FG mapping 8,809 wards for economic devt in 2025 – Bagudu
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, has disclosed that the federal government had resolved to design a word-based system to map the 8,809 wards in the country for their economic development beginning from 2025. Bagudu disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the 4th Local Government Economic Summit with the theme, ’25 […]
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, has disclosed that the federal government had resolved to design a word-based system to map the 8,809 wards in the country for their economic development beginning from 2025.
Bagudu disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the 4th Local Government Economic Summit with the theme, ’25 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria: The place of local government in rural development and food security’, organised by The Summit Group.
The minister said democracy is work in progress, stressing that the 25 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria has been a big achievement which must be sustained going forward.
Bagudu, former governor of Kebbi State said, “Every local government in Nigeria can do better tomorrow by focusing on agriculture which has remained largely limited, whether farming or fishing or livestock. Meaning with investment, we can do more in a very short period of time.
“As we speak, as a Minister of National Planning, because part of our mandate is the coordination of national, federal, state and local government.
“We are designing a world-based system where we are mapping the 8,809 wards of this country to see what programmes are running them, what economic potential are there, so that we can support them.”
In his remarks, Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, who was represented by the deputy governor, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, said the summit was apt and timely in view of issues associated with the LG and development at the grassroots level.
He stressed the need to ensure full autonomy for local governments and capacity building of officials, adding that the third tier of government holds the key to unlocking economic potentials.
The National President, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Bello Lawal, said, “We have no other choice but to rise to the occasion and ensure that all LGCs play their rightful role in driving development across the country.”
In his welcome address, the chairman of governing board, local government economic summit group, Hon. Aminu Muazu Maifata, said the body is determined to fashion out ways for the economic wellbeing of the people through collaborative effort on poverty reduction, skills acquisition, political awareness and community service.