Presidential Liaison Officers As Catalysts For Prosecuting Renewed Hope

As the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari winds down, it should be obvious now that various factors contributed to the failure of many of his laudable initiatives for a greater Nigeria. Some of these factors are delayed implementation, inadequate budgeting, a lack of public support or even competing interests which led to failure or stagnation of many initiatives. There was in some cases, failure to consider cultural, economic, or political implications of some initiatives and failure of messaging, communications, or marketing to the public-at-large.

This affected most of the huge projects and programmes of Federal Government of Nigeria as they were not being properly handled and delivered to the beneficiaries. An example was the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 pandemic palliatives by the federal government and the private sector under the umbrella body known as CA-COVID-19 during the pandemic.

The incidents whereby warehouses where the COVID-19 relief or palliative materials were stored,  were overrun and looted by angry Nigerians in dire need of these items was just one of the many tips of the iceberg of the challenges that existed in service delivery of the Buhari administration.

A great majority of the targeted beneficiaries of many of his other laudable schemes did not have direct access to them. Many were subjected to long and harrowing bureaucratic red tapes; as they lost huge sums to extortion by officials in their bids to access the schemes.

Perhaps the President was advised against appointing Presidential Liaison Officers for several reasons. One is that they will only have limited influence. While presidential liaison officers have regular access to the President’s office, they often have limited authority to make decisions on their own. In an addition they can only act as intermediaries between the President and other government officials but cannot take independent action.

Secondly, having them was seen as capable of creating conflicting priorities between the President’s agenda and the interests of the constituents they represent and so may be pressured to compromise on crucial issues that may affect their constituents negatively.

Since Presidential liaison officers are usually expected to deliver results in a short time frame, it has also been argued as capable of putting undue pressure on them, making it difficult for them to achieve set goals.

There is also the issue of limited resources at their disposal. In some cases, presidential liaison officers may not have enough resources at their disposal to effectively carry out their duties. This can make it challenging for them to achieve their objectives.

PLOs are perceived as political appointees, which can undermine their credibility with some government officials. They may also be subject to political pressures to act in the interest of the ruling party or the President.

Nevertheless, Presidential liaison officers are necessary as they serve as critical intermediaries between the Presidency and other government agencies. They are responsible for communicating the President’s priorities and policies to various stakeholders, and for providing feedback and recommendations to the President on issues affecting their respective agencies or organizations.

They also work to establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to ensure that the President’s objectives are met. In essence, Presidential liaison officers help to ensure that the President’s vision and priorities are effectively communicated and implemented throughout the government and beyond.

A Presidential Liaison Officer on Job Creation for example will be required to work collaboratively with multiple individuals and organizations to run initiatives that promote job growth and economic stability. This includes planning and hosting job-related events and meetings; working with the private sector to encourage hiring initiatives and developing relationships with potential employers and job seekers; leveraging public and private resources to complement and support job-training efforts; and providing guidance and assistance to job seekers.

The officer will also be able to assess the progress of job-creation efforts and provide guidance and resources on relevant topics. Additionally, the officer will need to report to the President or designated representatives on job-creation initiatives, results, and outcomes.This is the way to go.

It is in this light that I see the Renewed Hope manifesto of our President-elect, the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Its vision is to restore hope to Nigeria by providing solutions to the country’s political, social and economic problems. Renewed Hope will prioritize good governance, transparency, and accountability, by investing in human capital development, infrastructure development, and job creation.

Tinubu envisions a Nigeria that is corruption-free, where every individual has access to basic necessities such as healthcare,  education, and a stable source of income. The Renewed Hope mantra hereafter aims to create a Nigerian government that listens to the needs of the people and works towards achieving a common goal.

In addition, Tinubu advocacy is for social justice, unity, and national integration, with a view to promoting policies that encourage diversity and inclusivity in Nigeria. He plans to emphasize the importance of investing in the youth, as he believes they are the future of the country. Overall, Tinubu’s vision for Renewed Hope is centered around creating a Nigeria that is prosperous and provides equal opportunities for its citizens.

This is why it will wise for the incoming President to consider the idea of appointing home-based grassroots politicians as Presidential Liaison Officers (PLOs) or Presidential Liaison Assistants (PLAs) to each of the 36 States and the FCT, when he assumes office. They will serve as the monitoring and evaluation watchdogs of federal government-owned projects and programmes and prepare periodic progress reports for the consideration of Mr President and the Federal Executive Council. This will serve to bridge the huge gap existing between what the President is told and what he is not told by the Ministers and the federal bureaucrats and technocrats. 

Undoubtedly, their appointments will go a long way to eliminate the situation whereby the Presidency finds itself deploying excess time and resources to explaining what it is doing for the people. This was a major challenge for the present administration. It cannot be allowed to continue.#

*OSEHOBO is the Assistant State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Edo*

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