A former district governor of Rotary International, Rotarian Lawrence Okwor, has said Nigeria’s developmental challenges are not caused by lack of funds but a catastrophic failure in resource management.
Okwor who spoke yesterday in Abuja after a training session for new members and officers organised by the Rotary Clubs of Abuja Kubwa, Abuja Kubwa Gateway and Abuja Unity, urged public office holders to adopt the organisation’s motto of “Service Above Self.”
Addressing journalists, he highlighted the stark contrast between Rotary’s efficient project execution and government wastage.
“I don’t know why there should be areas that people are in need in this country because at times, it doesn’t cost so much money to do basic things.
“We don’t spend so much money in Rotary and we still solve a lot of problems because we are managing our resources well. Government should learn to manage resources well,” he said.
He cited corruption as the primary drain on national resources, saying in some countries, more than 70 percent of resources are wasted through corruption and other means.
“You can imagine if you convert that to positive projects, how we can reach out to everybody,” he said.
Okwor prescribed a twofold solution for those in government—a shift in mindset and strict accountability.
“They need to place the people before themselves, not self-serving, not solving their own problems, not enriching themselves and their families. They should learn from Rotary where our motto is “Service Above Self.”
“By the time we are able to punish corrupt leaders and the corrupt civil servants, of course, things will start moving well. Also, there is need to appoint competent individuals to positions rather than resorting to nepotism,” he said.
President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Kubwa, Rotarian Chinonso David Emmanuel, said the training was to equip members and make them understand the basis of Rotary, highlighting the importance of foundational knowledge for both new and seasoned members.
He unveiled his club’s first major initiative for the year, saying, “In this Rotary year, one of the things Rotary holds very highest has to do with maternal and child health. The first project we want to embark on is to carry out a project that we call End Open Defecation in Kungabukun community in Bwari area council. We saw the kind of thing the people are facing in that very community. So, we want to build eight rooms of public toilets that will be serving them.”
He estimated the cost of the project at about N4.5 million, aimed at preventing the spread of diseases in the rural community.
Rotarian Festus Iyke Agbazua, the club trainer and assistant governor, explained the essence of the training, saying, “Without this training, the new members cannot fall in line with the practices of Rotary. We also invited the club officers to be able to handle the leadership challenges in their various departments.”
