Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State says the nation leaders must put in place measures to ensure inclusiveness, responsiveness, fairness and integrity in policy making and service delivery.
The governor who stated this in his Democracy Day message, said Nigeria must move in a new direction.
He argued that, Devolution of powers is the best way to go, stressing that, more powers must be given to the states to take care of the needs of the people at the grassroots.
Malam Uba Sani pointed out that, decentralization of powers will unleash the potential that exists everywhere in Nigeria.
“The way policies are designed and implemented in Nigeria without adequate consultations and scrutiny have tended to alienate the people, Corruption has worsened the trust deficit.”
The governor emphasized that, great challenge before them as leaders was how to restore the people’s trust in government and effectively mobilize them for the important task of national renewal.
According to him, Kaduna State government was making conscious and deliberate efforts to spread development by focusing on the rural areas.
Sani said his administration is determined to reinvent and reenergise the rural economies through massive infrastructural development.
“When we make the grassroots attractive to our people, rural – urban migration will be checked and our people will fully embrace democracy as a system that caters for their welfare and enables them to realize their full potentials”
Malam Uba Sani revealed that, Great men like late Chief Moshood Abiola had made huge sacrifices to ensure that, democracy thrives in Nigeria.
“Our founding fathers, labour leaders, civil society and pro-democracy activists make remarkable contributions to the growth and development of our democracy. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their labours of love”
“The last few years of our practice of democracy have been full of challenges. Our people’s trust in democracy and government waned considerably due to economic, social and political crisis, with their debilitating consequences”
“Many of our people feel the country and its leaders do not care about them. The youths feel the country does not care about their future. Many parts of the country feel they have not been given a sense of belonging. These sentiments and anxieties threaten our country’s economic prospects and our desire for national unity”
AMINU DALHATU
