The Reforms of the Economy Must not be Left in the Hands of Civil Servants Alone

The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nestello Gateways Group, Chief Ernest Elochukwu bares his mind on the economic policies of the Federal Government as it affects the maritime industry. Elochukwu who is also the immediate pas

What is your take on the just concluded two days maritime conference organized by Federal Ministry of Transportation? Ordinarily, like many other stakeholders I am not too impressed that such is holding considering that several other conferences, summits, workshops, symposia or whatever they are called had been held in the past without any tangible results coming out of them. However, considering the apparent seriousness of the current Minister of Transportation, Right Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi which I could perceive during previous interactions, I think it is a step in the right direction for stakeholders to once again brainstorm on the way forward for the Nigerian maritime industry.

What do you think was responsible the past failures?

Of course, non-implementation of the issues and solutions arrived at in those previous conferences stands out as the main impediment to the desired improvement in the scheme of things. In fact, many stakeholders have started viewing such summits and the like with serious suspicion since they appear like avenues through which ministries departments and agencies (MDA) officials spend government money and perhaps, make some for themselves. It is really very annoying for one to imagine that the reports of conferences one attended at one’s own costs and expenses and in which one laboured to make useful suggestions are lying in some offices gathering dust and yet one is called upon again and again to attend another one!

Why do you think that the assertion you made at the conference that one major problem is that the government seems to be listening more to the civil servants alone appear to have rankled some nerves?

Well, let me make one point clear. Nigeria belongs to all of us and if we are sincere about changing things for the better, we should stop the idea of pandering to some people or groups and call a spade by its name and not an agricultural implement. Of course, my intention was not to annoy any group or make people feel uncomfortable but when you really look at what is happening in Nigeria all this while, not just in the maritime industry but in every facet of our national life, you cannot fail to see the mess into which we are despite the many years of so-called reforms. We can only start answering the critical questions of why the numerous reforms have not succeeded when we identify those driving the reform processes and then assess their competence or otherwise.

Are you now blaming the civil servants for the failure of the reforms in Nigeria?

Yes and No. Yes, because they are the ultimate engine that drives the activities of the government and if such activities fail to achieve the desired results, they are to blame. And no because the government as a political establishment has failed to understand the limitations of the civil servants. It has not done the needful on them before entrusting the enormous roles and responsibilities of driving such reformed on them. Can you please expatiate further? By its composition and operation, the civil service is not predisposed to be efficient. Let us first look at recruitment into the civil service. What is the standard? People are recruited and most times promoted into the civil service based on the connections they have and not necessarily on their qualifications and competence! Then you put in such obnoxious practice known as transfer of service whereby an incompetent officer moves from one ministry or parastatal to another one on the same level he or she was in his or her former ministry. Again, there is even a more absurd practice of using quota system in promotion of officers in ministries and parastatals. The critical question is, what is it really driving the civil service? What is the parameter for measuring performance and efficiency in the civil service? Is such parameter objective and progressive? So, if such an establishment should be the engine of reforms, does it surprise anyone that the reforms are largely ineffective? I do not want to talk about the aspect of corruption in the civil service whereby some school of thought believes that it is even the civil servants who prompt and assist the political appointees in the various acts of corruption.

Are you suggesting that the Government should do away with civil servants in the issue of reforms?

No, that is not what I’m advocating for. My position is that the government should not rely entirely on them to reform the system or make it run since on their own, they have severe limitations as far as the practicalities of the economic issues are concerned. Without meaning to demean anyone, how many civil servants really understand the intricacies of setting up a business and sweating it out through the various gestation periods to the break-even point and thence to profitability and expansion? My experience in my interactions over the years with civil servants is summed up thus: the average civil servant believes sincerely that all business ventures and activities always end up in huge profits!

So, what is your suggestion for a panacea in the various reforms especially the ports or maritime reforms?

First, there must be a change in perception and approach. Something crucial seems to be lost on people in government which is that the activities of its various ministries and parastatals impact on various business sectors. In other words, there is a strong correlation between the ways the ministries or parastatals are run and the performance of the private businesses that operate in various sectors. In the maritime industry for instance, the soundness of the regulations and rules being churned out by Ministry of Transportation and parastat- als under it must be seen in the buoyancy of the shipping companies, terminal operators, freight forwarding organizations, importers, exporters, ship chandlers, and so on. In fact, such reflection would be visible in the economy in general. After all, there are countries of the world today that are doing well economically not because they have oil or mineral deposits but were just gifted with natural coastlines. A situation where the officials of the inefficient organization such as a ministry or parastatal are the same people whose assessments are relied upon by the government to implement reforms is simply dead on arrival. I make bold to say that civil servants by the limited environment they operate in whereby all they do is “push files” are not knowledgeable enough to grasp the full intricacies of economic activities which are the real issues involved in all these reforms. Again, taking the ports as an example, has the civil servants asked themselves why shipments to Nigerian ports from all parts of the world have continued to attract higher rates than those that go to the ports of our neighbouring countries? What are the reasons which make it possible that when one Ro-Ro vessel leaves Rotterdam for Tin Can Island (TCIP) Port, Apapa, Lagos, three of the same vessels will be leaving for the port in Cotonou with cars that will eventually end up in Nigeria? These are economic questions and they are well beyond those who had never engaged in businesses on their own.

Secondly, the political appointees seem to believe in and so carry on the mentality of the civil servants that they are the government and that those outside the circle do not have anything to offer. For instance, when they organize such conferences as was recently done, the civil servants’ expenses are paid for from the government coffers while the private sector participants are left to cater for themselves. It is not the money that is necessarily the issue but the impression of some people being insiders while the others are outsiders always goes beyond the function to the way the supposed outcome of the conference is pursued.

So, what you are saying in essence is that private sector participation is imperative for the reforms to succeed?

Absolutely yes! First is the need to understand that everything that is seen as government activity has a business field it is affecting either positively or negatively. For instance, the whole undertakings of the Ministry of Transportation affect the business of importers, exporters, clearing agents, transporters, ship chandlers, ship owners, ship owners’ representatives, labourers and businesses involved in ancillary services as well as aircraft owners, pilots, air and land crew (in the case of the aviation sector) hence the fate of these wide groups should not be left in the hands of few salaried workers who will get their pay and extras whether there is profit or loss in all these businesses. The institutions controlling the sectors being reformed ought not to be left to determine the mode of actions to be taken. The critical stakeholders in that sector ought to be incorporated on an equal status (may be, as an action committee) to determine such as well as the timetables, timeframes and timelines required to effect the required reforms.

You have been a very strong supporter of the present Minister of Transportation from the time he was the Governor of Rivers State till now. If I may ask, what is the connection and what informed your position?

Sincerely speaking, there is no connection in the sense I understand your question because I met Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi only once by chance when he was the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. I never had any reason or opportunity to meet him for the eight years he