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Tag: Transparency

  • Amaechi…Truth, transparency and fairness

    Amaechi…Truth, transparency and fairness

    Writing about truth, transparency and fairness quickly reminds me of the Rotimi Amaechi era in Rivers State. The eight years rule of the Ubima- born politician was a memorable one.

    Frankly speaking, it was the period underdevelopment paved way for development, it was the period when democracy was enthroned in all parts of the state, it was also a period that men, I mean men held the positions they occupied in high esteem with high regard to truth, transparency, fairness and accountability.

    For sure, if we consider the success story of Amaechi in Rivers State every average Rivers man would concur that Amaechi drove Rivers State to a new destination with sincerity and fairness.

    His modus operandi in governance was open, such that people could access his administration with ease. His penchant for transparency and accountability translated into so many visible projects he built while in office. His accountability theory pre -supposes the need to periodically update the people on how government is administered to them.

    Amaechi’s aim of updating the people time to time on how funds were judiciously used was targeted at keeping the people abreast with happenings in his administration. It was a period when Rivers people in their numbers thronged the Alfred Diette Spiff Civic Centre to ask questions about their monies and how it was used to develop the state.

    Amaechi’s government in Rivers State was a participatory government. Everybody was carried along in the scheme of things in one way or the other. The accountability forum provided ample opportunity for the people especially the down-trodden to rub minds with the governor one on one and chart the way forward for a better Rivers state.

    Amaechi’s priority was heavily anchored on the welfare of the people. At the accountability forum, Amaechi would direct all the Commissioners and Heads of Government Agencies and Parastatals to appear before the people to give account of how they ran their respective offices with a view to improving on governance in line with the open policy of government which had no hidden agenda for the good people of Rivers State.

    Then, despite his tight schedule Amaechi ensured that government business was not disrupted. All political office holders who served in Amaechi’s tenure were put on their toes to deliver on their assignments.  I dare to say that, Amaechi undoubtedly at the time ran the most responsible government in the country and his projects were greeted with accolades in all the nook and crannies of our nation.

    Throughout his eight years reign as Governor, Amaechi rescued Rivers State from rot and perpetual decay. Even at the tail end of his administration in his second tenure when he was starved of funds from the Federal Government of  former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Amaechi ensured that projects started under his tenure were 90 percent completed before he left office in 2015.

    It was in Amaechi’s tenure that the state introduced a compulsory savings of about N1billion monthly in her reserved fund for the rainy days. Amaechi was confident that the compulsory monthly savings which amounted to about N19 billion at a point was utilized for projects execution.

    Then, despite his ordeal by those who wanted to strangulate his administration financially, Amaechi focused in serving the people creditably well with the funds generated.

    “While saving the One billion Naira monthly, I knew that there could be a time when the economy of the country or state will be challenging, so, I started saving the money in our reserve fund. The approval of the 19 billion naira by the Rivers State House of Assembly from the reserve fund will help us to complete our projects”, he explained.

    Amaechi never embezzled money meant for the development of the oil rich state. Under him Rivers State became the first to implement the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) act in Nigeria.

    At a point, the Director General (DG) of the Public Procurement in the state was referred to as the alternative Governor by Cabinet members. The Cabinet members had wanted an amendment to that law, their reason was that the (DG) of Procurement refused to increase the threshold to one hundred million naira per Ministry. Instead he reduced it to ten million naira.

    Amaechi had a ‘battle’ with the DG and World Bank who insisted that the Cabinet should not go for amending the law but rather persuade the DG to increase the threshold.  The Cabinet had attempted going to Court against the DG, the DG also tried to go to court against the Commissioners. A scenario of this nature could only happen in a transparent Government.

    Amaechi said: “In fact, the procurement DG wrote a memo to me that I felt was very incriminating requesting that since the law requires the governor to take any commissioner who doesn’t comply with the Public Procurement law to Court that I should take the Commissioner of Education to court for not complying. The Cabinet members felt the DG was slowing the process of government.”

