NEW GOVERNANCE PROJECT

The Need

Over and over again bad leadership has been convicted as the ultimate bane of the many problems ravaging Africa and this only persists because of an acutely deficient democratic system. The citizenry is meant to be the final arbiter in the governmental decision-making process, through strong and robust participation in governance. However, Nigeria and Africa at large have a huge problem of lack of active citizen participation, caused by so many reasons including, lack of information, lack of trust/social capital, inefficient civic-education, lack of transparency and unnecessary bureaucracy. These have created a huge lacuna leading to bad governance, conflicts and anarchy.

The people keep complaining their interests are not represented on the floor of the Senate or their legislators are largely reticent but the real problem is they don’t know how to engage their lawmakers and mount enough pressure for their grievances to be tabled on the floor of the house

Our Approach

The New Governance Project would Utilize an experience-based education and learning model to drive in a new culture of active citizen participation with youths at the center of it. The project equips every participant with the knowledge and experience on how to engage government, legislature and even the public on issues that matter to different communities including how to follow up such agitations. The entire process would be inclusive and include the participation of government officials and lawmakers. A major feature would be immersive tours to state houses of assembly for live sessions with legislators including observation of parliamentary sessions. All these would be accompanied by requisite pieces of training. We hope to get everyone to perfectly imbibe the New Governance model developed by one of our partner organizations on the approach to active citizenship participation Named. IOSOC (Identify, Organize, Solidify/Justify, engage, Consolidate)

The project impacts

The Project would definitely have a tremendous impact on not just the communities (states) involved but even the Nation, Our Legislature and the political climate.
First of all, the project would rebirth a renewed and more responsible approach to the many communal, sectoral, and regional based issues in the states involved.
It would empower the citizens to be aware of their unsung civic responsibilities and rights.
It would revolutionize the legislative process as the representatives of the people would be forced to push only for initiatives, policies, and solutions demanded by his or her people and not just personal interest.
It would improve accountability and help kick out populism, thereby reinventing our political legislative system to be based on a track record of accountability and implementation of the demands of the people and not just empty promises of better welfare.
It would also improve the policy process and grow an issue-based mindset in both the citizenry and in government quarters this would, in turn, ensure that the different issues we have as a nation are gradually addressed one after the other.
Overall the project would produce an increase in civic participation among citizens and improve good governance and leadership which has ultimately been the scourge of our National's woes.