An environmentalist, Okezie Odugala, has urged chairmen of local government councils (LGCs) to translate policies into practical interventions.

Mr Odugala, who is the managing consultant for Kegala Environmental Consultancy Limited, said this in an interview on Monday in Asaba.

According to him, local governments remain the tier of government closest to the people and are strategically positioned to translate development policies into meaningful interventions.

Mr Odugala said achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) required stronger action at the local level, urging councils to move beyond routine administration.

“Sustainable development cannot be achieved only through policies and programmes at the federal and state levels.

“The real impact must be felt at the grassroots,” Mr Odugala said.

He said local governments play a critical role in making sustainable development happen, adding that inclusive, environmentally responsible, and economically sustainable development is needed.

The managing consultant emphasised the importance of collaboration among government institutions, universities, civil society organisations (CSOs), development partners, private-sector stakeholders and communities.

He said such collaboration was necessary to address the complex development challenges confronting Nigeria to ensure that interventions responded effectively to community needs.

To this end, he said that his organisation was partnering with the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) – Centre for Sustainable Development to build the capacity of LGC officials.

He said that the partnership would focus on implementing sustainable development at the local government level, equipping officers with practical knowledge to plan and deliver effective interventions.

He said the pilot training would focus on local government executive and management officers across the South-South, with the inaugural programme scheduled for October 29 and October 30 in Asaba.

Mr Odugala noted that the training would expose participants to sustainable development planning, environmental sustainability, climate action, social inclusion and effective resource management.

He added that participants would also learn practical approaches to project implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as partnerships for achieving measurable development outcomes.

Mr Odugala said the partnership with the FUPRE Centre for Sustainable Development would promote knowledge transfer, institutional strengthening, and the practical application of sustainable development principles.

He called on local government chairmen, council executives, heads of departments, directors and other management officers across the South-South to participate in the programme.

According to him, the training will help officers build the technical capacity needed to deliver development initiatives that are economically viable, socially inclusive, and environmentally responsible.

The consultant expressed optimism that the pilot programme would serve as a model for subsequent training and capacity-building initiatives across other regions of Nigeria.

He also called for stronger commitment by all tiers of government to strengthen local governance, improve accountability and ensure effective implementation of development projects.

Mr Odugala reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to supporting local governments with the knowledge, skills and institutional capacity required to champion sustainable development and advance Nigeria’s development objectives.

(NAN)