We don’t need 36 governors – Emir Sanusi calls for political restructuring
– The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has said that Nigeria does not need 36 governors
– He noted that 80% of government revenue was being used to maintain 1million public officers, leaving 20% for over 160 million Nigerians
– Sanusi called for urgent restructuring of the political system to save resources for projects that benefit the people
Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has said that Nigeria does not need 36 governors and called for urgent restructuring of the political system.
Premium Times reports that Sanusi made the call while speaking at the inaugural lecture and launching of a N250 million endowment fund for the Oba Sikiru Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance, department of political science, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun state.
According to the emir, Nigeria can no longer afford to maintain the number of political office holders, especially now when the country is facing economic challenges.
“You sometimes wonder if anyone needs to tell any group of people that if you are a poor country, you do not need 36 governors, 36 deputy governors, with members of house of assembly, commissioners and advisers, Special assistants, a president, a vice president, 36 ministers, special advisers, federal legislature and so on.
“Simple arithmetic will tell you that if you have that structure, you are first of all doomed to spending 80 or 90% of everything you earn maintaining public officers. It is really common sense but it seems to be a problem for us to understand it,” he said.
READ ALSO: Photos: Emir Sanusi and Aliko Dangote visit Kano state governor
Sanusi recalled that when he was the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, he raised the point that 80% of government revenue was being used to maintain 1million public officers, leaving 20% for over 160 million Nigerians. He noted that the state governor reacted by saying the federal government was planning to recruit more people.
The emir stressed that the country needs a structural reform of the political system to save resources for projects that benefit the people.
“Kano state today is much smaller than Kano emirate, because there are two other emirates in Dutse and Ringim which were carved out from what was the Kano emirate just to create a new state. There are two governors in Kano and Jigawa, two deputy governors, maybe 40 members of the House of Assembly, 40 commissioners and advisers, 70 local governments, chairman and councillors but for nine years, Governor Audu Bako with nine commissioners, one governors and nine commissioner managed the entire territory and they were doing much better services than we are doing now. Is it not time to face reality?” he wondered.
Earlier this month, Professor Wole Soyinka called on President Muhammadu Buhari to convene an emergency economic conference to enable experts proffer solutions to the economic crisis bedeviling the country.
Meanwhile, Senator Aliyu Wamakko has urged Nigerians to be patient with the Buhari-led administration, adding that the president has good plans for the country. He expressed assurance that Buhari was doing his best to turn around the fortunes of the country.
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