The real facts are emerging as to how most of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s huge projects and programmes are not being properly handled and delivered to the beneficiaries.
An excellent example is the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 pandemic palliative interventions by both the federal government and the organised private sector under the umbrella body known as CA-COVID-19.
- ICPC to investigate sources of looted palliatives
- One killed as hoodlums loot COVID-19 palliatives in Kaduna LG
The ugly incidents whereby, warehouses where, COVID-19 relief or palliative materials were stored, are being overrun and looted by angry Nigerians in dire need of these items is just a tip of the iceberg of the rots and challenges existing in service delivery of this administration.
For instance, most of multibillion naira programmes and projects for the Nigerian youths mentioned by PMB in his national speech on the on-going widespread looting arising from the disastrous consequences of the #EndSARS protests have been hijacked by politicians, the bureaucrats and technocrats superintendents of the schemes.
A great majority of the targeted beneficiaries of these laudable schemes do not have direct access to them. Many are subjected to long and harrowing bureaucratic red tapes; including extorting money from them through shady arrangements behind the scene in order to access the schemes.
This is not a secret; it is now the new normal in this administration. Hence, in addition to sending ministers to their respective home states, ostensibly to “meet with stakeholders with the aim of dousing tension created by the #EndSARS protests and the lawlessness that followed, I would like to suggests that PMB should also have a close look at the previous innovation of appointing home-based grassroots politicians as Presidential Liaison Officers (PLOs) or Presidential Liaison Assistants (PLAs) to each of the 36 States and FCT.
They should serve as the monitoring and evaluation coordinators/watchdogs of federal government-owned projects and programmes and prepare periodic progress reports for the consideration of Mr President and FEC.
This can serve to bridge the huge gap existing at the moment between what the president is told and what he is not told by the ministers and the federal bureaucrats and technocrats. Moreover, all the existing presidential aides are based in Abuja!
Furthermore, it will eliminate the situation whereby the Presidency finds itself taking much time explaining what it is doing to the people.
Abubakar Atiku Nuhu-Koko, Founder/Pioneer Executive Director. The Shehu Shagari World Institute for Leadership and Governance, Sokoto. ([email protected])
