The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its 1997 policy paper defined governance as “the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country’s affairs at all levels. It comprises the mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate interest, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligation and mediate their differences”. In 1993, the World Bank defined governance as the method through which power is exercised in the management of a country’s political, economic and social resources for development’
The UNDP further notes that governance has three legs: economic, political and administrative. Economic governance includes decision-making processes that affect a country’s economic activities and its relationship with other economies. It clearly has implications for equity, poverty and quality of life. Political governance is the process of decision-making to formulate policy. Administrative governance is the system of policy implementation. Encompassing all three, good governance defines the processes and structures that guide political and socio-economic relationships.
The World Bank also defined good governance as “sound public sector management (efficiency, effectiveness and economy), accountability, exchange and free flow of information (transparency) and a legal framework for development (justice, respect for human rights and liberties)”.
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Looking at governance in Nigeria, it begs the question, do we have good governance? Is there a relationship between the governor and the governed? In a true democratic setting, the leadership gets its power from the people who set tasks and appoints an elected few to implement the set task on their behalf. So the government are supposed to act on behalf and in the general interest of the citizenry. The interest of the citizenry ought to be paramount on their minds. One without the desire to achieve public good for the populace ought not to come near power for when power is vested in the wrong hands, it becomes destructive. How else will the citizenry feel a sense of belonging and protection? They begin to feel shut out and marginalized.
The government cannot afford to become privatized that is looking after the interest of a particular few, probably family, friends, sycophants and godfathers. Absolutely not. The government is the main vehicle to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots not further divide it. It should be the mouth piece for the oppressed and downtrodden not further oppress and reject them. When certain individuals start taking laws into their hands or deliberately flaunting the laws and is not made to face the consequences, will one say there is a good government. When the citizenry cannot hope in the government to meet their political, and socio-economic needs, then there is an issue.
It suffices to say that government is a very high office and should be taken with all the seriousness, determination and doggedness that is required especially in a nation that is the largest black nation in the world. We cannot afford to pay lip service, we cannot afford to rest on our oars and we cannot keep throwing blames. We are to get to the work and do what is required. It is not a work that can be completed by one person or in one election term. Certainly not. We continually need people that have been able to build character.
We cannot neglect the need for capacity development. It is an important tool in achieving good governance. Capacity development is the process by which individuals, organizations, institutions and societies develop abilities to perform functions, solve problems and set and achieve objectives. “Specifically, capacity-building encompasses the country’s human, scientific, technological, organizational, institutional and resource capabilities. A fundamental goal of capacity building is to enhance the ability to evaluate and address the crucial questions related to policy choices and modes of implementation among development options, based on an understanding of environment potentials and limits and of needs perceived by the people of the country concerned” (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development). The UNDP also recognizes that capacity building is a long-term continuing process in which all stakeholders participate. In recent times, co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, Bill Gates has been emphasizing the need for African governments to invest in human capital development as the sure means of curbing the rising poverty level. We cannot keep plunging the nation into debt whilst our human capital development investment remains low.
We must strive to achieve good governance. The gap between the governor and the governed must be bridged. We must set aside what easily besets us (tribalism, nepotism, religious divides, power play, lack of political will etc.) and run the race towards good governance so that we are not left behind globally and generations after us suffer for our mistakes.
ONYINYECHUKWU MBIDOM
Mbidom is a banker and holds a B.Sc. in Economics
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