Experts and professionals have advance ways for good governance and sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
The experts spoke at the Professional Forum for Good Governance (PFGG) in Abuja on Tuesday.
The event which was organised by Association for Public Policy Analysis(APPA) has the theme” Nigerian Professional and Sustainable Democracy:Issues and Perspective.
Speaking at the forum, Mr Princewill Okorie, President of APPA and the convener of the programme, said that the failure of professionals to actively participate in the democratic process had led to complaints on how it affect their profession.
Okorie said that the only way to stop these complaints was for these professionals to fully participate in the democratic process and holding candidates accountable during and after elections.
”Unfortunately there is no political advocacy platform that brings them together to appraise the situation and identify it’s impact on the professional community in the country.
”This is the reason for initiating Nigerian Professionals Forum for Good Governance.”he said.
Okorie said that it was expected that Nigerian professionals who are educated and exposed to governance and leadership issues, would understand democratic system and take advantage of its political and electioneering opportunities.
He said that it was also expected that they would use such opportunities to position their professional bodies and members, to create better environmen.
”Unfortunately, this expectation is not realised. hence ,the need for political action and solutions for the resolution of professional challenges through ”Nigerian professionals for good governance.
”Nigerian professionals need to take advantage of constitutional provisions as citizens to contribute to the country’s effort to sustain democratic governance without seating on the fence,”he said.
Prof. Pat Utomi, founder of Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), said that democracy is not sustained by elections alone but by the quality of people who show up.
Utomi, who is presently a professor at Lagos Business School represented by Ephraim Nwoha, said that professionals must take the front line in democratic process.
According to him, sustainable democracy requires three things. legitimate process, effective governance and public trust.
”Professionals touch on all these three. We need technical solutions. When policy is designed input from those who understand the system is needed to make it work.
”Professionals are trained to value process, evidence, and due diligence. When they are in office, they are more likely to sustain institutions and strengthen them.
”This is now a challenging thing for us all in Nigeria today and as 2027 elections approaches, it becomes imperative that we must all be involved,”he said.
Chief Ralph Nwosu, National Leader, African Democratic Congress (ADC) in a presentation ” Nigerian Professionals Policy Design and Implementation Leadership Challenges, urged professionals, policymakers, to question the authenticity of would-be leaders and political parties.
He said that when organisations begin to add content to the political parties that produced their governors, president , the country would be better.
”Serious organisation should see what is happening and say let all of us participate in building a great country.
”When we look at the mission statement, the core values of almost all the professional bodies, you see that they mean well.
”They know the ethics and they try to live up to it anywhere they are. That is the next quality of public servants, we want to have,”he said.
