Failing Economy: Giving thoughts to remodeling systemic administrative leakages
As the profile of economic records continue to attract unsavoury taste, recommendations as to how best the Federal Government can address the steep in the Nigerian economy has become a subject of broad discourse on its own. The paradox over the state of the Country’s economy amidst the enormity of resources, has continued to put many to wonder. Reservations from some end have become very critical of the Government, which some critics have described as clueless. The curiosity and pressure on the part of the Government amidst chains of socio-economic and political defective manifestations seem to be rendering the Government handicap. The inability of the Government to strategically and creatively work out patterns to stabilise the economy for growth amidst challenges, has however led ardent critics to take whipping confrontations against the Government.
It now appears that the only condition for the present Government to redefine the popular sensations of loss of trust on the part of the populace, is a profound record of drastic and outstanding results of economic productivity. The expectations of Nigerians at the onset of the present Government was on the high side; drastic socio-economic development with improved infrastructures and reaping the benefits of welfarism. The short fall from a result far from the expectations has become a major ground for popular grievances manifesting in several chains of patterns to render disturbances in the polity.
The question has to how the Government can redress the woes of the prevailing economic slide has been a nebulous subject itself. While several economic recommendations and models have been advanced from various quarters on the subject of revamping the Country’s economy, the reality lies in the fact that no such model can find the face of light without the force of political expression. The nexus between politics and economy bears a strong unbroken link of relevance in their working patterns. It therefore becomes paramount to state that the working patterns of the economy hold strong link to the political structure of an entity. One measure which has been expounded towards redressing the prevailing economic downturn with relevance to the strength of political will, is the fact of remodeling the structural patterns of the systemic orientation of the workings of the administrative affairs of governance in the Country. Two critical deficient factors with close resemblance troubling the administrative system of governance in Nigeria with its attendant negative impacts on the economy, is the menace of corruption and gross profligacy which has overwhelmed the working structures of the Nigerian political system.
Amidst the acute shrink in revenue accruing into the coffers of the Government, the call for a reworking of the administrative system of the Nigerian polity characterised with high level of profligacy, has continued to assume a resounding vibration. Expending enormous funds through a system fraught with structural leakages, is a deficiency with strong forces which for years has continued to sap and drain resources that should have gone into productive investments for the growth and development of the economy. The prevailing administrative system overwhelmed by the culture of profligacy has attracted attention most recently.
An expression of this culture took a face in the recent displeasure of the Senate Public Account Committee over what it described as an unacceptable payment of N98.4million by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources for the printing of leaflets. The flyers, according to the 2015 Auditor-General for the Federation’s report, were meant to create awareness campaign for the Petroleum Industrial Bill. The report, currently being scrutinised by the National Assembly, also stated that the fund was released without due process. The Chairman of the Senate panel, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, had faulted the payment of N39million into the accounts of two persons for the purpose of monitoring the ministry’s project within the Federal Capital Territory. The AuGF query on the lacuna had read in part, “Contrary to the procurement process, an entry in the cash book for the sum of N98.4m was made in favour of a company for printing of leaflets for awareness campaign programme for the Petroleum Industry Bill. There was no formal award of contract and it was also observed that the approval for the payment was via memo presented by the Director (Press) to the Ministerial Tender Board meeting of 9th and 11th October, 2013. The permanent secretary had been requested to take procedural disciplinary measures against the erring officers in line with provisions of extant regulation.” The AuGF had in another query, faulted the payment of N39.7m into the bank accounts of two officers for the purpose of monitoring the ministry’s projects located within Abuja. According to the query, contrary to the e-payment policy of the Federal Government, the total sum of N39.7m was paid to 178 staff of the ministry for project monitoring and evaluation in 2014. With an unsatisfied explanation by the ministry, the Senate panel had directed the officers involved to return the money back to the federation account.
It is pertinent for the Government to begin to muster energy towards reconfiguration of the working patterns of the administrative system of governance in the Federation. The prevailing system fraught with systemic leakages and profligacy has lingered too long against the interest of the Country in whole. The gross negative effects can be felt in the retarded growth the Country has been experiencing over the years. The necessity to overhaul the prevailing system with new systemic administrative patterns is key to redress the chains of disturbances creating forces which have continued to destabilise the economy and the polity in turn.
The sanctity of mustering the required political will towards remodeling the administrative patterns of governance in the Country cannot be over-emphasized. This is necessary to redirect the course of the prevailing system which has proven weak in the face of guiding against the culture of profligacy and corruption. If left unaddressed, the endemic manifestations of leakages which have continued to sap public funds which should have been productively directed towards development courses, will continue to frustrate efforts towards revamping the economy from the precipice of collapse. It is therefore instructive for the present administration to look into stronger measures of remodeling the administrative system of governance in the Country, with overarching structural patterns to build a working system which will be productive towards achieving the desired objective of building a virile economy. Continuous efforts under the prevailing system may be tantamount to pumping water into a large basket.
