Local Government Administration is being suffocated – Tinubu
2 min read
President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, acknowledged that the third tier of government – the local government administration – was being suffocated in Nigeria.
President Tinubu stated this when he received a delegation of the Yoruba Leaders of Thought at the State House, in Abuja.
He, therefore, called for a more effective local government system that fosters community development and delivers the essentials of governance within a strengthened federal structure.
The President emphasised that governance must be transformative and must address the critical needs of citizens.
READ ALSO: https://newsstrike.com.ng/2024/05/25/gov-makinde-inaugurates-33-newly-elected-lg-chairs/
In his words, “Local government administration is being suffocated. People are looking at the opportunity to ensure that they survive and become more purposeful through community development programmes.
“What I will not support is any effort to make the local government a unitary system by handing all core responsibilities to the federal government. That is criminal when there is a federal system.
“We have a federal system. There is state and federal administration. We have two components. States must do whatever is in the best interest of their own process of administration. There is no one-size-fits-all.
“That is what we should do by looking at the revenue formula, and we must be consistent with federalism; fiscal federalism.
“Those are the things you should expect from me, not the knee-jerk reactions ahead of elections.
“Our population is growing. It is getting larger. The geographical requirement is getting bigger, so we still want more space for housing. The population is growing. So that is the basis for flexibility at the local government level. We must grow and expand,” the President said.
The President implored Nigerians to also pay attention to State Governors and hold them accountable.
READ ALSO: https://newsstrike.com.ng/2024/05/25/cbn-fires-over-200-officials/
According to him, “I am charging you to look at what is going on in the states. Pay attention to your state governors. “Tell them to take their responsibilities seriously and make the people the focus of their development plans.
“Once there is synergy, then I can assure you that Nigeria will be one of the best nations that you will see anywhere on earth.
In his remarks, Hon. Bayo Aina, the National Secretary, who spoke on behalf of Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi, Convener of the Yoruba Leaders of Thought, commended the President for his prioritisation of investment in infrastructure across various sectors.
“We salute your timely initiative to upgrade, construct, and modernize the infrastructure of our nation in health, aviation, transportation, as well as the education sector. We commend you for your commitment to providing responsible, responsive, and accountable governance in this country.”
