By James Sowole in Akure
Concerned by the fiscal crisis facing most states of the federation, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant for the 2016 election in Ondo State, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has proposed a massive cut of security vote as part of strategies to manage trend.
Akeredolu, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), also recommended that the state governors should end reckless spending, lamenting that most governors “spend too much on frivolity.”
He expressed the concern in a statement issued by his media at the weekend, pointing out that managing a state at a turbulent time “requires the service of a man, who has vision and who can see beyond today.”
While acknowledging that the 27 states of the federation could no longer pay salaries, Akeredolu stressed the need for the chief governors of the affected states to be creative and make sacrifices.
Akeredolu said as the economy was going through turbulent time, what was required of a leader was “to manage the affairs of the state within the resources it has and cut some spending to stabilise the economy.”
“There are many things in terms of security vote. There are many things in terms of reckless spending. Some governors still go out with a number of entourage. What do you need it for when we are in a state of crisis? The problem we have is that we spend too much on frivolity.”
He lamented that chief executives of most states of the federation “have refused to cut their spending. If this crisis gets worse, what stops a governor from buying his food in the Government House?
“At least, you are able to feed yourself in your house. Why can you not feed yourself in Government House? Till tomorrow, President Barack Obama pays for his food in the White House? The one the United States Government takes care of is the state banquet,” he said.
The aspirant urged the governors “to cut off all these excesses. It does not have to continue this way. If it is a crisis period, you must call your people to prepare to make sacrifice so that we can move forward.”
