On the Obaseki 192 aides
*Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State
(Nigeria) By Abiola Gbemisola
It is easy to quickly dismiss the Governor of Edo State,
Godwin Obaseki, as one who doesn’t get his priorities right when you consider
the news that he has appointed 192 Special Assistants from all the 192 wards in
the 18 local government areas of the state to “serve as representatives of the
government at the grassroots.”
In that connection, I don’t think the Edo governor should be
flailed for walking his talk on making the government he heads closer to the
people. While we can’t roll out drums and celebrate this move, it’s also
untoward that we dismiss the man as confused. That he has chosen to appoint men
and women from each ward in the state in order to distil valuable information
on the pressing needs and challenges of the people all supports the view that his
promise to run a government that listens to the people – the real employers –
and champions in practical terms the principle of citizens’ participation in
the affairs of government is not a mere campaign slogan.
What is a government if the people it claims to serve are
far removed from it? What is a government if it can’t respond urgently to the
travails and distresses of its people? If a government is really serious about
involving the people, however far removed from the urban areas they may be, in
governance processes, it must do everything necessary to accomplish that
objective. And this, I would like to think, is what the reflective Governor
Obaseki has done. This is a governor who upon being sworn in, post-haste, hit
the field of work and results are coming forth already.
There is nothing in the conduct of the governor that
indicates his latest big appointments are jobs for the boys, or a reflection of
lack of what to do with money, or both. If there is one state government which
can use every kobo it can get to improve the human condition in its territory,
it is the Edo State Government, what with its many already outlined
infrastructural projects and social programmes. The Governor understands that
these are lean times financially for Nigeria. He can’t be reckless in the way
he spends what the state earns. The man we voted for can’t be unreasonable as
to enrich some few pockets with money under the guise of giving them work. If
there is no strong need for them, they couldn’t have been appointed.
Those appointed are called to serve and not to come and take
their share of government’s money. If the governor and his team have thus far
demonstrated that they understand their mission to be service – complete service
to the state –, I don’t expect these Special Assistants would understand the
opportunity they have to be to enrich themselves. They are to enrich the people
by listening to them and despatching their grave concerns to the state
government. The people in each of those wards must not only be listened to and
their cases taken seriously, the policies and programmes of government must
bring meaningful improvement to their socioeconomic situations.
Thus, rather than condemn Governor Obaseki as afflicted by
the ailment called misplacement of priorities or insensitivity as regards the
appointment of those ward aides, energies must be deployed into tasking the
governor to ensure that his decision produces the expected results. We must
call on the government to make sure that those appointed are truly serving and
performing and not cheating the system or profiting at its expense.
I recall a part of the governor’s submission in his November
inauguration speech. According to him, “We do not have, do not claim to have,
and, for that matter, do not wish to have, a monopoly on what is good for Edo
State and its people”. That utterance does show that the present administration
is willing to tap from the deeper thinking and ideas of critics, intellectuals,
and people of the state so as to accomplish its goals. That opportunity is
available more now with those appointments. Let’s all ensure the right fruits
are harvested from them.
*Gbemisola, a public analyst, writes from Ilorin
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