The President, Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba has backed the federal government on the local government administrative autonomy.

Okaba made the declaration on Thursday at the “Presidential Retreat Warri 2024” convened by the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Delta State chapter.

The theme of the two-day event which started on Thursday is: “Contemporary challenges in Nigeria: The Response of Professionals”.

Okaba, who was a keynote speaker, noted that the local governments were closer to the grassroot and knew the needs of the people.

“We should support the present Government to bring sanity into the Nigeria polity especially at the grassroot.

“Our local government areas must regain their fiscal and administrative autonomy as it was the case before 1999.

“We must embrace a well-coordinated community policing systems and other principles of restructuring for there lies the magic wand that will reposition this country for greater unity and prosperity,” he said.

Okaba identified some of the fundamental challenges bedevilling the country to include: bad governance, weak institutions, lack of sense of Nationhood and ethical decadence.

The professor of Sociology at Federal University, Otueke, Bayelsa, however, noted that the challenges were surmountable.

He urged Nigerians irrespective of their status to be an agent of change, noting that the solution to the Nigeria challenges lied in our attitude and aptitude.

“Our love for this country should be demonstrated in our daily lives. It is patriotism that will impel us to put Nigeria first in all our dealings.

“So we should strive to undertake our professional duties diligently to the best of our abilities, without cutting corners.

“As a professional, you should see your work as a contribution to national development, knowing that any form of ineptitude from you will affect the client and the nation at large.

“We should love Nigeria to the extent that we will lead our organisations and subordinates well to achieve set objectives.

“In doing so, we are adding value to the various social institutions that hold the country together.

“Let us see ourselves as social influencers and agents of positive change, by making transparency, accountability and stewardship our watchword in all our endeavours,” he said.

Okaba urged the professional organisations to go beyond protecting the rights and interests of its members and monitored their conducts to meet the needs of the society.

He also urged the professionals to collaborate with the government and be politically active in order to move the country forward.

The don urged the professionals to utilise their platform to demand accountability from those holding sensitive positions in government.

“We should not only criticise government policies but be part of the decision-making process. This will be possible when we fight to become party stakeholders and political office holders.

“We should not shy away from politics, because if you leave politics for the “miscreants” you will be the number one beneficiary of their misrule,” he said.

He, however, advocated for the introduction of professional clubs in schools to prepare the young and potential professionals especially from the primary and secondary school levels.

Earlier, the President of APBN, Mr. Manason Rubainu said that the retreat marked a significant milestone in the association’s collective journey towards contributing to the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria.

“This retreat is an opportunity for us to harness our collective strength and forge a unified path towards a better Nigeria.

“The purpose of this retreat is clear: to deliberate on how we, as an association encompassing all professional bodies in Nigeria, can work together more effectively.

“Our goal is to provide a clear and strategic direction that will enhance the socio-economic and political landscape of our nation.

“We are here to discuss, innovate, and develop actionable plans that will not only address the challenges we face but also capitalise on the opportunities before us,” he said.

Rubainu said that the event would explore various themes critical to the national development and urged the participants to be actively involved in all the sessions.

On his part, Dr Sony Ali, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the APBN 2024 Presidential Retreat said that the event would offered a rare opportunity to brainstorm on issues of national importance.

“The retreat will offer rare opportunities of learning, unlearning, brainstorming and synergising with a view to responding to contemporary challenges in Nigeria,” Ali said.

In attendance were: Suvy. Akinloye Oyegbola, chairman of the retreat, Mr Abel Omalu, Tpl Paul Akporowho, Mr Maxi Okafor, Dr Festus Oshoba, Pharm Adefolake Adeniyi and among other professionals.

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