Penultimate Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari turned down a proposal to procure five new Mercedes Benz S-600 (V222) armoured cars for his use. The total value of the cars was put at N400m. The president’s rejection of the proposal was expected of him if truly he is serious and committed to nipping financial recklessness in governance which was the hallmark of the immediate past administration in the bud.
Many have even expressed the shock at the guts of the officials that put forward the proposal when the cars he inherited from his predecessor were still serviceable and in perfect condition. Nevertheless, their action can be excused in view of the fact that it has been the tradition in the government circles for the new helmsmen to avoid touching any inheritance with a 10-foot pole.
The proposal had been put before Mr. President by the permanent secretary, State House, Mr. Nebolisa Emodi, while briefing him on the activities of the State House but he got a response that was characteristic of his boss, who described it as a waste of scare resources. The permanent secretary had tried to impress Buhari that the cars he inherited from former President Goodluck Jonathan were not good enough for him. Curiously, shortly before Jonathan left office, a similar proposal to procure new cars was made to him but it did not scale through.
Beyond perceiving the planned purchase as an unnecessary and wasteful exercise, the rejection of the armoured cars is strictly in line with the president’s resolve to be prudent in the management of nation’s dwindling resources. It could be vividly recalled that Buhari had promised fiscal frugality during his electioneering campaigns.
Although cynics might shrug off the president’s refusal as playing to the gallery, he has sent a strong signal to those charged with the handling of the nation’s resources that it is not going to be business as usual.
Undoubtedly, a leader with spendthrift mentality would not only embrace the proposal for the new exotic cars but would also give his express approval for its execution. Instances abound of overnight ostentatious life style of many of the nation’s leaders and political office holders at all levels of governance the moment they assumed office. It is common knowledge that a mere ward councillor would be pre-occupied with how to live a flamboyant life style ever before he gets into office. This has been the unfortunate trend since 1999 when the nation returned to democracy.
Ironically, while a few squander the national resources, millions of Nigerians wallow in abject poverty as is currently the case. Not many people may see the N400m as anything too big but if such unnecessary expenditures are curtailed and channeled into productive sectors, they would certainly impact on the socio-economic life of the nation. Another good lesson that can be drawn from this development is the culture of maintenance of government’s facilities and properties. Many come to government with a warped mindset not only to loot but also handle government’s assets with reckless abandon to the extent that they would become worthless in the sight of their successors when leaving the office.
We commend President Buhari’s spirit of contentment, simplicity as well as his sense of moderation which also got kudos from the Muslim Rights Concern MURIC. MURIC, in a statement by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said it was commendable the President could turn down the offer.
In this austere period when most states have had to rely on bailout to pay their workers’ salaries and allowances with virtually nothing generated internally, we advise leaders at all levels of government, especially the state governors, to emulate the Buhari example. The bane of our development as a nation is our leaders’ penchant for conspicuous consumption and criminal tendencies to acquire wealth at the expense of the people that elected them to power.