ActionAid Nigeria calls for local govt autonomous.
The Board of Trustees, ActionAid Nigeria, has called on the federal and state governments to grant autonomy to local government councils to enable the councils fast-track rural development and reduce rural-urban migration.
The call was contained in a press statement issued by the Board of Trustees of ActionAid Nigeria sequel to its 43rd meeting held virtually which was made available to newsmen in Lokoja by Lola Ayanda the communications coordinator of the organisation.
According to the statement, the role of the local government councils as the third tier of government in the Nigerian 1999 constitution includes provision of infrastructural developments at the grassroots.
“Yet, state governments have continued to usurp the powers and functions attributed to the local governments and only acknowledge them as a subunit of the state with no autonomy” the statement added.
The Board also recommend that the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) should ensure that its multifaceted approach to registration and administration of the COVID19 vaccine be inclusive, recognizing citizens in excluded communities; whilst the National Orientation Agency works with other stakeholders to eliminate perceived myths about the COVID19 vaccine.
“We recommend the overhauling and restructuring of the nation’s security architecture to create real changes in such areas as funding, equipment, accountability and boosting the morale of the men in the field among others.
“To reduce poverty, governments at all levels should prioritize policies relevant to specific communities; COVID-19, conflicts and climate crisis should be carefully considered to successfully reduce poverty in Nigeria.
“Anti-corruption rhetorics should be matched with action. We call on the federal government, anti-corruption agencies to ensure the implementation of emergency fund management protocols and bring defaulters to book.
“To reduce Nigeria’s debt profile, the government must urgently close all leakages along the revenue collection value chain, swiftly reduce the cost of governance at all levels of the polity and expedite the process of diversifying the economy” the statement said.