By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has urged leaders to demonstrate integrity, accountability and competence to rebuild public trust and bridge the gap between government and citizens.
Idris made the call on Tuesday at the fifth national conference of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria (FFDGN) in Abuja.
The conference’s theme was “Rethinking Nation-Building: Bridging the Leadership-Citizen Disconnect through Orientation, Attitude, Character, Culture and Tradition.”
Represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali M. Ali, the minister said nation-building required responsible leadership, active citizenship and a shared understanding of mutual obligations.
He said government must explain its decisions, listen to citizens and deliver services that improve lives, while citizens should respect the law, protect public property and contribute to community development.
“Trust grows when promises are matched by results,” Idris said, adding that government initiatives should be implemented transparently and assessed by their impact on citizens.
He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and the Federal Government’s mortgage financing intervention as examples of initiatives aimed at improving access to essential services and opportunities.
He said the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund had disbursed N140 billion to support 2,018 mortgages across 27 states as of August 2026.
Idris also cited the proposed one-billion-dollar Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme aimed at strengthening support for vulnerable households.
He said national development required confronting dishonesty, ethnic prejudice, religious intolerance and abuse of public office.
He urged traditional institutions, religious leaders, schools, families and the media to promote national unity, integrity and accountability.
The minister said public communication should go beyond announcing policies to explaining reforms, countering misinformation and providing channels for citizens to communicate their concerns to government.
He identified the National Values Charter of the National Orientation Agency as an initiative aimed at reinforcing the responsibilities of citizens and the state.
Also speaking, Alhaji Aminu Masari, former Governor of Katsina State and chairman of the occasion, said public confidence was essential to effective governance.
He said policies were more likely to achieve their objectives when citizens understood them, considered them fair and trusted those responsible for implementation.
Masari said leaders must listen to citizens, explain decisions, accept legitimate criticism and correct mistakes, while citizens should participate constructively and hold public officials accountable.
He said former deputy governors could use their experience to advise serving officials, mediate disputes, promote civic engagement and mentor emerging leaders.
Masari urged participants to develop practical recommendations for improving government responsiveness and citizen participation, saying the conference’s value would depend on the actions arising from its deliberations.
In a paper titled “Rethinking Nation-Building for Sustainable Development: Bridging the Leadership-Citizenship Disconnect”, Prof. Jerry Gana, a former minister, identified value-based leadership, justice, security and good governance as essential to sustainable national development.
Gana said Nigeria’s nation-building efforts had been undermined by the failure of leaders to align governance with citizens’ interests.
He said public support would grow when governments prioritised fairness, integrity and citizens’ welfare.
Gana called for greater investment in education, science, engineering and technology to strengthen productive capacity, create wealth and transform the economy.
He also proposed attracting six trillion dollars in foreign direct investment over four years, with one trillion dollars targeted at each of the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Bala Ngilari, former Deputy Governor of Adamawa, called for governance anchored on competence, integrity, inclusion and national interest.
Jonathan also emphasised mentoring young leaders, improving relations between governors and their deputies, pursuing constitutional reforms and promoting patriotic service.
Former Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, said nation-building required a shared commitment to national development, stronger democratic institutions and continuity in governance.
He said political friction between successive administrations often led to abandoned projects, undermining sustainable development.
Ganduje also urged Nigerians to manage the country’s diversity as an asset rather than a source of division.
The two-day conference, holding in Abuja from Oct. 20 to Oct. 21, brings together former deputy governors and other stakeholders to discuss governance and sustainable national development. (NAN)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
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