Realising political stability in Nigeria through ict-transformed government at grassroots

Type Working Paper
Title Realising political stability in Nigeria through ict-transformed government at grassroots
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year)
URL http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.703.1098&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Abstract
Political processes are undergoing profound changes due to the challenges imposed by
globalization processes to the legitimacy of policy actors and to the effectiveness of policymaking.
Political stability emerges from the perceptions of the likelihood that the
government will not be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means,
including domestic violence and terrorism. Civil conflicts can lead to the destruction of
limited resources, economic infrastructure, institutions of political stability and governance,
and ethnic and social fabric. Public services are failing the poor in most countries making
building public confidence in e-Government remain an agenda item for the countries.
Nigerian Governments have been consistently facing challenges to reposition, reinvent, and
realign themselves in light of increasing expectations for demonstrable results and enhanced
responsiveness for a more cost effective, citizen-centric, and networked government
evidenced by several incessant conflicts arising from marginalization of grassroots
communities. Access to primary and authentic source of information at the grassroots is key
to transparent and responsive government. The ICTs suppor t for traditional governance is
thus an effort aimed at building the capacity of indigenous political institutions, to participate
in modern governance, have access to information and knowledge as well as to share
experiences among themselves and with other stakeholders. This paper examines challenges
and opportunities for transforming government and building an information-rich society. It
provides strategies to digitize local government administration as a panacea to gaining access
to authentic and reliable demographic data/information for meaningful decision-making
processes towards attaining political stability from the grassroots level of governance using
Nigeria’s Ondo State Local Government Areas as case study. It concludes by advocating the
adoption and implementation of an “EATING” model, a bottom-up to participatory
community engagement and development towards achieving political stability.

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