In this piece, TUNDE AJAJA examines the need for the executive and legislative arms of government to take concrete steps to address the extremely high cost of governance in the country rather than highlighting the problems
Some of the states with bloated governments have run cap in hand to the Federal Government for bailouts, while the Federal Government itself that has tens of duplicitous agencies keeps borrowing. At the moment, the country’s debt burden stands at about N25tn, which could have been lower if the size of government was leaner.
“Successive governments, including the present one, have been paying lip service to it. They talk about it but don’t do anything about it,” he added. Also, the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, said at a webinar hosted by the Emmanuel Chapel on June 19, 2020 that there was no doubt that the cost of governance in Nigeria was too large and expensive.
In a similar fashion, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, have on different occasions lamented the cost of governance in the country. “I’ll be more than happy for us to take a cut in that regard. Let’s cut down the cost, and not just legislators, who are just a small number of public office holders. But I think it’s important that legislators take such bold steps in the times we are in and a lot of the spread will begin to streamline.”
But, according to analysts, it’s time to leave the rhetoric and get to work, if at all they intend to do anything on the festering menace, because, according to them, the ubiquitous cost of governance is not sustainable. He therefore suggested that instead of buck-passing, each arm of government should cut its cost of governance and that a joint committee should be constituted by the President to collectively look at how to reduce cost.
He added, “It can happen if there is a political negotiation by a committed President and Buhari is one of those who could do it. Obasanjo was another person that could have done it but he missed his chance. “Therefore, beyond the literary lectures and rhetoric and very infuriating political correctness exhibited by our public office holders, this matter ought to be treated more or less like an emergency because Nigeria will not survive this cost of governance,” he added.
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Source: Daily Trust - 🏆 13. / 51 Read more »