Wastage in Governance
“The wastage in government as regards the political office holders is much. When I became a minister, I was given the inventory of the vehicles in my office. Behold it contained twelve cars of different make, including land cruisers, Peugeot 604 and other assorted cars. When I inquired why the need for twelve cars? I was given the breakdown which included cars for my personal assistant, special assistant, protocol officers, media crew, my wives and others for my personal use. When I went to the minister, Olusegun Agagu, he told me he had seventeen cars! Which then means, in my ministry alone, between the two of us we have twenty-seven cars. Is that not wastage? Again, shortly after I was made the minister, despite that I stayed in my personal house, I was allocated twelve million naira for the maintenance of the minister’s house which apparently was not necessary because the previous occupier would not have done much damage that warrants such amount for its fixing. In another vein, wastage in government also occurs when we take too much delegation to functions. Most times, we go to such occasions with bloated entourage.” – Muhammad Muritala Aliyu. Former Minister of State, Power and Steel.