A former Lawmaker who represented Oron Federal constituency, Akwa Ibom State, in the House of Representatives, Hon. Peter Umoh has expressed the optimism that the federal government could run the affairs of the country without borrowing.
Umoh who made the assertion during an interview last week in Uyo, stressed that it was a matter of political will for the President to take decision on a number of things aimed at achieving that.
He expressed the optimism that if the huge amount of money stolen from Nigeria were recovered and cost of governance cut that the President in power would not need to borrow to run the government.
He advised that with the current economic crisis in the country, if the N160m that would be used to purchase SUV Vehicle for just one House of Representatives member would be enough to empower his or her constituents.
His words: “It is possible for a President to run the government without borrowing. It is a matter of political will. If this government takes that decision a number of things will have to be done to achieve it.
” I am being frank and straightforward. Number one is if the Federal government has gone to purge the stomach of those who have stolen Nigeria’s money in dollars, in pounds and in Naira to bring out the money, you will be shocked at how much that can be achieved.
“Number two is to cut down the cost of governance. Number three which is very very important, I don’t know if anybody has said this before, that the National Assembly should be one. The point I am making is that despite the population of a State, the House of Representatives seats should be equal.
” If it will be 10 federal constituencies per state, then there will be 360 House of Reps members plus the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in an attempt to reduce cost of governance. Why I am saying this is because ministries, departments and agencies of government (MDAs) suffer a lot when it comes to Budget defence by the Legislature.
“As MDA to defend your Budget you have to appear before the House of Reps Committee, before now going to the Senate Committee on the same subject matter of one National Assembly. It is very expensive, time consuming and absolutely avoidable. It is a system that we should do away with. Nigeria’s Federal structure should be one”
Umoh who was also ex-speaker Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly further decried a situation where previous administrations failed to complete capital projects started in most parts of the country because the cost of governance was beyond the Country’s income.
“Cost of governance is beyond Nigeria’s means. When you look at the total Revenue of the federal government you will discover that it is not enough to fund only the Recurrent expenditure. So if it is not enough to cover Recurrent expenditure, where is the money that will be used to fund capital projects?
“That is why over the years the federal government has not been able to complete and Commission 100kilometers of Road. Find out why it has not completed the East-West road till today? It’s funding problem. In each year’s budget money is appropriated to that project and how much money is released?
“That’s why sometimes when people talk I just laugh. As a former member House of Representatives, I know that Nigeria’s problem is that we do not cut our Coat according to our size”, Umoh asserted.
