…Calls for Public Sector overhaul
By Henry Uche
Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) has called on the federal government and State governors to practice what they preach to Nigerians.
Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had after his inauguration urged Nigerians to show understanding with the government on saddle, and tighten their belts as the country grapples with unprecedented socioeconomic and political turbulences.
With the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of APC government at the center, every expectant Nigerian are beginning to weigh and compare president Tinubu’s governance style vis-a-vis what he professed during his electioneering campaigns – to reduce cost of governance.
Following the proposed N165 million SUV Utility Car for each legislator at the national assembly, N15bn proposed budget request by FCT minster – Nyesom Wike for erection of Vice President’s House in Abuja, N6.9bn for Presidential fleet, N1.5bn for First Lady’s cars, the over 1000 delegates who were at Conference of Parties (COP 28) in Dubai with the president, and other unfounded actions of the government, many critics have accused this administration of selfishness, financial recklessness, indiscipline and imprudence.
For this reason and more, ICSAN’s president & Chairman of Governing Council, Mrs Funmi Ekundayo, at a strategic Media engagement in Lagos, charged president leaders across the three tiers of government to lead by example saying, “You can’t ask Nigerians to do something and you turn around and do a different thing. You must be transparent and lead by example”
ICSAN Chief who was recently appointed as the Treasurer of Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA), moreover pressed the need to support the private sector to thrive, and urged the government to plough back the savings from fuel subsidy into agriculture, infrastructure, mining, health and other critical sectors.
“The government should act fast to halt the mass exodus of so many companies, though I believe when everything is okay, investors would return, as well as those who ‘Japa’. For us as an institute, we’re optimistic for 2024 and hope the bill seeking to rebrand our name to Corporate Governance Institute.
“There is a need to overhaul the public sector. Nigerian government must tighten its belt in recognition of the reduced national revenue all forms of wastages must be eliminated with effectiveness, effectiveness and efficiency being the centerpiece of operations strategy”
The Legal Practitioner recommended that Nigeria strengthen its Corporate Governance regime to reap the benefits of economic growth and sustainable development, adding that ICSAN just inaugurated Kaduna Chapter(being the first in Northern Nigeria) and signed MoU with University of Benin (UNIBEN) and the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for the Study Master of Science (MSc) in Governance.
“Our Institute affirms faith in the viability of emergence of a Nigeria that is strong, self-reliant and prosperous. We believe that one of the cogent ways of moving in this direction is by entrenching good governance in the Public and Private sectors” she added.