A leading political economist and development specialist, Prof. Salisu Usman has called on the Federal Government to reconsider its plan to sell the confiscated housing estate of former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Instead, he has proposed that the estate be repurposed as national liaison offices for the 774 Local Government Areas across the country.
Prof. Usman made the suggestion in a statement issued on Sunday in Lokoja, highlighting the long-term governance and administrative value of transforming the estate into a national facility that will serve grassroots councils.
The estate, consisting of 753 completed units over more than 150,000 square metres, was recently recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and is currently slated for sale to Nigerians following structural integrity assessments.
He argued that instead of disposing of the estate to private individuals, the government should prioritize public interest by converting the units into official offices where each LGA can maintain a physical presence in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, this move would symbolize the inclusivity of all Nigerian communities in federal decision-making and strengthen the identity of LGAs as key stakeholders in national governance.
Usman explained that local government officials, especially council chairpersons and administrative staff, often travel to Abuja for engagements with federal ministries, development partners, and agencies. Without designated spaces, they rely on temporary accommodation and ad-hoc arrangements, which incur significant costs and reduce efficiency.
With dedicated offices in the capital, he believes that such visits would become more organized and less financially burdensome, ultimately improving collaboration between the three tiers of government.
He also noted that the presence of all LGAs in Abuja would provide them with more visibility and access to critical national resources and programs. In his view, the initiative would also promote national unity, as every region would be represented in the capital, further reinforcing Nigeria’s federal character.
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On the financial aspect, Prof. Usman suggested that the cost of completing the remaining 21 units and refurbishing any existing ones could be deducted proportionately from the monthly federal allocations to local councils over a defined period.
He emphasized that this would be a fair and sustainable way to fund the project without putting an excessive financial burden on any single LGA.
Describing the proposal as a legacy initiative, Usman concluded that converting the estate into a network of LGA liaison offices would serve as a model for federal inclusivity and grassroots integration in national planning.
He maintained that such an approach would not only reflect transparency in asset recovery but also reinforce the value of public service over private gain.
The estate had been forfeited to the Federal Government following a final judicial declaration, marking one of the largest single asset recoveries involving a high-ranking former public official in recent years.
NAN
