Buhari’s search for good public servants
The media has been awash of recent with reports of 2016 budget “padding”. For the umpteenth time, President Muhammad Buhari, while addressing the Nigerian Community in Saudi Arabia, vowed to mete out the most severe punishment for all those involved in the “padding” and “unauthorized alterations” of the 2016 budget. For me, such weighty occurrence […]
The media has been awash of recent with reports of 2016 budget “padding”. For the umpteenth time, President Muhammad Buhari, while addressing the Nigerian Community in Saudi Arabia, vowed to mete out the most severe punishment for all those involved in the “padding” and “unauthorized alterations” of the 2016 budget. For me, such weighty occurrence in our public service is embarrassing, not because it is entirely strange, but for the fact that it is happening under our dear President Buhari, the messenger and image of change. Yet, it is cheering that he is determined to rescue us from the claws of some greedy hawks engaged in mindless looting of public funds.
Our country is blessed with huge economic wealth that can accelerate its growth, but it is painful that we are not there yet. We seem handicapped in the face of the ravaging monster corruption and maladministration. Many countries that were in our category, like Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, etc, have since left us and Malaysia is well on their way. Nigeria is the way it is today because of bad leadership and corruption, especially in our Public Service. The looting of public funds has ensured that resources for infrastructure projects, human development and social security are frittered away. That is why I totally support President Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade to round up and jail all our yam eaters.
However, as Mr. President continues in his search for good public servants, I believe he already knows that the problem of our public service goes beyond punishing those involved in 2016 budget “padding”. The Nigerian Public Service needs complete overhaul to ensure that our public institutions run on systems, not on the whims and caprices of individuals. There should be mechanisms for civil service ratings. Those who score low due to inefficiency and corruption cases should be shown the way out, while those who score exceptionally high should join the Hall of Fame.
In addition to the Federal Government’s ongoing measures like recovery of loots and prosecution of accused culprits, I will suggest that the FG introduce a yearly Public Service Award to recognize best public servants in Nigeria. For instance, the Director-General (DG) of the National Pension Commission, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, won the 2015 Sun Public Service Award; kudos to her. I doff my cap for that DG because it is not easy for one to distinguish oneself among thousands of public servants, especially in this era where there is dearth of good leadership. Also, Mrs Josephine Ugwu, a cleaner at the Murtala Mohammed Internatiuonal Airport, Lagos, who won the Sun Nigerian Hero Award 2015. She earns a meagre N7,800 as monthly salary, yet, she showed consistency of good character by returning US dollars worth N12 million, which she found at the airport toilet. Details were also given about how she had returned large sums on previous occasions. Unfortunately, if that newspaper had not recognised her, she probably would have gone uncelebrated.
Indeed, as President Buhari rightly said during the 2015 presidential election campaigns, “If we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria”. Change is possible, but change will not happen overnight. So, his administration needs to fashion a blueprint of public service reforms geared towards addressing the systemic rot in the long run. It should move to amend outdated laws and regulations that are liable to abuse, including those that promote conflict of interest and other forms of corrupt practices.
Ajiboye writes from Lagos