Between the two arms of government as alluded above, which can be said to be getting the priority of governance right?.. Both arms of our government have taken us for granted as they only pursue self-serving priorities and care less about what is of importance to the citizen they ostensibly represent. If this is ideal democracy, perhaps we should start looking elsewhere…
The time is ominous! No doubt, this statement is becoming like a broken record, but we can hardly pretend that we have fixed the problems confronting us currently. For the decency it may deserve, I think we are still very much within the trial-and-error mode, as far as the preparedness for COVID-19 is in relation to governance and the people.
However, while no one says governance is synonymous with a tea party, it is still highly expected that it should be responsive and be able to enable the populace survive through a boisterous storm, with little or no harm done to them. The government should provide the necessary cushion for the people when the ride is not so smooth.
That expectation has not changed but has been heightened by the pandemic that has and is still taking its toll on the populace. Also important is that the responses to COVID-19 have been varied across jurisdictions. Some, despite the prevalence of the trial-and-error mode, have been able to mitigate the devastating effects of the pandemic greatly, while others have been more on a roller coaster. In a number of extreme cases, some have simply not gotten their priorities right. Without sounding unduly critical, almost all decisions by the Nigerian government are pointing in the direction of not getting the priorities straight. Unfortunately, both the executive and legislative arms of government are culpable in this regard. A few examples will be sufficient.
On the level of the executive branch, one of the most laughable pronouncements made was the avowed continuation of the schools feeding programme during the lockdown. At a time when inter-state movement was banned, even despite allowing for the transportation of essential goods, one still wondered how the government would overcome the logistics challenges with many things functioning at close to no capacity. The next thing we heard was an announcement that a whopping half sum of a billion naira had been ‘spent’ on the programme. The honorable minister for Humanitarian services swore to the heavens that she had personally ‘supervised’ the disbursement across the states. And, to play the ‘Lord’s’ advocate, I made several calls home and across many states, to find out if any known household had benefitted from this, but as I write this, none has confirmed benefitting from the programme since the lockdown period. While my attempts may have suffered sampling limitations, the stated defence that many of the beneficiaries preferred to be anonymous is quite as laughable as it is appalling. Since when has Nigeria become one huge and extended secret society? How can a government that flaunts itself as an anti-corruption crusader even agree to such a surreptitious request for social provisioning? How does such anonymity promote accountability? Where are the records of disbursement, state by state? Or is that anonymous too?
Another level of misplaced priority is the intention to take a loan to ‘upgrade’ the National Television Authority (NTA) to enable it to compete with CNN. It is unthinkable both in contemplation, let alone in the pronouncement, that a supposedly frugal government will embark on such at a time such as this. To what end will such an ‘elephant’ project serve? Seeking to borrow to execute what is not needed creates a foul taste in the mouth. In a sector that is already deregulated, how more insane could it be to want to equate NTA with CNN? What is even the basis of such contemptuous comparison? Is CNN owned and operated by any known government? So, we are to incur a huge debt for the generation unborn so that the platform available for unrestricted lying by the government may be upgraded to ‘international standard’ or what? Have we not being taken on enough futile journeys already? We don’t need anyone to tell us that this is another classical case of a misplaced priority.
…it was so insensitive that at a time like this, when the whole world is entangled in the uncertainty of post-COVID-19 economic imperatives, our legislators would be more concerned about acquiring state-of-the-art automobiles that we neither produce nor adds any benefit to our economy that is almost comatose. And with the barefaced defence that the vehicles will enhance the smooth discharge of their functions.
While the disgusting actions of others continue to inundate our space constantly, the above two suffice to make us consider how the current pandemic has helped or not helped us in the thinking department and how much has been able to define us in terms of governance.
On its part, the legislature, which is ideally the stronger representative of people, both in its composition and diversity, has not fared any better. It is the responsibility of that arm of government, amongst a number of others, to ensure that just and equitable laws and regulations are made for governing the country. For this reason, when members of the National Assembly talk about their oversight functions, it sounds contradictory when we seem to criticise them on these. But our criticisms are also not unfounded, especially when viewed against the backdrop of their ‘stamping’ legitimacy on untoward behaviours, more so of the kinds that take the people for a ride.
For example, it was so insensitive that at a time like this, when the whole world is entangled in the uncertainty of post-COVID-19 economic imperatives, our legislators would be more concerned about acquiring state-of-the-art automobiles that we neither produce nor adds any benefit to our economy that is almost comatose. And with the barefaced defence that the vehicles will enhance the smooth discharge of their functions. How on earth will such acquisition improve our more than deplorable road networks? Or how will it make electricity more readily available to all and sundry? Is there nothing such a huge quantum of cash can do to impact our educational system more positively? There are so many questions that we can ask, which border on the simple economics of alternative uses. Should the poor people continue to ‘subsidise’ the gluttonous taste of those meant to be our representatives? How do the cars even enhance legislative duties? Are laws made when riding in them? Do the vehicles improve the normal intelligent quotients (IQs) of our ‘distinguish’ and ‘honourable’ members? If the answers to these questions are farfetched, then it is not mere wastage on their part – a classic case of misplaced priority?
Meanwhile, the other day we read online about the new water resources bill that was ‘reintroduced’ in the National Assembly. A good brother of mine drew attention to it on social media. After a lot of frantic efforts were made at least to access the Bill so one could make informed comments on it, I was forced to ask this brother to avail me a copy if he could lay his hands on it. His response, not surprisingly, was that he had searched everywhere online for it, to no avail. Eventually, we were able to access the website of the National Assembly. And again, not too surprising, the last listing of Bills was sometimes in the third quarter of 2019, nearly a year ago. Before we blame COVID-19 for this lapse, we should be kindly reminded that the lockdown was at the tail end of the first quarter of 2020. That gives a clear two quarters before the pandemic that the website was not updated.
Which is more important to the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Assembly – between a functional website, that is up to date in information and accessibility and the state-of-theart automobiles that not only cost a fortune, but are even unsuitable for our deplorable road networks?
That cannot be acceptable.
In the real sense of responsibility, the website is a stronger working tool than luxury cars. How on earth in the 21st century will a body like the National Assembly not update its website online in real time? How should searching for a Bill become like searching for a virgin in a maternity ward?
The sad aspect of the whole scenario is that it will be mind-boggling if there is full disclosure of the amount allocated and paid out for the maintenance of the website, which is not being carried out. Even some documentary inclined websites may not be as ‘un-updated’ as the Nigerian National Assembly website is. Unto what use, if we ask, are the budgetary allocation for such services put into? Should it take up to 24 hours before a Bill that came into either of the chambers of the National Assembly is listed on their website? Is there anyone, in particular, who we can hold accountable for this kind of disservice to the citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who are daily denied access to information that should ordinarily be at our fingertips?
Which is more important to the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Assembly – between a functional website, that is up to date in information and accessibility and the state-of-theart automobiles that not only cost a fortune, but are even unsuitable for our deplorable road networks?
Between the two arms of government as alluded above, which can be said to be getting the priority of governance right? With misalignments of purpose in both tiers, who then is coming to equity with filthy hands and yet shouting to high heavens about performing oversight functions? Both arms of our government have taken us for granted as they only pursue self-serving priorities and care less about what is of importance to the citizen they ostensibly represent. If this is ideal democracy, perhaps we should start looking elsewhere, for the current system will not take us out of the wood. This is not a prophecy of doom, and I was not ‘bankrolled’ into offering this.
Oluwadele Bolutife, a chartered accountant and a public policy and administration scholar, writes from Canada. He can be reached through: bolutife.oluwadele@gmail.com
END
Be the first to comment