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- Watch your debt profile – Okonjo-Iweala
- We must address political corruption to survive – Tambuwal
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the newly-elected and returning governors to deliver on their campaign promises or get ready to be voted out of power in the next elections.
Buhari spoke yesterday during the induction programme organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for new and returning state chief executives in the country ahead of the May 29 swearing-in.
Daily Trust reports that the event which kicked off at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja and is billed to round off on Tuesday is aimed at supporting the new governors in developing the essential skills for democratic governance for the implementation of pre-election blueprints.
Buhari who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, said Nigerians must be patient, tolerant and use the appropriate channels to seek redress if they believe there have been unfair practices along the way.
He said: “On May 29, you will be called upon to steer the affairs of your states for the next four years. From this day you become wholly responsible for the state as an enterprise.
You as the governor or state chief executive inherit all assets and liabilities. The assumption of office is a constitutional process that we must take with utmost dedication, in the light of the trust bestowed on you by those who elected you.
“One interesting development that we all saw from the last election is that the electorate is maturing, and people are increasingly finding their voices.
“Any public officer who fails to either meet up with the expectations of the people or deliver on his campaign promises would be voted out in the next election. That is what democracy is about; deliver or get shown the door out.
“I enjoin the forum to promote ideals that will address the challenges of democracy and governance in our country today. The role of the sub-nationals is critical in our socio-economic development as a nation.
“As returning or incoming state executives, you also must be cognisant of the comparative advantages inherent in each of your states, and how you can form partnerships with each other, by leveraging your various strengths while recognising that no one size fits all solutions.
“I also urge you to take this opportunity to unite across party divides to put the country first. Nigerians desire peace, progress and security; a country where they have access to quality education, health and social services.
“Your ability to champion these values significantly impacts the atmosphere where the delivery of social goods and services will be conducted efficiently and harmoniously.
Buhari said steady progress has been made since he took office in 2015 even though the road has been bumpy due to a challenging fiscal climate.
“But I am proud to state as we leave office in about two weeks that we have built a firm foundation for a prosperous Nigeria. We could not have done everything, but we focused on a number of areas; infrastructure, agriculture and strengthening our armed forces,” he said.
Watch your debt profiles – Okonjo-Iweala
In her presentation, a former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, asked the incoming governors to watch the debt profile of their states and keep careful control of expenditures.
Okonjo-Iweala who is the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, while delivering a speech on ‘the task of nation-building’ during the occasion, tasked the new and returning governors to increase the Internally Generated Revenue and address the various challenges bedevilling their states.
She said, “We have challenges on the fiscal, debt, and monetary policy fronts. Nigeria’s gross debt level has climbed from N19.3 trillion in 2015 to N91.6 trillion in 2023.
“Please, watch your debt profiles, and keep careful control of expenditures, even as you invest in infrastructure, education, and basic health systems. Please endeavour to pay teachers, health workers, and others their salaries, and retirees their pensions.
“Let me say this, if you govern well, are open and transparent, manage your state well, you will attract private investment and multilateral support will come your way.
“So much of our economy is informal. If at the state and federal levels leaders can provide better support and services to informal sector enterprises, especially MSMEs, they can be registered as proper businesses, assisted to grow and then become the basis for broader and deeper taxation.
“States need to think carefully of how to first support these enterprises to grow and eventually how to gently ease them into the tax net.
“You must make your states and all Nigeria a hospitable, encouraging place where young people want to stay and thrive, not leave. Much as we appreciate remittances sent home by these migrants, Nigeria will not develop and prosper if its youthful, tech-savvy population leaves.
“Every nation is a work in progress. The task of nation-building is a continuous one. So even if we have made mistakes, there is always a chance to change course. The fatal mistake in nation-building is refusing to learn lessons, and failing to course-correct where needed.
“In our country, given its size, diversity, and economic development challenges, the scale of the task of nation-building is particularly large.
“As you take office or return to your governorships, our 222 million compatriots will be counting on you to rise to the occasion. The states are closest to the people: what you do- or don’t do – directly impacts people across the country. Excellencies, you have a lot of healing to do – within your states, and between them.”
We must address political corruption – Tambuwal
On his part, the Sokoto State governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said Nigeria must address the menace of political corruption for the survival of its citizens.
Addressing the gathering, Tambuwal said Nigeria needs to nourish and nurture its democracy for strong consolidation and service delivery at the subnational level.
The governor said, “We need to strengthen our institutions to perform and ensure sustainability in the provision of democratic dividends. These are the critical elements that sustained advanced democracies with institutional capacity and human capital development.
“Political corruption is inimical to economic development. It is a financial crime against the nation and humanity because of its negative impacts on the living conditions of the people and the concentration of wealth in the hands of a privileged few.
“We should collectively address corruption at all levels of governance. There is the urgent need for proactiveness in our approach to the menace of corruption. We should eliminate incentives to corruption by waging the war through the bottom.
“At this juncture, I wish to acknowledge the passion and steadfastness of the international community, particularly countries with well-developed political systems and democracies, for their support in the development of a strong political system and democracy in Nigeria.
“We have had 24 years of uninterrupted democratic experience. This is still a nascent democratic journey compared to advanced democracies. We need to nourish and nurture it for strong consolidation and service delivery at the subnational level.”
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