    As a Federal Minister of Transportation, Amaechi has not done things differently when it comes to being fair and transparent in government business(es); He is still running a transparent government and uphold transparent leadership, which he believes so much and cherished.

    At a function where he spoke about corruption in government, Amaechi urged Nigerians to participate in government by engaging political appointees on open government.

    Amaechi said: “Please come to all of us in government, all the Ministers in government and engage us on open government. For me, for Ministry of Transportation any information you want us to give you, please write to us, we will not only give you, we will give you on time. This is because all of us that have become ministers have been entrusted by the president. His first policy is corruption; the second one is economic development.

    “We have been appointed by the President to go and do those following things to ensure that there are funds that we save from the people’s money to develop the Community and the Community we have is the Nigerian community.

    “Indeed, you are our leaders, we are here by the grace of God and by your grace and we believe that you have right to ask questions, we believe that you have the right to demand accountability from Ministers, we believe that nobody has the right to rise from just being an ordinary graduate of a University by courtesy of holding public office, he now owns mansions, cars etc.”

    When leaders are transparent, it allows people to be objective in evaluating them. If a leader is transparent, especially during the worst of times, you actually strengthen your leadership.

    Most of the people close to Amaechi are aware that their love for the Minister grew ticker because of his openness to issues.  Amaechi has nothing to hide. He believes that the truth should always prevail in all circumstances.

    Amaechi also believes that openness can potentially avoid misunderstandings capable to fueling unnecessary tension. As a transparent leader, Amaechi has encouraged people to come around him and channel their issues because to him transparency is a powerful unifier that forces a team to work smarter together.

    Amaechi knows that team building through transparency takes shape when he being the leader of the team openly discusses what he believes is the strengths and weaknesses of the Ministry. In his style, Amaechi allows everyone to openly share their views in other to strategically match people to handle certain assignments.

    Amaechi believes in transparency such that his office is open and accessible to all regardless of tribe or party affiliations. Amaechi’s example will certainly build trust and should be emulated by leaders .He clearly understands that we are leaving in a society where people want and expect their leaders to be more proactive in meeting their needs,he could spend a whole day in his office attending to visitors particularly Tuesdays and Thursdays which are marked for visiting.

    For Amaechi, transparency, fairness, truth and above all the grace of God are the reasons he is succeeding in his political race since he ventured into politics. Nigerians want to relate to their leaders, they want to know that their leaders have experienced the same problems and or how they have overcome personal hardships. Amaechi is working hard to do the needful in the position he occupies.

    Civil Servants in Amaechi’s ministry have never had it so good before. The robust relationship that exists between Amaechi and staff of the Transportation Ministry cannot be overemphasized.

    In a meeting Amaechi held with staff of the Ministry, he urged the workers to live up to expectation by discharging their duties creditably. Amaechi also urged them to support the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed.

    After his speech, many had taught that the meeting had come to an end but Amaechi would not leave without hearing from the staff. He threw -open the floor for questions and contributions and one after the other they (workers) started bombarding the Minister with questions concerning their welfare. But, before then, Amaechi had told them to speak their minds and jettison fear and inferiority complex.

    “If you know me you would know that I like speaking my mind, I like speaking the truth and I like being fair and sincere. So speak your mind, don’t be scared of anybody, nobody will punish you for speaking your mind”, he said.

     

    • Okpara, an aide of the minister of transportation, sent this piece from Abuja.

     

  • Stakeholders seek transparency in N46b fertilizer deal

    Stakeholders in the fertilizer development sector have faulted the secrecy with which a N46 billion deal between Nigeria and Morocco is being handled.

    In a January 17, 2017 petition signed by representatives of eight different fertilizer firms and submitted to the Senate yesterday, the firms alleged racketeering of the the product  by some vested interests.

    Mr. Felix Okonti who led seven others petitioners, accused some highly placed persons of hijacking the deal.

