Virtually all governors and almost all local government councils’ chairmen across the federation are currently on spending spree without corresponding impact on the wellbeing of their citizens. They see what they are doing as governance but millions of right thinking Nigerians see it as nothing but sheer conspicuous public consumption.
This is despite the fact that the removal of fuel subsidy since May 2023 has placed substantial funds at the disposal of the federal government that is sharing such with the other two tiers for the execution of public spirited projects including other human-capital development programs that ought to make life more meaningful for all.
In his Democracy Day broadcast, President Bola Tinunu on June 12, 2023, promised that money saved from subsidy removal would be judiciously expended on transportation infrastructure, regular power supply, education, healthcare, and other public utilities.
In consonance with this promise, the Federal Government led by Tinubu has been sharing jumbo monthly allocations to the 36 states and 774 local government areas in the country. The increment is meant for seamless execution of beneficial and enduring projects to justify the removal of fuel subsidies. But are Nigerians feeling the positive impact of these humongous monthly allocations in all the states? The answer is NO!
Theliberationnews gathered that there has been an average of 55 percent increment in monetary allocations to states and local governments in the post-subsidy era but most of the states’ governors and chairmen of local government areas are yet to effectively complement the efforts of the federal government in ameliorating the sufferings of their people.
Below is the table of what the states are monthly collecting now as against the subsidy removal era:
Theliberationnews authoritatively reports that states and local governments received a total of N6.57 trillion in 2023, double the N3.16 trillion they received in 2022.
However, despite the availability of more cash to the states, 14.2 million more citizens reportedly continue to grapple with poverty, even as Delta received N217.74 billion; River N179.81 billion, Akwa Ibom – N145.57, Bayelsa 128 billion, have a poverty rate of 13.1%, 7.3%, 22.9%, 24.3%, respectively, according to a World Bank report.
Meanwhile, Theliberationnews hereby call on residents to hold their governments and councils’ chairmen accountable in the provision of good governance and the anticipated dividends of democracy.
In a chat with Theliberationnews, a social commentator and political analyst, Samuel Oludegun said, “It’s time for people to demand more from their leaders; the states’ governors and councils’ chairmen. There is no room for excuse whatsoever for them not to perform. The funds at their disposal are meant for the execution of more projects that will alleviate the suffering of the masses by complementing the federal government’s efforts. Some local governments in Lagos collect hundreds of millions on monthly basis with no commensurate projects to show for it. This must stop!”
“It’s disheartening that some state governors and local government councils chairmen are anti-people by their reluctance to double their efforts. The people have paid the sacrifice of coming to terms with subsidy removal. It’s now upon the leaders to play their part by utilizing the money for public good but as it stands currently, the reverse is the case. It’s high time to call these people out to wake them from their slumber,” an Oshodi, Lagos resident simply known as Yusuf, lamented.
Other people that spoke to Theliberationnews rated majority of the governors and chairmen very low except for the Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, who is widely acknowledged to have done very well with his prudent and effective management of the state’s resources put in his custody.
Theliberationnews is calling on governors of states and chairmen of local government councils in the country to stop dolling out handouts to citizens under the guise of ameliorating or palliating their poverty. The current economic hardship in the country needs effective governance interventions, not derisive official efforts oozing out insensitively corrupt inclinations.
What all the governors and local councils’ chairmen are doing with increased monthly allocations arising from subsidy removal is a mockery of humanity under the guise of providing palliatives. Their interventions have failed the test of public scrutiny and as such can send most of them to jail if the searchlights of accounting audit is beamed on the handouts they dolled out, so far, with such outlandish increased monthly allocations. Theliberationnews wants them to know that Nigerians justifiably demand more from them.
