The Director-General of Occupy Progressives Nigeria, Alabi Opeyemi has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on how he believes local government can perform optimally in the country.
In an open letter to the president titled “Dear President Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria, Let The Poor Breathe,” Alabi called on President Tinubu to create a federal supervisory ministry for the 774 local government areas in the country.
The youth leader lamented that local government, being a third tier of the government and by virtue of its closeness to the grassroots has, over the years, been at the mercy of state government thereby unable to perform its functions optimally.
According to Alabi, no nation develops from the centre as he noted that concentrating on the local government would not only help eradicate abject poverty at the grassroots but also fast track national development.
The letter read: “I am writing to you with a plea to improve the lives of the Nigerian people. Specifically, I believe that creating the MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS would help to independently run the affairs of the 774 local governments and other local development areas. As the third tier of government, local governments are responsible for directly delivering to the people. Unfortunately, they have not been able to fully enjoy the benefits of democracy due to sabotage by state governments.
“Establishing a federal government ministry to tackle the effects of the virus affecting local governments would go a long way toward improving the situation. It would also help to address issues related to insecurity, local health sectors, and productivity at the local level. Concentrating on the local government would be the fastest way to identify national problems and eradicate poverty and hunger in local communities. It would also improve reliable security intel to the armed forces and paramilitary and improve productivity by designating production policy for each local government.
“Currently, Nigeria’s surfaced roads total 108,000km, but the Federal Government only controls 32,000km (18%). The remaining 82% belongs to states and local governments. Even if the FG fixes the 32,000km/18%, Nigeria will still have terrible roads. Additionally, out of the more than 2,000 government hospitals in Nigeria, the FG only controls less than 75.
“True development will come at the state and local government levels. No country develops from the center, and our electorate must focus on the grassroots. The FG at the center will not solve more than 10% of our daily challenges. If we want to live up to the ideals of reaching out to the people at the local level and making sure the poor breathe, we have to reform the local government and let them behave like a government they are created to be.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter, Mr. President. I hope that implementing these changes will improve the lives of the Nigerian people and help lift them out of poverty.”
