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Nnanna Ukaegbu, factional chairman Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has described Nigeria as an adult that is behaving like an infant.
He observed that corruption is not the problem of the country, but a bi-product of its problem, stressing that Nigeria’s main problem is citizens’ inability to really practise any desirable form of government.
According to Ukaegbu, “We are running a system that is not practised in any other country of the world. The system that we practise in Nigeria is the reason why we are not making progress.
“Our system does not encourage productive economy- a system that takes from the poor and gives to the rich.
“We don’t have any incentive to produce, we have paid for our indolence, we have been rewarded for our laziness and so long as we have this system in place, no amount of fighting corruption, no amount of social or economic re-engineering will make any meaningful impact on the country”.
He stated that Nigeria needs to restructure to what is obtainable elsewhere in the world to get out of the numerous crises besetting the country.
“If we fail to restructure Nigeria, we would just be running round in a circle; and Nigeria will never make any progress,” he said.
According to him, “The system we practise here is unknown. It is not practised in the United States of America, Britain or any great economy. There is no reason why Abia State should be getting subsidy or oil windfall from Bayelsa, when we can produce palm oil, cassava and other inputs and contribute to the national economy.
“Why do we have to sit at home and abandon what we are known for and expect to be given money at the end of the month from resources accruable from another man’s land?”
To get the country out of the doldrums, Ukaegbu suggested that Nigeria must go back to fiscal federalism, which was the practice that was bequeathed to us by Britain.
He said: “Let us go back to what the British administrators bequeathed to us. The system we practised in the First Republic, where Western region was the richest region in the country.
“The region was the first to establish the first University and the first Television and Radio stations in Nigeria. While some states may not be greatly endowed, each state will have what it would contribute to the economy. Until we come back to common sense, no amount of posturing will make any meaningful impact in the country’s economy.”
GODFREY OFURUM
