A university don, Prof. Owolabi Usman has tasked the successive governments on revamping the institutions as panacea for a sustainable development.
He spoke at this year international conference by the Department of Management and Accounting of Ladoke Akintola University, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso which was themed “Institutional frameworks building and National Development” laying emphasis on government institutions as catalyst for a sustainable development.
According to him, the change of government and ruling political parties in Nigeria are affecting sustainability of policies unlike what is obtained in United State of America where policies remain irrespective of whoever or political parties come to power.
Usman, who was the chairman of the conference said though the mantra of President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration is ‘change’ which connotes eradicating corruption, but said that the question many people have failed to ask is how do we curb the menace of the corruption?
He noted that corruption has remote and immediate causes which are the problem of institutions saying the institutions of government are over-due for overhauling.
The university don added that the responsibility of revamping our institutions is not only responsibility of government officials but entire citizenry by supporting the policies by the institution as a way to engender sustainable development.
Prof. Usman said the tenet of the conference is to enlighten both the government and the populace on how to revamp our institutions and the focus is not only about financial institutions but many other institutions.
He maintained that institutions like Central Bank of Nigeria have failed in their statutory responsibilities. He said a vivid example was the last capitalization of N25billion capital base saying it was later learnt that the policy was only on the papers. He added that banks produce different statement of accounts depending on the motive they want to achieve but CBN as regulator has refused to run a checked on them.
Corroborating him in his earlier welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Adeniyi Suleiman Gbadegesin said the topic of the conference is most important especially now Nigeria attempting to put the country at the cutting edge of developmental strides among the committee of nations.
He noted that Nation building and national development are not a tea party issues but serious business that requires concerted efforts by both the governors and the governed.
He however said meaningful nation building can only take place within a strong institutional framework which is capable of ensuring national development and an ingredient lacking in the nation’s quest for development.
He maintained that a situation where there is no strong institution and strong men rule, all machineries of governance are at the whims and caprices of the leaders and which is inimical to nation building and national development.
He added that in order to make ‘change’ mantra by the present administration to be effective, all Nigerians must be ready to change their orientations and key into entrepreneurial activities in small, medium scales, adding that they should pay their taxes to encourage government’s drive towards the provision of social infrastructures and guaranteeing an acceptable standard of living for the citizenry.