The-culture-of-large-entourage-by-nigerian-government-the-case-of-the-un-general-assembly-a-waste-drain-of-public-resources
September 7, 2020 | News
Muhammadu Buhari President of Nigeria
THE CULTURE OF 'LARGE ENTOURAGE' BY NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT - THE CASE OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY - A WASTE/DRAIN OF PUBLIC RESOURCES
It is only in this part of the world, that the head of an Executive Government would be invited for an international event, and you now see such an individual-public-officer going to such an event with a retinue crowd of entourage, which of course is a drain in public purse when we consider the enormous amount that are usually expended in logistics to sort out their flights to and fro, feeding, hotel accommodations and transportation. Let us not even mention the other frivolities of activities, often engaged by some of these Nigerian Government officials whenever they travel abroad.
This is why we find it appalling that President Muhammadu Buhari, whom we can say was the only significant figure that was invited to be part of the recent UN General Assembly in New York, USA, could encourage this enormous waste of public resources with the large entourage that went with him there. What is President Buhari doing with the large crowd of entourage in the United Nation summit in New York? What specific role were these people intended to carry out in the said summit, that would make the President travel with such large crowd of an entourage? Why waste money for this? Money that could have been channeled to other public use to benefit the masses. What do they expect to gain from this show? What role, for instance, are the Governors of Ekiti, Bornu, and Kano States that went with President Buhari to the said assembly, expected to do there?
They should look at other world leaders of super power nations like US President, Donald Trump, and ask how many people accompanied them to the UN General Assembly? What exactly is the business of these Nigerian State Governors in a UN Summit? What are they expected to do there? All in the name of attending a Summit. Why are Nigerian leaders setting useless standards that are unheard of in other nations, and they expect the world to applaud them? When will they grow up and realize the monumental waste of public funds that are usually expended by these unhealthy practices, which have become a culture by Nigerian Politicians? Why waste so much money to attend just a few days summit in a foreign land?
If it were possible to sit down and calculate what the Federal Government of Nigeria and State Governments spend yearly on these sorts of jamboree outings, we would be shocked to our bones at the enormous figure that would arise. Yet, they will be crying every now and then of supposed lack of funds to address basic infrastructural needs of the people, including the payment of a reasonable minimum wage. Are Nigerian political leaders really honest, sincere and willing to develop our country across all levels with this sort of attitude and practices of indulgences?
What these Nigerian Political leaders have not realized is that they make themselves a laughing stock and unreasonable public officers who really do not know why they are in government, in the eyes of the international community. Transparency, Sincerity, Prudent In the Management of Public Resources, Vision-driven, are some of essential qualities that the only evidences of good leadership.
It is this type of practice, which we have made a culture in this part of the world, that are of the things responsible for the nation's retrogressive movement in development. Why are Nigerian political leaders wasting money they ought to use for infrastructure, on merry making jamboree in the name of attending UN summit? Was the large crowd really necessary?
Until we start doing things 'differently' as a nation and people, Nigeria will continue to take one step forward and two steps backwards in its development strides.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
Muhammadu Buhari President of Nigeria
THE CULTURE OF 'LARGE ENTOURAGE' BY NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT - THE CASE OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY - A WASTE/DRAIN OF PUBLIC RESOURCES
It is only in this part of the world, that the head of an Executive Government would be invited for an international event, and you now see such an individual-public-officer going to such an event with a retinue crowd of entourage, which of course is a drain in public purse when we consider the enormous amount that are usually expended in logistics to sort out their flights to and fro, feeding, hotel accommodations and transportation. Let us not even mention the other frivolities of activities, often engaged by some of these Nigerian Government officials whenever they travel abroad.
This is why we find it appalling that President Muhammadu Buhari, whom we can say was the only significant figure that was invited to be part of the recent UN General Assembly in New York, USA, could encourage this enormous waste of public resources with the large entourage that went with him there. What is President Buhari doing with the large crowd of entourage in the United Nation summit in New York? What specific role were these people intended to carry out in the said summit, that would make the President travel with such large crowd of an entourage? Why waste money for this? Money that could have been channeled to other public use to benefit the masses. What do they expect to gain from this show? What role, for instance, are the Governors of Ekiti, Bornu, and Kano States that went with President Buhari to the said assembly, expected to do there?
They should look at other world leaders of super power nations like US President, Donald Trump, and ask how many people accompanied them to the UN General Assembly? What exactly is the business of these Nigerian State Governors in a UN Summit? What are they expected to do there? All in the name of attending a Summit. Why are Nigerian leaders setting useless standards that are unheard of in other nations, and they expect the world to applaud them? When will they grow up and realize the monumental waste of public funds that are usually expended by these unhealthy practices, which have become a culture by Nigerian Politicians? Why waste so much money to attend just a few days summit in a foreign land?
If it were possible to sit down and calculate what the Federal Government of Nigeria and State Governments spend yearly on these sorts of jamboree outings, we would be shocked to our bones at the enormous figure that would arise. Yet, they will be crying every now and then of supposed lack of funds to address basic infrastructural needs of the people, including the payment of a reasonable minimum wage. Are Nigerian political leaders really honest, sincere and willing to develop our country across all levels with this sort of attitude and practices of indulgences?
What these Nigerian Political leaders have not realized is that they make themselves a laughing stock and unreasonable public officers who really do not know why they are in government, in the eyes of the international community. Transparency, Sincerity, Prudent In the Management of Public Resources, Vision-driven, are some of essential qualities that the only evidences of good leadership.
It is this type of practice, which we have made a culture in this part of the world, that are of the things responsible for the nation's retrogressive movement in development. Why are Nigerian political leaders wasting money they ought to use for infrastructure, on merry making jamboree in the name of attending UN summit? Was the large crowd really necessary?
Until we start doing things 'differently' as a nation and people, Nigeria will continue to take one step forward and two steps backwards in its development strides.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes