Yemi Bamidele
5 October 2008
Ibadan — It sounds incredible that Nigeria will rank among the best global economy in no distant future. But Chief (Mrs) Bola Doherty minced no words in arriving at just that conclusion.
She is of the conviction that we will soon get there "if all our endowed human and material resources as well as the potentialities are put into full use to this noble cause."
Doherty is an Executive member of the National Working Group of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The APRM is an assessment system voluntarily adopted by member states of the African Union (AU) for assessing their performance. Its main goal is to ensure that the policies and practices of participating states follow the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards contained in the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economy and Corporate Governance NEPAD Document. The primary purpose of the APRM is, therefore, to encourage African states to adopt policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration. And these are only achievable through identifying institutional weaknesses and capacity gaps, and adopting appropriate programmes of action to correct them as well as sharing experiences and reinforcing successful and best practices.
As the Assistant Secretary of the APRM National Steering Committee - the Executive organ of the National Working Group - Chief (Mrs.) Bola Doherty, needless saying the obvious, knew her onions when she made her pronouncements. For the avoidance of doubts, she declared pointedly in Ibadan a few days ago that "with the noticeable commitment of Nigeria's authorities to the key areas of NEPAD Document, hopes are not lost afterall for a brighter future ahead for the nation."
Specifically, she lauded the Seven-Point Agenda of the present administration which, as she put it, are much in tandem with the continental initiatives. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's Agenda had been anchored on accelerated achievement of effective Power and Energy, Agriculture and Food Security, Education, Health, Electoral Reform, efficient Public Transportation as well as improved and secured Niger Delta Region. Doherty underscored Nigeria's commitment to the continental initiatives, explaining that series of Validation Workshops had been held for stakeholders in the various zones of the nation while the Country Review Team led by former President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone had come and emerged with their official Report on the nation. Furthermore, sensitization programmes had been held all over the Federation. It is now time for execution of the findings. She maintained that Nigeria, having proceeded slowly but steadily since March
2003 from the Stage One of the five-stage APRM Country Review process to the Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR), has now reached the final and crucial process of Adoption and Execution of the National Programme of Action (NPoA). The Programme of Action embraces the four main APRM Thematic Areas. "Once the Plan of Action is in place and effectively implemented, the sky is the limit for this country. Nigeria is set to be the best country in the world," Chief (Mrs.) Doherty remarked.
But what actually gives her this sense of conviction? Or,rather, what are these APRM Thematic Areas upon which the goals of the initiatives revolve? Chief (Mrs.) Doherty explains that under the four Thematic Areas which areDemocracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and
Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-Economic Development, the first and primary concern of the initiators is the need for an urgent review of the Nigerian Constitution to address some of the inconsistencies andgaps, especially the rigidity of the Federal structure that gives the State and Local Governments full autonomy which have been found to be detrimental to the implementation of key National Development policies. Furthermore, there is a consensus on the need for political leaders in Nigeria to be more sincere, committed and lead by example otherwise there will not be good followership. It is also the resolution of the APRM stakeholders that recycling ofpolitical office holders should stop forthwith while other people with fresh ideas should be given opportunities of leadership in the country. While calling for consistent government policies, the stakeholders had strongly advocated continuity of good government policies and programmes, no matter the party or person in power.
On corruption which has continued to be the major challenge to Nigeria's development process, the stakeholders had resolved that efforts at combating the cankerworm should be strengthened while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and allied offences Commission (ICPC) should also direct their attention to the private sector. In addition, they contended, there should be diversification of the national
economic base, as to continue to depend on the volatile revenue from crude oil is not safe for a sustainable development. To this end, Agriculture and other sectors should be sincerely developed to generate employment and reduce poverty in the country.
The envisaged Plan of Action is billed to take care of corporate governance on infrastructure as well as standards and codes as stakeholders believe that non-implementation will continue to make Nigeria's goods and services to be inferior and non-competitive. Under the new dispensation,Government is expected to fashion out a social security safety net where every Nigerian would be assured of the critical basic needs of life while the vulnerable groups in the society such as the aged, children, women and thephysically challenged are to be a priority concern to government at all levels.
The topmost good news is that the National Programme of Action is in the final stage of implementation by the Nigerian Government, if feelers from the Aso Rock Villa are anything to go by. Apart from the fact that President Yar'Adua had personally hosted a National Dialogue on the APRM Validation Exercise last December, he had pointedly declared the administration's commitment towards ensuring a successful Country Review mission. But Doherty will want the APRM Country Self Assessment Report (CSAR) to be translated and simplified into Nigerian languages for proper dissemination to the grassroots saying there is more need for public sensitization in this regard for increased moral values and service delivery.
Speaking on her personal experience and observation in the cause of assessment tours of APRM dury posts all over the country in the past few year, Chief (Mrs.) Doherty declared:
"I now know that Nigeria has what it takes to make our country not only Giant of Africa but Giant of the world." Apart from the enormous mineral deposits in the Niger Delta Region, she spoke of the expansive arable landmass all over the Federation. According to her, as you travel from one part of the country to another, you see lying fallow in the thick of the forests etanol trees, plantations of banana, palm trees as well as assorted fruits like mangoes and coconuts in exportable quantities - all rotting away untapped.
"If we Nigerians could believe in ourselves that we can do it, in a corruption-free society, with sacrifice, devotion, hardwork and honesty, we will very very soon have a new Nigeria, by the grace of God," she posited just as she maintained that Africans are in the best position to solve the problems of Africa. According to her, Nigerians could solve the problems of Nigeria if they develop interest
in what is going on in their various states with a view to lending supporting hands to one another. She cited as an example the Zimbabwean farmers in Kwara State concluding that they have been doing a very good job in that part of the country and that hopefully, in a matter of five years or so, Kwara State can supply the milk need of the country in adequate quantity thus putting a half to the importation of the commodity.
In this regard, she enjoined Governors of the various states of the Federation to, as a matter of necessity, embark on exchange programmes with one another in view of the diversified development activities going on in their respective states. She declared: "This is the season of Peer Review. We should review ourselves. We should not just sit down in our cocoon and expect miracles to happen. When we do not know our country very well, how do we contribute to its progress and development? Many people are looking for what we already got in our own backyard. We saw the shoes and bags manufactured in Abia State. Ditto the leather materials emanating from Kano and other Northern States as well as the wood works of intenational standards in the south western zone. Honestly, they compete favourably with those made abroad. We should encourage and patronize our home-made goods. There lies the development of our country."
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