It was on January 21, 2009, that the 44th President of the United States, Barrack Obama, who is now one of the country's most decorated former presidents, in one of his memoranda to the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies in the United States and in recognizing the primacy of Open, Transparent, Participatory and collaborative governance promised that “My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government”.
Following through on his promise, he directed that immediate policies and measures be taken to make the activities, decisions and program of the government open, collaborative and participatory, “I direct the Chief Technology Officer, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Administrator of General Services, to coordinate the development by appropriate executive departments and agencies, within 120 days, of recommendations for an Open Government Directive, to be issued by the Director of OMB, that instruct executive departments and agencies to take specific actions implementing the principles set forth in this memorandum. The independent agencies should comply with the Open Government Directive.” Barack Obama 2009.
This Presidential directive which broke the years of heavy-handed secrecy and incessant White House claims of national security aimed to hide the ball from Congress and the citizens as well as protects against government impropriety received unparalleled affection from all democrats and lover of good governance around the world, this policy has also lived distinctive even to date. It was with such a gargantuan fondness that Ndi-Enugu has been relishing the Obama-like governing philosophy of the lettered gubernatorial flagbearer of the People's Democratic Party in Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, as contained in his official manifesto, which he unveiled to Ndi Enugu at the Godfrey Okoye University Enugu, on 13th October 2022.
The oil magnet revealed that his mission is to deliver quality, people-focused governance by making Enugu the preferred destination for investment, business, tourism and living. He also, expressed that he visions making Enugu State one of the top 3 states in Nigeria in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and achieving a zero per cent rate in the poverty headcount index (HDI) -this he aims to achieve by driving the state GDP from the current $4.4B to at least $30B by 2031.
The fondness was pronounced when Dr Mbah pledged to achieve this his broad government objective by applying a governance philosophy based on the principle of transparency, traceability, accountability, collaboration, participatory monitoring and evaluation - To this end, he pledged to lead the first-ever government in Nigeria to publish digital state accounts annually and implement accountability, participatory monitoring, and evaluation every quarter, that would be accessible to the general public and non-governmental organizations; this will aid to track, record and monitor all his administration's revenue and expenditures. “To build confidence and de-risk investment flows, my government shall foster a sense of belonging and unity among Ndi Enugu through proactive and transparent engagement with all Stakeholders; seamless and periodic sharing of information on policies, programmes, projects implemented and their impacts on the quality of lives of citizens. We shall develop and launch an electronic dashboard that will host reports on government actions, contracts, policies, programmes, and projects, accessible to all citizens of the State. We shall develop, codify, and publish an Enugu State Citizen's charter, which shall define our promises to Ndi Enugu regarding fiscal responsibility, public financial management and economic development. Through proactive community engagement and the use of digital technologies, we shall execute a performance-based social contract with the citizens of Enugu and be fully transparent and accountable to them on a continuous basis. My government will embrace modern technologies to entrench e-governance - publish digital State accounts annually, and implement quarterly delivery accountability reporting, at all tiers of government- from the local government, civil service commissions and State Cabinet. We will personally report to citizens on progress each quarter through an open State of Enugu Reports made available to all citizens of Enugu State through the social media. We will encourage all members of my government to do the same from Counselors to Commissioners and my Cabinet. We will enact Executive Performance Contracts with each of my direct reports and liaise with citizens to hold the government accountable on a quarterly basis. Current technologies for e-governance are available to help us implement these delivery accountability programmes transparently. In addition, we shall ensure the publication of monthly State accounts as well as annual audited accounts on a timely basis. We shall also institute a Budget Evaluation and Monitoring Committee that will have members from non-governmental institutions, to accurately capture revenues generated and monitor how monies are spent.” Dr Peter Mbah.
These bold commitments which are parallel to that of Barrack Obama are undoubtedly phenomenal, uncommon, commendable and unprecedented and could be only be considered and implemented by selfless, people-focused, goal-driven and transcendental leaders like Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
It now behoves on the good people of Enugu State, all lovers of transparency, accountability, collaboratory and participatory democracy to join forces to make this incredible commitment which will secure a new Enugu a reality, by supporting and voting Dr Peter Ndubisi Mbah as our governor, come, 2023.
Ndi Enugu, Tomorrow is Here!!
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| Sullivan Edeani Writes from Enugu. |
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