The summit also sought to expose and equip the participants, which included the Kwali Area Council boss with the necessary tools and information on how to achieve the goals and objectives.
Chukwudi Enekwechi
The chairman of Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Hon. Joseph Shazin is firing on all fronts in terms of showcasing the numerous potentials of Kwali area council and by extension Abuja to all parts of the world. This was made manifest during his recent official trip to South Africa.
His mission in South Africa was at the instance of the national secretariat of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON). As the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chairman of the association, Shazin was invited to participate at the African Economic Development Summit which held at Emperor’s Palace Kempton Park Johannesburg, South Africa.
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The summit was aimed at strengthening the economic development of African municipalities and local governments with a view to realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the third tier of government. Before now, it seemed as the implementation of the millennium development goals was majorly focussed on the urban centres, states and federal levels.
The summit also delved into finding workable ways and means of ensuring that the people at the third tier of government are not excluded in the realisation and delivery of the objectives of the millennium development goals in African countries.
The summit also sought to expose and equip the participants, which included the Kwali Area Council boss with the necessary tools and information on how to achieve the goals and objectives. Such tools will aid them in the economic development of their area councils as well as avail them of new innovations in service delivery. Principally, the African Economic Summit was focused on strengthening Pan-African partnerships among the municipalities and enhanced the exchange of good practices among the peoples and the leaders.
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Hon. Shazin also used the opportunity of the South African trip to woo potential investors to Kwali Area Council bearing in mind the availability of arable land for agricultural activities, huge opportunities in pottery-making which has already being made famous by the legend of pottery-making, Dr. Ladi Kwali, of blessed memory.
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Lest we forget, the achievements of this woman and his name still reverberate gloriously across the globe. The Kwali Area Council boss, no doubt, showcased Kwali to the gathering of the distinguished audience of municipalities’ leaders in Johannesburg, South Africa.
There is no doubt that there is a growing yearning among the electorate in the municipalities and local governments for better service delivery, and the realisation of their hopes and aspirations as encapsulated in the mandate they had entrusted on the shoulders of leaders like Joseph Shazin of Kwali Area Council.
In South Africa, he gave a good account of his constituency by promoting the numerous investments, economic and agricultural potentials in the area council. He was also able to establish linkages with other chairmen of municipalities across Africa.
Since his assumption of office, Joseph Shazin and his team have been delivering on his promises to the people of Kwali Area Council. In simple parlance, he has been delivering democracy dividends to the residents of the area council with prompt payment of salaries, rehabilitation of dilapidated infrastructure; provision of health facilities; empowerment of the indigenes through education and award of scholarships to indigent students.
He has also continued to enhance the security of the area council by working closely with the traditional rulers and other community leaders, and this has helped to improve security of lives and properties in the area. Going by his visible achievements, Hon. Joseph Shazin has emerged as one of the best municipal chairmen in Africa. His inclination towards the well-being of his constituents is not only remarkable but unsurpassable.
As things stand today the people of Kwali Area Council, Gwagwalada, Kuje and other surrounding communities are desirous to support Shazin in his aspiration to contest for the position of the membership of the Federal House of Representatives. He continues to enjoy the goodwill and mammoth support of the constituents of FCT Abuja South Federal Constituency and the upcoming 2019 elections will afford them the opportunity to, once again, provide him an opportunity to serve his people at a higher level.
At the end of the day, the major determinant of victory for Honourable Shazin in the coming election will be how he has been able to deliver many projects to his people with the limited resources at his disposal, and this can be attributed to the prudence and accountability he has brought to bear in the running of government affairs in Kwali Area Council.