‘Citizens, SMEs should probe gov’t policies, performance’

The Global Centre for Human Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Development (GLOCHEED), a social enterprise promoting competiveness in products, systems and processes among Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) have asked citizens to probe government activities and offer necessary guidance.

The directors general of the two organisations spoke separately at a one-day seminar/citizen engagement on government processes which held recently in Abuja.

Director General of

Bureau of Public Service reforms (BPSR) Mr Dasuki Arabi said on the recent budget, that about four million people asked questions.

“Not much queries have been received by government agencies. So, we are telling citizens to please come out and ask questions. To guide us and correct us when necessary,” Arabi said.

He said they decided to hold the forum in partnership with GLOCHEED so that NGOs, civil society groups and the citizens asked questions about government policies and performance.

The Director General of GLOCHEED, Mrs Rose D. Gyar, said the forum gave the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operators’ opportunity to be acquainted with government policies that will help the growth of their businesses.

SMEs need information that there is a policy on ground, and it’s this type of platform they can leverage on and know that such policies are in place.” Gyar said.

Mr Greg Anyegbodike of Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn (PERL) called on citizens to take advantage of the FOI Act and opportunities like the seminar to air their views and ask questions on government policies and finances.