    Nigeria and Morocco had, a few weeks ago, signed a multi billion naira fertilizer deal, involving tons of fertilizer shipment from Morocco to Nigeria for the benefit of farmers.

    Okonti however, said instead of involving genuine fertilizer firms in the deal, a few privileged individuals had cornered the entire process.

    According to the complainants, the fertilizer cabal that was dismantled by the previous administration had regrouped and become more vicious under the present administration.

    They lamented that the MoU signed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Moroccan leader to boost agricultural productivity in Nigeria was being kept secret by the cabal.

  • For transparency

    For transparency

    The Federal Government must set up a loot recovery trust fund

    In its recent annual general meeting, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) made a resolution that goes straight to the heart of accountability. Deferring to the suggestion of Femi Aborisade, one of its guests, it held that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari is lagging behind in its human rights obligation as regards its handling of the funds recovered from those who placed their thieving hands in our collective till.

    Consequently, the CDHR resolved that the Buhari administration should establish a recovered loot trust fund. However, the CDHR called for it to go through bills in the Senate and the House of Representatives. But we think the Buhari administration should spearhead the move.

    It should not be hard. But it has been because the issue of corruption is not just a systemic rot. It has been buoyed for generations by an accretion of thieving elites that will stand in the way of any resolve to reverse a pattern of greed and decadence.

    Earlier this year, the Buhari administration, after intense pressure, decided to unveil to Nigerians the sums of money and assets recovered from May 29, 2015 to May 29, 2016. It reeled out figures that many Nigerians found stunning and an index of the kleptomaniac audacity of our democratic brass.

    According to the figures revealed, the cash recovered in local currency totalled N78,325,354,031.02 (seventy-eight billion, three hundred and twenty-five million, three hundred and fifty-four thousand and thirty one Naira and two kobo). They also recovered $185,119,584.60 (one hundred and eighty-five million, one hundred and nineteen thousand, five hundred and eighty-four and sixty cents). In British money, they recovered GBP3,508,355.46 three million, five hundred and eight thousand, three hundred and fifty-five pounds and forty-six pence). Eleven thousand, two hundred and fifty Euros rolled in also.

    The information minister, Lai Mohammed, disclosed that the government raked in N106,563,480,095.43 (one hundred and six billion, five hundred and sixty-three million, four hundred and eighty thousand, and ninety-five Naira and forty-three kobo). More figures were released, and they reflected the assiduity and single-mindedness of the administration through the agency of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to track and recover our stolen funds.

    Even then questions were asked. How come we got the money and we do not know the thieves? There was a lacuna of accountability to the tale. The Federal Government referred to some issues of legality that, up till now, still sound opaque to well-meaning Nigerians. How come they can corral a man like Sambo Dasuki, who has been shamed and prosecuted, yet others who have stolen are allowed to go scot-free?

    We cannot say we are fighting a war against corruption with half-transparency. For sure, it has been argued that some of the tactics employed to wage the war have fallen short of the requirements and standards of the rule of law. Some others have said the tactics have been right if, sometimes, they have been crude and downright antediluvian.

    One of such examples has been the handcuffing of prominent politicians and the storming of judges’ homes in the dead of night. The hoopla was tempered by the positions that they did not veer from the constitution. Secondly, these are methods that the law enforcement agencies have deployed for decades without controversy on the average Nigerian not in high office or celebrity. We have condoned these and only now are shouting hoarse because some sacred persons have been ruffled.

    Again the issue of the fight on corruption is about accountability. If the Federal Government was able to release the money recovered as at the end of May, it ought to do so constantly, and the best way to go about it is to establish a trust fund that will be tracked publicly online. That way, it will have a dedicated website. We cannot pursue such a project without naming with all its implication for shaming.

    If the Federal Government does not want to name, it will be guilty of double standards. Only recently, the former boss of the Nigerian Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko, returned the sum of N1 billion to our coffers. Again, quite a few others have been arrested, including Femi Fani-Kayode and Musiliu Obanikoro, for sums of money publicly announced. Obanikoro was reported to have returned N100 million. Some were arrested, like President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman, Reuben Abati, who was asked to account for N50 million.

