Tinubu’s aide launches Abuja Citizens’ Assembly

The Senior Special Assistant to President on Community Engagement (North Central), Abiodun Esseit on Tuesday launched the Citizens’ Assembly for the Abuja area, an initiative he said was designed to bridge the gap the federal government and local communities in the country.

Speaking at the event, Essiet said a March 2024 survey conducted across the North Central region, made up of FCT, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau states revealed a disconnection between the federal government and the citizens.

According to her, the study conducted to gain a clearer insight into the challenges facing the people at the grassroots revealed that 48.2% of participants perceive a lack of engagement from the Federal Government while 78.3% feel unrepresented in the government’s policies and decision-making processes.

“62.1% consider community engagement organizations effective. “68.7% believe the government does not consult with local communities before implementing projects.

“However, nearly 90% believe that co-creation can lead to more sustainable and contextually relevant solutions. These findings clearly indicate a substantial gap in trust and communication between the federal government and local communities, a gap stemming from unfulfilled promises by successive governments over the past 25 years since the return to democratic rule.”

Essiet noted that to address this gap, President Bola Tinubu appointed six Senior Special Assistants on Community Engagement across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones in September 2023.

The appointment, she said, was part of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to improve governance through strategic citizen engagement.

She therefore said the Abuja Citizens’ Assembly initiative was part of the move to bridge this disconnect as it will provides a platform for residents to express thoughts, share ideas, and collaborate on solutions to community problems.

Essiet said the assembly will be replicated across the North Central states following its FCT launch.

“Nearly a thousand volunteers from the region applied to participate in this grassroots engagement effort. Selected individuals will represent at least one ward across the six North Central states and the FCT, serving as agents of change within their communities,” she added .

The presidential aide emphasized the crucial role of community engagement in building trust between the government and citizens.

The presidential aide urged other government appointees and elected leaders to replicate this model in their respective jurisdictions to foster national prosperity.