Qualities of a good administration

Administration in my view means the art of controlling people and their property, with the people willingly accepting and obeying any law made for them by the authority.

A good administration’s responsibility is to protect the lives and property of the people.

It must not make laws that will be inimical to their interests.

Provision of basic amenities like good roads for easy communication of people and goods, good health care delivery system, good housing scheme, basic education, uninterrupted power supply, clean and regular potable water supply, gainful employment opportunity for all and sundry, especially young graduates, must be uppermost in the minds of a good administration.

Leaders must be above board in handling the affairs of the state. They should not see their positions as an opportunity to amass wealth. A good administration must not engage in wasteful spending, especially of public funds.

The leadership must  display implicit loyalty to the people whose interests it has sworn to protect. It must ensure honest stewardship, amiability, accessibility and affability.

Good leaders in administration must not be oppressive but must be kind, considerate and sympathetic to the people, listen to their views and take to wise counsel.

They must steer clear of anything capable of tarnishing their good image like bribery and corruption, political intolerance, victimisation, tribalism, nepotism, selfishness and others that are inhuman.

A good administration must cultivate the welfare of the people, allow for objective criticisms realising that a government that is not criticised stands the risk of being weak and eventually becoming a tyrant.

The foreign affairs policy of a good administration must accommodate other nations in commerce, ensuring cordial bilateral relations or cooperation through free trade for a progressive economy and better understanding.

It must allow for foreigners to come to the country to participate in its economic programmes through investment or establishment of industries.

A good administration must guarantee freedom of the press. This will enable people to have direct access to information and appraise the activities of the government.

Politicians should not see politics or election as a do-or-die affair or ding-dong battle, rather they should accept the result or outcome of any election in good faith while the elected members should make it a point of duty to give the account of their stewardship to the people.

Ola-Olaniyi Bamgbola,

 Ibadan.