From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu’s newly appointed Senior Special Adviser on Community Engagement, Omowunmi Abiodun Essiet, has promised that her appointment will foster closer ties between governments and communities.
Essiet, in a statement, on Monday, said she’s passionate about achieving the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4.5,6, 16 and, 17, identifying development gaps in society and ways of bridging the gaps as a way of promoting public service efficiency.
She said that Nigeria is a multicultural country with rich cultural background, but is however bedeviled by several issues, some of which ranges from regional conflicts to socioeconomic inequalities.
Essiet further explained that the quest to fostering closer ties between the government and its people is the only measure through which issues tormenting the country and her citizens can be solved.
She said: “My role as a SSA on community engagement is to create and maintain a two-way dialogue between the administration and communities across the North Central to ensure that voices are heard and that concerns can be translated into action by the leadership of this administration”.
Appreciating President Tinubu for deeming her worthy of the appointment, Essiet assured that her appointment and that of other SSA Community Development would result in impactful democratic administration by the President.
“My approach to community engagement will be through Asset Based Community Led Development (ABCD) and the inclusion of all vulnerable groups in all actions. Identifying the assets a community has structures, network, human capital, CDA, etc. to drive the solution to their problem.
“People in the locals should also enjoy the dividend of democracy. We can not be saying politics is local, when the locals are not enjoying their leaders. We would ensure the impact of this country is felt in every nook and crannies of the country,” she said.