art of governing
The art of governing a country comes with a lot of challenges . Distributing the national cake to meet all the needs of citizens , providing social amenities to different regions, states and towns ensuring social equity becomes very difficult.
For a country to prosper, many factors need to be considered. Social equity has become a challenging task for every government but what we fail to recognize is that, individuals, citizens, corporate bodies, district assemblies, chiefs, members of parliament and institutions have major roles to play to ensure social equity in the country. Government doesn’t have it all to satisfy each citizen, states and regions.
total dependency mindset
Many African countries are still retrogressive after many years of independence due to the MINDSET of TOTAL DEPENDENCY! The mentality of total dependency on government for growth and development in every sphere of life has caused more harm than good. There need to be a change of mindset to national growth and development as Africans. Everyone has a major role to play be it citizens, corporate bodies, politicians, district assemblies, chiefs to mention but few in ensuring social equity and national growth.
Although it’s the duty of government to lead the country to prosperity, growth and development, it cannot achieve it to the maximum level if citizens tend to relax and rely on government by neglecting their roles and responsibilities.
roles of citizens
In communities where there are inadequate structures, lack of electricity, good water and poor sanitation, there are governing bodies in such communities who can mobilize residents, resources and labor in providing such basic needs. The chief, district assemblies and member of parliament can work together to achieve a common goal in those communities than totally relying on government always. When many citizens refuse to pay tax and still put pressure and unreasonable demands on government for social equity, how can progress be achieved?
Long term strategic measures in strengthening social equity
• I believe one of the ways in ensuring the sustainability of social equity (irrespective of age, gender, race/ethnicity, religion, background, political affiliation etc), is that, the leaders themselves must model it. Policies are great and becomes a plus but if the leaders that others look up to are not modeling social equity, then all things being equal, the followers will, most likely imitate them as well.
• Another way for social equity to be attained in the long term is when there is continuous public awareness – that is public education on social equity. And that has to be continuous over a lengthy period of time just as there was public education in Singapore on the benefits and reasons for keeping a clean environment.
• I also believe that in as much as policies are formulated in regards to social equity, then implementers/ authoritative figures who are responsible for its implementation should perform their roles well to ensure friendly but candid / strict rules with fairness for all including penalties accrued to those who break the law/ policies.
• Another way to create effective and long lasting social equity with respect to our part of the world is to discourage ethnocentrism – that is the feeling that one ethnic origin is better of than the other. Hence, cosmopolitan should be encouraged while ethnocentrism should be discouraged.
• And with power sharing, i also believe there needs to be no discrimination irrespective of where the individual / group of people may come from so long as they are competent enough and can produce. The same holds true for vetting people in position and should not be linked to political affiliation but based on competence.
• Likewise, there should be strict adherence to rules towards the violation of social equity in the country.
• And also, extra curriculum activities can be implemented in schools to train and educate the young ones towards a social equity future leaders and people who in turn, can pass on what they learn from those events and lessons.
. Citizens must also play their vital role in ensuring sustainable social equity by taking action in providing for their communities than always relying on government for everything.
Therefore, the way forward for social equity is when government, citizens, corporate bodies to mention but few play their roles and responsibilities than the latter always depending totally on government .
Priscilla Asamoah Baffour
