Nigeria - President urges accountability, good governance in public service

NAN  May 18, 2010 12:30PM

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in Abuja called for accountability and good governance in the public sector. Mr. Jonathan, represented by the Minister of Interior, Emmanuel Iheanacho at the opening of the Regional Conference of Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM), said without good governance, there could neither be accountability nor trust in democratic governance. ``In the same vein, there can be no good government without good public sector institutions with a critical mass of public servants who are irrevocably committed to the promotion of the common good. ``Accountability is also an embedded process of good governance within an agreed framework for holding someone or institution responsible for the delivery of anticipated results or outcomes,’’ he said. The president said global challenges could be effectively resolved through a regime of good governance across nations, with enabling institutions in each country. ``It is therefore incumbent on us all as leaders in various spheres of our national life, to take effective steps to improve the quality of public administration and management in order to ensure substantial improvements in the quality of livelihood in our respective countries,’ he said. Speaking at the event, the Head of Service of the federation, Stephen Oronsaye, said public service in the 21st century should achieve relevance in delivering the dividends of democracy to its citizens. Mr. Oronsaye said that globally, low ethical standards in the business of governance, whether in public or private sector, had led to a degree of mistrust of those saddled with the responsibility of leading. ``In Africa, like in other parts of the world, efforts are now on to regain the long lost trust that the citizenry had in their leaders, particularly the political class. ``The public service, on its part, must also mobilise required policy intelligence to ensure that it earns the trust of the citizenry and aid state to record quick wins in war against poverty and disease.” Earlier, the Chairman of the Conference, Amal Pepple, said institutions such as the public service had to function efficiently and effectively. ``It is in this regard that we are gathered here, over the next three days, to continue our shared journey on good governance, accountability and trust as essential pillars of building more capable states in the Commonwealth,” she said.

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