Focus on LG development for sustainable national growth – Adeshina

By Mariam Akande

• The Federal Government has been urged to shift significant attention to empowering the local government system and operations, to ensure sustainable national development goals.
• The Director-General of the UK-based Diaspora Grassroots for Better Governance in Nigeria, Mr Ade Adeshina, made the call on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
• He said the primary purpose of the government, after ensuring the safety of life and property, was to guarantee improved conditions of the citizens wherever they live in the country.
• According to him, many Local Government Areas (LGAs) have not witnessed the dividends of democracy.
• He noted that rural communities had suffered the most due to poor governance.
• “Simple road networks cannot be built to required standards.
• “Local government council officials lack required scrutiny and, are in most cases, incapable of managing public pulse.
• “Given Nigeria’s abundant natural and human resources, the current state of development is a source of concern.
• “We must heed the words of former Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who said that Nigeria should not be a poor nation given its vast resources,” Adeshina said.
• Adeshina added that the removal of fuel subsidies and the resulting high inflation rate had exacerbated the challenges faced by ordinary Nigerians.
• Similarly, he noted that the exchange rate of one dollar for N1,040 in the parallel market, as at Oct. 12,  had also compounded the issue.
• To address these challenges and set Nigeria on a path to sustainable growth, Adeshina said the federal government must focus on infrastructure development across the 774 LGAs.
• He added that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration must reform the civil service to make every officer accountable for his actions and omissions.
• “The transition from a production-oriented economy, as our founders envisioned, to a consumption-based economy in the 1970s has hindered our progress.
• “We must return to a production-oriented path, growing and producing what we need locally and embracing our homegrown products.
• “This approach will reduce the demand for foreign currencies and make our Naira attractive to foreign investors,” he said.
• According to him, central to this transformation is the need for robust infrastructure development.
• He called for a standardised road and rail network to open up rural communities for business to enable economic inclusion.
• “The deplorable state of infrastructure across the 774 LGAs has hindered progress and economic growth.
• “Basic road infrastructure and modern transport systems are essential to alleviate the challenges faced by our densely populated cities and to attract investment to rural areas,” he said.
• Adeshina, who is also the Director General of Bola Tinubu Support Organisation, UK branch (BTSO-UK), noted that with improved infrastructure, agricultural products would no longer go to waste due to bad roads.
• According to him, this will attract firms to set up production facilities, boost the economy, and provide employment opportunities.
• The D-G said the focus on LGAs was pivotal as it was at the grassroots level that the country could begin the restoration of its glory.
• “We must empower and hold local governments accountable for creating an enabling environment for investors and fostering development.
• “The restructuring of the civil service at all level of governance is equally vital,” he said.
• Adeshina explained that civil servants played a pivotal role in policy implementation, and their efficiency was paramount to achieving the goals of the Tinubu’s administration.
• “Restoring Nigeria’s glory and rescuing its citizens from hopelessness requires practical steps. It demands more than empty promises.
• “It necessitates the eradication of corruption, a commitment to grassroots governance, investment in infrastructure, and civil service reform.
• “Nigerians deserve a better future, and it is our collective responsibility to build the Nigeria of our dreams,”Adeshina said.
• He called on the Tinubu-led administration to focus on substantial infrastructure development, stressing that it was time for action. (NAN)