The constant borrowing attitude of Nigerian Governors should be stopped. This was one of the key points raised in a communique issued by the Rights group Committee for the League of Patriotic Conscience (CLPC). from their 12th Annual General Meeting held in Abuja.
The committee in a communique called on Nigerians to take more than a passive interest in the reckless borrowing attitude of most Nigerian Governors with virtually nothing to show on the ground. A visit round most of the States in Nigeria shows absolute lack of vision and extreme hardship. At least few States have motorable roads with many bad spots becoming traps for kidnappers, bandits, and robbers.
Oftentimes, the governors claim they are borrowing these funds for renovation, repairs, and construction of new roads or health centers; few years down the line, it is the same story all over. The observation is that State governors are taking Nigerians for granted and feeding on their stupidity. The major achievement of most of the governors is their ability to recycle themselves in government—moving from government house to senate and from senate to the House of Representatives.
“They need to get serious” the communique observed. “There is bound to be accountability, transparency, and punishment for misuse of State funds”, the communique further noted. “It is in the absence of punitive measure that these things happen”, the communique stated. The sorry state of this nation can be attributed to year’s decadent rule with politicians taking advantage of the constitution to run riot.
After 22 years of what was supposed to be good democracy, the nation appears to have landed in hot waters with the steady surge of banditry, kidnapping, and other negative vibes. If the governors are not involved in bloated appointments, they are sneaking into pensioners’ funds and pilfering them. A certain governor in the south for example has 6,000 special assistants! Others have 4,000 advisers and principal aids! Now, according to news reports, about 17 trillion of pensioner’s funds is about to be “borrowed”!
This is not taking into consideration that most states are bankrupt and unable to pay salaries. So much for the type of democracy as practiced by this new brigade politicians. “Nigerian governors need to change their attitude; what should matter most is their integrity; now it is doubtful if they still have any left. “Without any good structure on the ground, without anything to show for the billions in allocation, how would they justify the constant borrowing”, the communique queried.
Borrowing, the communique noted signifies laziness to be creative and inventive, “That’s the easy way out when under pressure”, stated the communique. This is why the immunity enjoyed by governors should be removed and lawyers should be allowed to drag them to courts for accountability. “A governor recently finished his eight-year tenure and has contested and won an election to become a senator! The lamentation in the land is not his business, yet he is not the most qualified. Has he rendered account of his stewardship? We should learn to ask questions”, an angry observer remarked.
