A good government is one that achieves excellence beyond the usual expectations of the people. Subsequently a bad government is one that fails to achieve its promise but at least achieved the mandatory basic criteria for governance to be even deemed a government.

Many people assume that government is any set of persons or personalities who claim to be a “government.” This is clearly not the case as sometimes a government does not even exist.

There are specific basic criteria that confirm the existence of a government whether bad or good but at least a government exists when these basic criteria are clearly all evident. Government is not a theory and it is not a title but a duty in itself. Government is not an idea or a claim but a set of persons or personalities who fulfill the mandatory basic criteria for governance. There are other criteria for societal development which can be facilitated by a government to various degrees but for a government to even exist it must have fulfilled all five mandatory basic criteria for governance. In the absence of any of the five criteria, there is an absence of government. Those who are not aware of this duty must never be involved in any governance structure or instruments.

DRINKING WATER

A government must ensure the availability of drinking water for the entire population on a daily basis with a secured planning project that maintains and sustains the provision of enough drinking water which must be easily affordable to the entire population.

ADEQUATE FOOD

There must be an organized approach to ensuring that the entire population can access daily feeding whether subsidized or not. The food production must be supported and promoted by government programs in a robust manner. The role of stakeholders must be encouraged and monitored to include foresight and reasonable forecast of potential food production. Food must be easily affordable to the entire population.

SECURITY

A security network that ensures protection of person and property must be guaranteed to function without impediments of any sort. Every person and property must have the assurance that the security network has regular standard surveillance and communication which adequately covers the entire map of the polity. A non-intrusive but proactive security system with very low threshold for direct engagement with the citizens and residents to allow passive and active flow of information as detailed as necessary to stay steps ahead of potential criminality is mandatory. This security network is fully equipped and heavily backed by the concerted efforts of all government agencies and all key stakeholders in the community. All security centres must have locally sourced personnel to ensure good communication, monitoring and transparency in the public view.

HEALTH & SAFETY

The public health and safety boards must have adequate knowledge of the local peculiarities and have a dedicated team for risk assessment of potential aberrations within the community. A robust communication method that dialogues with the community at all the various levels must be in place. Regular checks and audits of successful performance must be conducted annually and public awareness programs must be overtly conducted monthly throughout the length and breadth of the polity to ensure identification of loopholes and unsafe activities. An equitably sustainable healthcare system that ensures the direct responsibility and active participation of both service users and service providers must be in place.

A TRANSPARENT JUDICIARY

The issue of a constitution derived via the overwhelming consensus of the public as it traverses their ancestry, history, culture, identity, security, territorial peculiarity, language and most ideal foreseeable posterity goes without saying to be the foundation of a locally functional judiciary. The best interest of the polity will vary from culture to culture as well as from nation to nation. It cannot be assumed that all cultures are the same nor should it be assumed that every language expresses the same sentiments. A constitution must reflect not only the safety and stability of the local polity but it reflects the unique understanding and compliance of the citizens as a means of promoting their heritage in the most humanely possible way. The judiciary as a custodian of rules which preserve the integrity of persons, property and the polity must be predictable based on outlined orders in place which reflects its transparent nature. This impartial structure is a powerful reminder of all that has been agreed beyond the shadows of doubt for the peace of mind of the community. It motivates compliance by its assessment of whatever cases stationed within it forecourts.

It is worth noting that the above five mandatory basic criteria for governance are not about excellence or performance but about the absence or existence of a government. There are many other criteria for performance and excellence which may include educational systems, housing, energy efficiency, effective transportation systems, adequate labour and employment management, durable economic development strategies, satisfactory sports and leisure arrangements, robust foreign affairs policy, decent wildlife management, equitable resource management etc.

In conclusion, where any one of the five mandatory basic criteria for governance is amiss, you definitely have no government regardless of what any politician or deity tells you. 

©2020 Dr Eke.