Lawmakers have betrayed us, says NLNG boss
THE National and State Houses of Assembly have betrayed Nigerians by failing to curb the executives’ extra budgetary expenditure, Managing Director of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Mr Chima Ibeneche, said at the weekend.
Ibeneche said the National Assembly had failed in its primary responsibilities.
He said the lawmakers’ worst crime was allowing the executive freedom to spend monies outside the budget in disregard to constitutional oversight.
According to him, since 1999 when the country returned to democracy, the petroleum subsidy and other funds had allegedly been spent outside the budget.
"These are huge sums of between 20-30 per cent of the nation’s budget. Such extra-budgetary expenditures make the very idea of budget and control a mockery.
"In the past five years, only once was petroleum subsidy reflected in the budget. And even that was understated," he said.
Ibeneche said the Federal Executive allegedly spent N256 billion from petroleum subsidy in 2006, with only N150billion provided for in the budget.
In 2007, it spent N290billion outside the budget; in 2008, N658billion was spent; and in 2009, it spent N680billion, the NLNG boss said.
"N250billion has already been spent between January and July 2010. Imagine what would have happened if these sums were spent on infrastructure in the Niger Delta," he said.
He spoke while delivering a keynote address at the NLNG’s Seventh Grand Award Night in which prizes were given to winners of the Prizes for Literature and Science. The event took place at Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday. It was done in partnership with the Nigerian Academy of Science and the Nigerian Academy of Letters.
Prof. Akahehomen Ibhadode of the University of Benin won the Prize for Science with his work entitled: "Development of new Methods for Precision Die Design;" while the late Esiaba Irobi, who died on May 3, won the Prize for Literature with his drama: Cemetery Road. Each winner got $50,000.
Twenty-eight Nigerians were inducted into The Nigerian Hall of Fame for Science and the Nigerian Hall of Fame for Letters.
Ibeneche said with the legislature engaging in "little debate" about the poor state of education, healthcare or unemployment, "we often wonder who our legislators represent.
"Our lawmakers have failed by not forcing onto the agenda the issues that are important to Nigerians. They have seemed more concerned for their remuneration than for the welfare of their constituents," he said.
Ibeneche lamented that Nigeria was "a desperately poor country with a desperately poor people" despite its rich resources.
He said anyone who tried to hire employees recently would know that for each position adverstised, there would be over 100 applicants.
"What is at the root of such a stark failure in the face of such a huge potential? Chinua Achebe gave the answer – leadership or the absence of it," he said.
The government, Ibeneche added has also failed Nigerians by not providing security. He urged whoever wishes to rule Nigeria to make the provision of security the first priority of his government.
"Today belongs to area boys, pirates, oil thieves, armed robbers and robber politicians. The rise of militia-like vigilantes such as the Bakassi Boys, MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) and OPC (O’dua Peoples Congress) may have serious justifications, but their existences pose a serious threat to the sovereignty of the nation," he said.
This vigilance group, he added, tended to take over the fundamental function of the state, including the use of coercion, but unfortunately without the due process and the checks of a functioning formal legal system.
Ibeneche said: "The question is: where is government in all these? Why does the government permit this encroachment of its monopoly of power and the use of coercion? Obviously nature abhors a vacuum."
The NLNG boss criticiszed the Federal Character principle, saying it creates multiple citizenship and multiple allegiances to the Nigerian state, geo-political zone and ethnic group, tending to place group right over individual right.
"The emphasis on indigeneship erodes the right of citizenship and pulls Nigerians towards parochialism and tribalism," he said.
He noted that progress has been made in areas such as ridding the airports of touts and improving its infrastructure; increasing the country’s teledensity; reforming the banking sector; repaying foreign debts; and the effort to address the Niger Delta crisis.
He praised President Goodluck Jonathan for his plan privatises power generation and distribution.
"Similarly the increase of domestic gas price from $0.5/MMBTU to $2/MMBTU, as part of the implementation of the Gas Master Plan, and the musing about the deregulation of petroleum products in Nigeria indicate that the Jonathan administration is keen to leave a legacy of sustainable economic growth and improved well-being for Nigerians," he said.
Guests at the event included the Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini Dappa-Pepple XI; veteran actor, Mr Sam Loco Efeeimwonkiyeke, who was the special guest of honour; former Nigerian Communication Communication (NCC) boss, Dr Ernest Ndukwe; Rear Admiral Alison Madueke; and Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters, Dr Emmanuel Egbogah.
Comments