Ramat Jadesola Owolabi
Nigeria faces a myriad of challenges such as widespread corruption among political leaders and a lack of citizen engagement in governance.
Ramat Jadesola Owolabi points out that the inconsistencies in government policies and lack of community participation in budgetary and service delivery processes have led to numerous abandoned initiatives and inadequate budget performance. There is also a shortage of platforms for civic engagement, limiting the capacity of citizens to involve themselves in governmental matters. As a result, many communities in Nigeria are experiencing insufficient public service delivery in critical areas like health and education, contributing to alarmingly high child and maternal mortality rates. Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate is among the highest in the world. A 2023 WHO report stated that Nigeria has the second highest maternal, stillbirth, and neonatal deaths in the world, only behind India in the latest ranking.
To address these issues, Owolabi suggests several strategies, which includes collaborating with other organizations focused on transparency and accountability, conducting civic education initiatives, and harnessing the power of social media. These initiatives have been tried and had success in northeastern Nigeria, where citizens have been empowered to demand accountability from their leaders.
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