NASS decries rising cost of governance, calls for transparency, accountability

The leadership of the National Assembly has expressed concern over the escalating cost of governance in Nigeria, citing the growing public service wage bills, overhead costs of appointed officials, and salaries and allowances of elected officials as major contributors to the problem.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas spoke at a one-day dialogue on the cost of governance in Nigeria, organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja on Monday.

Akpabio, represented by Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe, emphasized the need for transparency, accountability, and reduction in the cost of governance. He stressed the importance of efficient and effective government, investing in human capital, and fostering a culture of innovation and creativity to drive progress.

He said: “Let us hold ourselves accountable and take responsibility for the betterment of our nation. We have to ensure that our government operates efficiently and effectively, serving the needs of the people and fostering sustainable development.

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“We must invest in our human capital, empowering our public officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive progress. We must foster a culture of innovation and creativity, where new ideas can flourish and transform our nation.”

Abbas echoed similar sentiments, highlighting Nigeria’s struggle with budget deficits and the need to streamline government operational costs and foster budgetary stability. He called for a concerted effort to eliminate wasteful, inefficient, and unnecessary expenses from budgetary allocations.

Abbas said “Nigeria has long grappled with budget deficits, further emphasising the necessity to streamline government operational costs and foster budgetary stability.”

“This requires a concerted effort to eliminate wasteful, inefficient and unnecessary expenses from our budgetary allocations.”

The leaders’ comments underscore the urgent need for fiscal responsibility and prudent management of resources to address the country’s economic challenges.

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