The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Abiodun Essiet, has lamented what she called the disconnect between the Federal Government and the local communities in the country.
Speaking during the launch of the Citizens’ Assembly, an initiative aimed at fostering inclusive governance and community engagement, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Abiodun said more than 73% of citizens in the North Central zone feel left out in the governance of the country.
She told the gathering that based on a study carried out in areas like Nasarawa, Benue, Niger and Plateau States as well as the Federal Capital Territory, all in the North Central geo-political zone, in March 2024, evidence shows that there is a disconnect between the government and the people in the grassroots.
She outlined that, to help facilitate the Citizens’ Assembly program of engagements, 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.
President Bola Tinubu had in September 2023 appointed six Senior Special Assistants on Community Engagement across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to help bridge the engagement gap between the Federal government and the local communities.
Editor: Ken Eseni
