Nigeria needs to overhaul over-bloated system – CSO

Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, Monday said the country must overhaul its over-bloated system, truly diversify the economy and run a lean and transparent government where the majority of the people and not the present few, are the greatest beneficiaries of government.

The Convener, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, CDNDC, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, said Nigeria has been oscillating on the sidelines of recession since the last quarter of 2015, and it has now twice gone into this economic abyss, without any significant roadmap for progress and prosperity.

“The delay in restructuring Nigeria is at the peril of the country, except we restructure and make every component part economically viable or responsible, we will continue to sink deeper into an economic quagmire.”

The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, said, “We have seen the Auditor General’s report of 2017, over 200 units in parastatals have never rendered account and more money is being given to them despite that they have not presented themselves to be audited. What doe s that really mean?

“I thought the budget is to check and say you spent money and you didn’t spend money on what we gave you money for. Checks and balances supposed to be in place and sanctions meted out to those who are guilty.

The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, said, “Government should now. More than ever give attention to priority spending. Frivolities and high allocation on the cost of recurrent should be highly discouraged at the moment.

The Founder and President of One Love Foundation, Chief Patrick Eholor, said, “The only way we can salvage this situation is to straighten our institutions and to have a retroactive law to try every corrupt civil servant and politician.

The National President, RIMAN, Peter Dama, said should discourage smuggling of goods into the country that will destroy production and deprive Nigerians of gainful employment.

“Explore the possibility of exporting our mineral and agriculture products to earn foreign exchange. There should be fairness equity & justice in all that we do. Armed robbery; banditry should be checked as it discourages direct foreign investors from flowing into the country.