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Businessman and Social commentator Chief Sunny Onuesoke has faulted the huge amount spend by government officials on media propaganda during commissioning of projects, describing such venture as waste of tax payers fund.
He said Nigeria’s political culture of governance has been conflated with spectacle, adding that the essence of governance is not in how loudly a project is celebrated, but in how deeply it improves the lives of citizens.
Onuesoke who made the statement in a telephone interview with our correspondent projected that government officials will build a bridge with about 500m and end up spending over N50m in publicity.
The former Delta State gubernatorial aspirant described such venture as wasting of tax payers fund, suggesting that it would have been preferable that projects commissioning should be announce as news item on newspapers, radio, television and online media.
Hear him, “Government official will build a bridge of say N500m. They will take live air time for hours costing over N40m and above on national televisions and radio stations for hours for the celebration of the commissioning. They will place over fifteen coloured pages advertisement in various national newspapers that will cost millions of Naira. Radio jingles are equally there. These are wasting of tax payers money. It would have been cost effective if the projects commissioning are announce as news item on newspapers, radio, television and online media.”
Onuesoke who advised government officials to have rethink over excessive spending on publicity while commissioning projects described the venture as defective, lack transparency and accountability.
” Must taxpayers’ money be spent on hours of live electronic airtime and newspaper pages to commission government projects? Public funds should prioritize delivering quality projects over excessive publicity. It is defective. It did not show transparency and accountability. It is wasting of tax payers money.
” How do you rate such spending to the public while giving your report card as president, governor, local government chairman, agency boss or minister among others. Because they are not appropriated for in the budget. They should stop such wasteful spectacular. It is neither here or there. We do not need those things,” he advised.
He noted that the millions saved from cancelling elaborate media ceremony could be invested in complementary social programs like scholarships, healthcare drives, or maintenance funds among others, stressing that investment in such resources would enhances trust and demonstrates fiscal prudence.
Onuesoke maintained that the purpose of governance is not to perform but to deliver stressing that when the act of delivering becomes more about spectacle than substance, the legitimacy of governance is weakened.
He pointed that Nigeria must outgrow its addiction to political theatre and embrace a governance model rooted in impact, efficiency, and citizen engagement.
According to him, “The commissioning of projects should be a moment of sober accountability, not political celebration. It should affirm that government is fulfilling its mandate, not seeking applause. By embracing technology, institutionalizing transparency, involving communities, and focusing on utility over drama, Nigeria can transform the culture of commissioning from wasteful performance into a strategic tool for democratic consolidation and nation-building.”
