Fashola on stomach infrastructure and governance

Former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola has lamented, that some Nigerians instead of insisting on good governance, or having credible individuals in public offices would prefer to have stomach infrastructure.

He noted, that stomach infrastructure had provided results in past elections in the country, as “Some Nigerians voted for party or individual as a result of various gifts received from them, such as money and sponsorship to Jerusalem or Hajj”.

He spoke as keynote speaker at the 16th annual Bishop Mike Okonkwo lecture, tagged, “The Nigerian Political Class and the Citizens’ Quest for Good Governance” held in Lagos yesterday.

He insisted, that people must be enlightened for them to know their roles in providing good governance.

Read also: My burial place is set -Fashola

According to him, individuals and parties at times don’t return to office on the basis of good governance because “For some people, their own measure of good governance is sponsorship to Hajj and Jerusalem by the government of the day and by current figures revealed recently, sponsorship to Hajj this year will cost about N785, 000 per person. Some have argued that some of these people prefer to have the services monetised.

“The emphasis must be on the majority because not all of the people will be happy with regular power and water supply. Those who import generators or supply water in tankers will not be happy with government that makes power and water regularly available.

“So it is the majority that matters, and this is why the time tested principle for testing the value or benefit of government policy is whether it brings the greatest good to the greatest number and not whether it brings the greatest good to everyone”, he said.

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now