On-delta-state-government-multi-billion-naira-state-secretariat-complex-another-misplaced-priority
September 7, 2020 | News
ON DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT’S MULTI-BILLION NAIRA STATE SECRETARIAT COMPLEX – ANOTHER MISPLACED PRIORITY
When it was recently reported that the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has said that the State Government multi-billion Naira State Secretariat complex being constructed in the State capital Asaba, would be ready for inauguration in October 2020, the first question that is worth being asked is, what was wrong with the old Delta State Secretariat, which is housing the many Offices of “idle politicians” and Civil service workers? What economic added-value will the said new edifice of Office complex of the so-called multi- billion-naira State Secretariat bring to the economic fortunes of Delta State and its people?
It is really sad how, all that the Delta State Government under Okowa thinks about in the name of empowering people, is to build structures and create unimaginable Office Portfolios without clearly defined roles. At the end of the day, all we have are Government Officials/Civil Service Workers who basically sit idle in government-created offices browsing websites, reading newspapers, fiddling with their phones chatting with friends on WhatsApp, Facebook, Tweeter, Instagram, and watching television – all of whom only wait for salaries at the end of the month without adding any input/development or making any positive impact to the local communities and the State.
Or is it the State Government practice of employing hundreds of youths every now and then as Senior Special Assistants (SSA), Personal Assistants (PAs), and other unimaginable portfolios that are without well-defined roles and job specifications – which have been christened ‘Jobs for the boys’ loyal to the State Government and to compensate those that helped bring them into office. With such scenarios, why won't they find it difficult to regularly pay the basic salaries of government workers as at when due, when they are more interested in their private pockets.
With the usual practice of inflating government awarded contracts to satisfy their bellies, only God knows the enormous amount of public funds they must have budgeted and expended in the construction of the said new multi-billion Naira State Secretariat, under this Government alone. If it is a Government that knows how to set its priorities right, all that money they must have spent on this unnecessary structure, ought to have been used/channeled towards the provision of basic infrastructure in sensitive areas of the State. Sadly, all of that money has now been wasted via inflated contracts of politicians and top civil service workers, in the name of erecting and completing a so-called multi-billion Naira State Secretariat.
Are they not learning anything from developed countries like the UK and the US, when it comes to a Government setting their priorities right? Look at the famous No. 10, Downing Street, Westminster London, which has remained the office/home of the British Prime Minister, was built between 1682 and 1735, despite it being an ancient building. The famous US White House, which is also the official office/house of the President of the United States of America (US), is an old house built between October 13, 1792 and November 1, 1800 but well-maintained till date. And it is from there that the US Government still controls and manages the economies of the world. So, it is never the erecting of new or mega structures that makes a Government and its workers effective, efficient and relevant in the economies of the State, country or the world. What makes any Government and its workers active and relevant is the content and worth of the people that occupy such structures, and most importantly; what they do with the public resources under their care as public custodians.
It is a stupid mentality for Nigerian political leaders to be wasting public funds in the name of creating jobs by erecting and completing mega Office buildings to pack in more people that would be left ‘IDLE’ and be paid salaries. That practice and thinking can only be done by a Government that is completely bereft of innovative ideas of how to create wealth, drastically increase the State’s economic fortunes, and improve the living standards of its people. Big Office buildings filled with people will not move or transform the economic fortunes of a State. If anything, it will only ‘continually to drain the State’s purse’ monthly and yearly. Let us also not forget that such mega buildings need regular maintenance to last. And considering the gross lack of maintenance culture in this country, let us be rest assured that the said new Delta State multi-billion-naira State Secretariat will not be maintained in the years to come. This is why I see it as a complete misplaced priority, which only served as an avenue for the pilfering of State’s public funds in the name of Government Contract execution.
There are more pressing infrastructural needs of the people of the Delta State, which the Delta State Government under Okowa, ought to concentrate on. Rather than focus on frivolous projects only aimed to waste public money. As far as I, and many well-meaning Deltans are concerned, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the existing Delta State Secretariat buildings. May be all it needs is a little facelift and regular maintenance. But such Government endeavors like the said new Secretariat, should not be a priority project by a reasonable Government that is genuinely interested in improving the lives of the common man.
