Hold Special Adviser responsible for governors' non-performance
By Chimex Ndubuisi
Nigerians have been told to hold any Special Adviser responsible if a State Governor does not leave up to his expectations.
The Chairman, Conference of Governor's Special Advisers, Prof. Bawa Salka stated this at the Third Bi-Annual National Conference of States Governors' Special Advisers held at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt.
He said the Special Advisers should be able to advise their governors very well and also the need to improve where necessary, stressing that they are not to occupy vacant seats but to adviser the governors and urged the various governors in the states to always listen to their Special Advisers as it would go a long way in solving some problems.
The chairman warned Special Advisers against making themselves rubber stamp but to always speak the truth and contribute to the growth of their states, saying that they would never forgive themselves if their governors fail to deliver dividends of democracy to the people who elected them.
“If any governor fails, you will be held responsible because you refuse to advise him very well and people will never forgive you including your community. Do what you can do to ensure that you do your work as expected so that at the end of the day, you will be happy that your governor succeeds”, he said.
In his address, a former Justice of the Supreme Court, Adolphus Karibi-Whyte advised state governors to adopt the Seven-Point Agenda of the Federal Government as their guiding policy in order to tackle the socio-economic challenges at the second tier of government.
Justice Karibi-Whyte, who was the chairman of the Third Bi-Annual National Conference of States Governors' Special Advisers, said the advice became imperative against the backdrop of the current economic meltdown.
He said the governors have the Constitutional responsibility of meeting the welfare needs of the people within accepted societal values.
Karibi-Whyte observed that economic prosperity had eluded the country since the 1980s because past administrations ignored the initial warnings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank on the Nigerian economy.
He charged the governors to key into the Seven-Point Agenda of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, which he said aimed at restructuring the economy.
The former jurist said there no was justification for the widespread hunger and poverty in the country since it has abundant human and natural resources.
Karibi-Whyte told the special advisers that the quality of their advice to governors would be reflected in the latter's performance.
Also, President, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and Chairman of the defunct Niger Delta Technical Committee, Ledum Mitee in his keynote address titled, "Dividends Of Democracy And Service Delivery in the Face of the Present Economic Recession: The Role Of Special Advisers," urged governors to borrow a leaf from other parts of the world where political office holders come into office with a crop of committed and dedicated personnel who shared their visions.
According to him, "whilst there is need for close understanding between the triangle of the Governors, the Commissioners backed by the civil servants and the Special Advisers, there is no doubt that this universal democratic principle ensures that the appointing political head is exposed to an array of diverse advice which not only enriches his policies but refreshes them."
Mitee observed that by giving power to governors to appoint special advisers to assist them in governance, "it is clearly outside the contemplation of the Constitution to have a decorative team of special advisers. There cannot be power without responsibility."
Also speaking, the governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi explained that the interactions emanating from the organization of Special Advisers throughout the country would enrich the various state governors in the service to their people.
Governor Amaechi who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Magnus Abe said time has come for States governors to maximize the talents and experience of their Special Advisers in the pursuit of quality service delivery for the people.
Describing the conference of Governors' Special Advisers as a novel one with the capacity to propel the nation to a greater height in the next few years, he commended the Special Advisers for starting something historic, pointing out that the office of Special Advisers are not for decorations, but expected to give quality advise to governors.
