“In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable.” – Robert Arnott
Interestingly, only in the month of August 2024, the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee said it had disbursed a total sum of N1.2 Trillion naira earned as revenue to Federal government, States and Local Government Councils in Nigeria. Out of that amount, the states received a total sum of N99.47 Billion naira. States also boast of taxes and other internally generated revenues which keep growing with time. Let us not dwell on intervention funds, loans and the rest of other sources of revenues that are accrued to the states. What do our Governors do with all the money at their disposals?
In view of this, if we are serious and sincere about economic emancipation and grassroot development, let us return home. Let us return to our individual states and ask our respective Governors what they do with our money. In our system, states make up a nation. And local governments sum up to qualify a state. And so, let us begin to question the Governors. Until the Local Government system is deeply entrenched in our polity and made completely functional, my Governor and your Governor should account for every kobo that is meant for development, even at the grassroot levels of our state.
Each time I travel by road, air or sea and see the huge mass of land yet to be cultivated, it appears to me that we are not serious about farming even in the bites and strokes of hunger. Beyond lip service, our Governors in our respective states need to invest in agriculture. They need to invest in mechanized farming. The hoes and cutlasses our fore parents used cannot do much as compared to modern tools such as: Combine Harvester, Sprayer, Tractors, Plough and others too numerous for space sake. Let our Governors purchase the basic modern equipment needed for mechanized and expansive farming. We can move from subsistence to commercial farming that will yield produce for both consumption and commercial purposes.
Let us encourage young people to embrace agriculture. Our real farmers are aging and slowly departing to yonder. Give incentives, grants and loans to farmers in order to make farming attractive and lucrative a venture for our teeming idle youths. Also, distribute seedlings, fertilizers and subsidize the cost of grains. The results will be amazing in years to come. If we are serious about it and with the crowded population and unending landmass, time shall come, when we shall be exporting foods to other countries of the world. Both crop farming and animal husbandry can become profitable ventures and yield desired revenues for our respective states.
Need we remind our Governors of the need to invest in education? A recent report from UNICEF 2022, pokes Nigeria as having the highest number of out of school children in the world, with about 18.4 million children said to be out of school. This is embarrassing and shameful. With so much money already in their hands, our Governors do not have any excuse not to invest in education. Scholarships can be introduced especially at the preliminary levels in order to entice and encourage children to go school. First Premier of Western Region (1954-1959), Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo will for a long time be remembered for the free education policy he introduced at the time, which encouraged a massive enrollment of children into public schools. The harvests of the seed of he sowed through that policy, are manifest in the enviable number of educated elites from that region. Our Governors can do same. The Medical doctors, Engineers, Journalists, Pilots, Professors, and other career persons of tomorrow must first become products of education. Whatever change we desire can be achieved through education. According to Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” We cannot agree less.
Governors who make traveling to other countries of the world a hobby, should pick up the good good things they experience and enjoy abroad and replicate them in their various states. They should initiate and meet with genuine investors. Attract developmental projects and partners back home. Invest in projects that will yield economic benefits to your people. Do not invest in projects for self-glorification. That is mediocrity. We have moved past the era when people clapped and sang the praises of Governors who spent millions and billions of projects they knew, would not outlive their tenure in office. Now, people appraise the performances of their leaders based on projects and programmes that have direct impacts on the people and will endure the test of time.
It is evident that peace and security can be felt and enjoyed only in places where people are busy with their lives. Create job opportunities for the youths. Open up centres for skills acquisition, vocational trainings and learning of trades in diverse areas. Let our youths be busy and productive with their hands and minds and become progressive with their lives.
Again, by all means possible, let our Governors set-up independent power plants to provide constant power to support and enhance production. Also, construct good and durable roads; the type we see in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and in some parts of Rivers states. Our economy survives and is sustained by functional amenities. Extensively, let them provide pipe-borne water for the people. It is sad to note that we still complain of lack of basic amenities in our country in this 21st century. Let the states steer the course of development.
The Federal Government cannot do it all. The State Governors have been lavished with money, so much money from the Federal allocation since the assumption of Bola Tinubu’s led government. Some of the Governors also swim in largesse generated from internally generated revenue. No Governor can and should complain of lack of funds for development purposes. No! Not at this time.
“Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I’d never forget you – never. (The Message Bible, Isaiah 49:15)
Anthony Ekpo Bassey, PhD is a Calabar-based Journalist and public affairs analyst
