Hardship: Tinubu urged to prioritize LG autonomy, market regulation

The Prof Kailani Muhammad led Confederation of All Progressives Congress Support Groups (CASG) has urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to prioritize local government autonomy and establish a Price Control Board to enhance governance and improve economic stability in the country.

Dr. Ahmed Saleh, CASG’s Director of Media Strategy, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a media briefing.

He emphasized the need for practical steps to strengthen the nation’s governance framework to ease difficulties on the citizenry.

“We call on Mr. President to prioritize these issues, as they are crucial for fostering effective governance.

“Local government autonomy must be fully implemented. While progress has been made, practical implementation remains lacking. Local governments must have the autonomy to initiate development projects directly,” Saleh said.

He also advocated for the revival of a Price Control Board to regulate market prices, due to its effectiveness and successes during the military era.

He said, “This initiative can be reintroduced to stabilize the economy.”

Saleh stressed the importance of stronger checks and balances between the executive and legislative arms of government, citing a lack of meaningful opposition in the legislature as a major governance challenge.

Also, Hajiya Mariam Michael, Deputy Women Leader of CASG, notes concerns over resource management and accountability.

She said that while Nigeria operates a three-tier governance system, incentives often fail to penetrate the local government level.

“For instance, nobody questions how the additional 30% allocations to states are being utilized or monitors the contracts awarded to these states,” Michael said.

She urged greater transparency to ensure that resources reach intended beneficiaries.

Comrade Odumosu Temitope, National Coordinator of the One Nation for National Support Group, urged President Tinubu to entrust the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative to professionals rather than state governors.

On his part, Yakubu Haruna, CASG’s Director of Programs and Special Duties, commended the president’s commitment to addressing long-standing challenges but urged him to accelerate reforms for sustainable development.