President Bola Tinubu has charged chairmen of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to use the financial autonomy affirmed by the Supreme Court to deliver measurable improvements in basic healthcare, education, rural roads, water supply, food security, and livelihoods at the grassroots.
Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, delivered the charge on Tuesday at the inaugural Annual National Conference of the 774 Local Government Council Chairmen in Abuja.
He said his administration had demonstrated political will by approaching the Supreme Court to affirm the constitutional rights and financial autonomy of local governments, describing the court’s July 11, 2024 judgment as historic.
The President, however, stressed that autonomy was not an end in itself but a means of improving grassroots services and governance.
‘Local government autonomy is not an end in itself; rather, it is an instrument for service,’ he said.
Tinubu said the Supreme Court judgment had consequently placed a ‘huge responsibility’ on council chairmen, elected councillors and their management to deliver effective governance in their respective communities.
He urged them to apply their knowledge of local conditions to identify gaps in healthcare, agricultural support, youth opportunities and community security, rather than depend solely on directives from higher levels of government.
‘Nigerians in all parts of the country must witness and experience better primary healthcare, basic education, rural roads, safe water, stronger food systems, support for small businesses, and opportunities for women and young people,’ he said.
The President also tasked the councils with becoming centres of planning, service delivery, early warning and measurable results, supported by technology, reliable statistics and evidence-based decision-making.
He said local government authorities must strengthen planning, accountability, coordination and implementation to ensure that autonomy translates into tangible development outcomes.
Tinubu said his commitment to grassroots governance was partly informed by his experience as governor of Lagos State, where his administration created additional local councils, bringing the total to 37 Local Council Development Areas.
He said the objective was to shorten the distance between government and the governed, widen access to services and create more centres of local development.
According to him, the same principle underpins his administration’s approach to national development, which he said could not be driven from the centre alone.
‘Development must take root from the bottom up,’ he said.
The President also assigned council chairmen a role in maintaining security and preventing local conflicts, urging them to deepen engagement with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth and women’s groups, community associations and lawful security agencies.
He said local leaders should identify and address grievances before they escalate into crises, noting that lasting peace was built ‘community by community.’
With the 2027 general election approaching, Tinubu further urged the chairmen to help create an atmosphere in which citizens could exercise their democratic rights without fear.
He called for zero tolerance for thuggery, intimidation, hate speech and electoral violence, while urging the leaders to prevent youths from being recruited into violence or exposed to substance abuse.
‘At the community level, I further urge you as leaders to douse tensions, support lawful security coordination and respect the right of citizens to make their choices freely,’ he said.
Tinubu also urged local governments to move beyond being passive recipients of Federal Government programmes and become active development partners.
He said the establishment of regional development commissions provided additional opportunities for councils to address local peculiarities through partnerships, investment and performance measurement.
The President challenged the chairmen to ensure that their tenure was measured by improvements in the lives of residents and the systems governing the 774 local government areas.
Earlier, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Jisalo, said the conference was designed to strengthen collaboration among the Federal, state and local governments and improve grassroots development.
Jisalo said local governments, as the tier of government closest to the people, had a critical role in translating national policies and programmes into tangible development outcomes.
He also identified traditional rulers as important partners in peacebuilding, community mobilisation and sustainable development because of their influence and connection with local communities.
The minister urged participants to develop practical recommendations to improve service delivery, accountability, and coordination across the three tiers of government.
The conference is themed ‘Cascading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to the Grassroots.’