Why Nigeria needs restructuring – Registrar

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Public Administration of Nigeria, Dr Emmanuel Olufowose, on Thursday, said that restructuring of Nigeria was not only desirable, but imperative.
Olufowose, who spoke in Abuja, at the Annual Conference of Public Administration, with the theme: “Public Sector Restructuring Renewed for Sustainable Growth and Developer in Nigeria,” noted that the present structure was not working.
He faulted the erroneous belief by some people that the restructuring would amount to dismemberment.
According to him, it is an acknowledgement that the way Nigeria runs today is a failure and that when something fails, an alternative should be employed.
He said the restructuring should also be implemented in such a way to re-direct Nigeria to look inwards and transit from transaction to transformational leadership that would work toward a paradigm shift.
The IPAN registrar emphasised that baggage to knowledge economy, characterised more by intellectual contributions that Nigerians can make to the advancement of Nigerian economy.
He, however, said the purpose for the conference is to enlighten the members, who are key players in the administrative sectors so that when restructuring comes to play, they would be able to give good guidelines to the stakeholders on the right steps to take.
According to him, Nigeria is running at a loss at its Gross Domestic Product, which is currently at seven per cent, but with a proper and more deliberated system the GDP will be raised to 14 per cent where it ought to be.
Legal Adviser and a member of the governing councils of the institute, Bisi Ademuayin, maintained that the critical review of the constitution would allow for smooth process of restructuring of the country.
Ademuayin said that beyond physical restructuring, Nigerians need the restructuring of their minds to condition Nigerians to think more about the country than about themselves.
According to him, rather than sit down and tell one another the truth, Nigerians carry on as if all is well.
He said: “We cannot continue like this because it is bequeathing anarchy to our children.”
Earlier, the IPAN President and Chairman of Council, Babatude Rotinwa, said that the conference was geared to discuss and to proffer solutions to the socio-political issues facing the nation that call for urgent attention.
Rotinwa said the three-day conference is crucial because Professional Public Administrators were the engine rooms and drivers of any nation with visionary leadership.