ENUGU STATE’S MONUMENT TO PROFLIGACY

ENUGU STATE’S MONUMENT TO PROFLIGACY

 Sullivan Chime of Enugu State recently announced that his government intends to build a “new and befitting” state secretariat at a cost of N13.6 billion. As a proof of his seriousness with the proposal, the governor has already authorised the demolition of the existing secretariat complex in the state capital.

 While nobody begrudges the governor the right to construct a new administrative edifice for his state, what we do not understand is the compelling need to commit huge resources to such a project, especially at this time. For a state that is presently mired in deep financial hardship, it is difficult to believe that constructing a new secretariat should be on its priority list. Even then, to spend a whopping sum of N14 billion on a project that is not income generating when there are more issues demanding attention, does not appear to us as a wise decision.

 We are not in any way setting priorities for the governor. However, it is a well-known fact that Chime, who was a senior member of the previous Governor Chimaroke Nnamani administration in Enugu, had earlier cancelled the construction of an international conference centre being built by his predecessor on grounds that he could not find money for the project which was already at 60 percent completion stage. Questions will now be asked as to what informs his own white elephant project after five years in office and where he will find the money for it.

 Critics of the proposed new secretariat, especially the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) in Enugu as well as some civil society organizations do not believe that there is anything wrong with the existing secretariat. They argue that the present structure built in accordance with international best building standards is still very much solid. They therefore find it difficult to understand the justification for this idea. According to the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), a new secretariat complex is not a priority programme for the government or the people of Enugu state, but rather an attempt at “pouring salt into a soak-away pit.” The pertinent question most rational people ask is: In a state where retired teachers are owed up to 27 months of their pension areas, what is so urgent about a secretariat that would gulp N14 billion?

 We do not think it makes any economic sense that a government which could not continue work on completion of a far less expensive project for alleged lack of funds should turn around to borrow such huge amount from banks at prime rate for a prestige project whose only purpose is to serve as a legacy edifice, something for which to remember Governor Chime’s era. It is our considered opinion that the amount to be spent on the proposed new secretariat, if properly deployed elsewhere, could go a long way in making a difference to the people of Enugu State. Even more curious is the haste with which the governor and the House of Assembly are pursuing a project which was not originally provided for in the state’s budget for 2012. This undue haste has led to the accusation that the new secretariat complex is designed to achieve other unstated purposes. Yet there is no guarantee that the project might not even, at some point, be abandoned.

 With critical areas of social needs like education, creation of jobs and development of infrastructure begging for attention, we do not see the need for the construction of a new secretariat. We therefore lend our voice to those who argue that this is a monument to waste and that the idea be shelved in the overall interest of the people of Enugu state.

Culled ....Thisday Newspaper