Politics
Restructuring will not fix the issue of bad governance – Utomi
A former presidential candidate and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof Pat Utomi Monday argued that restructuring alone would not solve Nigeria’s development challenges tied to bad governance.
Utomi stated that the belief that states would be better developed with more resources was a myth, claiming that some states with fewer resources were more developed than some with more.
He added that the only states that would experience development were those that made the people the core of their governance.
Utomi also decried the high cost of governance at the various levels of government, saying that the situation was a drain on the country’s resources.
Read also: Buhari can’t say Biafra is ‘taboo’ when he celebrates Nigeria’s freedom from Britain- MASSOB
He described governance in most states as poor, adding that local governments in the country were dysfunctional. “The local governments in the country are dysfunctional and are a bloody waste of resources’’.
The professor of political economy also argued that the country needed to be restructured in a way that the cost of governance would be reduced.
He said the country fared better under the regional government system because it encouraged healthy competition at minimal cost of running the government.
Utomi stated that the call for the creation of more states was in opposition to development, noting that state creation would only serve the interests of the political elite through appointments.
He made these statements while speaking at “The Platform,’’ a yearly discourse forum organised by the Covenant Christian Centre in Lagos.
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yanju omotodun
October 3, 2017 at 6:26 am
Bad governance is extremely our problems and not restructuring, so let’s address bad governance and not restructuring.
seyi jelili
October 3, 2017 at 8:17 am
Yes, even though we restructured Nigeria and we are still ruled by bad leaders, we will be back to zero and even worst governance, so let’s get a good governance and not unnecessary restructuring
Anita Kingsley
October 3, 2017 at 8:37 am
I think everyone shouting restructuring will learn one or two things from this man’s speech. Bad governance need to change by creating more countries like Biafra
Animashaun Ayodeji
October 3, 2017 at 8:41 am
Restructuring and governance can mean different things, but it is important to stress that restructuring can lead to good governance. Let Nigeria restructure first and see if bad governance will not change to good governance
Abeni Adebisi
October 3, 2017 at 6:53 pm
You’re correct to some extent, but I’ll still disagree. Bad governance will deteriorate the good plans of restructuring.
Abeni Adebisi
October 3, 2017 at 6:53 pm
Restructuring means true federalism, there can never be true federalism if we still have to battle bad governance.