President Bola Tinubu has urged chairmen of Nigeria's 774 local government areas to deliver grassroots development in line with his administration's Renewed Hope Agenda. He made the call at the maiden Annual National Conference of the 774 Local Government Council Chairmen in Nigeria, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja. Tinubu emphasized that government policies should be measured by the changes they bring to the lives of Nigerians in their communities.
Tinubu highlighted his experience as governor of Lagos State, where his administration created additional local councils, now known as the 37 Local Council Development Areas. He said this was done to shorten the distance between government and the governed, widen access to services, and create more centers of local development. The President believes that Nigeria cannot develop solely from the center and that development must take root from the bottom up.
The President also mentioned the Federal Government's legal action that led to the Supreme Court judgment affirming local government autonomy. He said this administration demonstrated political will by approaching the Supreme Court to affirm the constitutional rights and financial autonomy of local governments. The judgment, delivered on July 11, 2024, was historic, and Tinubu sees local government autonomy as an instrument for service delivery.
Tinubu charged the council chairmen and elected councillors to ensure Nigerians experience improvements in primary healthcare, basic education, rural roads, water supply, food production, and support for small businesses. He said Nigerians must witness better services in these areas, and that the autonomy granted to local governments came with significant responsibilities for elected officials.
The President urged the councils to adopt evidence-based decision-making and use technology and reliable statistics in planning and delivering projects. He said they must become centers of planning, delivery, early warning, and measurable results, and imbibe a culture of evidence-based decision-making driven by technology and reliable statistics. This approach is consistent with the administration's renewed focus on strengthening planning, coordination, implementation, and accountability at the grassroots.
Tinubu also discussed security, saying it remains a top priority of his administration. He noted that the Federal Government has continued to strengthen and reform the country's security institutions. However, he believes lasting peace can only be achieved through community-level engagement, and urged the council chairmen to deepen engagement with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth and women's groups, community associations, and lawful security agencies.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, Tinubu urged the council chairmen to promote peaceful participation and discourage violence. He said they have a responsibility to help create an atmosphere in which every Nigerian can exercise their democratic right without fear, and to discourage divisions, thuggery, intimidation, hate speech, and violence.
Key points
- President Tinubu emphasizes the importance of local government autonomy in delivering grassroots development.
- The President urges council chairmen to adopt evidence-based decision-making and use technology in planning and delivering projects.
- Tinubu believes that lasting peace can only be achieved through community-level engagement and urges council chairmen to deepen engagement with stakeholders.
