Akpabio: Escalating public service wage bills increasing cost of governance

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says escalating public service wage bills, the overhead costs of appointed public officials, and the salaries and allowances of elected officials are contributing to the rising cost of governance.

The federal government has recently revived the Oronsaye report, with which it seeks to cut the cost of governance by scrapping some ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) and merging others.

Akpabio spoke in Abuja on Monday at a one-day dialogue on the cost of governance in Nigeria organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).

Akpabio said there is a need for more transparency, accountability, and a reduction in the cost of governance in the country.

Represented by Jarigbe Jarigbe, a senator representing Akwa Ibom north, the senate president said elected officials must be accountable for the good of the country.

“Let us hold ourselves accountable and take responsibility for the betterment of our nation,” Akpabio said.

“We have to ensure that our government operates efficiently and effectively, serving the needs of the people and fostering sustainable development.

“We must invest in our human capital, empowering our public officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive progress.

“And we must foster a culture of innovation and creativity, where new ideas can flourish and transform our nation.”

On his part, Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, said there must be a concerted effort to reduce the cost of governance.

“Nigeria has long grappled with budget deficits, further emphasising the necessity to streamline government operational costs and foster budgetary stability,” Abbas said.

“This requires a concerted effort to eliminate wasteful, inefficient and unnecessary expenses from our budgetary allocations.”

Also speaking, Abubakar Sulaiman, director-general (DG) of NILDS, said the efficiency and accountability of governance directly impact the prosperity and well-being of the country.