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How State Governors Brought Hunger on Nigerians
As Nigeria’s journey has been a journey of grace because of the leaders she was blessed with since independence that keep plunging the nation into political, economic, social and religious abyss, the recent hunger and everyday hyperinflation that partly resulted into protest across the nation, no doubt raised so many questions about the roles of state governors to the growth and development of Nigeria. Because, since the protest focused attention on the failure of federal government to providing palliatives that will cushion the effect of hunger on Nigerians, should we then exonerate state governors vis-à-vis their utilization of the new financial boom from fuel subsidy given to their states?
On his ascension into the highest office in the land on 29th May, 2024, President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy in line with his electoral campaign promise to Nigerians in order to ensure the economic viability of the nation due to the depletion of our commonwealth by the last administration with massive borrowing that almost endangered the corporate survival of Nigeria. Being an idea which time has come, though the removal of fuel subsidy did not generate crisis because of the general believe that it is long overdue, its poor management by both state and federal governments, brought so much hardship such as hunger, high cost of living, high cost of travelling and more on Nigerians.
But as the state governors also contributed immensely towards subsidy removal due to their believe in its ability to bringing more money for project execution, many Nigerians also agree with state governors that with fuel subsidy gone, the masses would be lifted out of poverty and be able to freely feed themselves, but the reverse has been the case since the inauguration of the policy nine months ago. As many Nigerians have now been plunged into poverty contrary to the projection of lifting them out it, should the federal government bear the blame alone? Where are the financial proceeds from fuel subsidy accrued to the states? What are our governors doing with them? With the lamentation of state governors against petrol subsidy as the only hindrance to good governance in their various states and thus drummed support for its removal, it is sad that most governors have not been able to match their words with action since its removal and financial rain started falling on their states.
In the first month after the removal of fuel subsidy, National Bureau of Statistics says federal, state and local governments had ₦1.959 trillion out of which ₦907.05 was shared in July 2023. This translated to about trice of the ₦786.161bn generated in May and shared in June and more than thrice the ₦655.93bn generated in April and shared in May. After subsidy removal, FAAC monthly allocation to states and local governments include ₦514bn in July, ₦555.75bn in August, ₦627.73bn in September, ₦497.97bn in October, ₦533bn in November and ₦610.5bn in December more than when oil subsidy was on which should automatically give our governors the opportunity to provide more social services but reverse has been the case.
As the statutory federal allocations to the coffers of the state government in 2024 increase by 69 per cent to ₦5.54tr, the 2024 budget reveals that states would receive ₦2.24tn more than the ₦3.3tn 2023 provision. This therefore stipulates that in the present revenue sharing formula, the states get 26.72 per cent, 20.60 per cent to local government while 52.68 per cent goes to federal government.
As the aim of the federal government behind the release of these funds to state was to provide palliatives that would cushion the effect of fuel subsidy currently biting on Nigerians, our “Excellency governors” have not been forthcoming in the proper utilization of this fund. Contrary to the argument of the governors that zero subsidy would lead to the execution of life impacting projects such as in road construction, education, health care services, in the last nine months, not many state governors have been able to explain to Nigerians or their respective states what they have been able to do with the “windfall” to their various states in spite of the hunger and inflation in the land.
With the exemption of Lagos, which has, with the increase allocation increases salary by 20 per cent, slashed BRT, train and ferry fares by 25 per cent, gave out free rice and other staples with food relief to 300,000 households, free child delivery for all pregnant women and paying transport support to all Lagos teachers among others, no other governor can account for half of the 69 per cent more allocation to his state. Yet the citizen will not ask their governors questions on the misappropriation of public fund but protest against federal government that is making sure money gets to the state for the well being of the people and also paying ₦35,000 wage support to federal workers. Nigerians must shift their focus away from federal government and ask their governors question.
The high level of accountability that is required of an elected official is what makes democracy to be a unique form of government. It is called government of the people because it involves the participation of everybody. It means that everybody is equal in a democratic setting regardless of the position you occupy. It means the electorates are the employers while the one who is elected is the employee. As a governor is an official of the state elected by the masses, accountability is deserved of him by the same masses but the reverse is the case with our governors who see themselves more as emperors that cannot be accountable to anybody.
True to the above, our governors in Nigeria are accountable to no one; not the president, not the people (that are supposed to be their employers). The houses of assemblies across Nigeria that are supposed to checkmate their excesses have been pocketed thereby making them to be free marshal that are accountable to no one. This is the major reason for the multifaceted crisis maligning Nigeria because nobody is asking the governors any question about how they are spending state IGR and federal allocation. We all focus our gaze on the federal government to the extent that we do not bother state governors about job creation, hunger in the land, lack of social services and disaster of various sorts.
Over the years, our local government system has been crippled by state governors because of their selfish reason and everybody seems to be at ease without any form of protest either by the people, NLC, TUC and other well meaning organization for the restoration of local government so that the grassroots can enjoy the benefit of governance at that level. Rather, we find joy in castigating federal government which does not fail in its duty towards the state but we are mute on the failure of the state towards the local government, house of assembly and the general masses. This habit must be corrected so the governors can be alive to their responsibilities. How then do we correct this?
This can be corrected by asking questions and through general inquisitiveness about our state more than the federal government because it is closer to us. Protest too, can be organized at the state level because according to the provision of the Constitution of Nigeria, Freedom of Information Act 2011 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right as applicable in Nigeria, there exists transparency requirement imposed on state to publish the details of how the various subsidy inflow to the states are spent but how many state government have done this? Are people mounting any pressure on the governors to do so?
Akin to this, is the right bestowed on citizen by the Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act and the country’s human rights and anti-corruption laws to have access to the information that bother on government activities within the state. It is our failure in this direction that empowers the governors with unnecessary ego. If we do however, it will open room for checks and balances and put them on their toes to work and be accountable to the people.
Dear governor, now that your period of lamentation over lack of money to execute project is over due to the current financial breakthrough orchestrated by subsidy removal, Nigerians are now expectant of people oriented project, i.e project with direct impact on people and with the ability to lift them out of the present hunger in the land. The proceeds from oil subsidy belong to everybody in your state and not only you and your family members. We know that you all want to be president and you must save money for it but remember that you need people to achieve your goal and the people in turn need food to survive. As you may also know that blood speaks, the blood of Nigerians that die in hunger or through the misappropriation of funds to cushion their hunger will speak. Nigeria will be great again.
Olushola Omogbehin a public affairs analyst Writes from Abuja Nigeria omogbehino@yahoo.com 08069220040
