August 21, (THEWILL) – The Bayelsa State chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), at the weekend, held its second annual lecture and award ceremonies in Yenagoa, the State capital.
Speaking on the theme: ”The Role of Civil Servants Towards the Advancement of the Democratic Process in Nigeria: the 2023 Bayelsa Guber Election in Perspective,” the Guest lecturer and Professor of Political Science with the Niger Delta University, Ambily Etekpe, noted that the civil servants form the gamut of all successive administrations, charging them to checkmate the excesses of irresponsible governance through the exercise of their periodic franchise.
He re-emphasised the need for accountability and trust on the part of the occupant of public offices, just as he called on civil servants to muster the courage to demand good governance while exercising their suffrage in the forthcoming November 11 governorship polls in the State.
“The bane of our development and holding the government accountable in Nigeria as it were are some of the provisions contained in the 1999 constitution (as amended) of this country.
“The Federal Government has given to itself alone well over 60 powers in what’s called the ‘exclusive legislative list’ and has again empowered itself alongside the State to legislate on about 30 other areas called the ‘concurrent list’, so if you put the two list together, the Federal Government alone has given itself powers in no fewer than 100 sections of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“So, that’s why some of us were advocating for political and economic restructuring of this country to reduce the powers of the national government and devolve more to the States and citizens so that, at least, we can begin the processes of our development,” Professor Etekpe said.
The guest lecturer, who also frowned at the cost of electioneering campaigns where serving public office holders, especially governors or presidents were bidding for a new tenure upon the completion of an existing one, called for the amendment of the extant laws to outlaw second term, alleging that there was a high spate of distraction and abysmal performance in some parts of the nation upon the election of incumbent public office holders for a fresh, new term.
Earlier in his opening speech, the Chairman of the State chapter of the TUC, Comrade Julius Laye, highlighted the importance of civil servants to the development of the State in particular and the nation as a whole.
Laye averred that the civil servants were the engine room of successive governments, hence the reason for the theme of the lecture, which he said was chosen to continually inform, enlighten and educate members of the TUC and the entire public service sector of the onerous task of enthroning responsible and accountable leadership through the ballot in the forthcoming governorship polls.
The Chairman of the occasion and Commissioner for Labour, Productivity and Employment, Hon Stanley Braboke, reiterates the importance of the program by the TUC, as it will go a long way to support and strengthen democracy and good governance, describing it as an initiative worthy of commendation and emulation, as the awards will spur the recipients to improve on their productivity in their various endeavours.
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