Zik Gbemre.
July 28, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
When it was recently reported that the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has said that the State Government multi-billion Naira State Secretariat complex being constructed in the State capital Asaba, would be ready for inauguration in October 2020, the first question that is worth being asked is, what was wrong with the old Delta State Secretariat, which is housing the many Offices of “idle politicians” and Civil service workers? What economic added-value will the said new edifice of Office complex of the so-called multi- billion-naira State Secretariat bring to the economic fortunes of Delta State and its people?
It is really sad how, all that the Delta State Government under Okowa thinks about in the name of empowering people, is to build structures and create unimaginable Office Portfolios without clearly defined roles. At the end of the day, all we have are Government Officials/Civil Service Workers who basically sit idle in government-created offices browsing websites, reading newspapers, fiddling with their phones chatting with friends on WhatsApp, Facebook, Tweeter, Instagram, and watching television – all of whom only wait for salaries at the end of the month without adding any input/development or making any positive impact to the local communities and the State.
Or is it the State Government practice of employing hundreds of youths every now and then as Senior Special Assistants (SSA), Personal Assistants (PAs), and other unimaginable portfolios that are without well-defined roles and job specifications – which have been christened ‘Jobs for the boys’ loyal to the State Government and to compensate those that helped bring them into office. With such scenarios, why won't they find it difficult to regularly pay the basic salaries of government workers as at when due, when they are more interested in their private pockets.
With the usual practice of inflating government awarded contracts to satisfy their bellies, only God knows the enormous amount of public funds they must have budgeted and expended in the construction of the said new multi-billion Naira State Secretariat, under this Government alone. If it is a Government that knows how to set its priorities right, all that money they must have spent on this unnecessary structure, ought to have been used/channeled towards the provision of basic infrastructure in sensitive areas of the State. Sadly, all of that money has now been wasted via inflated contracts of politicians and top civil service workers, in the name of erecting and completing a so-called multi-billion Naira State Secretariat.
Are they not learning anything from developed countries like the UK and the US, when it comes to a Government setting their priorities right? Look at the famous No. 10, Downing Street, Westminster London, which has remained the office/home of the British Prime Minister, was built between 1682 and 1735, despite it being an ancient building. The famous US White House, which is also the official office/house of the President of the United States of America (US), is an old house built between October 13, 1792 and November 1, 1800 but well-maintained till date. And it is from there that the US Government still controls and manages the economies of the world. So, it is never the erecting of new or mega structures that makes a Government and its workers effective, efficient and relevant in the economies of the State, country or the world. What makes any Government and its workers active and relevant is the content and worth of the people that occupy such structures, and most importantly; what they do with the public resources under their care as public custodians.
It is a stupid mentality for Nigerian political leaders to be wasting public funds in the name of creating jobs by erecting and completing mega Office buildings to pack in more people that would be left ‘IDLE’ and be paid salaries. That practice and thinking can only be done by a Government that is completely bereft of innovative ideas of how to create wealth, drastically increase the State’s economic fortunes, and improve the living standards of its people. Big Office buildings filled with people will not move or transform the economic fortunes of a State. If anything, it will only ‘continually to drain the State’s purse’ monthly and yearly. Let us also not forget that such mega buildings need regular maintenance to last. And considering the gross lack of maintenance culture in this country, let us be rest assured that the said new Delta State multi-billion-naira State Secretariat will not be maintained in the years to come. This is why I see it as a complete misplaced priority, which only served as an avenue for the pilfering of State’s public funds in the name of Government Contract execution.
There are more pressing infrastructural needs of the people of the Delta State, which the Delta State Government under Okowa, ought to concentrate on. Rather than focus on frivolous projects only aimed to waste public money. As far as I, and many well-meaning Deltans are concerned, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the existing Delta State Secretariat buildings. May be all it needs is a little facelift and regular maintenance. But such Government endeavors like the said new Secretariat, should not be a priority project by a reasonable Government that is genuinely interested in improving the lives of the common man.
Zik Gbemre.
July 28, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes