Osun State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, has prescribed citizens’ needs assessments at different levels for effective governance in the country.
Speaking during an interview with City People Magazine via an Instagram Live Chat, Egbemode urged governments at all levels in the country to predicate their agenda on the needs and aspirations of the people, for it to be effective and fruitful.
“Running Nigeria or dealing with governance in Nigeria is quite complicated because Nigerians are politically savvy. So, I would say that don’t decide for Nigerians, rather ask them what their needs are,” she said.
Egbemode said this prescription is applicable to governance at every level, positing that it is counterproductive to prescribe whimsical solutions without proper acknowledgement of the people’s needs.
“Governance becomes a lot easier when the leader knows what the people’s needs are before drafting an agenda. Whatever the agenda you use during campaign period, tailor it to the people’s needs when you come into office so that you are on the same page with the people you are governing,” she added.
While still highlighting the imperative was of citizens’ needs assessments, Egbemode commented on the issue of resource mobilisation, affirming that wastages could be addressed when the actual needs of citizens are focused on.
“Governance becomes easier when you take into consideration what your people need and you stay focused on it. It would prevent you from drawing up a 14-point agenda for a situation where a four-point agenda will suffice,” she said.
Citing the Governor Adegboyega Oyetola example in Osun State, she said that after his election, the governor did citizens’ needs assessments with the DFID United Kingdom.
“The Governor had a thank-you tour, went from community to community and from constituency to constituency within the state, and it was discovered through this exercise that what is needed in Oshogbo for instance is different from what is needed in Ayedaade and Boripe constituencies”.
