Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONET), a foremost Citizens and Non State Actors stakeholders platform has congratulated Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo on the event of his one year anniversary as Governor of Anambra State.
Leader of the group, Prince Chris Azor in a release made available to newsmen, eulogized the impactful developmental strides of the Governor and implored him to consolidate on his achievements for sustainable development of the State.
Comrade Azor who particularly admired the governor’s milestones in security and infrastructure, however, implored him to do more in social Security, service delivery and citizens engagement/ partnership.
He further urged the governor to conduct Local Government election, saying the move would make him a jinx breaker and trail blazer.
The statement reads:
Mr Governor, We humbly refer to your detailed Plan which rests on five (5) key pillars “law and order (homeland peace and security); economic transformation as Nigeria’s next axis of industrial-tech and leisure; competitive and progressive social agenda (education, health, youth, women and vulnerable groups); Governance, rule of law and a rebirth of our value system; and aggressively tackling our existential threat posed by the environment—towards a clean, green, planned and sustainable cities, communities, and markets”
You have done creditably well in Security and road infrastructure by constructing over 260 kilometers of roads across the State, surpassing your initial promise. You are no doubt making inroads in security architecture by taking the “war” to the miscreants, through kinetic and Non kinetic approach. However, we dare say that real Non kinetic approach should be exemplified in Social Security (Social Protection)
There’s imperative need for a Social Protection Policy in the State, to collectively tackle abject poverty, reinvigorate wellness and wellbeing.
Anambra State government has attracted much of federal government’s Social Investment Programmes (SIP) however, it’s time onboard our own needs centric Programmes, through a Social Protection Policy.
You promised to prioritize Open governance. This requires intentional and conscious Partnership with the Civil Society and Non State Actors (NGOs etc). President Obasanjo alluded to this in his comments at the anniversary event. Partnership and synergy with Organized Civil Society are key to envisaged growth and development.
Such synergy is a global best practice for transparency, accountability and integrity.
Your government needs a civil society Advisory, going forward.
There’s also need to Institutionalize improved Service Delivery in the system.
SERVICOM, a service delivery compact with Nigerians operational at the federal level needs to be domesticated in our MDAs. It was recently cascaded, through the office of the Head of Service, but yet to be activated.
Improved Service Delivery is the sure way to attract investments and boost Ease of Doing Business in the State.
Permanent Dialogue mechanism (PDM), one of the thematic areas and Commitments of Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative signed up in 2017 by Anambra State Government, have yet to be operationalized. When this is done, it would become a platform for Citizens inclusion and participation in governance.
A performance scorecard Platform/dashboard for your aides (Commissioners, SPADs, Boards, MDAs, SSAs, SAs, EAs etc) is advocated. If you’re doing it your aides should do it too.
Accountability is the first condition of good governance.
Conduct of Local Government election will make you a jinx breaker and trail blazer. Last local government election was conducted in January 2014.
Granted that Local Government structure is not perfect, but you can restructure it for better. Ndigbo are naturally attached to their communities. The latter should be intentionally factored-in at every consideration of local government administration.
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) mechanism is also very key and imperative. As the saying goes “Who monitors the monitor”. According to Alexander Pope in “Essays on Man” (Moderncracy) “For forms of government, let fools contend. Whatever is best administered is best”
Mr Governor, once again we heartily congratulate you on this eventful first year in office.
