COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM

Communities should no longer be viewed as mere recipients of reform, but as partners in the process, writes HAMZAT LAWAL. Every community possesses a unique story that government reports typically overlook. For instance, the mother who questions the underused primary healthcare center despite significant investment, the farmer who forewarns of flooding through generations of observation, and the young individuals who recognize the decline in enthusiasm post-skill acquisition program launch.

These narratives are derived from personal encounters. In 2016, Follow The Money investigated a World Bank-supported government initiative in Kogi state, which allocated $1.5 million for various projects, including the renovation of Okengwe PHC. However, it soon became evident that the intervention did not align with the community's actual needs.

The intended beneficiaries were not consulted in the planning stages, nor were they aware of the project. Consequently, a well-meaning government initiative risked addressing a problem on paper instead of addressing the pressing concerns of the people it aimed to serve. These are not isolated incidents; they represent a wealth of knowledge.

Regrettably, the individuals who possess the deepest understanding of local realities are often only consulted after the critical decisions have been made. They are relegated to the role of recipients rather than participants in the decision-making process. This approach is no longer viable. If there is a critical lesson from Africa's governance journey, it is that development cannot be imposed upon a population as though it were a delivered package.

It must be co-developed with them. Public sector reform is successful not because the government possesses all the answers, but because they are willing to ask the right questions and are humble enough to listen to the people who are directly impacted by every policy. This is why communities must be transformed into co-creators of public sector reform.

This approach not only curbs waste and infrastructure gaps but also serves as an effective mechanism to combat corruption. It is worth noting that budgeting coordination in Nigeria frequently suffers from a lack of comprehensive needs assessment. Community ownership of public sector reform offers a swift solution to this budgeting system's deficiency.

For decades, reform processes have adhered to a predictable pattern. Experts convene in climate-controlled boardrooms, consultants produce meticulously crafted reports, and policies are unveiled with ambitious goals and eloquent speeches. Unfortunately, implementation often fails to meet expectations, public confidence wanes, and another reform joins the list of unrealized aspirations.

The government suffers significant social capital loss and diminished public trust. What went wrong? The fault typically lies not in the policy itself, but in the absence of the people. When citizens are excluded from identifying issues, devising solutions, and overseeing implementation, even the most technically sound reforms struggle to take hold.

Public policy is not solely about institutions; it is fundamentally about people. It is not merely an administrative task, but a dynamic relationship between the state and society. Communities comprehend the day-to-day realities that statistics cannot fully encapsulate. Women can explain why maternal health programs fail to reach vulnerable families.

Teachers understand the reasons behind children abandoning classrooms. Youth leaders recognize the barriers that keep them from accessing government opportunities. Traditional authorities possess insights into local dynamics that no policy document can adequately convey. Neglecting such insights is not merely inefficient; it is prohibitively expensive.

It results in abandoned projects, squandered public resources, and escalating distrust between citizens and institutions. The evidence is compelling. A 2025 national study titled "Scope of Citizen Engagement in Public Policy Making, Implementation, and Reforms in Nigeria: A Non-State Actors’ Perspective" conducted by the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing public sector leadership and institutions in Africa, revealed that 76% of respondents believe government institutions fail to adequately engage civil society in policy formulation.

Over 72% assert that citizens are insufficiently involved in reform processes. Nearly two-thirds describe public trust in government officials as low or very low, while only one in five believe that public officials highly value citizens' contributions. These percentages are not mere numbers; they signify a profound trust deficit.

Trust is the intangible foundation upon which every successful reform is built. Governments cannot force trust; they must cultivate it. Transparency fosters trust, accountability safeguards it, and citizen participation fortifies it. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) notes that countries with higher citizen engagement consistently develop more effective and responsive public institutions.

The African Union further emphasizes that without citizen participation, initiatives aimed at sustaining positive governance, peace, and security transformations are unlikely to endure. Nigeria does not need to look far for proof of this assertion. My personal experiences and work through the Connected Development initiative, particularly our renowned social accountability project, Follow The Money, have illuminated the vast untapped potential within our society.