Former vice-presidential candidate Peter Obi and the bishop of Amichi Diocese, Anglican Communion, Most Rev Ephraim Ikeakor have both spoken out against what they described as the high cost of governance and the alarming level of corruption in Nigeria, saying a combination of the two were killing the country economically and politically.
Bishop Ikeakor, who made this known in his homily during the burial of Millicent Ukachukwu, wife of Nicholas Ukachukwu, called on political leaders “to amend their ways and ensure that the public funds meant for the people are put into judicious use and not wasted on self-aggrandisement and sponsoring one’s extravagance.”
He warned that leaders who insist on syphoning public funds for personal use would face the wrath of God.
Speaking to the press after the event, Mr Obi said that the first step towards exiting the present economic recession the country has fallen into, is cutting the cost of governance which he described as outrageous and not sustainable. He advised the government to only spend money on projects that are beneficial to the public.
He said: “Good governance in any nation is achieved by careful planning. When I was the governor of Anambra State, we planned carefully, budgeted properly and looked inwards to bridge budgetary gaps, by weeding out things that were not necessary. One of the things we did was to close down numerous guest houses and lodges we had here and there.
“We closed our Abuja lodge and gave it out to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to use. I cut down the number of vehicles attached to my convoy when I discovered that most of them were empty. I stopped the daily killing of cows in government house. I cut down the cost of my trips to Abuja, by travelling with only those that were necessary and getting generous discounts from Anambra people that own hotels in Abuja.”
