Ahaji Bamanga Tukur, Chairman of African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to make his administration relevant to the roadside hairdresser and vulcanizer.
Speaking on challenges before Jonathan in Abuja last week, Tukur said job creation should be given utmost attention reiterating that government should improve food security and agriculture.
The APRM chairman advised, “He [Jonathan] should look toward moving the economy. Economy is like blood in human beings from head to toes. Infrastructures like power [should improve] because these affect the least person in the society. A hairdresser cannot have a job, a welder cannot have a job, a vulcanizer cannot have a job without electricity being there or somebody who is selling guguru [pop corn]. I want him to pay attention to these areas because a hungry man is an angry man.
“He has already said to Nigerians that he will never disappoint. The things he promised have endeared him to the people. Let him make sure that he fulfils them.
APRM is a structure founded to support NEPAD as a new partnership for economic development. It has all the relevant development templates: good governance, reduction of poverty, improving education, gender equality, etc.
All this, according to Tukur, “if we can put them together and work on them, African development will be assured.”
ARPM monitors, evaluates and reports development indices of member countries directly to the headquarters of African Union.
Tukur said all the 56 heads of African state had agreed to monitor and ensure that the promises they make to their people are implement for the good of their people.
He stressed, “They agreed to examine themselves. When they meet, the report will then show whether indeed they are implementing what they promised.
“That also, will go to strengthen the relationship between the G8 and the African States under AU. The promise was that they [African countries] should partner on economic development. The people [development partners] will put the resources into the various countries which adhere to the promises. You must be democratic; they [partners] don’t want to support any government which is not democratically elected.
“Two, when they [partners] say good governance, it is really a situation where governance from local, state and centre really impacts positively on the people. Here, transparency, accountability has to be the hallmark of what you are going to do.
“So, they will like to see whether you have a level playing ground where people can come and compete equitably and get whatever is their right. They see that you respect human right doctrine. People are not really murdered, imprisoned, incarcerated for no just reason. That means you are obeying the rule of law. All these are what they believe, if imbedded, we will have a very peaceful society, committed society and a society that will now move towards development.”
Tukur acknowledged that the presence of about 40 heads state in Abuja during Jonathan’s swearing-in is a testimony that African leaders have given Nigeria a pass mark in the conduct of the April general elections. He however added that this acceptance will turn into rejection if the administration fails to translate the people’s goodwill to good governance.
He stated, “First of all, if you notice, they sent people to come and see how credible our election will be. They believe that so far it is a pass the mark, it is tolerable. Secondly, that tolerance, they are watching to see if it is going to resonate into good governance. That means that you will go through the whole structure of government, from local government to state and to the centre. How do you take care of the people? How do you plan for your children who are coming up and be part of the society and become the leaders of your country? Are you preparing them? How do you mobilize and motivate them to really do the right things? These are the kind of things democracy will bring. They want to see how you now promote and work together with the minority. Are you treating them right? Are you allowing their own voices to be heard? Are you allowing them to participate and compete peacefully with those people who elected you? Any country that is open, any country that will allow the other views to come up and allow the superior view to take over, they know that one day it will arise to good democratic setting, allowing the will of the people to be done.”
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Make govt useful to roadside vulcanizer—Tukur tells Jonathan