In a democracy, the primary purpose of government is the security and well-being of the citizens. Specifically, Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution [as amended]provides that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” There’s no gain saying that Nigerians are going theough difficult times. Even the President and commander-in-chief, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, himself has severally acknowledged this and has been appealing to Nigerians for understanding.
Having said this, one of the questions that’s yet to be answered is, is Nigeria lacking the resources to actualise Section 14(2)(b) or it is a question of unwillingness on the part of leaders at all levels to do the right thing? If you ask me I will say, without batting an eyelid, that it is the failure of some leaders that has brought the country to knees.
Nigeria operates a three tier federalism – federal, state and local governments. Though they operate independently, they must cooperate to ensure the smooth running of the polity. Put succinctly, the relationship between the three tiers of government is like a car engine. If one of the parts as minutest as a plug is malfunctioning, the whole system is in a mess. Relating this to federalism, no matter how well one of the components is, there must be corresponding functionality from others.
To enable the wheel of government run smoothly, monies accruing to the country is shared among the three tiers. As it stands, the federal government gets 52.68 per cent of the revenue, states 26.72 per cent, and local governments 20.60 per cent.
Let me restate that before President Tinubu took office on May 29, 2023 Nigeria was already using more than 90 per cent of its revenue on debt serving. It is an open secret that the economy was on a life-support because it was running on borrowed funds and loans. This left the president between the devil and the deep blue sea. Payment of subsidy and neck-deep corruption that comes with it had weakened the economy.
As a courageous leader, President Tinubu decided to bite the bullet at once by removing subsidy to free-up resources for government to function. Predictably, the policy was going to bring pains to Nigerians. All things being equal, it was going to be temporal pains.
To cushion the pains that removal of subsidy breeds, President Tinubu launched a flurry of initiatives. Alas, more than a year after this series of interventions by way of palliatives and bailout to states, Nigerians are still groaning under excruciating hardship. Experts have blamed the continuous hardship on the insincerity of regional governments to circulate the series of federal interventions among ordinary Nigerians at the grassroots who need assistance.
State governors are sitting on 47 per cent accruals to federation account. If you add the 27 per cent for state government and 20 per cent for local governments. It amounts to 47 per cent. The creation of the State Joint Local Government Account System (SJLGAS) by section 162 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) is the greatest mistake of the fourth republic. The drafters of the document containing the country’s grind norm meant it to facilitate rural development of the local communities through effective supervision of the distribution and efficient management of revenue accruing to the local government councils.
In a sane arrangement, it is supposed to be that the more money is made available to government, the better for poverty reduction efforts. Unfortunately, ours is a Paradox. For instance, the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) distributed N1.13 trillion for January 2024. In February, amount available for sharing grew to N1.15 trillion. Fast forward to July 2024, FAAC shared a total sum of N1,358.075 trillion to the three tiers of government as federal allocation, while 1.203 trillion was shared in August.
Ordinarily, with these humongous sums reaching our states and local governments evey 31 days, we shouldn’t be talking about poverty. Tongues have been wagging about the insensitivity of some governors. The media reported extensively how rice palliatives that were sent to states for onward distribution to citizens were rebagged and sold in open market. In fact, an aide to a certain governor was alleged to have turned to a rice merchant.
During President Muhammadu Buhari, governors reportedly stockpiled rice meant for the people. It took angry and hungry youths who took law into their hands to uncover the hidden palliatives.
The social intervention has become a conundrum of corruption – a conduit pipe through which local government funds find their way into private pockets and bank accounts. As I have mentioned severally before, the insecurity plaguing the country today is, in greater part, happening because the local governments are stiffled of funds. The monies that are supposed to come directly to chairmen of local authorities to reflate the grassroots economy is hijacked in joint accounts from where it will be changed to dollars.
In fact, most governors run their states like private enterprise. It is common knowledge that the money never get to the local governments. Anytime allocations are released, the chairmen are summoned to the state capital where they’ll be asked to sign an acknowledgement of receipt of the local government allocation. They will, in turn, be given N10 million or less each, out of which the chairmen will use N5 million to pay half or quarter salaries to local counci workers and keep the rest. The circle continues next month.
One of the key initiatives is the National Construction and Household Support Programme, which includes the deployment of N155 billion for the purchase and sale of assorted foodstuff to be distributed across the nation. This programme aims to provide urgent economic relief to Nigerians and strengthen the economy by creating opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, and construction.
To support farmers, the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, apart from President Tinubu’s agriculture revolution, launched his personal initiative called the Kashim Shettima Foundation’s Agricultural Empowerment Programme, which provides tractors, fertilizers, seeds, and other essential farming inputs to beneficiary farmers. This initiative aims to unlock the nation’s agricultural potential and provide essential support to farmers. The administration is also prioritizing infrastructure development, with projects such as the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, and Trans-Saharan Highway. These projects will not only improve transportation but also enhance agricultural productivity and food distribution.
President Tinubu has emphasized the crucial role of local government systems in Nigeria’s national security architecture and stressed the need for urgent legislation to safeguard and enhance their autonomy and effectiveness. This was after he secured the Supreme Court’s verdict on absolute autonomy for the local council. This move aims to address critical national challenges, including food security.
President Tinubu has continued to urge state governors to work together to meet the needs of citizens, emphasizing the urgency of boosting food production. He provided support to farmers, including the provision of solar-powered irrigation facilities and high-quality seedlings.
The administration has also doled out N125 billion in funding for Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), with N50 billion allocated to provide grants to 1 million small businesses. Each of the 774 local governments in Nigeria will receive a minimum grant of N50,000, benefiting a total of 1,300 Nano businesses.
In spite of all the efforts by the renewed hope administration, the non-performance of governors in Nigeria is exacerbating hardship, insecurity and poverty in the country, despite the significant increase in federal allocations to states and local governments following the removal of fuel subsidy. One major issue is the ineffective management of vigilante groups, which have become essential in protecting the public.
With this charade, how do we hope to tackle extreme poverty at the grassroots level? With these development, I am advocating a constitutional amendment to include royal fathers in the management of local council. Life was far better when royal fathers played a significant role in managing local government affairs.
The Tinubu administration’s food support initiatives demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians. While the administration is working tirelessly to support states and local governments in Nigeria through various initiatives aimed at boosting food security and economic growth, Nigerians should file behind the president by asking the states to account for all the funds released by the federal government for these purposes.
