The Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, on Monday, challenged participants of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Senior Executive Course 44,to proffer solutions to the challenges confronting governance at the Local Government level.
The Minister threw the challenge when a delegation of the course participants led by Prof. Sunday Ochoche paid him a courtesy visit at the banquet hall of the Life Camp Residence of the Minister.
Speaking on the theme of the 2022 Senior Executive Course which is “Strengthening Local Governance in Nigeria: Challenges, Opinions and Opportunities”, Malam Bello noted that Local Governments, or Area Councils, as they are called in the FCT, by being the tier of government closest to the citizenry, have very strategic roles to play in delivering dividends of democracy to the grassroots populace.
He listed some of the basic dividends to include basic education, agriculture, primary health care and security.
The Minister pointed out that governance at the local level was fraught with many challenges, and expressed optimism that Course 44 would proffer solutions that would strengthen governance at that tier of government.
He also acknowledged that some of the most effective and efficient senior officials of the Federal Capital Administration were graduates of the Senior Executive Course and pledged the support and cooperation of the FCTA to the participants during their study tour of the FCT.
Responding, Prof. Sunday Ochoche, expressed appreciation to the FCT Minister for the high quality of participants sponsored by the FCTA to the Institute.
He explained that every year, very senior and accomplished men and women from different sectors dedicate 10 months, interrogating critical national issues and proffering ways to advance the Nigerian project.
Ochoche stressed that effective local governance involved the Federal, State and Local Governments, traditional institutions, as well as Non-Governmental Organizations.
While thanking the FCT Minister for the warm hospitality received from FCTA officials, he invited the Minister to the NIPSS campus in Kuru for the presentation of the FCT Report by members of the Senior Executive Course 44.
In his welcome remarks, FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola stated that the Administration would be happy to tap into the wealth of knowledge and experience of the participants to build an FCT all Nigerians would be proud of.
According to him, FCT Administration was conscious of the expectations of Nigerians and it was determined to fulfil its mandate by repositioning the Administration to meet demands of a fast paced and very dynamic society.