NEPA and the parable of many knives
Questions, questions and more questions prodded by our uncanny record that government owned corporations fail but thrive, albeit momentarily in the magic hands of nouveau riche entrepreneurs. Where is the legend of Daily Times? Did it resurrect or did it die? Why is steel not rolling from Ajaokuta? Where are the new refineries that Obasanjo […]
Questions, questions and more questions prodded by our uncanny record that government owned corporations fail but thrive, albeit momentarily in the magic hands of nouveau riche entrepreneurs. Where is the legend of Daily Times? Did it resurrect or did it die? Why is steel not rolling from Ajaokuta? Where are the new refineries that Obasanjo licensed years ago? Why are there no private rail lines commuting people across our nation and freeing us from the carnage on our roads? Why are Nigerian businesses seasonal or one-year wonders instead of becoming legends? Is it an attitudinal thing or is there an underlying problem?
Governments all over exist to look into these things, not to take the easy way out or resign itself to fate. Not to say they have no answers because they did not form the questions. Nigerians should ask these questions. Instead, we foolishly point one finger at the momentary unbundling of telecommunication services as if this is a cure-all panacea for bad services. In doing so, we ignore the three fingers pointing back at us asking – are we truly satisfied with the services we’re getting for telephone and data services?
We privatised the aviation sector and planes soared before they started dropping like unripe mangoes with casualties. Has it performed? Only last week, thousands of passengers were left stranded at airports because the magic companies who took over from Nigeria Airways have today become a big disappointment. Greed motivated and hurriedly packaged airlines have turned our hangars into an aviation junkyard and left shareholders high and dry. These new wonders do not work because there is no commitment to long-term success, only momentary cash to be made.
It is true that PHCN is engaged in the race to unseat the police as the most corrupt public institution in Nigeria. It demands gratification from anyone anywhere asking for its services. Neither its staff nor its management have any service etiquette and not even churches and mosques are immune to demands for graft. Like the police, whenever they render service, PHCN asks you to dip your hand into your pocket and ‘show gratification’. Given this background, it should be good news to have something replace this provided it improves service. So, why are the staff trying to stall its privatisation? Arguing on this is sub-judice but goes deeper. They have put in years of ‘service’ and not having been found guilty of any misdemeanour, they are entitled to their compensation.
What Nigerians should be asking is why government agencies NEVER work? How did Nigeria Airways become Nigeria Airwaste without anybody giving account? How did some ex-Nitel staff manage to make the new telecoms companies function after running the public company aground? Why is NNPC gobbling and grubbing our common wealth only to deliver long queues and fuel price hikes? How did a former NNPC GMD retire to a lucrative job as a net importer of electricity generating sets? How did Obasanjo come to appoint the same man to help revive the oil sector believing the man would work against his own business? The rational question should be why is PHCN such a graveyard of good intentions but a disappointment in quality service delivery?
Government should bring to book those responsible for bringing its agencies down as the best warning to those ruining our common patrimony that Nigeria would bring them to book no matter how late or how long. Until we insist on accountability both in and out of office, this country is marking time. Even the companies we have privatised, like the telecommunications and aviation sector examples supra would remain momentary wonders.
We should be worried that people who were once in government but found no panacea to our woes are the new czars of business buying off our common wealth. If this is not a legal issue, it must be a moral one. Privatisation should be a means to an end, not an avenue for patronage for party supporters and financiers. Bidders should win based on proven track records of similar performances or a timed road map with punishments for failure. It should not be done based on banal altruism. These hungry wolves should show us they can perform otherwise they have come, like hungry villagers with different knives to carve off chunks from a fallen elephant?