APC, LP again RMAFC on chopping price of governance

The ruling All Progressives Congress and Labour Party have thrown their weight behind the submission made by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission on the need to cut the cost of governance in the country.

The development came barely 24 hours after the commission linked the high cost of governance to several factors, including an expensive presidential system, bloated cabinet structure with overlapping ministries and widespread corruption.

The concern was raised in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by RMAFC chairman, Mohammed Shehu, who stated that the issues are draining public resources and hindering economic development.

Reacting in an exclusive interview with According Online on Monday, the spokesman for the Labour Party Campaign Organisation, Yunusa Tanko, said the submission of the commission could not have come at a better time.

Tanko, who claimed the original idea to implement the Oronsaye report was part of the manifesto of his principal, Peter Obi, expressed optimism that it would make governance effective, if properly executed.

He said, “The truth of the matter is that the high cost of governance in Nigeria will always affect other areas of priority.

“Having understood the particular scenario right before the Buhari administration, we formulated the documents called ‘It is Possible’ and ‘Our Contact with the Nigerian People.’

“That was where we came up with the need to implement the Oronsaye report to collapse most of the ministries together to be more effective and functional.

“Most importantly, the cost of governance in this country is so high. For instance, the people in the National Assembly have no business staying in Abuja. Let us be realistic.

“In cutting down cost, one would have expected them to disperse the moment they take their collective decision.

“There is no need for them to remain in Abuja, which will keep adding money to the cost of governance. These are some of the things we need to checkmate.

“We also need to look at those ministries with overlapping duties. Of course, the cost of running them will be on the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“People should be paid based on work done and integrity, not cutting corners to earn a living.

“The guideline on how we intended to implement the Oronsaye report was our idea. What the Tinubu administration did is more of cut-and-paste.”

The National Publicity Director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, also shared the sentiment of the RMAFC boss.

Ibrahim also said he believed President Bola Tinubu was on the right course, based on his body language and statements emanating from the presidency.

He said, “Anybody watching the body language of the president and the statements coming out from the presidency, will agree to the fact that the president is determined to reduce the cost of governance and block all leakages in government. His ambition is to see to it that he leaves a very good legacy in a way that people will remember him as one president who really appreciates and understands the workings of the private sector.

“Anyone who is not productive in the system is likely to be weeded out. By the time the Oronsaye report is fully implemented, wherever there is overlap and duplication of responsibilities, all these things will go and the cost of governance will come down.

“I solidly agree with the submission of the RMAFC that we have a bloated system and the cost of governance is high. But here comes a government that is willing to correct the anomalies.”