EMEKA NZE who has just returned from Washington DC, in United States of America, after a two-week International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP), writes that the country, made up of at least 50 states, is a model of a society where good governance law, order, justice and basic necessities of life work
Streets well panned
If the Yankees adopted the name “God’s Own Country’, it is by no means a hyperbole, not a fluke. They have worked out everything for themselves and they have everything working for them- the roads are in good shape, the streets well planned and the buildings erected to specification.
The appellation is not necessarily about their ability to sleep in Church or Mosque praying all times but in the coordinated manner they handle their affairs.
For instance, anywhere an American nationale is trapped or dies suddenly, ones the government is notified, it is headed for their place for possible solution. There is no commonizing the American.
In America, some of the buildings, though as old as a century or more, they still look as new, as if they were just completed recently. The architectural designs are masterpieces and the walls incomparably solid.
Developmental strides
Criss-crossing the American nation, from Washington DC to Cleveland, Ohio and then, St Petersburg, Tampa in Florida, it was very glaring that the country has gone far in her developmental strides.
Whatever high level decency they have achieved is commensurate with their hard work and willingness to allow their system function.
There is order; no motorist dare beat or drive against traffic or park wrongly on the streets. Any attempt of any of the above would attract the attention of the ubiquitous cops and the offender would have them to contend with.
First, an offender will be subjected to alcoholism test and subsequently, the process of applying sanctions would be set in motion. In fact no motorist would ordinarily want to undergo this humiliation, not only for its attendant time wasting but also the stigma associated with it.
For the users of the city shuttles, you get to the stops timely or you wait for the next one if you are late. There are no bus conductors or agberos shouting at the highest pitch to remind you of your destination or bus stops. The streets are quiet except for few honking vehicles who responsibly do so and not unnecessarily to disturb the peace.
Most of the time, visitors are on their own to figure out where they are heading and whatever actions you want to embark on. The streets are well lit and the signs very clear, no room for conjecture.
The laws work
The laws work. Conspicuously fixed at the corner of the streets are the recycle bins where trashes are lodged. Trust the Americans, they generate lots of wastes; they have the habit of eating snacks, chewing, licking chocolates and drinking their coffees from disposable cups and containers on the streets and later discard them in those waiting bins.
Where the bins are not immediately at sight, you only need to starch them away in your bags or pocket until you see one. The personnel that dispose them arrive early morning to evacuate them thus leaving the cities very clean.
They do not have to wait until activities pick up to struggle for the streets with other neatly dressed workers, making them clutch their noses in an effort to avoid the horrible stench.
America is indeed beautiful; the roads are spacious enough and the walkways clean and clear. No ‘mad’ driving, no vehicle strays from the road to the walkways to the discomfort of the pedestrians and so the citizens maximize them to the fullest, some jogging and some walking happily to their destinations. Americans like to walk at lot.
There is no open defecation, no urinating at street corners, no matter how hard you are pressed. That is America.
America is a mixed grill
America is a mixed grill, they call it an immigrant country where blacks, whites alike co exists without much primordial attachment. But the present administration, as they said, has tried to put a knife of division, segregating between the whites, Arabs and between the blacks.
That has earned him hatred, that has earned him animosity and he is constantly being reminded by his fellow Americans that he himself is also an immigrant American having been born by a German father.
The American government is a federal government where the 50 states agreed to come together for the purpose if defence. As a former British colony, the original 13 states that formed American union signed to come together so that their military might would keep their then common enemy, British monarchy, at bay. Later, more states joined the Union for the same reason of defence rounding the states to fifty.
For the 50 states, there are 50 distinct constitutions and one federal constitution bothering only on defence and other areas of possible agreement. The federal entity is created and managed by the states and not the other way round.
There are 100 senators, two from each state elected for a renewable term of six years and there are about 435 Representatives who serve for two years elected proportionately to the population of a state
The governments do not own any means or modes of production. The private sector is the propeller and important player in economic activities and a major creator of jobs.
Remarkably, no ministry of information, no laws on religion and right to petition the government. The Senate has the power to accept or reject appointments by the President. The president cannot introduce any legislation in the congress.
Federal courts are the most powerful
Federal Courts are the most powerful in the entire country established to settle disputes between the local, states and federal government. The president has no right to exert pressure on the federal judges because they have 100 per cent immunity. The federal judges can only be impeached in the way the president can be impeached. There are nine judges at the supreme court, all appointed for life.
For the government not to monopolise the making of policies, civil society organisations are expected to take policy initiative designing their own strategies aimed at encouraging community coalition and consensus building, establishing partnership with government through advocacy and lobbying.
Everything is subjected to debate in the open through public hearing in the Congress. For the Americans, it is important to lobby for two reasons: to remind policy makers that the welfare of the citizens is paramount and to achieve transparency and moderate the elite. To guarantee national right for freedom of speech, no law governs the civil societies.
Press is pivotal in the running of America
The press is pivotal in the running of America because it ensures that no shady award of contracts. There is self- protection of the media through the separation of advert and editorial departments.
The Freedom of Information Act passed in July 4, 1966 is used to declassify information and it takes 22 working days for the establishment to grant the request.
There are 89,000 local governments known as counties, created to guarantee economic development, internal security and to run public education. In some cases,
Fight against graft
The fight against graft is mostly fought at the counties under an Inspector General. His role is to investigate, research, report and recommend prosecutions. He does not enforce the law. There is mandatory financial disclosure by public office holders.
Consequently, the counties need a free press to help publicize the prosecutions and convictions by the courts to act as deterrent to future offenders.
For Nigerian policy makers who have paid several visits to the God’s own country and other advanced countries in the world, yet have refused to bring along some of these changes to Nigeria, this leaves sore taste in the mouth.
Of most awful sight is Nigeria’s international airport, The Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, is below the standard of a local airport in Cleveland, yet, Nigerian leaders still travel abroad but return home without adopting any positive sides of their host countries.
