ON STATE GOVERNMENT’S INEPTITUDE AND DERELICTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES WITH ‘WASTEFUL’ FORUMS – A CASE OF BAYELSA STATE INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC FORUM

By Zik Gbemre

Arguably, and rather unfortunate; one of the demeaning features we have observed with most Nigerian State Governments across the country (which they are very good at) over the years, is their penchant to paint and display rather ‘attractive’ pictures to the public and the international community about their supposed ‘laudable activities’ of developing their State.

However, the contrast in all of this is the fact that ‘the pictures’ often painted are usually a “complete contradiction” of what is actually on ground in and around their States, and what they actually end up doing practically in terms of developing their States. We see State Governors who: organize one economic investment forums or the other; travel abroad seeking for investors to come and invest in their States; using all manner of ‘publicity stunts’ to make themselves look good in the eyes of the public and the world; making so much noise with coated ‘sweet talks’ of their laudable (often very ambitious) plans and objectives towards developing their States.

But in all of this, we see gross ineptitude and dereliction of duties from the State Governors when it comes doing what is expected of them as custodians of State resources. So at the end of the day, practically little or nothing is achieved to positively transform the living standard of their citizenry. Rather, what we see is the State Governors and their families and cronies ‘living large in squalor and splendor.’ This is the reason why we are not impressed whenever such economic forums are organized by State Governments in the name of trying to develop their States. Just like the recently concluded Second edition of the Bayelsa State Investment and Economic Forum (BSIEF). We cannot help but ask and wonder; do we really need such funfair and jamboree of investment economic forums before the State Government will fulfill their constitutional obligations of developing the State and providing ‘basic’ amenities like regular power supply, good network of roads, assured security etc, all of which are incentives that will automatically attract investors to the State in the first place.

Commissioner of Trade, Investment and Industry, Mr. Kemela Okara, told reporters during the said Bayelsa State economic Forum that essence of the Economic Forum was to “bring the world to Bayelsa State and vice-versa.” Mr. Okara said that this year’s edition of the summit was intended to consolidate on the achievements made from the forum during the first edition that was held in July last year. The Commissioner, who assured participates at the forum of a safe environment in the State, advised them to take advantage of the preparedness of the present administration to unveil the projects of the government, and enter into fruitful partnership with all interested participants. According to the website created in this regard, the BSIEF is a platform through which the Government of Bayelsa State seeks to collaborate with the Private sector to build a system where private enterprise will thrive.

It further stated that “this year’s forum will showcase to the world, Bayelsa State’s industrialization plan and the consequent investment opportunities existing in the state.” The problem we have with all of this with the State Governments across the country, as well as other political leaders, is that they tend to “talk more than they actually do.” They should talk less and do more, when it comes to the development of its State’s economy and people. All we have are economic forums, seminars, summits and so on, with little or nothing to show forth in the lives and living standards of the people. The most annoying part is that these so called economic investment forums and summits are not only ‘avenues’ through which State’s public funds are grossly misappropriated into private pockets by both the State Government and their Contractors, but they are also a clear case of “misplaced priorities” that wastes public funds.

When we consider the kind of dignitaries, expatriates, industry experts and VIPs that are usually gathered for such invents, we would be left speechless by the huge amounts it must cost the State Government to put it together. All the transport, hotel and feeding logistics, including Honorariums of invited guests/speakers/presenters are all taken care of by the State Government concerned. Whereas, such huge public funds used in the name of organizing the said events, should have served the people better if channeled to other areas of pressing needs of the common masses. This was how the Delta State Government under former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had always ‘wastefully’ organized the well-published and reported South-South Economic Summits in the State, which were practical waste of the State’s resources that have amounted to nothing in improving the lives of Deltans.

