Date Published: 07/23/09
Still, On the Sinking ‘Home Of Beauty’
By Edward Wabundani
Adamawa, the Home of Beauty has since stopped working. Therein, everything in terms of governance has been paralyzed. The state under the unable leadership of Governor Nyako has set an all time high in profligacy. Infact, almost all expenditures so far under his stewardship are not in consonance with the realities on ground, taking into account the billions of naira so far earned from the Federation Account since 2007 to date. Local Revenue inclusive. But left to his stooges and cronies, the state has never had it so good. However, a cursory look at the dealings of the Murtala Nyako regime, presents a catalogue of banditry. Many a people are however not surprised at these facts. The signs are visible everywhere.
For instance, my recent investigation in the state reveals that, the total earning of the immediate past Governor Boni Haruna in 2006, was about 15 billion naira. But within 7 months from May 29 th to December 29 th 2007, Governor Nyako had spent about N30,427,710,851.22 classified thus: N5 billion naira loan from Zenith Bank, N 6.5billion Naira loan from American Government and a total of N18,927,710,861.22 from the Federation Account. Of course this sum does not include the state”s unknown internally generated revenue. Also between the same periods under focus (May–Nov. 2007) the 21 Local Government areas of the state were collectively allocated the sum of N12,480,476,072.68 from the Federation Account. These figures have almost tripled between December 2008 and June, 2009, most especially that the monthly allocations accruable to Federal, States and council Areas are monthly published for public consumption.
Ordinarily, one expects that a reasonable development would have come from such huge monthly allocations especially at the grassroots level. But alas, such expectations are far from real. This is 49 solid years of Nigeria as an independent country, whereby each state and local government is supposed to be a pride of her people in terms of her developmental stride. But unfortunately, each of the three tiers of government, is still a toddler in the incubator, using diapers. Inspite of Adamawa’s long years of autonomy, she still bed wets in election and its successive leaders had chosen to specialize in lying to its people on issues of governance.
For example, how can Governor Nyako’s administration explain the veracity of negotiating unsolicited Multi billion naira loans for the 21 council areas of the state? According to my findings, the government in a bid to make money available for her long chain of cronies, hurriedly negotiated several loans such as the one for fish pond and shopping complexes located in each of the council areas. Each fish pond cost N150 million, while the shopping complex attracts N50 million. The loans were hastily negotiated last year, with the aid of some Directors of Personnel and Heads of Service who over saw the administrative affairs of the local governments in the wake of the hullabaloo which greeted the fiasco council primaries last year.
This selfish and undemocratic behaviour of the government has forced development to a standstill in almost all the council areas of the state. The council officials have to contend with servicing of the bank loans, which they inherited from their predecessors who could not challenge the authority of their employer to negotiate such unsolicited loans.
Settlement of godfathers, who imposed some of the council officials in office, is another source of non payment of salaries in the local governments. For example, in one of the local governments visited last week, it was alleged that the sum of N5 million naira is deducted from the salary bill of the local government monthly for a junior minister, who hails from the area as part of an agreement signed between him and the imposed chairman. This I further gathered, is to actualize the minister’s governorship ambition in 2012. The Minister’s bench warmer “Senator-godfather” is equally to be collecting certain amount of money as settlement from the council chairmen of other council areas.
This and other sundry issues have compounded financial problems of the local governments in Adamawa, so much so that most if not all of them, owe between 3 and 6 months salaries of staff, while capital projects have been halted permanently.
Some council officials who spoke to me on condition of anonymity averred that, “though the state government is responsible for what is currently happening in the local governments, they cannot afford to make their views public, for fear of running into trouble with the state government”. One of them explained that “you people in the media do not seem to see anything good in the lord of mangoes, why is it so”?
Here, the concept of change which applies not only to rivers but also human beings, gives consolation to the rest of us. Naturally, Nigerian politicians do not change for the better, rather reverse is the case. Our own crop of politicians are transforming themselves into monsters. If not, how can one explain a situation where election processes have continued to be rigged and wrong people continue to emerge? These actions and inactions of our so called leaders are unfortunate. The electorate are miffed that after several years of our current democratic experience, our elected representatives had not achieved anything for the common good of all. They had instead achieved the primitive accumulation of personal wealth at the detriment of the toiling masses. If anything, most of them had instead, vitiated the footprints of responsible leaders elected in the past through popular vote.
Any way, this is their time. Let them continue to buff, puff, and rake and even throw tantrums and be shifty to survive the approaching volcanic end to their reign of false hood. In no distant future, the ground under their seat will soon cave in, where there are no more lies to dish out.
Edward Wabundani, a commentator on public issues, can be reached on quiveer@yahoo.com
