DETAILS: How State Governors Are Wasting Our Money

Everyone comes from a state and it's the states that should do more in terms of physical and social developments that we can see and feel. But what do we get these days? Escapades!

This report by Charles Kumolu seeks to reveal and challenge some of the practices by governors which result in wastefulness at a period that demands proper management of our money.

While conventional wisdom suggests that the current economic crisis in Nigeria would naturally make state governors abandon the culture of wastefulness, findings showed that much is not being done in this regard. 

The situation which contradicts claims of a committed resolve to plug leakages comes surprising given that the trend is happening when most states are in precarious financial positions. 

The trend also goes contrary to an earlier charge by the Presidency to state governments to prioritise their expenditure in order to perform the primary function of government as enshrined in section 2b of the 1999 constitution.

More to the growing concerns about the issue is the fact that most of the country’s 36 state governors, who still entertain financial recklessness are owing salaries and pensions in arrears.

In most of these states where the First-Line Charge (payment of workers’ salaries), is not receiving the priority it deserves as the life of the civil servants has been characterized by misery.

Financial recklessnessFor these and other reasons, many are alarmed that activities that beget financial recklessness, are still part of the workings of most states when frugality was supposed to be the word.

It was learnt that instead of financial moderation through cutting the cost, most state governments still retain the following wasteful practices; too many aides, hiring of jets, first class flight tickets, use of exotic vehicles, long convoys, hosting of unnecessary events, sponsorship of pilgrimages, security votes, frequent travels, funding of First Ladies, donation to political parties, funding of unnecessary projects and unsustainable free education, among others.

To a degree, these norms are not new in the corridors of power, but their uninterrupted existence at a period of alarming scarcity of cash, speaks volumes.

An appraisal of the identified worrisome practices indicates that funds that were supposed to have been conserved and used for the provision of basic amenities are going into areas that matter less to the daily survival of the citizenry.

Indeed, the habit leaves many wondering if affected state governments, realized the imperativeness of ending profitless activities at these times.

Frequent travels

The aspect of frequent foreign and local trips out of state capitals is a source of apprehension. Many are alarmed as that such trips with large entourage require the collection of estacodes.

Apart from a few aides, sources close to state governors told Vanguard that unofficial associates of the chief executives are often part of the entourage.

Sources at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, said most officials still use first class tickets whenever they travel out of Nigeria or withing the country.

As of the time of writing this report, it was gathered that most airlines charge between N3million and N3.2 million for first class air tickets to popular destinations like London, Paris, Frankfurt and New York. The average cost for a first class ticket to Dubai is N1.8million.

Another agitating aspect is that RMAFC did not specify any amount for local trips by state governors, a situation that leaves the amount drawn in the dark. Instructively, all these trips often come at a huge cost for most of these states that depend mainly on federal allocation for survival.

For instance, a source in one of the leading states in Northwest geopolitical zone told Vanguard that the state governor hardly spends five days without traveling out of the state capital. The trips are either local or international.

The governor, who was said to have spent three weeks abroad in December last year, was said to always travel with a large entourage.

REACTION...
A retired Police Commissioner, Abubakar Tsav in his reaction to the issue, blamed the constitution for creating the leeway for the use of public funds as it pleases state helmsmen.

He stated that, "The immunity clause in the constitution has made it possible for these governors to use money the way they like. Honestly, the constitution made them irresponsible with public funds. That is why they always appoint numerous aides, who have no business being in government. These aides have nothing to offer. 

"And these governors are very intolerant of criticisms because, in other places, people will criticize the things they do during this period of recession. The reckless usage of state funds when they are supposed to prioritise is not good for this country and if it continues the journey out of recession may be long for the states.”