The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised concerns over the increasing trend of state governors residing permanently in Abuja, stating that it is negatively impacting governance at the state level.
Speaking at a recent event, the NLC president lamented that many governors are hardly available in their respective states, making it difficult for the people to access them.
He revealed that in a tour of five geopolitical zones, the NLC had successfully met with state governors in only one state, while in other instances, the governors were away in Abuja.
“However, there is a problem we are having in trends because most governors are now living permanently in Abuja. We have moved to about five zones, Kogi is about the fifth zone.
We have met governors in only one state. Each time you go there, they are in Abuja, and this is affecting governance,” he said.
This revelation has sparked discussions on the responsibilities of state governors and the impact of their absence on local governance.
Critics argue that their prolonged stay in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) not only delays policy implementation but also disconnects them from the realities of their states.
Political analysts suggest that governors' frequent presence in Abuja is often linked to lobbying for federal allocations, political influence, or personal engagements rather than focusing on developmental projects at home.
As the debate intensifies, stakeholders are calling for stricter measures to ensure that elected officials prioritize governance in their states rather than spending excessive time in Abuja.
The NLC president urged the governors to be more accountable and accessible to their citizens, emphasizing that governance should be people-centered and not dictated from a distance.
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