By Sam Otti
Seasoned scholars and professional managers from different states converged on Lagos recently to proffer solutions to the nation’s leadership problems. This year’s annual lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) turned out to a market-place of ideas on how to move the nation forward.
The former President, Institute of Directors (IOD), Chike Nwanze, who was the guest lecturer at the event, suggested the scrapping of the existing 36 states of the federation in favour of a regional government that would guarantee autonomy to the component units. He said the current effort of the Federal Government towards diversification of the economy would end in futility without proper restructuring of the country.
Presenting a paper, titled, Nigeria: The Leadership Question and Challenges Ahead, Nwanze analysed the high cost of governance in the country, noting that various arms of government, from 1999 to 2010, spent the sum of N39.1trillion. According to him, the figure annualised to 2015 would amount to N55.4 trillion.
Nwanze, who is also the Vice President/Chief Executive Officer, Icon Stokebrokers Limited, argued that the creation of 36 states made it impossible to fully harness the resources of the six geo-political zones. He said the states should be converted into provinces, while the existing geo-political zones should serve as federating units.
The guest speaker, who is also a top financial manager, argued that the Nigerian political structure, as presently constituted, encourages waste, lack of accountability and high cost of governance. He also observed that the political system and its manner of enumerating political appointees make the cost of governance prohibitive and probably unsustainable.
“It is the residue of the revenues devoted to office holders and public employees that is available for development and this is usually about 40 per cent,” he explained.
Nwanze stressed that the size of the cabinet was too large and cumbersome, stressing that the creation of Special Advisers, Senior Special Advisers, and Presidential Assistants with various portfolios at both the state and federal levels, were avoidable drains on the coffers of the state. According to him, an American senator earns $174,000 yearly, while his Nigerian counterpart receives $2.7m (N240m).
He canvassed a new political arrangement that would allow restructuring the country through a constitution amendment, while ensuring equity, good governance and economic prosperity in the country.
He said the existing 36 states should be restructured into six regional government, namely: North Western, North Eastern, North Central, South Western, South Eastern and South South. He also proposed expunging the 774 local governments from the constitution, with each of the regions determining the number of LGAs they require.
Also speaking, the President and Chairman of Council, NIM, Emeritus Prof. Munzali Jibril, said ineffective leadership has been the bane of the nation’s development since independence. He noted that poor leadership has crippled Nigeria, despite the abundance of natural and human resources.
“Thus, while other nations which are not as blessed have moved on owing to purposeful and committed leadership, Nigeria has continued to totter in almost all facets of its national life due to leadership ineptitude, widespread corruption and other social vices that hamper every attempt at effective leadership. The problem of leadership transcends government business to the private sector and even up to our individual lives,” he said.
He called for an urgent solution to the many leadership challenges besetting the nation, which threaten her economic and infrastructural development. He expressed optimism that the nation has another opportunity at a fresh start with the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is incumbent on us to make the best of this opportunity for the benefit of the nation and the citizenry. I must acknowledge the visible efforts being made by the present leadership to get the country up and running again. The government’s ongoing fight against corruption and concerted effort to revive critical sectors of the economy are well known to all of us,” he said.
Prof Munzali advised armchair critics to stop trading endless blames on why the nation has come to this leadership crossroads, but support the government in finding workable solutions to the problems of governance.
He said the Institute decided to take the leading role of getting the nation out of the leadership maze it has found itself, believing that the task of setting the country on the right path should not be left to government alone.
He urged other well- meaning corporate organisations and individuals to take a cue from the initiative of the Institute and join in the battle to rescue the country from the jaws of leadership inertia.
“It is by synergizing with government in our individual and collective capacities that we can all help to forge the Nigeria of our dream,” he said.
Munzali said salient suggestions generated from the lecture would be passed to the government to help it in achieving its change agenda and development blueprint for the nation.
The Registrar, Mr Tony Fadaka, said the ensuing brainstorming session brought out salient issues in governance that would aid government in achieving its change agenda and development blueprint for the nation aimed at making Nigeria great again.