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Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, CON, has urged local government councils across the country to leverage Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to drive sustainable grassroots development, saying the recent local government autonomy by the President must translate into improved service delivery and accountability.

Dare made the call on Wednesday while delivering the keynote address at the Gazelle News Annual Lecture and Awards, themed “Driving Grassroots Governance with Public-Private Partnership: The Gains, the Pains and the Prospects.”

He described local government autonomy under the Tinubu administration as one of the most consequential governance reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history, noting that the policy has restored the capacity of the nation’s 774 local government councils to plan and execute development projects closer to the people.

According to him, the direct allocation of constitutionally approved funds to local governments provides an opportunity for councils to become more responsive to the needs of citizens.

“Financial autonomy must translate into greater transparency, stronger accountability, improved service delivery and more meaningful partnerships with communities and the private sector. Only then will autonomy achieve its true purpose of improving the daily lives of Nigerians,” Dare said.

The presidential aide maintained that grassroots governance remains the foundation of national development, arguing that the true measure of progress lies not in the infrastructure of major cities but in the quality of schools, healthcare facilities, roads, security and economic opportunities available in rural communities.

He explained that Public-Private Partnerships should not be viewed solely as financing arrangements for large infrastructure projects but as a governance model that brings government, businesses, civil society and local communities together to deliver sustainable development.

Dare said effective collaboration with the private sector would bridge funding gaps, improve project execution, stimulate innovation, create jobs and restore public confidence in governance through visible development outcomes.

He, however, identified weak institutional capacity, lack of transparency, policy inconsistency, public distrust and political discontinuity as major obstacles limiting the effectiveness of PPPs at the grassroots.

Despite the challenges, Dare expressed optimism that Nigeria’s growing digital economy and youthful population provide a strong foundation for transforming local governance.

He envisioned a future where local governments deploy technology and data-driven systems to improve education, healthcare, agriculture and revenue administration while working with local innovators to solve community-specific challenges.

To maximise the gains of local government autonomy, Dare recommended the professionalisation of local government administration, transparent procurement systems, greater community participation, technology-driven accountability and the adoption of people-centred performance indicators.

He also stressed that leadership would determine the success of the reforms, urging local government officials to build partnerships capable of delivering lasting development rather than relying solely on government resources.

“Nigeria’s greatest opportunity does not reside solely in Abuja or our state capitals. It resides in our wards, our villages and our towns. That is where governance must be felt, and where prosperity must begin,” he said.

The annual lecture attracted senior government officials, traditional rulers, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders, media practitioners and other stakeholders who deliberated on strategies for strengthening grassroots governance through collaboration between the public and private sectors.

The Traffic NG
Sunday Dare CON
Amarachi Ihesiulo
The Traffic NG

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