How best would you use 10Billion Naira to impact the lives of Nigerians if you had an opportunity?
Just imagine it!
Well, you probably know where I am heading to but I did sample some friends’ opinion and their respond was typical: “Did you say 10Billion Naira?” when I respond to the affirmative afterwards I got silence. Silence not because my friends lacked ideas on what better way to spend 10 Billion Naira, I could only infer from such reaction that my dear friends were loss of words, deep in thoughts or guess I may be going. . . Well, I am sane. And who knows maybe it’s our collective silence that has made our government officials continuously take us for a ride without a care in the world.
The initial amount budgeted was over 16.4BillionNaira! It was then reduced to 9.5Billion and a probably more ’sensitive’ President Goodluck Jonathan reduced it to 6.6Billion. Many government officials have been trying to justify this frivolity; one of the recent was by the Nigerian Finance Minister, Mr Olusegun Aganga quoted as saying that the spending entailed some capital projects like the renovation of two international airports with their security to standard and that this project was tied to the celebration to “make things faster”. My simple questions are: Does the minister want to tell Nigerians that after 50Years these Airports have not been standard? Is the life of the esteemed guest more important than the lives of Millions of Nigerians that have been daily using both Airports?
I am not interested that it would be an opportunity for the relatives of those in power – please I did not make particular mention of our darling wives – to fight over contracts worth Millions of Naira each, to supply vital security apparatus at our Airports like Balloons, Ribbons, as well as the anniversary souvenir and entertainment.
What bothers me is the fact that majority of us were not consulted before such a colossal amount was budgeted for hosting a party on our behalf with Nigerians not attending – well, unless I wrongly believe that no true Nigerian will indulge in such Childish indulgence – plus what is there to Celebrate? Nigeria is 50 Years and still were it is? Unless our politicians wish to celebrate this, what English word would adequately qualify the Nigerian situation? What would we tell the world we are celebrating?
That Nigeria can better spend 10Billion Naira would be mere stating the obvious. For instance, the recent unimaginable strikes by workers in key sectors – Doctors and Electricity was unnecessary and avoidable. Why don’t we still have constant Electricity Power supply at 50? Ghana celebrated 20years of uninterrupted power supply and our President could only promise us a day of uninterrupted power supply by 2012! Ogun State only required 10Billion to build a plant that would generate 47megawatts of Electricity. What about making the fund available as interest free credit to the Nigerian Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME’s) or giving the cash to Governor Oshiomole to fix more roads in Benin – pardon the bias, your State Governor probably needs it more, what about our Police Force, Education, Youth Unemployment, not mentioning many more sectors that 10 Billion Naira would make tremendous difference.
Not that we should declare it a National day of mourning like some suggest, because nothing is wrong with some Prayers by various religious leaders, public display by students and force men in each state and a Public Holiday, but it would be height of insensitivity for our Rulers – I choose my words carefully – to the present predicaments of the ordinary Nigerian citizenry should we go ahead and spend 10 Billion on an event that has no direct bearing on our collective welfare or that of a majority of the Nigerian populace .
Nigeria cannot afford a 10 Billion Naira Jamboree.
Written by: Oshioke
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