AFTERMATH: Their "Looting" Excellencies Beware!

Dear Editor,

AFTERMATH: Their "Looting" Excellencies Beware!

The present State governors, especially most of them that occupy the Niger-Delta area, are alleged to be excelling their predecessors in treasury looting. The reason could be attributable to the increase in revenue receipts made possible by derivations and the appreciative international crude oil pricing.  There was another masterpiece “Their Thieving Excellencies” by Festus Adedayo back page of National Life few weeks back. 

The impression few of the Governors are giving Nigerians is that no one can stop them from spending any amount they deem fit to apply to any grandiose project. We must not forget then youthful Military Head of Nigerian government, General Yakubu Gowon’s, boastful remark in the 1970s when the oil boom was on; that problem facing Nigeria was no longer money. Rather, he said, the issue was how to spend it.

We have all read how even a governor claimed that he had spent within two years an incredible amount of N80billion servicing federal roads in the small land-massed State whereas the highest ever reported among the rest States in the federation had been below N5billion. And in New Nigeria newspaper (13/1/10, page 24) that State governor claimed that the State was reimbursed only N2billion by the federal authority; what then becomes the fate of the remaining N79billion of tax payers’ fund which presumably must have been pocketed or spent unauthorised? Going through the profile of federal government’s allocation to the entire federal roads, it was discovered that it had been less than N300billion, annually.

History should be a reminder to all and sundry. The fact that most of these 'looting excellencies' have persisted in this ignoble activity makes one believe that they are not taking note of the happenings with some of their predecessors who even committed fewer atrocities. What do they think would be their fates out of office? Little wonder some of them are exhibiting much desperation aimed at extending their stay in office for another four years; probably since they are covered by the immunity clause, the evil day will be further postponed.

Engineer Etim George, Plot 239 Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos.