By Ken Afor
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged state governments to prioritize the welfare of local communities by promoting transparency and efficiency in local government administration.
He made this appeal during a meeting with the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the president emphasized the importance of ensuring that local governments are accountable to the people they serve and that resources are used effectively to address the needs of local communities.
He encouraged state governments to take a proactive approach in supporting local governments to achieve this goal.
“We are running a constitutional democracy. I will appeal to you to summon the governors. I am doing my very best to enhance the revenue base of the country. They must equally be sympathetic, and they must urgently consider the needs of the local people.
“People reside in the local communities. That is where they work, farm, and live. If the local governments are not effective in delivering services; as leaders, we must not hang on to the numbers. We have 774 local government areas, but are they truly effective? Do they solve problems for Nigerians? Do they coordinate development programming with the state and federal governments?
“Who is being held accountable for the performance of the 774 local governments? Maybe we should look at recalibrating. What was good four years ago may not be good today. When we want the votes, we go to the locals; when we get the votes, we move to and focus on Abuja,” the statement quoted the President.
He emphasized the crucial role of education in national development, deeming the prevalence of out-of-school children in certain regions of Nigeria as a pressing concern that demands urgent attention.
He stressed that education is a fundamental right and a critical component of nation-building, and it is unacceptable that many children are being denied this essential opportunity.
“The question of out-of-school children is unacceptable. Education is a tool against poverty, and that is what brought many of us here. We must use our education to serve the people and improve their conditions. We must develop the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, which is the education system. We will collaborate with you on this intensively.
“We are still building Nigeria, and I am glad that you have emphasized the need for development. The infrastructure decay is unacceptable, and the level of poverty in the north is unacceptable. We must eliminate the source of these trends,” the statement added.
On security, Tinubu commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his efforts, saying: “Everybody wants to be secure, and we need to invest more in technology. We will do it, I promise you. We will put our heart and soul into ensuring that Nigeria is secure and its citizens are protected.
“The AKK project, the dredging of the River Niger, and improving port access and infrastructure nationwide, in order to shorten travel time, will make us more prosperous as a nation. We have to fight insecurity so that people can make a decent living anywhere they live.”
On his part, the leader of the delegation and Chairman, Board of Trustees of ACF, Barrister Bashir Dalhatu congratulated President Tinubu on his first year in office and expressed the Forum’s appreciation for his achievements and service to the country.
Dalhatu noted that during this event and throughout his election campaign, the President made several commitments and assurances to the people of the North. He said he believes that these commitments and assurances were a “game-changer” and had a significant impact on the people, which include influencing their support for the President.
He said: “Your tireless support for and collaboration with Northerners that helped many to win elections into various positions, including that of the presidency in the past, has consolidated the love and trust in the hearts of Northerners for you, as confirmed by the pattern of voting in the last presidential election.”
