President Bola Tinubu has placed Nigeria’s 774 local government councils on a fresh performance test, charging their chairmen to convert the financial autonomy of the third tier of government into visible improvements in the lives of residents.
The President said the measure of government should no longer be confined to policies announced in Abuja, but to what citizens experience in their wards, villages, towns and communities, declaring that local government autonomy must translate into service delivery and measurable results.
Tinubu gave the charge at the maiden Annual National Conference of the 774 Local Government Council Chairmen at the State House, Abuja, where he was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. The three-day conference is themed, “Cascading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to the Grassroots.”
In a statement issued by the Presidency on the conference, Tinubu said the autonomy affirmed by the Supreme Court in its July 11, 2024 judgment had placed a greater responsibility on council chairmen, councillors and management teams to deliver effective governance.
“Local government autonomy is not an end in itself, rather, it is an instrument for service,” the President said, stressing that residents should see its impact in primary healthcare, basic education, rural roads, safe water, food production, support for small businesses and opportunities for women and young people.
He challenged the councils to move beyond their traditional role as recipients of government interventions and become active centres of planning, implementation, coordination, early warning and measurable development, using technology, evidence and reliable data to identify and address local needs.
According to him, the proximity of council authorities to the people gives them an advantage in identifying problems ranging from shortages in health facilities and farmers’ needs to youth unemployment and emerging community tensions.
Tinubu, who recalled his tenure as Lagos State governor and the creation of 37 Local Council Development Areas under his administration, said the experience strengthened his conviction that Nigeria’s development could not be driven from the centre alone.
“Development must take root from the bottom up,” he said, urging the council chairmen to exploit the opportunities created by the Regional Development Commissions for partnerships, investment and improved performance measurement.
The President also linked effective grassroots administration to peace and security, asking the council leaders to work with traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth groups, community associations and lawful security agencies to identify and defuse grievances before they escalate into violence.
With preparations for the 2027 general elections gathering momentum, he further urged the chairmen to ensure that their communities provide an atmosphere where citizens can exercise their democratic rights without fear.
Tinubu called for zero tolerance for thuggery, intimidation, hate speech and political violence, while warning against the recruitment of youths for violence or their exposure to substance abuse during the electoral period.
He said the Renewed Hope Agenda must become visible at the grassroots through improvements in healthcare, education, infrastructure, food security, employment and local enterprise, urging the chairmen to leave behind tangible improvements in the communities and systems they govern.
“Let your tenure be remembered for the lives, communities and systems improved in each of the 774 Local Government Areas,” Tinubu said.
The President also charged delegates to use the conference to develop practical recommendations for overcoming the challenges confronting local government administration and strengthening intergovernmental relations.
The conference was organised by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs in collaboration with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).