In fact, in the ‘Welcome Address’ by Uduaghan, during one of the said South-South Summit events that was held in 2012, we were perplexed and dumbfounded by his colorfully flamboyant words of expression in describing his former government as “Diversifying The Delta State Economy, which did not represent, justify or commensurate the “realities” on ground in Delta State, as regards having a diversified economy. We faulted the said “sweet talk” of ‘a welcome address’, simply because it lacked the merit, the justification to truly represent a State that is on course in diversifying its economy as the Delta State Government was trying to make everyone believe back then. Agreed that there is need for the Private sector to partner more with the public sector in the actualization of desired developmental objectives in a State and nation, but it is the government (public sector) that should ‘oil the system’ for any economic investment by the Private sector to thrive. In fact, the Organized Private Sector is regarded as the ‘drivers of an economy’ while the State/Federal Governments are seen as the ‘enablers of the economy.’

State Governors cannot just be urging private investors through these economic Forums (or other means/channels), to come and invest in their States due to the numerous benefits derivable from such, when they have done little or nothing on their own part as State Governments, to attract these investors in the first place. All the so called economic forums investments summits will amount to are funfairs, jamboree of a gathering and nothing if it is not backed by ‘concrete incentives’ to attract private investors to invest in the States. Private investors within and outside the country will always respond to ‘incentives’ when provided by the State Governments.

Such incentives would obviously include creating a more conducive business environment, reducing taxes, rates, demands by State and Local government agencies and officials and host communities, improving security and engaging in massive social and basic infrastructural development like steady power supply and good roads in the State, etc, all of which should be in place before anything. It is not enough for the State Governors to organize these economic forums and investment summits and appealing to Private Investors to come and invest in their States without doing anything on their part to attract them in the first place. State Governors have to show some element of seriousness, by addressing pressing insecurity issues in their States like kidnapping, armed robbery, community youths violence/restiveness and demands, decayed and non-existing basic amenities and infrastructure etc.

For instance, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, who was recently appealing to Shell (SPDC) to return to the State, should not expect the oil giant and all the other oil companies like Pan Ocean that have left the State, to return back when he has not done anything to attract them back. It will be like inviting the President to your home for dinner without actually any food in the first place to entertain your guest. The question is, what has these State Governors done in their individual States to attract private investors to come and invest in their States?

What efforts have the Governors of Delta, Bayelsa and other State Governments for instance, made or are making in this regard, to attract private investors (both home and abroad) to their States? Given the prevailing austerity in the country at the moment, coupled with the overwhelming poverty, hardship and insecurity, one would have expected State Governments across the nation to be more sensitive and mindful of how, and on what issues they should expend public funds on. If not for anything, it is to show some level of ‘empathy’ to other citizens of the country that are currently suffering more over these prevailing deplorable situations. It is against this backdrop that we consider it as a misplacement of priority and clear show of insensitivity that State Governors are seen wasting public funds by drawing undue attentions to themselves with these ‘elephant projects’ of economic forums and what have you.

Another wasteful venture we have noticed is the annual Akwa Ibom State Government organized Christmas Carol, which is described as the biggest Christmas Party in West Africa and the largest gathering of carol singers in the world. Like the one held on Saturday December 21st 2014 at the newly built Uyo International Township Stadium that was organized by the former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio. The event saw a gathering of 9, 999 Carol Singers and top artists both from Nigeria and across different parts of the world. While we do not have anything against the said Christmas Carol, which is in Honour of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, however, we are saddened at the extravagance, exorbitance and show-off by a government that has a pile of other pressing problems (like its counterparts) that are making life miserable for its people.

