29/07/2023
GOOD GOVERNANCE IN A DEMOCRACY: Innovation and Openness to Change
A paper presented @ National Association of Kwara State Students' (NAKSS) Parliamentary Week in Honour of Rt. Hon. Engr. Yakubu Saliu Danladi, Hon. Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, held @ NBA Hall, State High Court, Ilorin
27/07/2023
Mall. Abdulwaheed Onikanhun
[email protected]
Preamble:
All thanks are due to the Almighty Allah, the most Beneficent, the most gracious. May His peace and blessings be upon his most noble Messenger, Mohammed (S.A.W).
I want to begin by registering my profound appreciation to the Parliament of National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS), for inviting me to talk at this important summit.
The summit becomes more important to me when I learnt it is in honour of a distinguished lawmaker, Rt. Hon. Engr. Yakubu Danladi Saliu, Hon. Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Ilorin.
A summit of this nature in honour of the Speaker’s calibre is a right step in the right direction and I heartily commend the thoughtfulness of the organizers for this.
It’s also laudable and inspired by foresight, the theme of the Summit, simple though apt and topical; Good governance in a Democracy: Innovation and Openness to Change.
Without mincing words, Sustainable Development can only results from good governance driven by innovation and openness to change.
Therefore, thematising the importance of good governance and innovation as the panacea to social justice, inclusive growth and sustainable development is a product of deep forsight.
I have no doubt that by the end of this summit, every participant will benefit one thing or the other by learning, unlearning and relearning. As Alvin Tofler rightly posits in his acclaimed critical book, published in 1980, the third wave, “the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”
This lecture attempts to dissect the fundamental issues of core business of governance, democracy, innovation and openness towards the attainment of good governance in Nigeria with Kwara State in focus.
Introduction
I am intrigued by the conceptualization of governance as a social contract based on Greeko-Roman Ideas of Democracy shaped by enlightenment. In a social contract, we the people and we the government have mutual re-enforcing roles and I like to suggest that many of the unpalatable issues as seen in the headlines across the country today stem from the breakdown of the chain of the entailment of social contract with one or both links not living up to the norm in terms of statutory responsibilities.
Alexandra walker once said, ‘I am sick and tired of hearing people say democracy has broken’. Of course yes, democracy has broken, we are supposed to make it work.
The long standing principle of democracy has demonstrated that the most important public official is a private citizen. What then is our role as private citizens in the social contract? It is not debatable that one of the fundamental role to play as private citizens is voting during election.
It is incontrovertible fact that this year’s general elections aroused so much interests in the democratic journey of this country. This may have accounted for while its outcome is being subjected to intense legal tussle at the ongoing Presidential Election Petition Court, holding in Abuja.
Looking at the statistics, 2019 general elections record 35% voting of eligible population. In a sharp decline, 2023 recorded the worst voting population turn out with a paltry 26.7%, hitting 44-year low.
There's obvious inadequate citizen’s involvement in the political process.
So, how can we possibly increase citizens' involvement?
How can we improve our parts of the social contract?
Can improved citizens collaboration bring about good governance?
It is true that the citizens like to look at good governance through political alignment and that certainly does not promote development. When we think about what we need from government, for it to fulfil its side of the social contract, what the citizens are looking for is good governance.
What then is good governance?
Is Nigeria a true democracy?
Does democracy guarantee good governance?
What roles then can innovation and openness effect in the attainment of good governance?
Good Governance: a reconceptualization
Good governance is about the ability to transform the live of people; not in the far future, but bringing that far future to now. These involves progressive provision of infrastructures, improve on the economy, steady increase in standard of living, accountability, security, improved healthcare delivery, etc.
As leaders in a democracy, demonstrable display of humanity, a listening and responsive attention on the populace are basic attributes expected from the political elites.
The aftermath of the recent subsidies removal on Petrol has not in any way suggest the presence of humanity and compassion at the heart of leadership of this country today.
Some of the negative consequences of the policy of zero-subsidy on petrol has brought untoward hardship on millions of households. Roads are deserted, civil servants groan, Small and Medium Scale enterprises are not doing well, and standard of living has dropped so significantly.
