The Court of Public Opinion is fully in a heated session over the real motive and likely outcome of the ongoing probe of the last administration of Mallam Nasir Elrufai by the Kaduna State House of Assembly. The prosecutors and defendants in the public arena are vehemently making their cases on social media, mai shayi/noodles spots, newspaper stands, beer parlors, public transport, living rooms, barbing saloons, offices, etc.
While all of these arguments – with many from biased and speculative angles – are happening, the real issues are gradually being sidetracked. It is easy to see that many of those at the forefront of the arguments fall within those counted as multidimensionally poor, unemployed, and unsecured. What many do not realize or willfully ignore is that what we pay attention to is largely the fall-out drama of the struggle over the control of power and resources by vested interest.
Rather, we should be focusing more on the social contract entered with us, in the case of Kaduna, by the Governor, Senator Uba Sani, as encapsulated in his SUSTAIN manifesto. As long as the ongoing probe by the Assembly yields the desired result, it is secondary whether it is politically motivated or not. However, using the last administration as a scapegoat in justifying why the current administration cannot satisfactorily fulfill its social contract will be self-indicting and should be rejected.
Evidently, in the forward of the manifesto, the Governor told us, “Our programme for Kaduna State is anchored on the need to S.U.S.T.A.I.N the progressive legacy of Governor El-Rufai, through continuity in government policy, to entrench the interests of ordinary people at the heart of policy and execution.” Furthermore, he stated, “We seek to build on the accomplishments of the past eight years to make Kaduna State synonymous with business and innovation, to create jobs, position Kaduna as a major IT hub, and establish its tertiary hospitals as places of medical excellence.”
In addition, the Governor has emphatically told us in his manifesto that, “We are ready and prepared to build on the achievements recorded so far to accomplish more for our people.” Therefore, we cannot expect less or any excuse from him. Beyond the rhetoric of the campaigns, this is the time to demonstrate his readiness and preparedness. To be fair to the Governor, he has been busy engaging stakeholders, wooing investors, unveiling projects, and carrying out social investment interventions.
Nonetheless, the real question should be, how are all of these actions being taken by the Governor contributing to or translating into improved development outcomes? This question is pertinent because, in our part of the world, we celebrate outputs instead of outcomes. Only if we are to reflect since the return to democracy: we have seen celebrated investments that have become moribond; as well as constructed schools, hospitals, and roads that have become dilapidated due to poor contract execution. So, it is not enough to showcase and celebrate outputs.
While the probe by the Assembly is ongoing, with commendable steps taken so far, let it not distract us from the real questions we should be asking the current administration. Considering the current financial constraints, what is the administration doing differently to ensure it meets or surpasses its IGR target of N120 billion – without emasculating businesses; as well as meets eligibility criteria to draw down the entire N150 billion loan target in the 2024 budget? Is public investment catching up with the increasing citizens’ demands due to the rising population growth rate (at about 3%)?
More specifically, the administration is building schools, hospitals, and roads as well as carrying out social investment interventions – as a result, are we witnessing a reduction in learning poverty, and child and maternal mortality, boosting prosperity as well as reducing poverty and vulnerability respectively? Only answers to these questions will provide evidence to discerning minds that the administration is not engaged in motion without movement. Accordingly, equal attention needs to be paid to ensuring aggregate fiscal sustainability, allocation of scarce resources to strategic priorities in budget, value for money in service delivery as well as transparency and accountability.
Thankfully, the administration recently integrated the SUSTAIN manifesto into the State Development Plan (SDP). Therefore, it is bound to deliver on the result framework, which has targets for each year till the end of the plan. Especially in the manifesto, the Governor promised to continue with the “accomplishment” of his predecessor. It is based on these yearly targets across the sectors that the residents of Kaduna should assess the performance of the current administration. These are the issues that should arrest our attention, lest we are distracted by the ongoing probe in the Assembly.
Goje is an active citizen and civil society member. He writes from Kaduna.
