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This morning I approached a LASTMA officer because I needed directions, the man just look my face, I could see the frustration all over him, but I still ask am wetin I wan ask;
"Oga, Please is the left the right way to go? abi na this other side?" I didn't want to pass one way - I nor get money to pay.
He look me up down, up down and hissed ...and decided for a good 2 minutes what he was going to say to me...
" I nor get your time this morning"... and with that he dismissed me with a wave of his hand.
SHUO. Just like that?LOL. Dismissed like a pesky fly. I don't know if he was upset that I didn't pass the one way so that I can be his maga...
Anyways this got me thinking, why is Nigeria like this sef? If I can't ask an officer for directions, who will I ask? If I recorded him with my phone or recorded that situation like people have been doing lately he might have gotten into trouble, perhaps then he will take me seriously? If no one superior is watching him, who is he accountable to? Me? Nobody dey ask anybody kweshun...
And I feel that is a huge part of the problem in Nigeria, no accountability. Armed people can go into a house, rob, rape, kill and take their sweet time doing it. 95% of the time, no one gets caught, just promises of "we are investigating... we are investigating"... Funds are released, projects not carried out and then more funds are released... LOL. Some government officials dey chop our money, squandering resources, giving contracts to their brothers, cousins, uncles and in-laws, we all know this, but what can we do? Suffering and smiling, who are they accountable to? Who holds them accountable? All we hear is billions, billions, billions... I taya.
In ethics and governance, accountability is answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and the expectation of account-giving; "A is accountable to B when A is obliged to inform B about A’s (past or future) actions and decisions, to justify them, and to suffer punishment in the case of eventual misconduct" -Wikepedia
Are we really going to say we don't know the wrong things that happen in this country? People dey chop clean mouth, yet we go still hail them on top oh, they will ride in big cars blaring sirens and we will allow them pass... They will still come and give thanksgiving in Church. I don't know a lot about politics, but, I feel if only people were made accountable for their actions or lack of, they would take their roles/jobs more seriously and Nigeria will move forward; everyone should be held accountable, from the front desk staff to the president gan... sadly this is not so; almost zilch accountability.
I love Nigeria, and whatever I can do to make it better I will do, one day at a time.
Well, let me address your question of lack of accountability - and I will be brutally frank here. You're quite familiar with the saying that "he who pays the piper dictates the tune". In countries where the citizens finance the government through tax, there is accountability. In like manner, in rentier states like Nigeria and the Middle East where the majority of state money comes from natural resources, governments do not feel the need to be accountable to their citizens. We cannot be clamouring for accountability when 85% of government revenues in Nigeria comes from the sale of crude oil. The Nigerian government naturally will be more accountable to their source of income - in this case multinational oil companies than its citizens. We constitute only cost elements to the government and so we're in a very weak bargaining position and that is why the government never listens to us. The secret (well, not so secret) of ensuring government accountability is having an active citizenry that not only demands accountability from government but also perform their functions and duties as citizens - chief of which is payment of tax with which the state is run. An example, in 2007, the government of Obasanjo raised VAT from 5% to 10% and we went on a National Strike to force the government to revert back to 5%. I have not seen any democratic country with an accountable government with a VAT of less than 10%. We cannot eat our cake and have it at the same time. If we don't want to pay tax, we have to put up with the current situation.
ReplyDeleteChris, I couldn't agree more. We must address the tax issue before we can move forward. The average Nigerian wants the benefits of a democratic government without any responsibility on their part as citizens. If we want that cake, we have to dip into our own pockets for money to cook it.
DeleteTell them o!
DeleteYou don't know how many times I've argued that I'd rather pay taxes and know that things are working for me, than keep the money to myself and worry about health, safety, security, transportation, etc.
@Chris Akor Inasmuch as i agree with you,i believe tax isn't the major problem here.The problem is still accountability itself! If the citizens were made to be accountable from the onset,we wouldn't be having this conversation.Wether we start paying VAT of 10% or continue with the 5%,i assure you the issue would still be thesame.The only solution is if us,the citizens,can decide to change our mindset and be accountable in our little way,then we'd be able to clamour for accountability.As it is now,we're all guilty of gross misconducts in one form or another,as regards Nigeria,so we cannot point accusing fingers at anyone,yet.
Deletehmmmm. This is the first time I'm hearing this argument, but the more I think about it the more it resounds with me
DeleteThat's the good thing about being able to speak Hausa. I just threaten to call a Major General uncle in my Hausa accent and that straightens them up...
ReplyDeleteReally??? what of those that don't know how to speak hausa.This sounds rather lame.
DeleteIt's actually not lame,it only goes on to show us how rotten the country is.The system is the problem.
DeleteIt makes me sad thinking of it
ReplyDeleteFunny enuf, all the LASTMA and police people I have personally approached on the road are always helpful. I think they are even always surprised that a civilian approached them, and are impressed by it, lol.
ReplyDeleteYou for whip out your Cannon and begin to snap away. Lol. I really like Chris's response. It makes a whole lotta sense. I know about a lot of our problems in Nigeria, but I don't have the solution(s). I'm weak. I don't know what to say, do, or think anymore.
ReplyDeleteI'll disagree just a lil bit with the tax issue, in the sense that even if Nigerians decided to pay 50% of their income to tax, Nigeria will still be where it is, because it comes full circle back to accountability. There is no one to hold accountable for how money is spent, so it'll just be a system of poor giving more money to the rich (government). HERE is where i agree, and i've been kind of thinking about lately, if there is a way for the citizens to adopt the police force, the army, pay them directly, award their family scholarships, we can turn them to OUR accountable unit. This will be the situation of the "he who pays the piper dictates the tune." Most times I don't even blame the police force for some of the things they do, you have to ask yourself, Can I die for my job? Will his sacrifice benefit my family? in their case it does not. In this case, Sisi Yemi, this might just be the case of a hungry man is an angry man. I'm writing a piece on this soon, just need to get my research in place first.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Precious, whenever they ask people to pay this and that, first thing that comes to mind is who is going to be accountable for this money/contribution?
DeleteWe agree that some people do not pay tax when asked to but still we need to understand that everyone's not ready to drop their hard earned money without seeing appropriate results.
People need proof but how do we get proof without money?
@Precious You took the words right out of my mouth!
DeleteI think if you were paying that high a percentage in tax, you would be motivated to see that it is beneficial to you.
DeleteThe tax answer is at the crux of this matter.
ReplyDelete@Precious, when you are paying, you are more motivated to ask how your money is performing, and you have a stand too.
This is true @ "but, I feel if only people were made accountable for their actions or lack of, they would take their roles/jobs more seriously and Nigeria will move forward; everyone should be held accountable, from the front desk staff to the president gan."
ReplyDelete