Yesterday on our audience participatory program, THE PODIUM, we laid host to Senator Impact Roberts and he buttressed the topic: ABANDONED PROJECTS; A FUNCTION OF INCONSISTENCY IN GOVERNMENT POLICIES.
THE PODIUM is an audience participatory/interview program organized by the Office of The Senate President, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State Nigeria, aimed at addressing issues of the state as a growing national leader and as a student leader regarding to our educational institutions.
SUMMARY OF THE PROGRAMME
The program started by the 2100 hour by Comr. Kingsley C. Nwoke.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: Good evening everyone and welcome to THE PODIUM. Today, we will be hammering on something some people think is not necessary as a student but they have forgotten we won't be students forever. With me in the studio is a very reputable comrade of justice.
Please make welcome to Senator Impact, Senator representing Faculty of Sciences AE-FUNAI in the SUG Senate Chamber.
Distinguished, say hi to the audience.
Senator Impact: Good Evening Everyone. Good evening SNM.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: I remain my humble self, Comr. Kingsley C. Nwoke, your anchor from another ship.
From the statistics I have, about 11,886 abandoned projects that will cost an estimated #7.78trillion to complete are alarming figures coming from the report of the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee (PPAC) set up since 2011, by Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan to look into cases of abandoned federal government projects.
Does it really have to do with government policies?
Senator Impact: I think to a certain extent it doesn't, it's more of a result of individual misconceptions.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: How do you mean, "it's more of a result of individual misconceptions"?
Senator Impact: The Basic Truth about politics in Nigeria by me can be summarized into the fact that, the rulers also have rulers and they in one way or the other try to carry out the wishes of their own rulers.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: Does that mean GodFatherism has a role to play?
Senator Impact: Sure.... To a Large extent also. You could also look at it from this Perspective; everyone wants the glory for himself, they never wanna share.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: Can you tell us what you know about why projects are abandoned?
Senator Impact: Simply Put... Projects are mostly abandoned because our Politicians care more about the honor they get, than about the services they render to the populates. So, they all know deep down that the real honors of completing the abandoned project would ultimately return to the initiator of the Idea. If they complete it, it gives them this feeling of raising another mans child, leaving theirs. The lust for accolades and Godfather favoritism drives our politicians to abandon their true motives and chase after shadows and the enrichment of themselves at the economic and infrastructural detriment of the masses. All abandoned projects in Nigeria, have remained in such state as a result of Partisan Politics and not actually Democratic Politics☺.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: But why is nobody held responsible/accountable when projects are not completed?
Senator Impact: This is because they all know what the Cycle is about. No one raises another man's son in their sphere of politics.
So, I must finish what I started, and hence I can't Probe anyone who is playing the exact same game I'm playing. It's like a family setting, no one really judges you in there, no matter how much of a bad person you are on the outside.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: Isn't it possible to constitute a kind of agency that will see to it that a project is completed even when the initiator leaves office, by compelling them to do so(finish the work) or requesting a refund?
Senator Impact: You have to be Honest. Who gets to set up such agencies? Who outlines the jurisdiction of their authority? Who decides when to liquefy such parastatals?
Comr. K.C Nwoke: The government should, with the approval of NASS, then it's passed into law. That was how EFCC and other anti-graft agencies were established.
Senator Impact: Another truth to be told, is that sometimes the conflict of interests of the Executive and Legislative arms puts the nation on a whole level of standby. All the arms of Government are all aware that they will be indicted in one way or many if such panels are set up. No one lights a fire that will burn down his house.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: What prescriptions can you make that can be used to checkmate the level of abandoned projects?
Senator Impact: When you wanna kill a tree, you cut off its deepest and biggest roots. That's the most basic step. Nigerians, both as the led (Masses) and as leaders (Politicians) need to kill our archaic concepts of Politics. Politics is not a game of the smartest, it is a call to serve humanity. And being in the position to better people's lives should be a great honor on its own. If someone goes into office, and stays on course with the right motives, they wouldn't even have a case of uncompleted projects. On the other hand, if the populates bury their legendary chase of Sentiment when electing leaders, then the more qualified and willing individuals will be voted into office. If you can't kill it at this level, then I'm sorry you can't successfully kill it anywhere else.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: This came from an audience, please respond to this👇👇
Can right motive only be enough considering the fact that most times we know what's right to do and we don't do them, don't you think strategies should be draft out for instance if a government official is voted into any position, he or she should follow up the previous projects at hand or at least 60% of the previous project before bringing in new ones?
Senator Impact: Which is why I said that the basic problem is at the basic level of changing the mindset of everyone. "Mr. A" already has his agenda before being elected into office, and he wholeheartedly wants to achieve them, any mess left behind by his predecessors will be a clock dragged backwards for him. Why? Because the more he spends time and resources on these abandoned projects, he never really gets to achieve all his already set out personal goals, which leads to further abandonment.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: Then "Mr. A" should bear in mind that there is an abandoned project somewhere then cut his agenda.
Senator Impact: While someone is in office!.?
You keep your rented apartment in order before parking out.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: and this too👇👇
So, are you indirectly trying to say that government officials should set goals that are achievable within an expected amount of time?
Senator Impact: Exactly...And not just that, they should be very realistic, and avoid vague promises and eventually lies they can't keep up with on the long run.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: From my research, there are agencies charged with the responsibility of checkmating abandoned projects like the Bureau of Public Procurement(BPE), are they really discharging their duties?
Senator Impact: In response to this, I'd tell you that those people are on Mr President's Payroll. And believe it or not they all know what happens to stubborn flies. So they get to think,
Why risk your Life, and reputation in trying to do the right thing, when you could sit down and watch things get messy and still get rich of it while not being involved?
Do you get this? Nobody gets to pay them any extra for doing the right thing, but someone on the other hand pays them for doing the wrong thing, or not even doing anything at all. Little wonder why they are all comfortably dormant.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: At this juncture, I will like to say Thank You dear Senator Impact for coming around. Hope to have further meetings with you on THE PODIUM.
Senator Impact: Thank you very Much Comr. KC Nwoke for having me, and thank you SNM for such an opportunity to share views. Thank you all.
Comr. K.C Nwoke: On behalf of the news and current affairs unit, programme and production crew led by Uzoma Oranebo (BossUhzi), the CEO Ogeh Alex, our unwavering admins and our staunch members, I remain your anchor from another ship, Comr. Kingsley C. Nwoke
thanking you for your time.
Do join us next time (MONDAY), same venue, same hour on THE PODIUM.
POWERED BY
STE®EO_NATION FOR
STRATEGIC NETWORK MEDIA(SNM)
0 Comments