Stories by Ene Osang
How local government autonomy can grow Nigerian youths
The Former Speaker, Kastina House of Assembly Sen. Aliyu Muduru, has stressed the importance of local government to youth development, just as he appealed to the National Assembly to consider passing the bill seeking financial autonomy for local governments into law.
Muduru made the call at the annual National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) democracy lecture and award in Abuja.
According to him, local government can empower youths through meaningful intervention programmes, adding that local governments can design and execute projects that better lives of citizens at grass root level.
”We need to see local government that are more than tools for grass root politicking. Local governments that can design and execute meaningful projects that better the lives at the grass root level.
”Local government that extend clean water, reliable healthcare and other necessary infrastructure to rural areas. Local government that boost teachers and other employees’ welfare packages and improve the quality of education at primary level,’’ he said.
Muduru maintained that there cannot be a virile and dynamic local government system without ensuring that functions constitutionally allocated to local government are properly aligned with autonomy.
”Some states are doing relatively well in terms of infrastructure provisions, urban area extension, city beautification, youth empowerment, all in the name of joint projects between states and local government known as joint account.
”This has relegated local government to mere glorified departments under states’ care, rendered many that fall within rural areas ineffective,’’ he said.
Muduru said local government autonomy was one of the cardinal means of achieving localism, adding its basic support and mentorship is vital to the less privileged in the society.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political matters, Sen Babafemi Ogudu said youths constitute two-thirds of the society, saying that they were key into the agenda of the administration.
He urged youths to be hardworking, be productive and emulate the attributes of President Mohammadu Buhari by shunning corruption.
”Youths must be self reliant innovative, hardworking to help the progress of the nation, “he said.
An APC Chieftain, Mr Buba Galadima said local government autonomy would help development at the grass roots.
“We need to wake up and demand for LG autonomy which can be achieved through peaceful demonstration.
“The existing 774 local government councils in the country are charged with number responsibilities which touch welfare and living standards of the large segments of the country’s population which the youths constitute the largest.”
Meanwhile the Chairman Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Mr. Abdullahi Candido, said the youth must shun sentiment and tribalism if they must grow.
He said the youth plays a major role in the overall development of any nation.
The Representative of INEC, Mrs Dorothy Bello said the youths were usually used to conduct election, saying the youths should avoid anything that destroys the image of the country.
