HOW DO WE MAKE NIGERIA A SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE?

This seems to be the all-important question that no one is proffering an answer to. We have a Constitution that says all monies that accrue to government must go to the Federation Account and must be shared amongst the different tiers of government in agreed ratio with no provision for savings or investments. As if that is not enough, the issue of recurrent to capital expenditure in the annual budget also remains a major bane to development - what with a housing deficit of 17 million, with over 135,000km of road network in the country still remaining un-tarred; with Doctor to patient ratio still very low and hospital facilities nationwide inadequate for a population that is increasing by over 2% each year - the question remains: how do we move forward?

 WITH 72% ALLOCATED TO RECURRENT EXPENDITURE AND 28% TO CAPITAL PROJECTS - LITTLE WONDER WHY NOTHING NEW CAME OUT OF THE 2009 - 2014 OIL BOOM?

 It is common knowledge that our Public Service rather than add value keeps depleting the nations resource base. A lot has been said about Government being the biggest employer of labour, but truth is, what percentage of the 72% budgeted for recurrent expenditure actually goes to salaries and emoluments of public sector workers? Analysts posit that just 40% of the entire 72% voted for recurrent expenditure actually goes for Salaries and Emoluments. The rest is swallowed up by corruption.

 IF I WERE PRESIDENT, I WILL SEND THE ENTIRE PUBLIC SECTOR HOME AND STILL PAY THEIR SALARIES UNTIL I AM ABLE TO DETECT THE HOLE THAT IS SWALLOWING 60% OF THE AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR RECURRENT EXPENDITURE

 This sound illogical, but very plausible, because by sending the entire public sector home while still paying them salaries, you will be able to determine the service that is really essential and also saving about 60% of the amount allocated for recurrent expenditure.

 IF I WERE PRESIDENT - I WILL COMPEL THE GROUPING OF STATES INTO REGIONS SO AS TO HAVE ECONOMICAL VIABLE UNITS AND NOT TAKERS

 What is the use having 36 States with over 60% of the States as takers and not givers? Shouldn't we be moving towards more economical models which enable better resource management and frees the private sector to actually lead growth while government boosts Capital Expenditure and ensures budget performance while reducing corruption?

 UNFORTUNATELY, NON OF THE SO-CALLED PEOPLE ASPIRING TO RUN NIGERIA IN 2015 ARE FOCUSING ON THIS ALL IMPORTANT ISSUE. How do we create a viable nation and prioritize what really matters?

Bolaji Okusaga is a Lagos based PR Practitioner