News
Shanghai’s governance capability strengthened by development of primary-level democracy
By Liu Shi’an, People’s Daily
In Shanghai, various approaches have been forged to build democracy at the primary level, which enable citizens to make suggestions or advice and conduct broad consultation centering on issues concerning their own interests and rights.
This well coordinates interests of different parties, resolves disputes and makes the urban communities more stable and harmonious.
The Chunjiang residential complex in Wuliqiao sub-district, Huangpu district of Shanghai was built nearly 40 years ago. It was once troubled by a series of problems, such as a dilapidated carport for non-motorized vehicles and pitted fitness paths.
The residents had a strong aspiration to renovate the complex, said Zhang Chengjun, Party head of the Longhua neighborhood of Wuliqiao, which administers the Chunjiang residential complex. However, residents’ opinions and interests varied, Zhang told People’s Daily, saying it’s a problem that often hinders the renovation of old residential complexes.
In 2019, the Chunjiang residential complex started employing a system that combines hearings, coordination meetings and appraisal meetings to improve its living environment.
The renovation of the residential complex concerned the practical interests of all the 300 households living in it, so it was important to maximize the convergence of interests.
Therefore, the Party branch and neighborhood committee of the Longhua neighborhood decided to solicit opinions from all residents, and a renovation plan was finalized and announced after hearings joined by residents.
The renovation needed huge coordination efforts. For instance, the upgrading of water supply facilities in the residential complex was a big project, and relevant excavations might inconvenience the residents. Besides, renovating the pump house would probably cut off the water supply.
After rounds of negotiations and discussions, the residents had finally reached consensus to ensure the smooth progress of the renovation project.
As the renovation was about to be finished in September 2020, the residential complex hosted an appraisal meeting, inviting the resident representatives, the property management company and the residents’ committee to evaluate the renovation results.
The residential complex, apart from introducing the system that combines hearings, coordination meetings and appraisal meetings, has adopted responsibility, commitment and notification systems. Before the renovation started, it hosted meetings for soliciting public opinions, negotiations and better oversight.
“These all well explained the consultative democracy at the primary level,” said Zhang Qian, deputy director of the Wuliqiao sub-district committee.
By practicing whole-process people’s democracy, Shanghai has connected democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management and oversight, solving a large batch of problems that needed to be addressed for the people.
Dong Yunhu, director of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai People’s Congress, noted that Shanghai, with a strong sense of responsibility and a sense of mission, will keep innovating ideas, measures and carriers, so as to build Shanghai into a best example for practicing the whole-process people’s democracy.
Shanghai has built more than 5,500 contact points where citizens can communicate with deputies to the Shanghai People’s Congress and the National People’s Congress (NPC). Thanks to these contact points, a batch of pressing difficulties and problems that were of great concern to the people were resolved. Over the past five years, 43,000 meetings, communications and talks were held between deputies and citizens in the contact points.
The Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) has kept following the resolution of major livelihood issues over the recent years. It has conducted special oversight on the renovation and renewal of old residential complexes and buildings for three consecutive years.
It has launched special inspection on the implementation of 16 livelihood projects, which was joined by 813 members of the committee. A general inspection report and 16 sub-report were delivered, and 485 suggestions made, which largely promoted the implementation of policies and decisions made by the municipal government.
Focusing on the drafting of nearly 100 regulations, such as Shanghai’s municipal data regulation, urban renewal regulation and residential property management regulation, the CPPCC Shanghai Municipal Committee has organized its members to join the consultation on legislative issues, so as to make legislation more science-based and democratic.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The group argues that the suspension is unlawful and violates her fundamental right to freedom of expression.
SERAP is seeking a court order compelling Akpabio to reverse the six-month suspension, reinstate Akpoti-Uduaghan, and restore all her legislative privileges. The organization also wants an injunction preventing the Senate from imposing further disciplinary actions against her for expressing her views.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended after she reportedly spoke without permission and rejected a new seat assignment in the Senate chamber. As part of her suspension, her salary and allowances have been withheld, and she has been barred from identifying as a senator.
In its suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP contends that the suspension deprives Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituents of political representation. The organization also argues that penalizing a senator for exercising free speech creates a chilling effect on other lawmakers.
“No one should ever be punished for speaking without permission,” SERAP stated. “The Senate should uphold the rule of law and protect human rights, not suppress them.”
The group cites constitutional provisions and international human rights treaties, including Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
SERAP maintains that the Senate Standing Orders cannot override constitutional guarantees of free speech. The lawsuit emphasizes that restricting a senator’s expression undermines democracy and violates Nigerians’ right to receive information and participate politically.
No date has been set for the hearing of the case.
Ahead of the 2027 elections, hundreds of members of market associations and numerous women groups in Kaduna state at the weekend, occupied Kaduna metropolis in a peaceful demonstration where they reiterated their loyalty and support to the administration of
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The protesters who alleged that they had bitter experiences during the El-Rufa’i administration, said they would remain where Governor Uba Sani stood and advised the citizens of Kaduna not to be deceived by doing the contrary.
They recounted their ordeals during the 8 years of the previous administration, alleging that hundreds of market shops belonging to individuals were either seized, demolished or confiscated, a situation that triggered ill health in many traders and business owners leading to paralysis and multiple deaths of their colleagues.
