Wale Edun to deliver keynote address as Agora Policy holds dialogue on LG reforms

Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, is billed to deliver the keynote address at a high-level policy dialogue on local government reforms. 

The event, themed ‘Local Governance Reforms a Year After Supreme Court’s Ruling’, is convened by Agora Policy, a public policy think tank, and will take place on Tuesday, July 22, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

In a statement on Monday, Waziri Adio, executive director of Agora Policy, said the event is aimed at assessing the progress of LGAs one year after the supreme court granted it full autonomy.

“One year is a good time to take stock and to start thinking about far-reaching reforms aimed at ensuring that our local councils are well positioned to discharge their constitutional responsibilities and meet the expectations and needs of our citizens,” Adio said.

The event is the second in a series of dialogues organised by Agora Policy on LG reforms.

The first was held on August 5, 2024, weeks after the supreme court’s decision, and focused on accountability in local governance.

The session, which will be moderated by Nancy Illoh-Nnaji, host of Moneyline with Nancy, will have other speakers, including  Diana Mitlin, CEO of the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC); Deborah Isser of the World Bank; and Cynthia Rowe of the British High Commission, explore innovative approaches to local government reform,

Others are Kole Shettima of the MacArthur Foundation; Remi Aiyede, professor of political science at the University of Ibadan; and Ojobo Atuluku, chair of Agora Policy.

The dialogue is supported by the MacArthur Foundation and organised in collaboration with ACRC, TheCable, and the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CFTPI).

The event will also see speakers take turn to spotlight progress and gaps in the implementation of the supreme court ruling and explore strategies for building responsive and accountable local councils during a panel session.

The panellists include Lawal Yandaki, national president of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON); Akintunde Oyebode, chair of the Forum of Finance Commissioners and Ekiti commissioner for finance; Saudatu Mahdi, secretary-general of Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA).

Others are Samson Itodo, executive director of Yiaga Africa; and Umar Yakubu, executive director of CFTPI.