Incompetent people in gov’t reason for failure — El-Rufai

The Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has said there is governance failure because there are so many incompetent people in government.

He spoke yesterday at a plenary session of the Nigerian Economic Summit.

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“We need competent people in political and public service, but this is not the case in Nigeria and things will not work.

“Unless the best and brightest hands are in the political system, the outcome will be sub-optimal and terrible,” he said.

“I have seen a level of disconnect between the political and economic elite. We discovered that those in the economic class just want to do their business, make their money and live at Banana Island.

“But however strong your business is, without a functional political system and competent public service, that business will collapse.”

The Chairman, Africa Initiative for Governance, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, called for synergy among both political and economic players.

“Therefore, if there is a failure in the system, it is a collective failure. Nation-building is a very deliberate exercise, which involves great risks and sacrifices. And that is the path that we must take.”

Meanwhile, Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State, at another panel session said the state remains a very suitable business and investment hub because the government has vigorously addressed some of the major security challenges by tackling their root causes.

Lalong, in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Simon, also advocated for a review of the revenue sharing formula and state police which must accommodate adequate funding, checks and balances and a very strong mechanism against abuse.