civilized laws to guide human conducts, man’s relationship with his fellow
man but also to ensure the provision of the right environment for the
expression of the full potentials of the citizenry and services that will
bring happiness at least at the basic level to all in such a state.
To ensure the realization of the above objectives, every society or modern
state must as a matter of necessity have their citizens train in all
fields of human endeavours at least at the basic level while those with
the financial and requisite intelligent quotient obtain such training that
will take them to the peak of their areas of specialization and become
specialists in such areas.
It was based on the imperative of people specializing in different
fields/areas, be experts to be able to provide the best of services for
the good of the state and its people that one of the most prolific
philosopher in the ancient whose writings equally wielded enormous
influence in the intellectual world, Plato, a student of Socrates in his
wisdom divided the state into three class of the Philosopher-King, the
Guardians or Soldiers and the Artisans or professionals of all fields of
human endeavours. Plato said that no society will be complete without the
aforementioned.
The beauty of Plato philosophical and ideological postulations clearly
solidifies the very germane saying that square pecks should be put in a
square hole, meaning that the right persons with the right professional
training and knowledge should be place to take charge of areas
commensurate to their professional competency. In the other word, a man
who study Accounting should not be put in a position head medical
practitioners or become Chief Medical Director and vice versa, meaning
that a round peck should not be put in a square hole. Following the
philosophical schooling/ orientation of Plato, it will not take a clear
and logical thinking individual see that his postulations are rooted on
integrity and ethical principles.
It is in line with this same philosophical and ideological orientation
that the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Benedict Benyaushuye Ayade
recently set up a 3-man screening Committee to evaluate all nominees for
the positions of commissioners, Chairmen and members of Boards, Agencies
and Parastatals, and Special Advisers to undergo integrity and aptitude
tests after which their names can now be sent to the Cross River House of
Assembly (CRHA) for confirmation.
Speaking through his Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary,
Mr. Christian Ita, Governor Ayade explained that the aforementioned
nominees for the said positions will be subjected ethical measurement with
the intention to ascertain their preparedness or otherwise to function in
the new order where accountability and transparency is not only preached
but has become the norm or watchwords. The aptitude tests screening
committee is chaired by an Abuja based renowned legal luminary, Mr. Paul
Erokoro with Rev. (Mrs.) Grace Ekanem and the Chief of Staff to the
Governor, Mr. Martin Orim as members of the committee.
It is clear that the essence of our dear governor coming up with a
screening committee for the said nominees is purely to ensure that those
to be saddled with the tasks of heading their various ministries, boards,
agencies and parastatals, contributing to the running of the state through
their inputs at the State Executive Council Meetings are not only square
pecks in square holes, but that they are men and women with proven
integrity bolstered with solid ethical foundation that will drive them to
stand for accountability and transparency in accord with the new order of
things which are the watchwords of his administration.
Ayade pronouncements, body language and actions lucidly points towards
the direction as a result of his robust ambition to change the well known
mentality of our people by preparing them ahead of time for the various
opportunities that abound in the 21st century; and to succeed in doing
that it become imperative that he work with a tag team, a think tank as
members of the State Executive Council and other persons who will be the
head of boards, agencies and parastatals in the state.
From his previous experience over the years both in the private and public
sector governor is aware that competency is a particular area of
specialization is a sin-qua-non towards the provision of qualitative
service delivery at whatever level such services are required; but Ayade
is equally not unaware that beyond competency lies two of the most
important virtues, accountability and transparency, without which the
delivery of such services whether in the public or private sector will not
be successfully achieved.
I is therefore based on this reality that governor Ayade is going all out
to make sure that those who will at the end of the day emerged in the
already mentioned positions are men and women who fully appreciate the
vision, drive and pragmatism with which he came with into
leadership/statecraft for good governance.
Ayade should be commended for this bold initiative of bringing innovation
of letting government appointees at the said levels realize that it is not
business as usual in the new Cross River State being driven by him and for
them get it clear from the onset that competency plus
accountability/transparency, integrity rooted in ethical values is the
driving force of his administration; hence they need to pass the said
aptitude tests to shape in to the other side or remain on the other side
of the line. Indeed, by this singular act Governor Ayade is steadily
bringing the most sorts for innovation into statecraft and governance.
When there is a total innovation in the way governance is being run, there
will equally be a complete transformation in every compartment of the
state and the people of the state will be better for it.
Emmanuel Ulayi/Solomon Asha are Media Aides to Governor Ayade of Cross
River.