Opinion: A world in transition: ‘Postponing Judgement day’ – By Alfred Dapal Damiyal (A.D.D)

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today” Abraham Lincoln
In writing this episode, I am reminded of the words in the book ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell “…all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”.

If there is one thing this current government, especially at the Federal level, has been able to accomplish is to confirm the truth in these words. The level of nepotism witnessed in appointments and government patronage, handling (or not) of the problems of insecurity and other indices that negate the principle of Federal Character, has pushed us to the point where people are questioning the existence of our country as a single entity.

Never in our history has the issue of self-determination gained ground like the present, all because we have a government, a president that has not been able to manage our diversity.
These agitations take different forms – from Biafran separatists popularly known as IPOB to Afenifere’s push for regionalism (both fiscal and constitutional), and the sometimes silent wailings of ethnic minorities.

What are the direct and indirect effects of these on us as a state you may ask…even as we frown at our state governor’s inability to define a progressive position for us?
Anyway, I believe the first real foundation for fiscal federalism, which is a precursor to regionalism, was laid a few weeks ago with the ruling on the lawsuit over collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) instituted by the government of Rivers State, led by the courageous Gov. Nyesom Wike. And I think it is symbolic that the judgement which empowered states to collect VAT was delivered by an indigene of Plateau State, Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam.

The South-South region from whence comes the oil and gas resources that has been the main stay of our country has been at the forefront of the agitation for resource control and fiscal federalism for a very long time from the days of Isaach Boro to Ken Saro Wiwa and the Ogoni 9, down to the struggle led by Obong Victor Attah (former governor of Akwa Ibom) resulting in the of 13% derivation fund.

The current system where accrued revenue goes to the Abuja, and gets shared monthly to States at FAAC meetings is unsustainable and only breeds laziness in governors – this is what has led to the labeling of the North as a parasite on Nigeria.

Little by little, the foundations of the current fiscal system is being chipped away, a day will come when a collapse will be inevitable. Will our Internally Generated revenue (IGR) as a State be sufficient to sustain us?
Let us start by looking at where we are; with reference to the recently released ‘The State of the States Report by BudgIT, Plateau State –
2020 IGR was N19.12B up from N16.48 in 2021, FAAC allocation 2020 N54.36B down from N56.95B in 2019, State budget 2020 N177.3B and 2019 N148B.
Looking at these figures, and going back historical data, our IGR is 21-26% of the States revenue, and when compared to the budgets, IGR is a mere 10-11% of the budget.
As a result, Plateau State currently sits on a domestic debt of N137.78B and foreign debt of $37.9M (N15.62B).

To put it a different way (in per capita terms), while every person living in Plateau State makes just N4,086 per year, he or she owes N32,117…that means if the state government decides not to spend any money, it makes (no salaries, no roads, schools, hospitals built…nill…zero expenditure) it will take us 8 years to finish paying this.
Stay focused on this numbers and add the agitation for fiscal federalism and you see that despite our huge potential as a State – we are ill-prepared to stand on our own.
What can be done? What should be done?
The next governor/government (I say next because it is clear the current government lacks the capacity for economic expansion) needs to first recognize the gravity of the situation and push to creatively get our economic productivity up.

Talking of how our State is blessed has become a stale truth; we need to look at ways to innovatively steer up economic activity. Instead of moving raw foods (tomatoes, potatoes, yams, etc) out of the State, why can’t we add value to them with some processing and move tomato paste, chips and starch, which commands far more monetarily (with the added benefit of increased employment)…with the temperate climate what stops us from promoting internationally traded crops like Wheat, Tea and Coffee. While Zamfara State has found a way to generate revenue from the gold deposits, why can’t we create SPV’s backed by law to benefit directly from solid minerals and in a State with abundant water falls what stops us from having mini hydro powered electric plants which has capacity to boost industrialization.
So much can be done – what is needed is leadership that will not stay and complain but fold its sleeves, through creative thinking and get us to a position of sustainability.

A proof of leadership, as being the chief determinant, look at Kaduna State, regardless of people’s views of Governor El-Rufai, he has created a business friendly environment in his State and grown IGR to N50.77B (2020) and with FAAC allocation at N72.79B, the State’s IGR is over 40% of its revenue.
It is said that ‘na gaba sun yi gaba, na baya sai labari’ (those ahead have gone ahead, we will only hear gist of those behind).
We are moving to a point where States will have to be financially sustainable to survive in the new Nigeria that is being birthed and we cannot push the ball down the road anymore.

We need to demand a leadership that will guide and position us on a path of increased productivity and economic growth by creatively utilizing the resources (material and human) that we have within our borders.
To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin – “we may delay, but time will not”

Alfred Dapal Damiyal (A.D.D)

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Opinion: A world in transition: ‘Postponing Judgement day’ – By Alfred Dapal Damiyal (A.D.D)