Adebayo Shittu, former Minister of Communications, has advised President Bola Tinubu to organize quarterly town hall meetings with political stakeholders and community leaders across the six geopolitical regions.
Shittu, who served in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, emphasized the importance of direct engagement with the people, especially in the face of current challenges such as the removal of the fuel subsidy.
While acknowledging that President Tinubu cannot be solely blamed for the prevailing hardships, Shittu stressed the need for direct communication to address concerns and gather feedback from the grassroots. He suggested that Tinubu should adopt a similar approach to the town hall meetings held during electioneering, considering it an effective way to interact with the public.
According to Shittu, such town hall meetings would provide a platform for people to express their opinions, criticisms, and concerns directly to the President. He highlighted the value of these interactions in gaining insights and understanding the sentiments of the people, emphasizing that waiting for elections is not sufficient for effective engagement.
Shittu also recommended that President Tinubu personally dedicate time to attend to people’s complaints instead of relying solely on media aides.
The former minister believes that sustained interaction with the public will enable the President to address issues proactively and enhance governance.
