Anayo Ezugwu 
Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Bolaji Robert, has said that an effective local government system will bridge urban development in Nigeria.
Speaking at the monthly stakeholders meeting organized by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in Lagos on Thursday, Robert said Lagos State has continued to chart the course in ensuring rapid and even development at the rural communities.
The commissioner, represented by the Director of the Monitoring Department, Raymond Ogunjobi, said local government will remain a primary agent of change at the grassroots level.
He said: “Since the return to democracy in 1999, Lagos State has continued to chart the course and lead the trail in ensuring that development in the state is rapid and even.
“This is the reason why the state has recorded much success in rural development. Local government will remain a primary agent of change at the grassroots level.
“And an effective local government administration will aid in bridging the urban rural drive in Lagos State and many other states in Nigeria.
“Rural communities are the heartbeat of Nigeria, contributing significantly to our agricultural output, cultural heritage and social cohesion.
