A Country Without Airline, Highest Private Jet Owners Needs Restructuring – Ben Bruce

Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, on Wednesday, said no nation devoid of a national carrier yet with the “highest number of private jet owners” would say it doesn’t need restructuring.

Senator Murray-Bruce, who represents Bayelsa east, said Nigeria as a nation is “not working as a state”.

Speaking at an event organised by the House of Justice in Kaduna State, the Senator said if the country is restructured, states that are generating less revenue than Lagos state would not be getting the largest share of revenue allocation from the Federal Government.

“Nigeria is not working as a state. Our population is growing faster than our economy. It should be obvious by now that if we do not renegotiate Nigeria if we do not restructure, we will keep reacting to one problem or the other.

“How could we say a nation with the highest number of private jet owners, yet without its airline does not need restructuring?

“By restructuring, we will not have a situation where Lagos generates five percent of Nigeria’s value-added tax, yet other states get the largest share of those revenues than Lagos state.

“This is even when those states banned the sale of the items from Lagos in their states.”

On his part, former military head of state, Yakubu Gowon said poverty is the biggest enemy of the country’s democracy.

Gowon said unless jobs are created, the country would continue to languish in poverty.

“If we want our democracy to be durable and ensure a just an peaceful nation, we must generate jobs for the unemployment,” he said.

“The issue of politics without principles is becoming worrisome, where the highest bidder have takes whatever is on the table. That cannot be the way of politics.

“No nation can ever build a society where the consideration is not in terms of value, principles or ideals, but to share money.

“If we want to build a nation of justice and peace, it cannot be on the basis of the highest bidder. We must reject poverty. This rejection of poverty is legitimate. Millions of Nigerians are poor.

“The biggest enemy of democracy is poverty. When people are poor, when people are reduced to destitute, then a little money can change their minds. Therefore, the freedom of choice in a democracy is taken away by those who control the resources.”