…Says leadership failure, weak institutions worsening insecurity, poverty
In this exclusive and wide-ranging interview, Adm. Igwe Christopher Agbo, National President of the Izhi Tehu Foundation and a Senior Manager at the Central Bank of Nigeria, delivers a candid assessment of governance in Nigeria, linking rising hardship to corruption, weak institutions, and poor policy execution. He also outlines pathways to accountability, institutional reform, and citizen empowerment ahead of the 2027 elections, VICTOR NWEGEDE writes.
Excerpts:
Q1: May we meet you, sir?
My name is Adm. Igwe Christopher Agbo. I am the National President of the Izhi Tehu Foundation (ITF) and a Senior Manager at the Central Bank of Nigeria. I am also a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), the Chartered Institute of Administration, and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.
Q2: From your organization’s perspective, what does “good governance” truly mean in practical terms for the people of Ebonyi State and Nigeria, beyond political rhetoric?
From the perspective of the Izhi Tehu Foundation, good governance is the deliberate provision of social amenities that improve the quality of life of citizens. These amenities can be broadly grouped into four areas: infrastructure, healthcare, education, and transportation.
In terms of infrastructure, good governance entails the availability of reliable electricity, well-maintained road networks in both urban and rural areas, and access to clean, potable water.
Healthcare is another critical component. For governance to be considered effective in this area, primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities must be functional and efficient. This includes the availability of well-equipped hospitals and health centres, qualified medical personnel, essential drugs, and recreational facilities that promote wellness. Additionally, there must be a functional health insurance system and subsidies for low-income earners, ensuring affordability and accessibility for all, including rural dwellers. It is difficult to speak of good governance where citizens struggle to access affordable healthcare.
Quality and affordable education is equally indispensable. This requires conducive learning environments, including well-built schools and libraries, qualified and motivated teachers, relevant curricula, and adequate instructional materials such as laboratories. Beyond academics, extracurricular activities such as sports, academic competitions, and skill development programmes are essential for holistic child development.
Transportation is also vital, as it underpins sustainable economic growth. The cost of transportation directly affects the prices of goods, especially essential commodities. Therefore, any serious government must ensure an efficient, well-managed, safe, and cost-effective transportation system.
In providing these public goods, government must ensure equity, inclusiveness, efficiency, transparency, accountability, respect for citizens’ rights, and adherence to the rule of law, while also creating avenues for citizen participation in decision-making.
Q3: What more can be done to actively engage and empower citizens to demand accountability, transparency, and responsible leadership at all levels?
Much can be done to empower citizens, but it is important first to understand why accountability is often lacking. Factors such as poverty, fear of repression, ethnic and religious loyalties, and greed often lead citizens to prioritise loyalty over accountability. This, in turn, fosters a culture of impunity among political leaders, weakening democratic oversight.
To address this, a strong and responsive civil society is essential. Civil society organisations can play a critical role in holding leaders accountable through oversight, public education, and advocacy. They can expose misconduct, document abuses, and pursue legal action where necessary. In today’s digital age, platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp, TikTok, and Telegram serve as powerful tools for policy engagement and accountability.
At the individual level, citizens must also shift their mindset. Politics should not be seen as the primary means of livelihood. Instead, individuals should pursue education, acquire skills, and engage in productive economic activities. Economic empowerment reduces vulnerability to manipulation and strengthens civic responsibility.
Free, fair, and credible elections are equally critical. Electoral malpractice undermines accountability, as leaders who emerge through flawed processes often feel no obligation to the electorate. Ensuring transparency from polling units to collation centres is vital. Civil society and citizens must also actively report irregularities, organise peaceful protests, and seek legal redress when necessary.
Q4: How can non-political organizations like yours contribute to strengthening institutions to ensure policies are effectively implemented and sustained?
Non-political organisations like the Izhi Tehu Foundation contribute to institutional strengthening through policy advocacy, providing technical inputs, monitoring programme implementation, and advocating for reforms such as automation and digitisation of government processes. They also raise public awareness about the successes and failures of government programmes.
Q5: What practical mechanisms can your organization advocate or support to enhance transparency in public spending and curb corruption?
Prudent management of public funds is essential for good governance. The Foundation advocates for measures such as automating budget processes, prioritising citizen needs in budgeting, and strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems.
Transparency in public procurement is also crucial, including strict adherence to the Public Procurement Act and competitive bidding processes. Capacity building in financial management and anti-corruption practices is equally important.
Furthermore, contractors must be held accountable to project specifications. Any collusion between public officials and contractors to divert funds must be prevented and sanctioned.
Q6: In your view, how can effective governance directly translate into reduced hardship, job creation, and improved living standards?
Effective governance reduces hardship when governments are intentional in policy formulation, coordination, and implementation. This includes aligning policies with citizens’ needs and ensuring robust monitoring and evaluation of projects.
A major challenge in Nigeria is the absence of effective policy coordination frameworks and, in some cases, a lack of commitment or awareness among leaders, leading to poorly conceived or inadequately implemented policies.
Q7: What steps should be taken to make governance more inclusive, ensuring that women, youth, and marginalized groups have meaningful representation?
Inclusiveness is a cornerstone of good governance. It requires deliberate empowerment of vulnerable groups through education and skill development, enabling them to participate actively in decision-making.
Additionally, equitable access to public service roles should be ensured by allocating a significant percentage of positions to women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Q8: What form of collaboration should exist between government and non-political organizations to drive sustainable development and efficient service delivery?
A cordial and collaborative relationship is essential. Governments must create an enabling environment for engagement, allowing non-governmental organisations to contribute to policy advocacy and community development initiatives.
Open dialogue enables citizens and organisations to provide feedback on policy outcomes, helping governments refine their strategies to better meet public needs.
Q9: What key indicators should citizens use to assess whether leaders are delivering good governance?
Key indicators include the security of lives and property, effective service delivery, economic stability, job creation, and access to quality healthcare, education, infrastructure, and electricity.
These indicators must be supported by transparency in budgeting, accountability through public engagement, inclusiveness, adherence to the rule of law, and respect for human rights.
Q10: How would you assess the performance of the current administration in Ebonyi State and Nigeria?
While it would be inaccurate to say that no efforts have been made, overall performance remains below expectations. Many leaders have not demonstrated sufficient commitment to addressing governance and development challenges.
Insecurity remains a major concern, with ongoing attacks by terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers. Questions persist about the effectiveness of intelligence gathering and the utilisation of modern security technologies.
Basic sectors such as education, healthcare, power supply, and infrastructure remain inadequate. High energy costs continue to drive up production and consumer prices, while the cost of governance rises amid limited improvements in citizens’ living conditions.
Project execution is often slow, with instances of abandonment and non-compliance by contractors. Transparency remains limited, and core principles of good governance such as accountability, inclusiveness, and respect for the rule of law are frequently undermined.
Q11: What qualities would you like to see in leaders emerging in the 2027 elections?
Key qualities include responsiveness to citizens’ needs, financial discipline, proactiveness, patriotism, integrity, and a strong commitment to development.
Q12: Why are these qualities critical at this point in Nigeria’s development?
These qualities are critical because they are currently lacking. Leadership has often been reactive rather than proactive, particularly in addressing insecurity.
There is also a noticeable deficit in patriotism, with some leaders appearing to prioritise personal interests over national development. This contributes to inefficiency, corruption, and ultimately poor governance.
