NILDS D-G wants capacity building for LG workers

By Ericjames Ochigbo

Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, the Director-General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), has called for capacity training of local government officers, ahead of the proposed autonomy for the third tier.

Sulaiman said this on Thursday at the closing of a 3-day workshop on “Legislative Processes and Innovative Policy Strategy” in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that such trainings were important to enhance and accelerate development at the base line of government.

“This training workshop is apt and timely, considering the ongoing conversation on local government autonomy.

“Therefore, the need to enhance capacity of the officials at the local government level cannot be over emphasised.

“This is because the officials are expected to be in-charge of policy initiatives, resource allocation, citizens’ mobilisation, peace and conflict resolution among other critical roles.

“In order to achieve sustainable development at all levels of government, there is need for majority of Nigerians who live at the third tier of government to benefit from dividends of democracy at grassroots level,” he said.

He said that NILDS was at the forefront of developing the country’s local councils human resource capacities.

Sulaiman said that there were increasing calls for decentralisation, participatory governance and bottom-top approach to policy formulation and implementation to deepening Nigeria’s nascent democracy.

He said that the practice of democratic governance at the grassroots was key to sustaining the democratic consolidation in Nigeria.

He said that NILDS was positioned to equip stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and skills needed to carry out their constitutional responsibilities at the local government councils level.

He pledged the institute’s commitment to further extend its reach to the grassroots for the majority of Nigerians domiciled at the local councils level to hence democracy and deepened in Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Leader, Yaba Local Council Development Authority, Mr Solomon Gbimiga commended NILDS for the workshop.

He recommended such workshop for all councilors after every election cycle to enable them function properly. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Josephine Obute/Ali Baba-Inuwa