Akai Urges Grassroots Empowerment For National Development

The immediate past director-general of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Victoria Akai, has called for urgent economic engagement at the grassroots to strengthen national development.

She spoke at the 2025 MAM Asholio, organised by the Asholio, Moro’a Development Association, to mark their end-of-year cultural and thanksgiving celebration held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Akai warned that Nigeria could not achieve meaningful growth by focusing only on the centre while neglecting communities.

She said, “We are at a point where we must hit the grassroots to ensure that economic development actually gets there. We cannot sit at the centre and claim we are meeting global trends.”

According to her, women and young people must be at the centre of economic inclusion.

“Without women and youth, there is no community.

People must leave here convinced that they can contribute to national development without waiting for government employment,” she added.

Akai described the Asholio community as one that is richly blessed with resources and capable of sustaining itself with the proper knowledge and commitment.

She also appealed to residents of Kaduna State to embrace peace, tolerance and inclusion.

“Let us make Kaduna the most peaceful state in Nigeria. We can achieve it if we decide to live together and secure our state,” she said.

The National President of the Moro’a Development Association, Dr Jolly Joshua La’ah, said the gathering was to thank God for life despite the country’s difficulties.

He noted that insecurity in Southern Kaduna was partly driven by population pressure, climate change and competition for land.

Dr La’ah said the area, known for agriculture, had witnessed a surge of migrants from drought-hit regions, heightening pressure on resources and triggering clashes.

He added that the situation was improving under the current administration, which he said had shown better understanding and balance in addressing grievances.

The Chief Host and Chairman of the MAM Asholio, Abuja Branch, Mr Kaboshio John Dauda, stated that the association is focused on empowering vulnerable members through knowledge and, where possible, providing financial support.

Dauda commended the present government for what he described as unprecedented attention to Southern Kaduna.

He said residents were beginning to feel recognised and included after decades of marginalisation.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is the best government we have experienced. Stability is gradually returning, and if sustained, the next few years will bring even more progress,” he stated.

Mr Dauda insisted that Southern Kaduna possessed both the population strength and capable leaders to take up higher political positions if Nigeria’s politics operated strictly on fairness.

He prayed for continued inclusion at both federal and state levels, saying the people now felt they were finally being carried along.