Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
13 November 2009
Awka — WHEN Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State set up a committee on Good Governance, little did people take it serious but with the pledge by the donor agencies after seeing the testimonies from citizenry to continue to partner with Anambra state government in making life more meaningful to its populace is an indication that a lot is to happen in Anambra under Governor Obi.
The 11 member committee comprising of 9 women and 2 men were charged with the task of ensuring that Anambra state is achieving good governance in participation of the populace in their affairs , rule of law, transparency , responsiveness to the demands of the citizenry, consensus orientation , equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness and efficiency , accountability and strategic vision.
The Chairman state Committee on Good Governance and Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna from day one appealed from the members of the public to assist them with ideas in an effort to ensure democratic development through good governance. She gave these numbers for easy access 08084632369,07058505373,07065004063,07065004064 with an e-mail anambragoodgov@yahoo.com. These efforts were to ensure that the ANIDS Philosophy of developing all sectors of the economy of Anambra state simultaneously is effective.
So, at the Town Hall Meeting on Good Governance in Anambra state on Tuesday 22nd September, 2009 at the Women Development Center ,Awka , members of the committee were at hand to showcase what they have done so far that would make the people of the state believe in the Governor Peter Obi's led administration to have kept faith with the people.
Other members of the Committee included Prof Olaseni Akintola-Bello , state Coordinator EU-SRIP, MrS Chinwe Anowai , Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Barr Mrs Ngozi Melifonwu , Head of Service Anambra state, Dr Ego Uzoezie , Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Pam Obi-Nwandu SSA NEPAD, Mrs V.A Obinwa Special Adviser (IGR), Barr Nwando J Obika Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice, Mrs O.K Ezedinachi Permanent Secretary Budget Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget. Mrs V.O Nwandu Permanent Secretary Planning Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget ,and Barr Emeka Ohuoha secretary to the committee.
Okunna said ," "I think we are the only one or two states in the entire country that have that kind of team. It means a government has to decide first of all, it wants to provide good governance to the people and good governance meant accountability, it means rule of law, it means participation, it means inclusiveness, that is, we are carrying everybody along. It means openness, it means giving people a voice in government and these are elements of good governance, about seven or eight elements. And because this government means well, people suggest that it will be nice to have Good Governance Committee monitoring the government and tracking what the government is doing and calling the governor to order when he is deviating from the narrow path of Good Governance".
"Our job as a committee", Okunna continued, is to watch the way government is going. Is it participatory? Does it carry the people along? Is it accountable to the people?, Does it follow the rule of law? We have four hotlines where people call us or text us and draw attention and when this happens I as the chairman table it before the committee and we resolve what to do and table it to the governor and draw his attention. So, if you see him doing well people are nudging him at the back. He is basically a good person and the committee is there to oversee what he is doing to call him to order when he is not doing well."
Okunna explained that the present administration provides good governance to the people by developing the state based on what the people themselves request as their most critical needs. Indeed, Fortunately for the state government, by design, it set out early to implement programmes that can be said to be in line with these virtues. For instance, it has for all its existence decided to work with the people, by getting their input into all its programmes like the regular disbursement of money to town unions for rehabilitation of roads and to strengthen security in their various communities. Not even pupils and secondary school students are excluded in this strategy. "Look at the Mothers Summit, he meets with them just like traditional rulers he meets with them often, he meets with town union presidents, these are powerful people. He meets with the powerless like children, secondary school children, he meets with women who are also marginalized, he meets with the youths-so this is good governance in action, trying to carry everybody along and give them a say in government",
Gov. Peter Obi reiterated the readiness and preparedness of his Government to continue to work with individuals, corporate organizations, donor agencies and other organizations that have the interest of peace, growth and development of Anambra State at heart. Gov. Obi said this yesterday at the interactive session between the States's Ministry of planning and the representatives of all the donor agencies working in the State.
Assuring them that the State Government would always fulfill its obligations to them, he appealed to them to feel free and always tell the Government what it could do to make their job fruitful and beneficial to the people of the State. He also requested them to see themselves, whether they are from the State or not, as critical partners with the State towards the achievement of the millennium Development goals by 2015.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Planning, Professor Chinyere Okunna had explained that the purpose of the meeting is for the Ministry of Planning, where the work of these agencies are domiciled , to know them closely, for the agencies to know one another and the areas each of them is operating to avoid clashes and duplication.
She said that as a data-conscious State, that the meeting would also enable the State Government to have the details of the organization to help her in planning. In her words, "Recently, Gov. Obi won the most data-friendly Government award. It becomes imperative that we shall continue to lead by example by having the data of the agencies working in the State, and this is one of the aims of the meeting."
Speaking to the press after the meeting, the representative of the World Bank on FADAMA, Mr. Chukwudi Muojekwu said that he had had the privilege of working in other States and other State Governors, but that Mr. Peter Obi stood out in his management of human resources, devotion to duty and commitment to succeed.
Some of the donor agencies that attended the meeting include the European Union (EU), the World Bank (WB), the ADP, the UNDP, UNICEF, WSSRP, USAID, ADB, Anambra State AIDS Control Agency, among others.
Aside Governor Obi's commissioners who took turn to explain the role of their ministries in the development of the state. Members of the audience had the chance too, to ask questions and make suggestions.
A member of the audience, Mrs. Beverly Nkemdiche who lives in America recalled how Obi usually took time to brief them each time he traveled abroad and urged Anambra people to return him to power next year.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Daily Champion. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
