QUESTION 5 OF 23 PRESIDING QUESTIONS FOR 2023 PRESIDENTIAL QUESTS: THEIR AMBITIONS VERSUS OUR CONVICTIONS

 


SECTION A: REFORM OF GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE FOR DECENTRALIZATION/FEDERALISM; FOR ECONOMIC REVOLUTION & SECURITY RESTORATION

A certain degree of “legal, geographic, administrative, political and economic” control of resources by subnational units is essential for substantial progress and development to reach over 98% of the estimated 206 million Nigerians who reside and work within the 36 States and 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The constitution-backed “Pocket money syndrome” entrenched in the Nigerian Federation and driven by the Federal Government (like an aged father) via central exploration of resources, revenue collection & monthly revenue-sharing is unacceptable. The custom of doling out stipends from this central purse (majorly from oil proceeds) to 36 able-bodied children, 1 nephew and 774 grandchildren (36 States, Federal Capital Territory [FCT] & 774 Local Government Areas [LGAs]) is an abysmal management practice that has killed the creativity of the subnational governments and made them permanent dependents of the ego-tripping Federal Government for over 60 years.

As a matter of fact, the current over-centralized economic model (resources’ exploration, revenue derivation and revenue sharing) is more beneficial to a few powerful members of the elite club who are close to the seat of power in Abuja (where less than 2% of our population reside and work) than to the average Nigerian (over 98% of our population). Worse still, this ‘sharing mentality’ has made enormous ‘free money’ available to Abuja-bound political office holders, top Federal civil servants & government contractors and consequently made Nigerians to wrongly believe that our “land flows with milk and honey” endlessly.

However, for the sub-nationals to be liberated from this legal and mental bondage that is supported by the military-packaged 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and experience massive economic revolution, it is better to constitutionally devolve appropriate powers (“legal, geographical, administrative, political and economic”) to them to allow for a high degree of self-reliance via resource exploration and revenue generation within their individual areas of comparative advantage and pay royalties to the Central government. Specifically, the economic autonomy to be granted States & LGAs with high-income mineral resources such as oil, gold, bitumen etc. post-devolution may come with a caveat that a ‘reasonable percentage’ of the revenue from these non-renewable resources be remitted to the central purse for onward distribution to other States & LGAs to complement their revenues.

Given that several States have a litany of untapped natural resources, Governors would better navigate the destinies of their individual States for revenue pooling while LGA Council Chairmen are more likely to significantly drive development within their respective domains if these two subnational authorities don’t have to wait for either the Federal Government’s ‘readiness’ or ‘interest’ in the exploitation of the resources within their domains.

a. I strongly agree              b. I agree     c. I disagree             d. I strongly disagree

 

Dr. Adetolu Ademujimi is a Medical Doctor, Author, Reformer, Coach and Public Policy expert who wrote in from Akure in Nigeria. Email: ademujimi@yahoo.co.uk; Twitter: @toluademujimi; Instagram: @adetoluademujimi; Linkedin: @adetolu ademujimi

 

 

 

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