Even though it is obvious subsidy promotes rent-seeking economy and corruption, its removal ought to go concurrently with impactful relieve measures so that people's live wouldn't become so vulnerable as the nation experience at the moment.
May I suggest the following immediate actions on the part of the government;
1. Promotion of locally made materials and innovation to drive exports.
According to the data from Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (NTMA), Nigerians spend N1.29 trillion annually importing textiles and ready-made clothing. Over 30% of these imported textiles materials are used for school uniforms.
Kwara State have the potentials to spearhead the revamp of Nigeria textiles industries, by leveraging on the comparative advantage of ASO-OFI, in addition to the just completed garment factory constructed by Kwara State Government.
Kwara state arguably responsible for the supply of over 70% of ASO-OFI used in Nigeria and abroad.
Sadly, there is no government policy on the development of this sector of Kwara Economy.
Aso-Ofi alone, if properly developed can add about N1 Billion Naira to the IGR of the State.
Development in this sector can start from the order of the governor directing all schools in the state to henceforth use ASO-OFI as school uniform.
This will create jobs for the thousands of unemployed youths in the state, contribute to the state IGR, ensure the citing of garment factories by local and foreign investors, and also contribute to the naira appreciation against US Dollars by improving on the exportation of locally made fabrics.
2. Improvement in Public Transportation
Government should improve the operation of public transport in the state to cushion the harsh economic realities of the citizens.
Democracy Redefined
In his papers on Parliament No 42, The Distinctiveness of Austrian Democracy, (P. 10/13), John Hirst define Democracy as “a society in which the citizens are sovereign and control the government.
By control of government, it implies the exercise of political authority over the actions, affairs, etc. as well as the performance of certain functions for this unit or body.
Is Nigeria a true democracy? No, far from it.
Nigeria truly has a democratic constitution with a federal system modeled on the USA. However, democratic constitution alone is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for the attainment of the attainment of true democracy.
Sustaining democracy in Nigeria will require more than just free and fair elections. It will also mean ending a system in which corruption is not just tolerated but widely encouraged and profitable.
Does Democracy guarantee Good Governance?
Democracy in it its selves does not guarantee good governance, only true democracy can guarantee good governance.
Innovation and openness in the attainment of Good Governance
Innovation
IN 1802, Humphry Davy invented the first electric light, but little is known about him. He experimented with electricity and invented an electric battery. Over the next seven decades, other inventors also created ‘light bulbs’ but no designs emerged for commercial application.
Later on, in 1878, Thomas Edison was the scientist who innovates by improving on the electric light bulb, scaled up and mass produced for homes, that later went on to become one of the foremost innovation of all times.
Innovation therefore is a practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services.
American Society for Quality (ASQ) defines innovation as ‘the successful conversion of new concepts and knowledge into new products, services or processes that deliver new customer value in the market place’.
Anthony D.S defines innovation as ‘something different that has impact’.
Openness in Governance
Openness is the key to effective and inclusive development. As established earlier, good governance is a product of true democracy, but democracy hinged upon openness. Without openness, there is no democracy and therefore good governance is elusive.
It is on this note that I wish to urge the honourable speaker in whom today’s lecture is dedicated, to as a matter of urgency lobby his colleagues in the Kwara State House of Assembly to domesticate the long awaited FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOI) in Kwara State to ensure openness in governance and development.
Good Governance in a Democracy; Innovation and openness to change
Governance is good when it is innovation driven. It increases per capital income of citizens by improving the Gross Domestic product (GDP) of a country and guarantee varieties of products for the citizenry. It Thrives better in the atmosphere of openness and Change.
A government that is therefore devoid of innovative policies; that is run like a secret cult can never guarantee good governance.
In passing
In the interest of social justice, progress and inclusive sustainable development, government of national and sub nationals must ensure the attainment of true democracy by improving on the citizens’ engagements, engage technocrats to draft and implement innovative policies; domesticate the FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT to foster openness in governance and inclusive development.
Thanks for your rapt attention
