Citizens’ needs assessment, critical to effective governance –Egbemode

As concerns are being raised in the public domain about the way out for Nigeria in terms of governance at different levels, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Funke Egbemode, has prescribed citizens’ needs assessment, at different levels, as important to effective governance in the country.

Speaking during an interview with the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of City People Magazine, Seye Kehinde, during an Instagram Live Chat, Egbemode called on governments, at all levels, 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 is quite complicated because Nigerians are politically savvy. So, I would say 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 counter-productive 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 said.

Citing the Governor Adegboyega Oyetola example in Osun, Egbemode said: “The governor, after being elected, did a citizens’ needs assessment 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.”