    The question of the trust fund is also to make it part of the process of democracy. In these days when 33 state governments cannot pay salaries, we need to know not only how and when inflows occur. We also want to know how they are disbursed.

    That is the only way the war on corruption cannot be accused of philosophical contradiction, of opacity in a rubric that calls for nothing but openness.

  • LASU, EFCC partner on transparency

    LASU, EFCC partner on transparency

    Henceforth, the Lagos State University (LASU) will set the pace in transparency and sound governance.

    The 34-year-old institution says it has risen from the ashes of the past, and ready to prove skeptics wrong. To this end, the institution is seeking a deal with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to make its modest contribution in its fight against corruption.

    Vice Chancellor of the institution Prof Lanre Fagbohun, spoke when LASU hosted Chairman EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, and Chartered Institute Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Prsident, Prof Joseph Ajibola, at a seminar organised by the university’s Faculty of Management Sciences last Thursday.

    He said: “What we are doing today is discussing issues bordering on money laundering. We believe that this is the time in Nigeria, whereby we need to confront corruption headlong. To do this therefore, we felt there is the need to bring those who are involved (in the fight) and EFCC is foremost; same goes with CIBN.

    “When you cut corners, it will come back to hurt you. This is the kind of campaign they (EFCC and CIBN) are laundering, and it is worthy to be applauded.”

    Being an academic institution, Fagbohun sees LASU as a place for the two bodies to further push their campaigns. The professor of Environmental Law added that other tertiary institutions could take a cue from LASU to commence a renewed orientation.

    “The submissions of both EFCC and CIBN laid emphasis on reorientation at very early age. This (LASU) is one of the places they can start effectively. Tertiary institutions need to know that money allocated to them is not just easy money. As managers of tertiary institutions, we need to demonstrate virtues such as credibility, integrity and excellence.”

    Fagbohun said the university, under his watch, will remain glued to the tripod – teaching, research and community service.

    Earlier, Magu said the visit to LASU formed a part of the campaign by the commission to show youths how corruption has affected the country’s psyche.

    “We know corruption is everywhere and even beyond Nigeria. What we are saying is that if as individuals, we can make our little contributions towards the fight for corruption, I think we would be getting somewhere,” he said.

    He urged Nigerians not to fail to report to the commission any individual they suspect to be living an outlandish lifestyle beyond his means, promising that such information would be treated with strict confidentiality.

  • Senate to NPA: enthrone transparency in budget implementation

    Senate to NPA: enthrone transparency in budget implementation

    THE Senate Committee on Marine Transport has urged the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to promote transparency in the implementation of its budget.

    The committee, led by its chairman, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, said the members were at the NPA to carry out their oversight function.

    According him, the committee members were at the authority to see that the agency performs optimally and not to witch-hunt anybody.

    Yerima directed the NPA to ensure that any agreement it signed on behalf of the Federal Government was in tandem with the constitution.

    The former governor said the NPA’s Managing Director and the three Executive Directors must work and comply with the rules and regulations guiding their appointment to promote trade.

    The senators, while assuring them of their support in promoting businesses at ports, urged the NPA to always promote the trade facilitation programme of the Federal Government.

    NPA Managing Director Ms Hadiza Bala Usman told  the senators she would build on the existing relationship between her agency and the Senate.

    She assured the committee that the NPA management would carry out its responsibilities diligently and transparently.

    She assured them of providing vital information that would enable them succeed in carrying out their responsibilities.

    During their visit to the Lekki Deep Sea port, the senators faulted the non-inclusion of railway in the port’s master plan and directed them to do so to avoid the experience of Nigerians from Apapa gridlock.

    The Senate committee chairman, apart from urging the promoters of the port to fashion out the plan to evacuate cargoes from the port without necessarily using the road, told them to come up with a community social responsibility (CSR) programme to stem youth restiveness in the area.

    Over $78 million, the promoters said, had been spent on the project.

