RUTO, BALLS AND OBASEKI’S MOVE MONKEY SOLUTION
President Ruto may learn one thing or two from the Edo State government, writes AUSTIN ISIKHUEMEN
President Ruto of Kenya, the eloquent speaker of King’s English and a rising star
among African leaders until the youth struck, has announced commendable far-reaching austerity measures to ensure Kenyan economy does not become a basket case. Before then, his chosen route was different. He wanted to raise taxes on hapless Kenyans as a way to shore up government revenues to meet development agenda. It looked like a sensible option. The type IMF and the World Bank are wont to prescribe for all ills in our beleaguered continent and the so-called third world in general. But he misread the mood of a critical mass of his citizens. The masses of Kenyan people, especially the youth has taught him a lesson about who really owns the country and he has had to beat an untidy belated retreat. The streets have become quiet as a result. Legislations are expected to give legal teeth to the measures and the Attorney General and the embattled Parliament would be in trouble if they delay.
The plethora of austerity measures are designed to cover a yawning gap of $2.7 billion created by withdrawal of the cursed Finance Bill. The bill would have made Kenyan’s to continue to tighten a belt on a waist that no longer exists while the Executive and Parliament continue feeding fat and belching loudly along the streets. Ruto has demonstrated that he has the balls to pull through severe cost-saving measures to reduce size of government and avoidable wastes. Not even his wife’s office was spared! No one will hear when the balls are squeezed back home in the other room. That is his cross to carry.
A cursory look at the measures will reveal that the man in Kenyan is implementing the Oronsaye Report developed and abandoned in Nigeria! Oronsaye, like the biblical prophet, was not only unappreciated at home, he was even hounded by the then government and its agents over trumped up accusations that have since gone cold.
I would like to dwell a bit on one of the austerity measures, make recommendations to help President Ruto, hoping my Kenyan friends David Ngesa and Cyrus Murage Maina will help ensure it gets to him. The President has promised to suspend the purchase of new vehicles for 12 months except for security agencies. He said “A new policy on transport for public servants will be developed in this period.” While this policy thrust is commendable, I would like to inform the President and the people of Kenya that a solution for this has already been developed, perfected and implemented and is running well in Edo State of Nigeria.
The Governor Obaseki led administration has created an agency and software called MEGA CONNECT (powered by MoveMonkey) which the government describes as a workplace mobility solution. The agency, like the Phoenix, has risen from the ashes of the defunct Edo Line headquarters on James Watt road. He removed the old decrepit structures and built new ultramodern ones in their place. A one-stop shop for government officials’ transportation needs. You only need to know the details and you would stop asking what innovation means.
There a pool of government vehicles in tiptop shape which can be called via an APP much like Uber. An officer who needs transport for official duty simply books via that APP and a car arrives his/her office or location and picks him to his destination at no financial cost to himself. The car leaves to join the pool to be available to other users. When done, the officer books again and is picked up in a few minutes and taken back to the office. In-built are measures to prevent abuse – such as authorization, identification, real-time tracking etc.
Maintenance of the vehicles is done in-house by qualified mechanics in a repair workshop inside the massive yard. There is a warehouse for fast moving spareparts with automated inventory management. Serious repairs like bodywork and oven baked spraying are all done inside the yard! A lot of disused government vehicles previously strewn across offices statewide are being recovered by owned towing trucks, refurbished and put back into use. No non-government owned vehicle is repaired at the workshops. Fueling of the vehicles is done from the yard’s fuel dump.
Of note is the control and visible management of the vehicles in operation. There is a control centre with a huge digital screen that shows where the vehicles are across the state and beyond. The drivers know they are being viewed and their location and details are ‘seen’ at the head office and so, cannot divert to where they have not been sent. I can wager that the centre can automatically stop a car sent to Ibadan from crossing into Benin Republic via Iseyin environs. Superb security and safety on my mind. The Manager of the system has even assured that as soon a sufficient number of refurbished trucks become available, they will venture into commercial haulage that can become a revenue spinner for the government.
Don’t take my word for it. Here is their website, you can check to verify: www.megaconnect.ng.
There’s also a video coverage by the “Go and Verify” team (WELCOME TO MOVEMONKEY OFFICE.. OBASEKI THANK YOU SIR.. 07/06/2024) that will wow you and make you wonder why no one ever thought of doing this earlier. The answer? INNOVATIVE MINDSET of the current government. The earlier government that closed Edo line down, did not know what to do with the massive asset right in the centre of Benin metropolis nor the ones across many states of the Federation.
Benefits of this innovation: One, reduced number of official car procurement and savings therefrom. Two, savings from over-inflated, shoddy repairs by fraudulent officials.
Three, massive fuel cost savings from restriction of journeys to strictly official ones. Four, knowledge of where government assets are at any time – day or night, within or outside Edo State. Five, assured quality vehicles with body, air-conditioning and interiors in top form. Six, savings from fuel costs, most of which used to be manipulated and inflated. Seven, vehicle availability to the majority public servants who are ordinarily not entitled to an official car. Eight, a branding platform for the State Government
With an Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie in pole position to take over the reins of governance in November, 2024, sustainability is assured. Because they know the usefulness of this system, took part in its development and can build on it. President Ruto may do well to connect with Edo State Government on this solution without waiting 12 full months. Or get David Ngesa to give me a call.
Isikhuemen writes from Benin
