Beyond Sanusi’s Comments In Warri

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),  Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi recently stirred the hornets’ nest when, he made some far reaching comments on the economy and the political future of the nation at a capital market retreat in Warri. But we think that to take one point out of his discourse and reduce all to a mere vulgar abuse may not serve the country better.

As expected, his views on the need to reduce the civil service over-shadowed the other points made and attracted wild condemnation in some quarters. Even when very few will agree with Sanusi on the point, the saying that the truth is bitter clearly comes through.

We think that Sanusi particularly over-reached himself when he spoke about the civil service especially at a time  when the political class continues to create more offices and engage more personal assistants who they prefer to work with. Even so, the high level of unemployment in the country today makes his comments rather inhuman.

However, we cannot ignore the fact that Sanusi raised quite a number of issues which Nigerians should consider seriously, especially as the nation moves to review her constitution. The  idea of always wanting to reap without sowing or refusing to confront problems and expecting solutions to drop from the sky cannot be supported.

On the issue of the civil service, government office from the colonial era had been an apolitical, bureaucratic and efficient establishment by which government is run. It provides the platform for service delivery, but the same cannot be said of the system today. In some States, the service has been hijacked by politicians. This had eroded ethics, standards and the consideration for employment.

Even as subsequent administrations used their political powers to put into the civil service all manner of persons, some of them, not required nor qualified, some states have preferred to even contract out jobs meant for the civil servants, all with a view to drawing benefits from the contracts.

Besides, the danger in the call for the mindless down-sizing of the civil service can only be imagined when one gets to know how many families and individuals depend on one civil servant who uses his meager salary to attend to seemingly impossible needs of the extended families.

But the CBN Governor raised questions on whether Nigeria still needs a bi-cameral legislature at the federal level, or 36 states or 774 Local Government Areas, all of which draw only from the federal source. Indeed, that Nigeria spends 70% of her resources on over-heads and only 30% on capital expenditure cannot be supported.

Clearly, the Presidential system of government which Nigeria operates is expensive albeit operated in the breach. The system provides for devolution of powers, fiscal federalism and state autonomy among others, which are still foreign to the way things are done in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s federation has, over the years, operated as a unitary government and became a major disincentive to growth and development. So, like Sanusi suggested, should’nt Nigerians be worried over the dangerous path the country has chosen. Should Nigeria continue to do the same things and expect different results?  That we think, is a vital question.

While people are free to abuse Sanusi, the point must be made no government ever successfully provides jobs for everybody. Therefore, what is required is for government to create the enabling environment for a private sector driven economy.

Nigeria needs to recreate her middle class, that would create employment. Also, we need our infrastructure developed to make the needed contribution effectively to national development. It is pointless for government to be expected to address the nation’s developmental challenges all alone. Certainly, not with the nearly monolithic economy that we have continued to operate.

We feel strongly that for Nigeria to break with the present suffocating socio-economic challenges, some informed decisions, no matter how tough, need to be taken to save the country from collapse. The earlier, the people stop complaining and start acting positively in the light of this reality, the better it would be for all.

Over the years, the problem with Nigeria had been corrupt, selfish and less ingenious leadership. Even so, the structures on which governance takes place must not be accepted only in parts to satisfy sections of the country. As a sovereign State, Nigeria should fashion her own model of the Presidential system, especially with regard to reducing the size of government and providing for the large majority of the people.