  • Council chief seeks transparency in government

    It was a night of many awards as serving and retired staff members of the FCT Administration, and others stepped forward, one after another, to collect awards for service to their fatherland. The Gala and award night, held at the Abuja Sheraton and Towers, was the grand finale of the press week organized by the FCTA NUJ Chapel, last week.

    By seven o’clock in the evening last week the hotel’s Ladi Kwali Hall was filled to capacity with top government functionaries from the FCT Administration, as well as the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chair, Hon. Adamu Abdullahi Candido with his entourage, among several others.

    First on the list of the awardees was a former Director of Information and an erudite speech writer, Mr. Ezeako Odi, who bagged the Most Outstanding Pioneer award for his effectiveness in the management of information in the Administration, as well as engineering the employment of many staffs in the department.

    While Hon. Adamu Candido was enviably given the Outstanding Leadership award for his wonderful performance in office so far, Alhaji Ibrahim Biu was awarded for his meritorious service to the country.

    Mrs. Victoria Umana, Director of the FCT department of Science and Technology grabbed the Most Innovative Director award. It was revealed during her citation that Umana initiated numerous innovative programmes, bothering on modern agriculture and production of household items, among others.

    Another retired Deputy Director of Information who served with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Mr. Ikokwu Okonkwo also received an award for his commendable service during his days in charge of FCDA information.

    Others who were also awarded on the event include the General Manager, Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA), Alhaji Muhammed Tukur Arabi, who got Community Service award and Mrs. Helen Odika of the FCTA Permanent Secretary’s office –the youngest of the awardees who was commended for commitment to duties.

    Mrs. Umana while responding on behalf of the awardees expresses gratitude to the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and the Permanent Secretary for permitting the Chapel to elaborately organize the event. She therefore prayed God to guide the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), especially at such a time when the truth was not only lacking but was also difficult to identify in the society.

    Representative of the Permanent Secretary who is Director of Information, Mrs. Stella Ojeme noted that the three-day event provided the opportunity for the Information Officers to learn a lot, urging them to put in practice what they learnt for the betterment of the FCT Administration and the entire territory.

    The Permanent Secretary therefore urged the audience to have a nice time during the gala night.

    NUJ FCT Council Chairman, Mr. Paul Ella who also spoke at the event pledged the continued support of his colleagues to the FCT Administration, even as he commended the efforts of Malam Muhammad Musa Bello “who has been doing wonderfully well” and the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye for his efforts.

    In an interview with journalists after the event, the AMAC Chairman stated that the award was a “call for further service to the citizens of Nigeria” and called for “transparency, truthfulness” and the maintenance of the mandate of public office, but not to abuse it.  He also tasked public servants to imbibe “the spirit of humility in service.”

    Earlier, Chairman of the FCTA NUJ Chapel, Comrade Nnachi Okafor in his welcome address said that the event provided an opportunity for reflection on the challenges of the journalism profession and commended his colleagues for laboring so hard to fight corruption in the society and wielding through economic challenges.

    The event was also attended by Mrs. Joy Okoye who represented the Director of FCT Treasury, Acting Secretary, Agriculture Secretariat, Alhaji Musa A. Aliyu, among others.

     

  • ‘Customs service collected over N95b in August’

    ‘Customs service collected over N95b in August’

    The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in August generated N95,760,763,642.04 which has been documented as the highest in the last 10 months .

    The Public Relations Unit of the NCS made this known on its website on Monday, saying: “Last month, August 2016, the Service recorded the highest revenue in 10 years despite the Forex difficulty, low imports and general economic downturn. The Service generated N95,760,763,642.04, a feat that points to the efficacy of the Comptroller-General’s policy thrust.”

    According to statement, the strong stance of the CGC on issues of Discipline, Integrity and Strict adherence to Customs Codes and Clearance procedures is yielding positive results in the areas of suppression of smuggling and revenue collection.

