Ejiofor Alike
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has identified the provision of economic opportunities for the people as top priorities of all the governors.
He identified the key area where foreign missions in Nigeria must assist, if their intention is to help in the liberation of Nigerians from poverty, hunger and disease.
Fayemi stated this yesterday when the Czeck Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Marek Skolil, called on him at his Abuja residence.
He said: “There is no democracy without the rule of law,” adding that “elections do not make democracy.”
The governor who was enumerating what governance at the subnational level entails for the country said: “We need to increase economic opportunity at the subnational level for the safety and security of our people because security and welfare is the first job of the government.
“In the minds of the people we need more than governance for the goodwill of the people,” adding that, “at the end of the day there are no “federal Nigerians but state citizens”, so those who are friends of Nigeria must understand the two level strata of our government and aid the one that best touches the heart of the problem as it were.”
According to him, “You cannot extricate violence from poverty. Someone who is less educated is a lot more risk-averse than someone who is educated and can read the future and therefore the thrust is to get more people out of poverty and illiteracy, as quickly as possible, for good governance to germinate on an even level in the country.”
This, he added, is why “states are interested in agriculture, manufacturing, education and other economic generators that improve the quality of life of our people. “The more qualified the people, the more accountable the governors would be because qualified people will be able to hold those in government to put their foot to fire for the benefit of all.
“We’ve proved that we are not just a democracy that writes election results and the country is gradually emerging strong among regions where one must prove his mettle to win, by propounding a strong manifesto and agenda for the people and genuinely convincing them that one is there for their general good.”
He thanked the Czeck ambassador for visiting at a time he did, adding that he flew to Abuja from Ekiti to honour this invitation because of his belief that the partnership that can bring bonds at the subnational level will benefit Nigeria.
Fayemi said he was not talking for the federal government but that as a key official of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign team, he is not unaware of the importance of such partnerships to Nigerians collectively.
