on regional development commissions and the federal government to collaborate more closely with local governments.
Without actively participating as development partners, local government authorities cannot afford to remain passive recipients of federal government programs. You must improve your ability to coordinate and be creative,” he stated.
He claimed that the establishment of the Regional Development Commissions has facilitated this kind of cooperation by enabling a greater focus on the unique requirements of various regions.
“The creation of the Regional Development Commissions has made this much easier because they pay more attention to your unique characteristics and are easily accessible for collaboration, investment, and performance evaluation,” he stated.
The chairmen of the councils were urged by the president to make quantifiable progress in their various local government domains.
Finally, I would like to remind everyone of the enormous responsibility that history has placed on turning your local government regions into development models that serve as benchmarks. Thus, let the lives, communities, and systems that have been enhanced in each of the 774 Local Government Areas be the legacy of your tenure,” he declared.
Additionally, he urged the attendees to use the conference to create ideas that could solve issues impeding local government development.
“I urge you to come up with sound conclusions and recommendations that would address the challenges slowing down the development of LGAs as you go into deliberations over the next two days. Let’s work together to build a stronger federation that is secure and prosperous,” Tinubu stated.
Etuk, Princess