Communities must co-create public sector reform

Communities possess invaluable knowledge that government files often fail to capture, according to Hamzat Lawal. This local insight is crucial for effective public sector reform, yet it is frequently sidelined. Lawal highlights examples such as mothers understanding why a new health center remains unused or farmers predicting floods based on decades of observing river patterns. He also points to young people who grasp why a skill acquisition program, lauded at its launch, fails to yield results.

Lawal draws from personal experience, recounting how the "Follow The Money" initiative in 2016 tracked a World Bank-supported program in Kogi state. Despite funds allocated for rehabilitating a primary healthcare center, the project did not align with the community's most pressing needs because residents were not meaningfully involved in planning. This lack of community input meant a well-intentioned project risked addressing a problem on paper rather than solving the actual issues faced by the people it was meant to serve.

These overlooked community perspectives are not isolated incidents but represent a wealth of knowledge. Too often, those with the deepest understanding of local realities are consulted only after major decisions are made, reducing their role to project recipients rather than active shapers. Lawal contends that this approach is unsustainable, emphasizing that development cannot be imposed but must be built collaboratively with the people.

True public sector reform, Lawal argues, stems not from governments having all the answers, but from their willingness to ask the right questions and listen humbly to those affected by policies. He calls for communities to be recognized as co-creators of reform, not merely beneficiaries. This shift is essential for curbing waste, addressing infrastructure deficits, and effectively combating corruption. Lawal criticizes the current budgeting process in Nigeria, where budgets are often passed without proper needs assessments, stressing that community ownership is the fastest way to bridge this gap.