Mrs Omotayo Omotosho, Former Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), on Wednesday called on Nigerians to begin to hold leaders accountable to fix the nation’s rot and economy.
Omotosho made the call during the 16th Annual Adekunle Kukoyi memorial lecture organised by the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) in Ikeja.
The guest lecturer spoke on the topic “Review of Our Nation’s Institutional Capacity for Accelerated Growth and Economic Development: The Nigeria Scenario”
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She urged Nigerians to be concerned and demand for Institutional performance, transparency and accountability in governance as well as ensuring organisational and administrative capabilities.
She called for monitoring and evaluation of institutional capacities, while calling for a review of obsolete laws to give enforcements legal teeth to bite.
Omotosho cited examples of some laws that prescribed sanctions; but had no agency to enforce prescribed punishments hence allowing impunity to prevail.
“We cannot continue to keep quiet and murmur. If truly we want to evolve a true Nigeria, we should not leave it to the media alone.
” The earlier Nigerians begin to ask questions, the better, “she said.
She lamented lack of continuity as most new regimes or administrations abandoned good policies of successors, adding that the trend was replicated in several sectors in the country.
She said that the different tiers and arms of government were vested with responsibilities which they must meet to fast track the nation’s economic growth.
“But the reality in our Nation is that many states still depend on federal allocation.
“We are also not unaware of the abuses by states of Local Government allocations. No wonder the Local Governments which are supposed to be the Engine of Development at the grassroots level have been emasculated,” she said.
She listed challenges the COVID-19 had wreaked on the nation’s economy, and other problems including inadequate population data and porous borders.
She called for proper population data, strengthening the Ministry of Humanitarian, Disaster Management and Social Development to effectively capture the unreached, vulnerable and marginalised citizens.
She also called for empowerment of local governments, increased infrastructure investments to all tiers of government and controlling inflation through government’s intervention.
Also, National President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Mr Alabo Charles while making his speech, reeled out the outstanding qualities of late Adekunle Kukoyi, a past President who founded the NIS.
He stressed the need for surveyors to remain united and focused to achieve the goals and objectives of NIS, in spite of the economic challenges of the COVID-19, that introduced a new order on how businesses and professionals carry out operations.
“We can overcome this challenge and others that our profession and us as individuals.
“To do so let us concentrate all our positive energies on looking for solutions in one accord beyond our individual and selfish desires. The common good is elixir we should all pursue,” he added.
Earlier, Mr Adeleke Adesina, NIS Lagos Branch Chairman, in his opening speech lamented the ravages of the COVID-19 on the nation’s economy.
He eulogised the virtues of Kukoyi as well as that of the guest speaker whom he described as as a mentor of generations who had distinguished herself in every sphere. (NAN)
