PILLARS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

By: Godday O. Aghedo

Governance is the process of making decisions and implementing same for the common good of the populace and general society. However, good governance is an indeterminate term used to describe how public institutions manage both human and natural resources, conduct public affairs,  and control internal or external disputes. 

At every level of human endeavours, leadership is a necessary component of the processes leading to the achievement of set targets. Governance is a form of leadership and its impacts on the people and public is always far reaching, therefore, it should be given adequate attention if the current developmental challenges must be truly surmounted. In Nigeria and many parts of Africa, more works have to be done to arrest the problems surrounding effective and public oriented leadership. This is paramount on the ground that, governance encompasses: the establishment of policies, execution of the policies, continuous monitoring of the implementation drivers, meeting the most vital and basic public needs and answering the questions about issues of public interest. It is also implicated in balancing the powers (be it political, social, cultural, religious or academic powers) of the members of the governing council/board and their fundamental functions of enhancing the living conditions of the populace, bringing prosperity and progress to the organisation. Good governance is neither a title nor a position; it is rather a system and process. It is the primary responsibility of every leader at every cadre to allow the system work and the process run.

SEVEN PILLARS OF EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE

Every acclaimed good governance must touch on the following basic necessities of the people. This may not be an  exhaustive list, but these pillars are enough to judge how effective or good a particular set regime of government has performed.

1. Devolution of powers - Power should be decentralized and given to the people rather than a selected or an elected few in government. 

2. Education - On yearly basis, there should be workable strategies in place for ensuring the the improvement of the literacy level of the members of the society, access to quality education at affordable costs must be established.

3. Housing and Infrastructure - The masses should be able to afford decent and healthy accommodations, public and private work-places should be modern enough to guarantee the safety of the employees. Massive road constructions and networks are needed. This in turn will positively impact the economy and productivity of the nation.

4. Health Care - Access to quality and affordable health care and social services will not only enhance the life span of the people, it will directly affect the productivity, vitality, savings and resourceful of the masses.

5. Environmental Management - Environmental degradation is one of the major threat to man on earth. A good government should be able to enact and implement policies that will protect our environment and make it healthier for man's habitation. Such as elimination or minimizing gas-flaring, embarking on reforestation activities, beautification of roads and dwellings with selected flowers or tress, regulating the mining of natural resources as well as ensuring effective system for waste control and management.

6. Economy - It should a key interest of any good government to boos the economy of the nation and not just that of individual members of the cabinet. Empowerment programmes have to be initiated and rolled-out, and incentives given to indigenous entrepreneurs who are also major players in driving up the economy. Partnership with private and public investors and corporations, both local and international, for massive economic operations should top the government's agenda. 

Bye and large, good governance must involve the participation of all and sundry, both the leaders and the led have distinct roles to play. When the leader is a good leader but the follower is a BAD follower, we will still run into crises. Therefore, all hands must be on deck to bring to bare, good governance; beginning from the so called low estates to the political government houses.

CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA: A NATIONAL EMERGENCY

What is Corruption? 

This is a million dollar question which is difficult to define in a single sentence; in that it is tetrahedral and multifaceted in nature. The dictionaries see it as dishonesty for personal gains or illegal behaviour especially by people in authority. However, I define corruption as any form of malpractices across all facets of life and governmental cadres. It has become a major issue in Nigeria, as it has deeply eaten into the entire fabrics of the society. It is no longer news that corruption in the highest degrees has crept into important sections of our socio-political and socioeconomic setups. Corrupt so called leaders, have meandered their ways to the top positions in our institutions and carried out their mischief to the detriment of the populace and the Nigerian society at large.

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In arresting corruption in its totality, it is fundamental to note that there is no small or big corruption. Corruption is simply corruption! Corrupt practices ranges from stealing of any item or currency, no matter how small (e.g. taking meats from the soup pot by children without due permission, especially when they deny it); cheating in examination halls; using truncated cups to make sales thereby causing shortfalls of what is being bought; forgery of certificates and telling of all forms of lies to get employments or promotions; impersonations for selfish reasons both at individual and corporate levels alike; misrepresentations and deceits for the purpose of making cheap gains or any other reasons; to money laundering. It is not a stereotyped thing; corruption also includes using substandard materials whereas money was collected for a state of the art material. What about surcharging customers by bankers? It is corruption! What about lecturers who by design fail certain students and disproportionately or undeservedly passed others for very selfish reasons. That is corruption playing out. When you connect and use electricity without paying, it is corruption. When you employ an unqualified person because he or she is a family member, it is corruption. The list is endless.

What is the Way Forward?

To effectively fight corruption, all hands must be on deck. All the arms of government, all the sectors both public and private, all institutions both corporate and private must play an inevitable role. Only a collective approach will be strong enough to act as antidote to this menace. For me, corruption in Nigeria is a national emergency; unless it is considered from this perspective, the battle against it will remain un-fought or counterproductive. We must all rise to the challenge of eradicating every element or trace of corruption in our system, starting from those at the hem of affairs, to those in the lower rung of life. It time for us to begin the process of charting a brand new path to one united strong and corruption free country called “The New Nigeria.” Yes, it is possible, but it begins with you and me.

Therefore, the way out of the lake of corruption which necessarily leads to the New Nigeria is DECISION. We must decide what we want for ourselves. We must realize the depth of havoc corruption has caused and is still causing to us as a nation and then decide to curb it at all cost. We must decide to put behind our differences, concentrate on our strengths, capitalize on the advantages of our cultural diversities and collectively launch a deadly war of no retreat against corruption: in the churches, mosques and religious houses, at home, at various governmental levels, at small and big business outfits, in the schools, markets, offices and everywhere called human habitation. 

I recommend three basic strategies as action steps:

a.      We already have enough laws, we must now seek to affirm and implement the laws. All law breakers or those caught up by corruption laws should be left in the rebuking and corrective arms of the law.

b.      Parents and religious leaders must begin unflinching and forceful campaigns against corruption through every possible means or available options. This is vital in the reorientation of the breeds of Nigerians, who in turn will run with the vision of enforcing “zero-tolerance” for corruption elsewhere.

c.       As a matter of policy, we must now resolutely come to terms with ONLY allowing square pegs in square holes, irrespective of who is involved. This, to a monumental extend will help us build a better structure for the emergence of credible, tested and trust leaders, who in turn will help uphold our core values, norms and beliefs for a greater and better Nigeria.

In conclusion, corruption in Nigeria is a national emergency because all structures are collapsing as a consequence. The economy is sinking, the judiciary is decaying, the executive is sleeping, the legislature is lame or crippled, the industries are folding up, the educational sector is fumbling, politics has become a very fatal adventure and the religious principles have long been compromised, all of these are traceable to corruption. We either have to kill corruption or corruption will kill us. This is the only country we can call our own, Nigeria. It is our duty to build it up and establish an image which we desire that other foreign nations should see whenever Nigeria is mentioned. If we don’t do it, nobody will do it. If we don’t start it, nobody will start it. So, ending corruption in Nigeria begins with you and me.