Make Laws To Reduce High Cost of Governance in Nigeria – Obono-Obla Tells NASS

Forum 2 months ago

Make Laws To Reduce High Cost of Governance in Nigeria – Obono-Obla Tells NASS

Former Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigations panel, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla has tasked the National Assembly to immediately make laws to reduce the high cost of governance in Nigeria.

He spoke while disagreeing with calls for the replacement of the presidential system of government with a parliamentary system.

the lawyer insisted that the National Assembly should be consistent on laws that will herald prudent management of resources, reduce corruption, inefficiency, maladministration and a productive economy.

“I do not subscribe to the view that a parliamentary system is ideal for Nigeria.

“If we desire to change the form of government we are currently practising, then we should work at having a meeting point between the parliamentary system and presidential system, such as we have seen in countries like France.

“I do not even think that it is the form of government that we are practising that is making governance expensive as some people would make us believe.

“What is making the cost of governance expensive is our legendary greed, covetousness, selfishness and seeing government as an avenue and instrument for the dispensation of patronage rather than public good for the greatest number.

“I don’t see how the country would change even if there is a switch in the form of government as long as we continue to have people in the National Assembly who are taking a chunk of the national budget as perks and take home.

“If we continue to have an echelon of civil servants that do not think about the masses but are more interested in wealth accumulation taking advantage of their privileged position in the bureaucracy.”

Obono-Obla said he is not excited about the call for a parliamentary system of government but that it is not what would bring food to the tables of Nigerians or what would ameliorate the present economic hardship in the country.

“The call is therefore a red herring and diversionary tactic by the House of the Representatives wing of the National Assembly of the governing elite.

“I wonder aloud why some of our legislators think that a switch in the form of government practice is a panacea to the monumental problems and issues confronting and grappling the country.”