The said annual Christmas Carol actually started on December 26, 2008, and had seen the State made history as it was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as The Largest Assembly of Carol Singers on the Face of the Earth. The 2014 edition of the Carol Night saw Bishop Cardinal John Onayieakan of the Catholic diocese of Abuja, preaching the word of God. A unique feature added to the last year’s 9,999 Carol Night, was a special performance by Quartets from each of the choirs from different countries who have performed at each of the six previous editions of the Carol Night. The quartets, from the Soweto Spiritual Singers of South Africa; the Chorale Devine de Merveilles from the Republic of Congo; the National Choir of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis; the Winneba International Youth Choir from Ghana and the Abuja Metropolitan Music Society (AMEMUSO) all performed at the event . American gospel singers, Evangelist, Lionel Peterson, Nigerian gospel acts like Frank Edwards, Sinach, Aity Inyang, El-Mafrex, Nathaniel Bassey, Folake Umosen, Fadabasi, Freke Umoh, Pasto Goody Goody, Linda Etokudoh and the St. Kitts & Nevis Choir from the tiny Caribbean country were all on hand as they entertained and kept the night alive. United States of America born human rights activist, Rev. Jesse Jackson was also in attendance including other important dignitaries. Let us then bear in mind that it was an “all expenses paid trip by the Akwa Ibom State government for all of these delegates from various parts of the world”.

That means the Akwa Ibom State Government was responsible for the hotel bills and all the logistics for all the invitees. We simply cannot understand why the Carol Night should not be organized without inviting so much people from outside Nigeria. Of what economic benefit is the said lavishly-adorned Carol Night to the lives of countless Nigerians in Akwa Ibom State? Will the UK and the USA invite Nigerians for such events without economic benefits? Why not break or make the Guinness Book of World ‘records’ with a gesture that will be of permanent benefit to the Nigerian people? Many people like us, felt the event was unnecessary and a complete waste of public resources, especially at a point when the country’s economic situation in deplorable. Seriously, our political leaders need re-orientation on how to place the State’s priorities aright. No serious-minded Private investor that wants to make profit from their investment, will take these State Governors seriously when all they do is to organize such lavish events like economic investment forums/summits, where flamboyant and colorful slides presentations of ‘ambitious plans’ will be made, without the State Government putting the needed infrastructures and reliable institutions on ground for such investors to be attracted in the first place.

You cannot be busy spending scarce public funds in the name of organizing Carol Nights and One economic investment forums or the other when such millions of Naira and Dollars can be channeled to address other pressing issues of underdevelopment in your States. The State Government should also not expect the private investors to be the ones that will provide such basic infrastructure in the course of executing their investment. That is like trying to put the cart before the horse. Today, people across the globe like going to places like Dubai, New York, Milan, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and other developed countries/cities to invest and do businesses simply because the Government there have done their homework and constitutional obligations by “creating the enabling attractive environment for any business to thrive” with little or no interferences to profit margins.

This is exactly what Nigerian State Governments should be focusing on doing. And not waste public funds in the name of organizing economic investment forums. Once a State Government is able to create this needed ‘friendly-business environment,’ that Government will not have to organize any economic investment forums/summits or make any appeal to any company or investor to come and invest in their State. The well-developed and conducive friendly-business environment will be more than enough incentive and bait for companies and investors to rush into the State. The truth is that, government/host communities’ demands, insecurity, corruption, ineffective/inefficient public service, and poor/inadequate infrastructure in virtually all the States across the country, are some of the ‘overwhelming challenges’ that will always discourage any investor (both home and abroad) to invest in any State. Those of them who have tried to set up an investment, usually end up folding up their businesses and investment portfolios due to these challenges, and relocate to other neighboring African countries like Ghana, South-Africa, Angola, etc, that are less challenging. When an investor finds it difficult and ‘unprofitable’ to operate in a State, such an investor is bound to leave.

So, if State Governors are serious about attracting investors to their States, then they must do all that is within their power to ‘create a more business-friendly environment’ in their States. Like we have advised the Delta State Governor for instance, Governor Okowa should proscribe the demand for “deve” (illegal levies) by youths for construction activities by individuals and companies, and empower the Police to arrest and prosecute anyone caught in this act. We also advised that he should simplify the process and cost of securing Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) as Lagos State Government has done. The crux of the matter is that, Nigerian State Governors should be reminded that they do not need to organize economic investment forums and summits before they should know what to do to develop their State and attract investors in turn. They should learn to set their priorities right in the interest of the people that supposedly elected them to serve.

Zik Gbemre, JP National Coordinator Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)