President Bola Tinubu has urged state governors to focus on projects that directly improve the lives of citizens, advising them to channel increased federal allocations into building road networks instead of constructing flyovers in areas with little traffic.
The President said his administration remained committed to delivering good governance through improved infrastructure, enhanced security and prudent management of public resources, stressing that state governments must also become more proactive in addressing the needs of their people.
Tinubu gave the advice on Thursday while receiving a delegation of traditional rulers from Oyo State, led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, who visited the Presidential Villa to congratulate him on the successful rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area after 56 days in captivity.
Addressing members of the delegation, many of whom had previously served as governors, Tinubu noted that states now receive significantly higher allocations from the Federation Account compared to previous years and should ensure the funds translate into visible development.
“The cost of governance is high, but the money we are pushing to the states today is far more than what was available in the past. They are receiving four to five times what they used to get. Nobody is borrowing money to pay salaries anymore, and pensioners are receiving their entitlements.
“They should do more instead of building flyovers where there is no significant traffic. They should build roads and road networks that will improve the quality of life and make it easier for security agencies to access remote communities,” the President said.
Tinubu also used the occasion to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity, revealing that the terrorists who abducted the Oriire schoolchildren demanded the release of detained members of their gang in addition to ransom, a request the Federal Government rejected.
“We refused to negotiate with criminals. They wanted us to release members of their gang who were already in detention, apart from demanding money. We said no deal. We will not negotiate with terrorists,” he said.
The President explained that the successful rescue operation informed his decision to expand the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions to improve response time and strengthen the country’s capacity to combat terrorism and banditry.
He commended the Armed Forces for their role in securing the victims’ freedom, saying every security challenge presents an opportunity to strengthen the nation’s security architecture.
“As we continue to confront insecurity, every incident teaches us new lessons. We are reviewing our strategies, improving our operations and increasing our capacity. That is why we are expanding from eight to 12 divisions to give security agencies the manpower and geographical reach needed to defeat terrorism and banditry,” Tinubu stated.
The President also reiterated his support for the creation of state police, saying the proposed system would operate with constitutional safeguards to prevent abuse.
“There will be state police, and there will be guardrails against abuse. Traditional rulers will also have important roles to play in ensuring security at the grassroots,” he added.
Tinubu attributed the increasing security challenges in parts of Nigeria to instability in neighbouring Sahel countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, noting that the situation had contributed to cross-border criminal activities.
According to him, the Federal Government is strengthening forest security and other security initiatives to address emerging threats and protect communities across the country.