Sir: One of the vital factors for the success or failure of an administration is mostly determined by the set of people that surround leaders.
The cabinets usually range from ministers to heads of agencies at federal levels, commissioners and advisers to governors at state levels as well as members of local councils in local government levels.
Indubitably, appointees are like eyes of leaders with which they see where, how and what to do. Appointing quacks or unqualified personnels therefore is like giving a farmer tools to conduct surgery. Whereas some appointments are based on track records of professional contributions, others get there because of their loyalty while others make it due to financial supports during campaigns. Administering the affairs of ministry, agency or department of governments requires people that have vast experiences, bureaucratic skills, ability to work under pressure, etc.
But political God-Fatherism is what has been dragging Nigeria back. Many elites of influence invest huge amounts before the election which come along with conditions.
Some of the conditions include giving them freewill to appoint whoever they like in some offices, channelling specific funds to them on monthly or yearly basis or corruption charges on them will be dropped when the candidate wins an election.
These and more are what lead to the emergence of heartless leaders who mostly use idle youths as thugs while sending their wards abroad to some of the best institutions that money can afford.
I ascribe the extremely high rates of poverty and unemployment in Nigeria today to the inability of our leaders to appoint square pegs in square holes. The people they employ or give appointments are usually incompetent individuals who specialise in diverting public funds meant for tackling issues of poverty or implementing projects. Some of these leaders commercialise government jobs to the extent that only those with deep pockets and who have strong political ties get appointments.
Nigeria as epicenter for Africa’s democracy should be a frontier in respects. Our many incompetent people lurking around like competent people, and therefore, it is necessary to carry out strict due diligence investigations on these people before they are approved to man sensitive positions in governance.
Leaders at all levels should arrange for some kind of ombudsmen to look into how public officials run the affairs of their various public offices. Doing this would assist in identifying halfhearted officials. We recommend the outright sack of those shirking their duties.
Usman Massallachi wrote in from Gombe.
