Siraha Program Emphasizes Collective Effort for Good Governance

Siraha. Participants in a program held in Siraha with the main slogan 'Corruption Control: Our Shared Responsibility' have pointed out the need for collective effort and accountability for establishing good governance.

At the 'Integrity Education and Awareness Program' organized by the National Vigilance Center and co-organized by the District Coordination Committee and District Administration Office, speakers said that reform in the employee mechanism and effective coordination among people's representatives are the main keys to good governance.

District Coordination Committee Chairman Dinesh Kumar Mahato said that the foundation of good governance rests on collective responsibility. Expressing concern over the weak attendance of employees in offices, he said, "We talk about good governance, but it is unfortunate that 26 percent of employees are still absent. For good governance, collective activism among all stakeholders and improvement in the working style of office chiefs are essential." He mentioned that the public will only be able to experience good governance if all parties become responsible.

Lahan Municipality Mayor Mahesh Prasad Chaudhary mentioned that the instability and absence of administrative leadership have seriously affected service delivery. "Due to the non-availability of the Chief Administrative Officer on time, files get stuck," he said, "If the law does not permit, the chief should write a clear note, but obstructing work should not hinder good governance."

Dhanagadimai Municipality Mayor Shivashankar Mahato said that the management of contract employees at the local level has become a major headache. He said, "There are 85 contract employees in the municipality, which has not only increased the financial burden but also shown a lack of moral responsibility. The practice of changing chiefs every six months has made it even more difficult to work."

Similarly, Golbazar Municipality Mayor Shyam Kumar Shrestha shared the reality of having to hire contract employees and teachers out of compulsion due to the lack of permanent employees according to the required number of staff.

Lakshmipur Patari Rural Municipality Chairman Chaturananad Thakur expressed the view that the public will only be able to experience good governance if the heads of all offices improve their working style. Regarding the importance of effective monitoring, Karjana Municipality Deputy Mayor Laxmikumari Shrestha said, "Even one day of strict monitoring can bring about a lot of improvement, and now it is necessary to run a good governance campaign at the municipal level."

Chief District Officer Surendra Poudel said that the lack of coordination among various bodies is felt. He argued that many problems could be solved if bodies like the electricity and infrastructure offices coordinated with each other. Speaking about the shortage of administrative staff, he said, "Although three officers are supposed to be in the District Administration Office, only one person is handling the work, yet we are committed to operating according to policy and law."

Spokesperson and Joint Secretary of the National Vigilance Center, Narayan Prasad Bhatta, informed that the center is working as an 'oversight agency'. He said, "We have monitored 30 offices in Siraha, and we will take note of the issues raised here and issue directives to the concerned bodies. All bodies of the government must be equally responsible for good governance."

Other representatives participating in the program also made a collective commitment to adopt zero tolerance against corruption and make joint efforts for good governance.