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| THE NIGERIA STATE, URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE DILEMMA OF GOOD GOVERNANCE. |
 PRINTABLE VERSION |
ii). The performance of government is critical to the effective management of urban growth. Government should partner with international agencies who show interest in improving the structure, process, and resources of urban government institutions. Policies of decentralization which delegates functional responsibilities and resources to lower levels of government and new financial flows should be created to stimulate public investment. Development project should include technical assistance to improve the planning and operational of processes of urban agencies
iii) The effectiveness of urban government is clearly dependent on a range of contextual factors: political stability, social cohesion and economic buoyancy, to name only the most obvious. It also depends on the skills and motivations of it’s policy makes and the staff who serve them. But the widespread concern to change and improve the management arrangements suggests a belief that the structures, processes and resources base are themselves factors that contribute to effectiveness. To illustrate, the performance of a car owes much both to it’s driver and to the driving conditions- that is, the state of the road, the traffic, the weather. But its inherent characteristics engine power, road hold, fuel efficiency, and soon constitute a third element to the equation. Just so, the institutional characteristics of urban government play a part in determining its effectiveness, along with the people who run it and the environment within which is operates.
THE ROLE OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY
Against the backdrop of the failure of centralized states in the developmental project, civil society was gradually conceived as alternative delivered of social services and welfare, thus providing solution to the in capacities of the state as well as the inequalities of the capitalist development (Olayode, 2005).
The United State Agency for International Development (USAID expresses this view thus: The components of civil society, the broad-based groups, the networks and communication among these groups, are at the heart of what USAID and may development agencies are trying to achieve (USAID, 1994) also Olayode (2005 reported that the liberation of civil society from the suffocating grip of the state has become the hegemonic ideological project of one time.
In democratic theory, civil society is expected to play a major representative role in the process of transition to democracy.
There are four main areas of civil society involvement in the democratization project:
i) Altering the balance of power between a state and society.
ii) Improving the accountability of both politicians and administrators;
iii) Legitimating the political systems by promoting the values of liberal democracy (Luckham and White 1997).
CONCLUSION
Good governance in Nigeria so far has been a dilemma. In fact it has become elusive despite the various systems of government operated from independence on October 1, 1960 till date. This had led to negative impacts on the social, political economic and physical environment of the country. Hence problems of corruption, poverty, insecurity of lives and property, human rights abuses, political thuggery, environmental degradation, inequitable distribution of resources and development lack of proper physical planning, improper management of urban growth to mention but a few ha made urban development in the country to meet with a brick wall.
In Nigeria, addressing the problem of urban development means addressing the issue of good governance. The solution should reach deep into the very fabric of the Nation where the problem lies. Therefore, a reappraisal of the mechanisms of development control at all levels of government, particularly in urban centers. The civil society also has a vital role in selecting complementary and checking the government.
WAY FORWARD
There are two basic strategies for achieving a sustainable or good urban development in Nigeria. They are good governance and an effective physical planning.
Should there be a reappraisal of the constitutional, legislative and operational mechanisms of development controls, at all levels of governance, particularly only in urban centers. This would make them more efficient in the performance of their social and political functions.
There should be participation of the civil society including communities and the private sector. The government should decentralize authority and the local government strengthened more precisely, their responsibility should be clearly defined; make revenue transfers to them more predictable, give assistance to increase their internal revenue and give them real involvement in planning and implementation.
Relieving and reducing poverty towards a pro-poor strategy must be the aim of urban development. Better basic services in low income urban areas can have a major impact on the welfare and productivity of the poor. But such investments must be part of broader programs for primary healthcare, education and employment. A new Nigeria is possible, when we begin to look and act with deep insight and decisive action.
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Writer Profile
akinbo a. a. cornerstone
A prolific Nigerian writer with a gift for words. Wrote under the pen name of Fad and Quad during the Military Era. Currently uses the "pscornerstone" signature.
An activist with religious inclination and respect for cultural heritage, he grew up streetwise and with great love for his country, Nigeria.
He believes that he who holds the word holds the world.
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Spend a few minutes reading the other students' blogs and adding your comments NLfS-team5 | Sep 1st, 2007
Spend a few minutes reading the other students' blogs and adding your comments
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