Change: Our Expectation Are On The Fever Pitch, Dash It Not -By Micheal Adeniyi

Today, I suspect the Buhari’s government is nervous. Having raised expectations to a fever pitch, it knows it has not quite been able to deliver.

Inspirational slogans, catchy one-liners and fierce personal energy cannot cover the yawning gap between intent and fulfilment of Change. How can we forget we wanted a “Change”.Quite obviously, the government senses discontent in its middle-class support base but refuses to own up to it. Like all governments who avoid adversarial critiques this government, too, naively concludes that waning enthusiasm is due to a failure in trumpeting its achievements. High decibel publicity is both a means to cover up nervousness and provide the Sychohants APCheats army within this APC government with ammunition to counter criticism. Also President Buhari seems to find it difficult to function without constant public adulation from mass audiences, needing to wow them with mesmeric oratory and convince them of the “historic” role that destiny requires him to play. Doing it often enough seems to quieten a potentially restive electorate and reinforces his own sense of the greatness. Despite founding most of its members wanting of corruption President Buhari decided to shield them, we know Dambazzau!, Mr president and his ministers have to play the godly and saintly leader with renewed vigour to maintain balance. Particularly so, because the international image of a modernist messiah who is transforming a plodding, blundering leviathan into a muscle toned, galloping stallion, cannot be allowed to suffer. The big things that are happening under the great helmsman need constant iteration.

Meanwhile, the anti-corruption pot must be kept bubbling so that whenever the government seems to be forgetting the core Change agenda, the fires can be stoked. Soon this euphoria will wane. Then I foresee a flurry of senseless activity — a cabinet and bureaucratic reshuffle, followed by an overweening PMO going into an overdrive — holding meetings to remove bottlenecks, chasing approvals, demanding power-point presentations and generally making life hell for those entrusted with implementation: Activities that have little impact on outputs and outcomes.

The pity is that the opportunity for a genuine critical review at this stage could and should have done the following. Having reduced the numbers of ministries this government should have induct strong, experienced cabinet ministers, each capable of exercising independent political authority, to head each of the regrouped ministries; each ministry should be given a clear remit and adequate budget. Also this Government is making the Governance into an obtrusive big brother all appointments lack balanced federal character unlike before, well, ministries should be empowered administratively and financially by using smart budgeting tools. Budgets should be linked to committed outcomes and deliverables and then ministries should be held accountable. The focus should be shifted from exercising controls after budgets have been approved to rigorous critical scrutiny before a budget is approved and then devolving and delegating powers in a way that delivering budgeted outcomes is a sacrosanct contractual responsibility.

These are simple, tried and tested techniques every good CEO knows about.
Mr president should be able to walk the talk on federalism and devolution. We almost believed the President when he got rid of the Planning Commission. But all we got was a bigger share of Bailout loans to the states. However, a centralising mindset still dominates and states, local governments and grassroots organisations continue to be treated as agents rather than as partners in a collective, collaborative endeavour. The potential of using a platform like the Inter-State Council for changing all this remains unrealised.

Buhari’s government must start a process of listening to contrary points of view, be it the responsible and mature dissenters or the media and give legitimacy to two-way interactions, he should speak out clearly and forcefully against the bigotry of his partymen, including his own ministers, he must be prerogative to get rid of the bigoted cultural Neanderthals: secret recruiters, looters and Nepotistic fellows in his team. Not doing so only confirms that he is actually the fountainhead of such thinking, and also brings out the striking contrast between the Presidents international persona and his domestic one. This contrast is not going unnoticed in the investor community and murmurs now can grow into a roar anytime.

Three years to go. There is still time. Are you listening, Mr President?