The challenges that confront us as a nation aren’t being addressed head-on, mostly due to a mix of overt patriotism or, rather, hostility from an audience that is uneducated or, though schooled, filled with enthusiasm for their candidate or party. As such, they are capable of unleashing their aggression on anyone who calls their subject to order or account, regardless of the genuineness of the calling. Unfortunately, this has been our poor tradition over the years, and it shouldn’t be allowed to persist, as it derails good citizens of conscience from holding government officials accountable for their promises and mandates.
There is a strong quote by the German dramatist Bertolt Brecht that, for me, drives home the point about how leadership and accountability work in our society:
“Nowadays, anyone who wishes to combat lies and ignorance and to write the truth must overcome at least five difficulties. He must have the courage to write the truth when truth is everywhere opposed; the keenness to recognize it, although it is everywhere concealed; the skill to manipulate it as a weapon; the judgment to select those in whose hands it will be effective; and the running to spread the truth among such persons.”
The brutal reality is that most educated citizens of this great country have lost faith in any government budget, whether at the state or national level. That being said, I have personally chosen to applaud fantastic budget implementation rather than a mere budget proposal.
As it always turns out, our budget does not focus on the citizens. That’s the bitter truth. Over the years, we have seen budget proposals projecting hope for the nation, which should have, long ago, led to positive developments. But here we are, still advocating for the same social amenities that past budgets supposedly covered and buried. The truth is that for people to truly believe in this system, all they need is genuine transparency and trust, which we are currently lacking from the political class that governs our affairs.
It was appropriate for the red chamber to criticize and penalize Senator Abdul Ningi for his controversial allegation of budget padding to the tune of N3 trillion in the 2024 budget. But his removal, sanction, and feelings of alienation did not lead him to withdraw his words. Moreover, given the corruption scandals that have plagued the national assembly in the past, it is difficult to see the red chamber as having moral authority in this dilemma. However, the facts are there: the national assembly increased its allocation from N197.93 billion to N344.85 billion, a 74.23% increase and the highest allocation ever.
We should not get lost in this discourse, where there is already a consensus among Nigerians that the interests of those in power do not align with what the country needs. The turmoil over the subsidy removal has highlighted the need for both leaders and citizens to move away from squandering and mismanagement. But, as always, there is a limit to the public’s tolerance of their leaders’ extravagances while they are forced to live with the bare minimum, often at others’ expense.
I am not an economist, but from my peripheral experience in project management, I know that most of our budgets are faulty in two senses. First, part of the budgets serve as a facade for unsustainable practices that were never intended for a genuine cause. Second, there is an extreme lack of checks and balances within the system to report these discrepancies. Therefore, it has become imperative for people passionate about the progress of the country to contribute their expertise to halt this iniquitous development.
When the masses cry out that the government does not live up to its promises and commitments, the national assembly has no excuse for folding its hands and failing to act as the true representatives of the people. They cannot afford to rest on their laurels while things get out of hand. This is the practice globally. Amid the mass