    The statement reads in part: “Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) on assumption of office as the Comptroller-General of Customs August last year arrived with a three prone Presidential mandate, namely:- Reform, Restructure and Raise revenue.

    “To achieve these, he drew his policy thrust, which harped, on Honesty, Integrity and Transparency as bases for achieving the mandate. Starting from the Headquarters and then to all Customs formations across the Country.

    “Knowing that reform and restructuring are activities within the Nigeria Customs Service, while raising the much needed revenue requires cooperation and Compliance from the part of Stakeholders, the CGC embarked on Stakeholders visitations to secure their buy into the new way of doing business with the Service.

    After one year at the helm of affairs, the Nigeria Customs Service, revenue generation profile has continued to be on the rise.

     

  • MUSWEN, MSSN call for transparency

    MUSWEN, MSSN call for transparency

    The Muslim Ummah of the South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) and Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit have urged Nigerian leaders to be transparent and accountable in governance.

    MUSWEN thanked Allah for “enabling us to see its (Ramadan) end alive with good health and peaceful coexistence.

    It urged Muslims to remember the social and spiritual gains of the sacred month and fulfil their covenant with Allah.

    “We should remember to pay our mandatory Zakatul-Fitr and be kind to the less privileged ones in our celebrations. Such celebrations should exemplify the remorse and humility we imbibed in the sacred month of Ramadan. We urge our Imams in all Mosques to pray specially at the Eid grounds today for peace and tranquillity in Nigeria,” MUSWEN said.

    MSSN Amir (President) Mallam Saheed Ashafa, said Nigeria would witness tremendous growth if both leaders and followers were ready to sacrifice for the country.

    He said: “In the spirit of celebration, it is important not to forget the essence of Eid-el Fitri, among which is sacrifice. If all and sundry adhere to the teachings and virtues of Eid-el Fitri, Nigeria won’t be in its pitiable state today.

    “We assert that today is another day for both leaders and followers in the country to assess how our actions and inactions have benefited or ruin our country. Like Prophet Muhammad, we must be accountable and transparent in our dealings. Apart from being accountable on earth, we must also prepare for questioning in the hereafter.

    “If our leaders have been accountable from inception, we will not find ourselves in a situation where many states cannot pay salaries without borrowing. It saddening that many workers are still being owed and will be constrained to celebrating Eid-il Fitri as they really wished.”

  • Transparency in states

    •Nigeria’s federating units must be more accountable

    Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun’s reiteration of the necessity for all states of the federation to publish their accounts at the end of every financial year emphasises the radical change in prevailing attitudes that is vital if the economy is to improve.

    Pointing out that the Federal Government had been leading by example on issues of fiscal responsibility, the minister argued that “it is about improving accountability and transparency, increasing public revenue, effective expenditure, improving public financial management and managing debt sustainably.”

    Any state that is genuinely committed to ensuring renewed economic growth and greater financial autonomy will find nothing extraordinary in this assertion. The seriousness of Nigeria’s current economic predicament has manifested itself in the states’ inability to finance essential services and execute development projects, and in the non-payment of the salaries of civil servants, teachers and other state employees.

    The ensuing labour unrest has taken its toll on industrial harmony across the country, with several workers’ unions embarking on strike and protests to demand the payment of what is rightfully theirs. The hollowness of the country’s so-called “feeding-bottle federalism,” in which almost all the nation’s states are entirely dependent on monthly federal allocations, has been exposed for the unsustainable fiscal arrangement that it is.

    It is in this regard that Mrs. Adeosun’s warning assumes even greater relevance. She has not told state governments anything they do not already know. Indeed, her argument is spelt out in even greater detail in the Buhari administration’s Fiscal Sustainability Programme (FSP) which was agreed to by state governors at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held in May.

    The FSP commits the federal and state governments to a set of five strategic objectives and 22 recommended action points aimed at improving fiscal behaviour, and thus synchronising their short and long-term sustainability objectives.

    Under the programme, states are required to publish audited annual financial statements within six months of the end of the financial year. Annual budgets are to be published online, as well as quarterly budget performance reports, which will be published online as from next March. All parties are to attain and comply with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

    Adherence to the FSP is also the main criterion for accessing the Federal Government’s new N90 billion lifeline. Apparently no state has as yet been able to meet the required conditions. While this is tragic in itself, the real worry is in the fact that a majority of states are unable or unwilling to attain fiscal requirements which are essential for their own long-term development, rather than merely being a condition for obtaining soft loans.

    It seems that most of Nigeria’s states are only interested in obtaining the funds with which to settle their bills, as opposed to reconfiguring their financial architecture in ways that can guarantee sustained growth. Such short-sightedness bodes ill for the states concerned, because it betrays not only the inability to withstand economic adversity; it also demonstrates a profound ignorance of what capable financial management is.

    Publishing state accounts is a particularly relevant policy which serves to achieve several progressive ends simultaneously. It underscores the notion of representative government. It proves a commitment to transparency and accountability. It makes for better monitoring of budget expenditure. It is the clearest indicator of the efficiency or otherwise with which an economy is being run.

    The need for an extensive overhaul of the way the federal and state governments make and spend money is not a partisan issue; it is fundamental to the nation’s very survival. Nigeria simply cannot continue to administer its economic affairs the way it used to. Its inability to manage its wealth properly has inevitably led to a situation in which it has no choice other than to manage its poverty competently.

  • Bayelsa gets transparency website

    Bayelsa gets transparency website

    The Bayelsa State Government has launched a transparency website to help members of the public access the financial reports and other issues of revenue accruing to the state from different sources.

    The website, Bayelsa Watch, was inaugurated by Governor Seriake Dickson during the 50th edition of the state’s transparency briefing recently.The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite said the establishment of the Transparency Watch would reduce the speculations about the government’s financial transactions.

    He also called on the people of the state to remain supportive of the policies and programmes of the government. According to him, the restoration administration had always demonstrated genuine commitment to the wellbeing of the people and the overall development of the state.

    Dickson while inaugurating the website said it would be domiciled within the ministry of Information but updated by the Ministry of Finance. The governor also confirmed that the state  received N95bn from the Federation Account (FAAC) in one year.

    Of the amount, the governor said N12bn went to the eight local government areas bringing the state government’s receipt to N83bn. The governor spoke on Monday during the 50th edition of the state’s monthly transparency briefing and the launch of transparency website, ‘Transparency Watch’ at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa.

    But computations of all the breakdown reeled out by the governor showed a total expenditure of N111.6bn, against the N95bn receipt. He said N14.89bn was used to service bond repayments taken by the Timipre Sylva administration while salaries of workers consumed N32.38bn.

    He further added that bank loans gulped about N15bn,  local debts including inherited debts and overdraft N24.6bn,  overhead costs for running the three arms of government N3.9bn while the sum of N20.9bn went to projects.

    With the expenditure profile of about N111.7bn, the state government is in deficit of about N28bn. He said if not for his administration’s prudent management of resources, the state would have collapsed.

    Dickson decried what he described as lopsided federal system, saying that though Bayelsa is an oil-rich state, the nation has not been fair to the state.The governor commended the Federal Government for publishing the revenue that accrued to the states from the federation account.

    But he said: “For those of you, who read that report, you will see that Bayelsa is not number one on that list in the sense of who got what. We produce the bulk of the resources, but when you look at the list, Bayelsa is probably number five or six. That issue has to do with addressing the lopsided federal structure of our country, which some of us have been talking and will continue to talk about.

    “I commend the Federal government for publishing what goes to the states. That is what we have been doing here by law for the past four years and still counting. But, it will also be interesting for the Federal Ministry of Finance to publish what the Federal Government and its various agencies are getting and spending. That should also be put in the public domain.

    “We are the state that is teaching Nigeria transparency; what it means to be transparent in the running of government; what it means to show tolerance and democratic temper in the way we allow people express their views and how no one is hunted and hounded in this land.”