Lagos — The monetisation policy of the last Obasanjo administration is set for a critical review going by the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe's last week statement, that the policy made nonsense of the normal official protocol that should be accorded to Ministers and other top-ranking officials.

Kingibe who spoke when he appeared before the Senator Smart Adeyemi-led Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, disclosed that the Yar'Adua administration has set plans in motion to reverse the policy. To begin with, there were already plans to purchase and provide vehicles for Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Special Advisers at a cost of N1 billion only. The vehicles so purchased according to the SGF, would be used for the officials movement during office hours only.

Kingibe had claimed that it was a breach of protocol for Ministers and other senior ranking officers to undertake certain tasks themselves because the monetization policy had earlier withdrawn official vehicles and drivers from them which is not appropriate for the dignity of their offices. 'The monetization policy is such that you expect a minister to drive himself to the office, attend to other function by personally driving himself. That is the ideal expected of the policy, but the reality shows that, that is not practicable because a minister cannot be expected to drive himself to the airport to receive visitors or for instance, when he is summoned to the National Assembly or the Presidential Villa', Kingibe was further quoted.

Unfortunately for the SGF, his latter claim almost spoilt his case. The monetization policy did not compel ministers to drive themselves. Rather than their drivers being employed by the ministries and incurring overheads, including pension liabilities, government senior officials are now paid allowances for drivers, in such a way that the drivers would be their direct employees. Besides, the monetization policy was not designed to lower the dignity of any public official, but to save cost as a lot of public fund was being expended on frivolous personal emoluments at the expense of tax payers, public welfare and development. The situation became so critical that there was little money to execute capital projects. Therefore, it was a policy meant to discipline government spending, encourage rational allocation of scarce resources and also teach public officials financial prudence as they would be more restrained when they have to spend personal allowances on utilities unlike the recklessness associated with government footing the bill for them previously.

However, like every other good policy ever introduced in the nation's polity, it has its own drawbacks and abuses. No sooner than monetisation was introduced than some greedy elements within the corridor of power hijacked it as an avenue to sell government properties to themselves. It was a policy implemented without caution as some good babies were thrown away with the bath water. So if the SGF has now picked some holes in the policy, he may have a point. For instance, selling legislators, quarters, Ministers, quarters, Inspector General of Police's residence among others so cheap in the name of monetisation, more so to occupants of those offices at that time was not only unwise, but fraudulent. The elected or appointed officials for those offices normally come from all parts of Nigeria and many are never residents of Abuja . And to be given such positions and be asked to look for their own accommodation can be unsettling. Moreso, in a country where there are no structured and efficient real estate, public infrastructure and efficient utilities to make job movement easy.

To copy civilized standards without civilized culture is unjust. Similarly, having pool official cars to be used during official hours only for ministers and permanent secretaries is certainly in conformity with general practice even in the developed world. Infact, not to have such officially recognized cars can breach security as well as pose threat in a presidential event, where all manners of private vehicles to be used by such senior officials. Certainly, Ambassador Kingibe has a point here. But were such benefits including official quarters to be extended to officials below Permanent Secretary would draw back the benefit of monetization policy. On the whole, there is nothing wrong in reviewing the policies of previous government as long as it is well-intentioned. We however caution the present administration to do its home work properly and be thorough in such exercise rather than resort to selective reviews that only satisfy the narrow and reactionary interest of a few aggrieved government officials. And that would be like reversing the clock instead of exploiting the time for the greater good of the greatest number.