As a Nigerian young person, what three things could be done to make you #believe more in your nation and especially in your state government? Yes, despite any framework or initiative by any government, if the young people do not connect into it, that framework has no chance.
In other words, if you do not get the youth to believe that their future would be better under whatever you are pushing out as policy, you have lost an unborn opportunity. So, as we look at Nigeria, what could be done to get the young people to #believe, especially at a state level.
Background: During the days of Chief Sam Mbakwe as governor of the old Imo State, my grandmother gave me 25 kobo to contribute towards a donation fund on a Monday morning. I was in primary school and on a Sunday morning, the governor was on TV showing a piece of paper. I knew nothing about what he was talking about but the next day, the headmaster said that the governor needed money to build this and that, and that we should ask our parents and guardians to contribute. It was an involuntary contribution. My grandmother like other Imolites responded, and sent the governor money.
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What do you think a government could do to get Nigerians back to that level of partnership? Or better, what can a government do to get your interest to that enviable level which men like Mbakwe, Rimi (Kano), and Jakande (Lagos) demonstrated? #ThreeThings
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1) Know how to use the social media effectively
2) carry out promised agenda and constantly communicate same, letting the people know where you are in the journey. Be very responsive to unplanned incidents.
3) Educate! Educate! Educate!
The third point is very instructive. Not many of the electorates understand what duties of a government are, who creates jobs, and citizens roles in effective service delivery.
You can be criticized out of ignorance, but if all you do is to push back or counterattack, then you are not adding any value. If you have great programmes that are designed for the common good, each criticism offers you great opportunity to educate and show the people what you are doing, and when results are to be expected.
Good sense. Good moral character. Goodwill. Possess the three, and you will be greatly loved and esteemed.
I am not young but this is wha I think.
1. Empathy. Let the government show that it cares and is interested in our welfare.
2.Transparent honesty – From budget to security votes to contracts to policies and plans
3.Collaboration – hear our voice , support our efforts – from budgets, to projects, to policies and plans
4.Merit first – in employment, in budget, in siting projects.
5.Rule of law – can’t say anymore.
1. Build solid and lasting roads in at least 80% of the state. To do this, do a list of all the roads in the state and all their features (length, breadth, texture etc) and use it to determine how many is truly achievable considering available resources.
2. Make QUALITY education free and compulsory up to secondary school level if it’s not already so.
3. Make effective transport laws and build self monitoring systems like traffic lights and cameras at all needed areas.
4. Build a constantly evolving database of the residents of the state. There are a lot of existing data that can be leveraged for this purpose. I am in Canada and every province (states as in Nigeria) has its means of identification, from health cards to drivers license to ID card etc. You get specific benefits applicable to your province of residence.
5. Increase and digitalize the tax system such that there won’t be need to interfere with anyone except the call centre or email agents for customer support. Also criminalize non-adherence to tax laws.
6. Train farmers on modern agricultural techniques like hydroponics. Also provide them with storage techniques and facilities.
7. Create platforms to connect farmers to food processing companies to fix the existing frictions and reduce waste as much as possible.
8. Provide facilities for production of SHOES and clothes. Aba is known for the production of these things but that glory seems to have been lost.
9. Introduce modern day and well equipped community police men and women and ensure that you police the community police men and women too.
10. Every business must be duly registered with the government and renewed with the local government authorities every year. This includes all forms of transportation business. The money made by agbero everyday in a place like Lagos, if well managed, can cause massive development anywhere in Nigeria.
11. I don’t know how you will achieve this, but electricity generation and constant distribution is extremely important.
12. Carry out internal government performance evaluation every 6 months to measure performance and ensure consistency and focus.
I studied economics and the economic sectors can be grouped into government, agriculture, mining, industrial, manufacturing, financial, innovative (technological), educational to mention but a few.
Writing this seem childish to me and I am just laughing at myself, asking whether to post it or not. It all seem impossible considering what Nigeria stands for. It’s well.