Intergovernmental Harmony: An Imperative for Navigating Covid-19 Pandemic in Nigeria
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Abstract
The reality in the world today has to accommodate the
distortions and unprecedented global challenges necessitated
by the coronavirus disease which has affected all aspects of
human endeavours, thus demanding swift response from
the government to chart the course through the pandemic
into progress and normalcy as the pandemic has greatly
affected all sphere ranging from economic, social, health,
educational, to religious aspect of life. An understanding of
the crucial role of government in mobilising necessary
stakeholders across relevant sectors and levels of government
has made harmonious intergovernmental relations paramount
in navigating the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria because
all actors must be deliberately engaged in a coordinated
manner while leveraging a result-oriented approach to achieve
the desired outcome. The methodology used for this research
work is qualitative in nature with reliance on secondary data.
Systems theory is the adopted theoretical base of analysis,
thus, informing the stance of this discourse that
intergovernmental relations is key in effectively navigating the pandemic in Nigeria. The study identified that the usual
acrimonious interplay between all levels of government in
Nigeria will be antithetical to the post-covid-19 developmental
effort of the Nigerian State, hence, there is the need for
synergy, common alliance, coordination, and unity of purpose
between and among all levels of government targeted at
making her developmental efforts during and after the
pandemic plausible. This study recommends a robust
intergovernmental management system that will help
coordinate the interactions and relationships between the
various governmental levels and actors as this will catalyse
sustainable progress in battling the pandemic.
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