EndSARs: EndSARs: Govt. officials must work effectively for national devt, says expert

An expert on Development, Micheal Ale, has urged that government officials, either appointed or elected must work effectively to deliver not only dividends of democracy but also meaningful development in all ramifications to the citizenry.

Ale has also taken concrete steps towards supporting government at all levels on the need to urgently get rid of poverty, unemployment and inadequate social amenities.

Ale, who is a globally recognized development strategist as a major Consultant on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has been in the forefront of advocacy for meaningful development and growth in Nigeria.

While launching his development platform, Global Initiative for Nigeria Development (GIND), which he codenamed ‘Development Nigeria, in Ayegbaju-Ekiti, his hometown at the weekend, Ale told newsmen that the current global pandemic has worsened the poverty situation of most Nigerians and there is an urgent need for government to partner with development experts to address the situation.

Explaining how his development intiative will fight poverty, Ale said: “The current global pandemic is really widening the poverty gap of many Nigerians. considering the Poverty diagnostics analysis. Many Nigerians have been plunged into the bracket which is really unfortunate.

“Development Nigeria will sure bring relevant prognosis and solutions to any upsurge and shock the state or country is exposed to. Most urban cities are exposed to various shocks, the recent #endsars had taught us a big lesson as a country. Development Nigeria is really an important and timely interventions in Nigeria. It’s a community of practice for the positive mind thinker about development in the Nigerian context. The knowledge perspective is taken seriously.The consultancy and advisory perspective is incomparable and then there is the  the Development Communication angle of positive reportage of Governments Activities, “he said.

Speaking further, the development expert said it is not enough to criticize government’s policies but what is needed more is to proffer solution to the myriad of development problems the nation is facing. He chided some state governors for being guilty of criticizing Federal Government without profering alternative policies and suggestions for development.
Ale specifically advised those he described as critics and pessimists on social media , saying: “Media onslaughts and simply picking holes in governments’ performances without objective analysis and preferment of solutions based on certain critical factors of development is doing more harm than good to Nigeria.”

According to him, the best method of criticizing government is to present ideas and initiatives that will strengthen the governments’ developmental plans through frequent forensic analysis of developmental progress with relevant indicators.

While commending Governor Makinde on the inauguration of the 20-years’ Developmental Plan for Oyo State, he advised the governor to extend the committee to accommodate developmental Expert on SDGs.

Ale further explained the goals and objectives of Development Nigeria, saying the platform will project governments’ developmental plans and assist with innovative ideas to support programmes and policy implementation through capacity development of government officials.

The co-founder and CEO of the development intiative, noted that most of the information being disseminated to the citizenry through various media platforms were doing disservice to the development of the Nigerian society.
“Most of the news contents drive investors away because by giving a bad impression of Nigeria making it look unsuitable for investment. News contents should also accommodate the good side of the government and not always portraying it in bad light.”

Development Nigeria will work towards ensuring that the strategies and ideas for development in Nigerian states are fully harnessed while ensuring that the knowledge capacity of those responsible for the success of the programmes are enhanced through appropriate platform.

He added that the development platform’s operations will cover all sectors of the economy such as health, education, agriculture, physical infrastructure and security, adding that : “To achieve this goal, we have technical working groups who are seasoned professionals and bureaucrats. We also have technical resource persons, professors and associate professors to serve as experts to the technical working committee on any development projects.

“The Development plans are packaged into sectors like Economic Development; Human Capital and Social Development; Infrastructure Development; Physical Planning and Sustainable Environment; and Resource Mobilization for Trade and investment; and Implementation Strategy.