Nigeria Daily News: Calls For Good Governance At Raymond Dokpesi Lecture

Calls For Good Governance At Raymond Dokpesi Lecture
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Staff on 29/09/2012 20:00:00


FOR the country to enjoy sustainable peace, the basis for power sharing must
ensure that adequate stake is giving to constituent parts of the Nigeria project
with women and the youths also receiving opportunity to participate in
governance.
This was the position of the Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji and Senator
Folashade Grace Bent, on Thursday, in Abuja, at the fourth Raymond Dokpesi
Annual Lecture organised by the Raymond Dokpesi Centre for Media Development.
Orji maintained that good governance and democracy are prerequisites for
sustainable development as both stimulate economic development and accelerate
gains that will ensure peace and stability. He also noted that encouraging
regional units and identical geopolitical units to unite and pull together
resources for effective development with a weak federal structure is germane.
On her part, Bent stated that when God said that women are to be helpmates to
men, it was not only at the home but also in managing the nation. She argued
that just like men find it difficult maintaining the home without the women, the
nation cannot be governed rightly without crucial input from women.
Orji said: “It is good governance and democracy, combined, that have been
acclaimed as pre-requisites for sustainable development. The reason is that
they, together, foster transparency, accountability, the rule of law, respect
for human rights, civil participation and inclusion of all citizens; all of
which are necessary for securing economic productivity, equitable resources
distribution and state legitimacy.
“We need to deal with the challenges of resource management, both human and
economic, and provide for the future needs of the citizens. We need to
decisively tackle institutionalised corruption at all levels to enhance the
loyalty and patience of our citizens as they contribute and wait for the
benefits of democratic development.
Grace Bent gave a list of women who have played critical roles in developing
their societies. She mentioned women, like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Margaret
Ekpo. She observed that the United States of America, knowing the critical role
women can play in governance, zoned the Secretary of State to women. She said
women should be given more roles in governance and every sector of the nation,
not just limiting them to women leaders in parties or first ladies.
She also called for conscious investment in the youth because though the nation
cannot build a future for the youth, it can, however, build the youths for the
future. She advised the youths not to allow temporary economic gains be reason
why they should be used for political violence.