Participants of course 44 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) on Monday began a week-long study of Kwara State.

The course, which is themed – "Strengthening Local Governance in Nigeria: Challenges, Options and Opportunities," is expected to cover a period of 10 months, with participants comprising top security officers, academics technocrats and high ranking public servants.

At the opening lecture in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Prof. Mamman Saba Jubril said the theme of the study is key to the subsisting local governance theory in the nation and Kwara in particular, where the third tier of government is not strong enough.

"It is my belief that a series of lectures and other programmes lined up to harvest and harness relevant information on this theme for the good of the generality of the populace will do justice to all sub-topics under the theme," he said. Jubril urged the faculty members and participants to feel free to interact with the people of the state who are quite accommodating, friendly and hospitable.

"Take your time to enjoy the beautiful scenery, tourist attractions and a few other places lined up for your visit pleasure, so as to appreciate the natural potential and endowments in Kwara State." He noted that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is running an inclusive administration that always seek inputs from rural and urban dwellers through town hall meetings and the involvement of traditional institutions in addressing communal and security issues.

"The state government is working closely with security agencies and traditional rulers in addressing emerging security issues at the local government level in order to entrench peace and harmony in the state.

"All the traditional rulers in Kwara State are happy with the government for its inclusivity. The government is not relenting in taking steps for sustainable peace in the state," the SSG explained. For his part, Team Leader and NIPSS Librarian Dr. Emmanuel Mamman explained that the group is in Kwara State to harvest ideas on how to improve the lives of the people at the grassroot levels in Nigeria.

"The group before you is Study Group 6 of the Senior Executive Course 44, 2022 from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru. We are actually in Kwara to conduct a study tour. The National Institute has the mandate of conducting a 10-month course for the Senior Executive Course. This is course 44 which implies that the Institute has been existing for 44 years.

"The course is usually driven by the theme, assigned by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Senior Executive Course 44 2022 to conduct research on the theme: "Strengthening Local Governance in Nigeria: Challenges, Options, and Opportunities". We have concluded the first leg of the tour by visiting Gombe State and now in Kwara.

"You will agree with me that when it comes to governance in this country, governance at the lower echelon of administration has been neglected and that is the local government areas. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his own wisdom thought of the Senior Executive Course this year to conduct a study in this area to find out the problems, the challenges, options, and opportunities. This is to find out how the federal government can go about improving the lives of those in the rural areas."

Mamman expressed hope that the report of the group would lead to strong implementation strategies that will help the federal government and the government of Kwara State in making local government administration more impactful on the lives of the people.

"We believe that by coming to Kwara State and interacting with you, we will be able to harvest a lot in this area and write a good report with actionable recommendations for strong implementation strategies that will help the federal government and the government of Kwara State," Mamman added.