Restructuring Nigeria
Restructuring simply means to re-organise, to give a face-lift, to change the working structure for a better and effective system. The term could be applied to an organization, social and political system for a better result.
How do I mean by restructuring Nigeria?
The current outcry for the Country Nigeria’s restructuring is long overdue. People believe that the Nigerian state is the bedrock of all crises even before now. Their argument is that some sections of the country especially the Niger Delta area where the bulk of the resources come from are not only marginalized but dehumanized and they believe that the only way out is true restructuring to reflect true federalism. Until this is done, we are only postponing the evil days.
Currently, the Nigerian state operates what people view as a false federal system. This brings discontent among the various component units that were forcibly joined together by the British colonialists into the Nigerian state.
It does not guarantee equity, justice and fairness. Evidences abound about the marginalisation, discrimination, criminal neglect and domination of one ethnic group against the other. The federal character principle which was designed to address the fears of the minorities and promote inclusive governance has been completely removed or grossly abused by the operators of the system.
Appointments and citing of projects are being done with dose of politics, tribal sentiment and nepotism. Hence the demand by the Igbos for a sovereign state of Biafra. However this does not go down well with the northern Nigeria and its elite who do not see anything wrong with the Nigerian structure and thus do not want restructuring.
There is a need for restructuring of our political, governance and economic structures. To achieve this therefore a number factors need to be put into consideration.
1. There should be power rotation and zoning clauses in our constitution for key leadership positions at all tiers of government. This has become very important in view of the Igbos belief that they have been marginalized and excluded in governance.
2. There should also be fiscal federalism or resource control. This call has long over due among the Niger Delta region of Nigeria who believe they have been marginalized over the years. Each state should be given the right to control and manage their resources. The concentration of power at the centre and the monthly allocation to states should be removed. This will bring about faster development in these regions where the bulk of resources come from.
3. For restructuring to work effectively in Nigeria, the economy should be diversified so that other areas like agriculture, entertainment, tourism and solid minerals can be fully explored and developed.
4. There should be a balance in the area of appointments and provision of infrastructure. To this end, a special committee should be set up to address the injustices in terms of appointments, infrastructure, allegation of marginalization by one ethnic group and high security agencies to deal with any acts.
5. Also, as part of reform and restructuring of political system, there should be amendments to the relevant legal regimes for elections to provide and protect the vulnerable in our system – such as the youths, women and persons with disabilities. Diaspora voting as is done in most advanced countries like USA, Britain etc should be incorporated in the system. Setting up of electoral offences commission to deal with offences arising from electoral breaches or violations should also be seriously addressed.
6. The Niger Delta crises will have a permanent solution if the problem of marginalization, degradation and neglect of the area is properly addressed. The oil companies operating in these areas should be mandated to keep some percentage of their earnings to develop their host communities. Gas flaring which poses as health hazards to the areas should stop and the government should come up with stiffer penalties against gas flaring in the region. A clear and clean amnesty programme to the youths should be a strong focus. Above all, establishments social amenities such hospitals, good water, electricity and other meaningful projects that will the people sense of belonging should be of utmost priority.
In conclusion, restructuring Nigeria means a total overhauling of the entire system for a better and workable system that will address injustices, nepotism, tribalism, neglect of one ethnic group, senseless killings, political domination, corruption, capital flights etc as a result of loopholes inherent in the existing system. All hands must be on deck to restructure Nigeria politically, economically and socially.