By John Ikani
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adebayo has affirmed that Local Governments are better positioned to stimulate and sustain economic activities that will lead to employment, income generation and poverty reduction.
The minister made this known on Monday while delivering his welcome address at the opening ceremony of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Exhibition/Trade Fair at the Old Parade Ground in Garki Abuja with the theme: Nigeria Third Tier of Governance As The Stimulant For Cohesion, Unity, Economic Growth And Development.
The minister who was represented by his Special Adviser and Permanent Secretary for Political and Economic Affairs, Mr Ariyo Benjamin, explained that the need for local governments to harness available resources for stimulating and sustaining economic activities had become necessary as the capacity of the Local Governments in generating revenue has declined over the years.
He also urged local governments to explore the immense opportunities from the Federal Government Policies and Programmes that seek to benefit the people at the grassroots, offered through various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Speaking on ALGON’s Exhibition/Trade Fair in commemoration of Nigeria @ 60, the minister said it is a step in the right direction which will serve as a vehicle for the Local Governments to embrace towards generating increased and purposeful economic activity in the short and long run.
He further noted that the event will not only create a platform for sensitization and awareness but it will also provide a means of repositioning the LGAs towards having a better mindset of fostering the economic development of its citizenry.
What you should know
The ALGON Exhibition/Trade Fair aims to bring together all 774 local Government Administrations and the FCT Area Councils and related stakeholders involved with grassroots governance to address the need for fast-tracking and stimulating the rural economic development based on heightened agricultural and agro-allied industrial activity at that third tier of governance.
The event is expected to produce outcomes that will create compelling sensitization and awareness by exposure of the salient economic potentials inherent in each Local Government Area in Nigeria; with a view to identifying investment potentials and harnessing the promotion of Job creating economic activity in the Local Government.
The platform of exhibiting the agricultural and natural resources will boost the rural economy and by multiplier effect generate the capacity for development by the local government administration nationwide.
