By Luminous Jannamike & Folarin Kehinde
ABUJA – The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has challenged local governments to justify their monthly Federation Account allocations by turning them into tangible development rather than merely sharing the money.
Bagudu said councils must identify economic opportunities in their communities, attract investments and create wealth instead of depending solely on statutory allocations.
He spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the 9th annual national conference of the Association of Local Government Vice Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGOVC), themed, “Strengthening Local Government Control for Effective National Security and Economic Growth”.
Bagudu said the Federal Government was adopting a bottom-up approach through the Renewed Hope Ward Development Plan to identify local resources, investment opportunities and development needs.
“Local government is not just an administrative centre that should disburse money coming from the Federation Account. That is a big error that we have been making in the past.
“It is a centre that should draw attention to the blessings and the prosperity and the opportunities and potentials that are in that local government, and appropriately support that local government,” he said.
He urged councillors to identify the economic potential of their wards, adding that systematic mapping would provide data for attracting investors and developing practical economic plans.
Bagudu identified agriculture, fisheries and livestock as sectors capable of transforming local economies but constrained by poor farming methods, inadequate inputs and outdated practices.
Citing an estimated 42 million Nigerian households engaged in agriculture, he said improved productivity could raise household incomes and stimulate economic growth.
He urged vice-chairmen to identify challenges in their councils and present evidence-based demands to the Federal Government and development partners.
Earlier, ALGOVC National Chairperson, Amb. Uju Okolo, called for unity, accountability and inclusive leadership, pledging to promote justice, restore confidence and ensure no member was left behind.
The conference also took a political turn when the association’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Hon. Lawrence Onuchukwu, moved a motion endorsing President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027.
Seconded by Okolo, the motion was adopted through a voice vote. The association also pledged support for the ruling party at the federal and state levels and appealed to Tinubu to reappoint Bagudu as minister if re-elected.
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