The most urgent mission of the President elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is to start a psychological journey of making Nigeria and Nigerians feel whole again;of creating a large tent of opportunities and hope for us all; of expanding the frontiers of our collective freedom; of cutting off the chains of ethnicity and religious bigotry, of helping us recover from the feeling of collective rape by those who imported the men of darkness that destroyed our country; of recovering our country and placing us on the path to our greatness; of exorcising the ghost of nepotism and religious bigotry – Most Reverend Matthew Kukah.The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto.
According to The DG of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, many Nigerians, especially those from the South-East, have lost hope in governance.
She charged the Abia State governor-elect, Alex Otti recently to run a clean and transparent government. Where the government fails IPOB would sprout and gain traction.
Many Nigerians no longer believe the government can provide anything for them. They provide for themselves boreholes, electricity and every other thing for themselves. Although that is entrepreneurial, on the other hand, that is not how to run the place and serve the people.
It is very obvious that the renowned economist is disenchanted with the way her beloved state and country is managed. The government in Nigeria is expecting loyalty from the citizens without investing and developing the people. Government is not only about the provision of road and electricity and other social infrastructure. Governance is also about state of mind of the people and empowerment. According to the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria ICSAN critical elements of Good Governance are highlighted below.
Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive, and follows the rule of law. Good governance is responsive to the present and future needs of the citizens, exercises prudence in policy-setting and decision-making, and that the best interests of all stakeholders are taken into account.
Good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced by an impartial regulatory body, for the full protection of citizens. The incoming government of Bola Tinubu must not lose sight of the federal character requirements while pursuing the best mind and brains in the country to join his team.
The government must ensure citizens are not marginalized. Transparency means that information should be provided in easily understandable forms and media; that it should be freely available and directly accessible to those who will be affected by the policies and practices, as well as the outcomes resulting therefrom; and that any decisions taken and their enforcement are in compliance with established rules and the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. Good governance requires that government and their processes are designed to serve the best interests of citizens within a reasonable timeframe.
Good governance requires consultation to understand the different interests of the citizens in order to reach a broad consensus of what is in the best interest of the entire citizens and how this can be achieved in a sustainable and prudent manner.
The government must provide the opportunity for its citizens to maintain, enhance, or generally improve their well-being provides the most compelling message regarding its reason for existence and value to society.
Good governance means that the processes implemented by the government to produce favorable results meet the needs of its citizens, while making the best use of resources – human, technological, financial, natural and environmental – at its disposal.
Accountability is a key tenet of good governance. Who is accountable for what should be documented in policy statements. In general, the government is accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions as well as the applicable rules of law.
Participation by both men and women, either directly or through legitimate representatives, is a key cornerstone of good governance. The incoming government must learn how best to work with the 10th national assembly for optimum outcome for the good of the people.
The citizens need to be informed and organized, including freedom of expression and assiduous concern for the best interests of the citizens and society in general.
Good governance is an ideal which is difficult to achieve in its totality. Governance typically involves well-intentioned people who bring their ideas, experiences, preferences and other human strengths and shortcomings to the policy-making table. Good governance is achieved through an on-going discourse that attempts to capture all of the considerations involved in assuring that citizens interests are addressed and reflected in policy initiatives
Tinubu is coming into government at a time investors are reluctant to invest in Nigeria because of insecurity and corruption. The government must face these challenges head on to ensure the confidence of the people is restored and Nigeria recaptures her place among the comity of nations. Meanwhile that journey starts with the appointment of well tested and seasoned economic advisory team and the resuscitation of the anti corruption agency EFCC ( Economic and Financial Crimes Commission)
Michael Akpofure Umogun is chartered marketer with interest in public policy
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