“We’ve been in the market for over 40 years and have never experienced the kind of set backs we suffered under the previous Governor.”
“A lot of lives were lost,a lot of finances were ruined by reason of his kind of policies. We are here to speak with one voice and say that anything that would kind of revive such kind of philosophy in Kaduna market, we don’t want it,” Daniel Audu Maigari, a stakeholder of the Kaduna Market associations, has said.
He explained that “this incumbent Governor began by healing the wounds, the wounds that were really severed by the former Governor. Governor Uba Sani has been doing so,so very well and that’s why we’ve been with our leader, Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, who like Governor Sani,has been charting the right course, ensuring programmes and plans that will heal these wounds .”
He said there was never been a time they are having the impact of leadership in Kaduna market, like they are having now.
” Now we’ve lots of incentives, lots of policies that are driving us to progress .We are now standing with one voice to denounce anything that would reverse this,” he said.
Alhaji Daiyabu Ismail Mai Gwanjo, Chairman Stakeholders of the Kaduna State Market Traders associations, said on behalf of their leader,Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, his EXCO and all trader leaders in the 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, they have gathered to unilaterally declare an unalloyed support to Governor Uba Sani who had taken care of them and protected their interests.
According to him,” we have to say so,haven had the harrowing experience in the hands of the past administration. The scar still remains and many are yet to recover.”
“But when Almighty Allah sent Governor Uba Sani to us,he declared he would not do anything bad to traders because the world thrives on businesses.All the most cherished countries like China, Canada, UAE, India,are very proud of and supportive to their traders and other business persons.”
“Unfortunately, we found ourselves during the previous administration that neither showed empathy nor sympathy to traders. An approximate number of 36 markets were demolished at that time.None of these markets was completely rebuild ,till date,and we are suspicious of the collaboration between the previous administration and the market developers.”
“We are therefore calling on Governor Uba Sani, our Governor of sympathy and understanding, to look at this issue with a view to resolving it.We are with Uba Sani a hundred percent, ” he added.
Hajiya Hadiza Abdulaziz,a woman leader of the market association,said they have gathered in multitudes to reiterate their support to the APC and Governor Uba Sani who has tremendously supported the market men and women in Kaduna State.
” Most of the market women had no shops because the shops were collected. But now we give God the glory everybody has gotten their shops back and nobody will collect it again,” she said.
She expressed happiness that those making the market women not to achieve, had left the party and government.
“We’ve been crying, a lot of market women don’t have capital, they have been deceiving us.But now,I believe Governor Uba Sani is going to assist us,”she added.
The protesters later took to the streets ,displaying placards with various inscriptions denouncing the previous arrangements, and chanting slogans in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
” Most of the market women had no shops because the shops were collected. But now we give God the glory everybody has gotten their shops back and nobody will collect it again,” she said.
She expressed happiness that those making the market women not to achieve, had left the party and government.
“We’ve been crying, a lot of market women don’t have capital, they have been deceiving us.But now,I believe Governor Uba Sani is going to assist us,”she added.
The protesters later took to the streets ,displaying placards with various inscriptions denouncing the previous arrangements, and chanting slogans in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised concerns over the selection process of traditional rulers in Nigeria, stating that criminal elements have infiltrated royal institutions. He lamented that individuals with questionable backgrounds, including drug addicts, vagabonds, bandits, and kidnappers, now hold positions of authority as traditional rulers.
Obasanjo made these remarks in his newly released book, Nigeria: Past and Future, unveiled last week. He criticized the rapid increase in traditional rulers, many of whom, he claimed, lack the training and moral integrity required for the role. According to him, this deterioration has weakened the institution’s ability to contribute positively to the nation’s socio-political stability.
“Today, there are criminals, drug addicts, vagabonds, bandits, and kidnappers as so-called traditional rulers,” Obasanjo stated, stressing that some have abandoned their cultural responsibilities and engaged in misconduct. He cited an example of a monarch allegedly involved in electoral malpractice, questioning the moral integrity of such leaders.
“How do we account for a traditional ruler snatching a ballot box at an election polling station and running away with it?” he queried.
Reflecting on the past, Obasanjo noted that traditional rulers once commanded immense respect, especially during colonial and early post-independence eras. However, he said, their influence has been diluted due to the lack of proper training and moral reformation.
“The class of traditional rulers with their distinction, honour, and dignity, as we knew them in the colonial days and early post-independence days, has been diluted and polluted,” he remarked.
Calling for urgent reforms, the former president stressed the need to restore the lost dignity of traditional leadership. He emphasized that rather than being a liability, traditional rulers should play a vital role in national development.
“That dignity, aura, and respect should be brought back, and traditional rulers should be an asset to Nigeria’s development and greatness, not a liability,” he asserted.
Obasanjo further called for moral rejuvenation among traditional rulers, particularly those from historically significant institutions. He maintained that if properly positioned, they could contribute significantly to Nigeria’s long-term progress.
“There is a need for moral re-armament among the traditional rulers—the ancient and historic ones. They can and should make meaningful contributions to the Nigeria of our dreams that will serve the purpose and interest of all,” he concluded.
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