A former Chairman of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN) has shared tips on how technocrats in public service can survive the pressures of political appointments.
Banire advised them to collaborate with the legal community, be above board and ensure that their dealings in office are ethical and transparent.
He spoke Wednesday at the 15th annual lecture of the National Association of Judicial Correspondents (NAJUC), Lagos Chapter
The SAN delivered a lecture titled “Navigating the Delicate Balance Between Politics, Law, Media Pressure and Public Perception; The Burden of a Nigerian Technocrat in Public Office.”
He identified several factors that inhibit technocrats’ performance, including due process, ‘red-tapism’, administrative bottlenecks, cultural and religious considerations, public perception, legislative interference, and media pressure.
The former Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Transport said these factors place a great burden on technocrats in public office.
Citing the case of in-house technocrats (Civil Servants), Banire lamented that they were, in his view, in a more precarious situation.
He said: “ln-house technocrats are now in a more precarious situation. They are not only demoralised by the insecurity of tenure; terminal growth for them is becoming an illusion.
“They, therefore, hardly have much to look forward to again. Worse still is their remuneration package that has pushed them into penury.
“Politicians treat them as dregs, affording them no serious recognition. Consequently, not the best in recent times is derivable from the in-house technocrats who have now joined the bandwagon of politicians to scoop whatever they can access while in office. This is the country’s story.”
To overcome these challenges, Banire further advised technocrats in public offices to be conscious of the environmental and legal restrictions that limit their abilities in office.
Furthermore, they must be vigilant and ensure they make inputs when laws concerning their areas/offices are being enacted.
“In doing this, technocrats must work and collaborate with the legal community, be above board and ensure that their dealings in the office are ethical and transparent,” he added.
Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, George Etomi said for democracy to thrive, the country needs a strong and vibrant media and the judiciary.
Etomi was of the view that the level of patriotism to the country appears to be very low, arguing that one can hardly see an American or European running down their countries in social media, while the contrary is the case in Nigeria.
“it is we Nigerians that can build the country, and we can’t build it by running it down in the media”, he added.
According to him, the media, politics, and the judiciary are interwoven in building a strong democracy.
At the event, human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) received an Award of Excellence for his outstanding contributions and dedication to legal practice, media freedom, and human rights enforcement in Nigeria.
Also, at the event, two versatile journalists, Joseph Jibueze of The Nation Newspaper and Joseph Onyekwere of The Guardian Newspaper, who have since become editors in their respective organisations, were honoured for their contributions to the media profession and the association.
