THE GLORY OF A KING

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1 year ago

A Budget Speech given in the Western House of Assembly, Ibadan, on 22nd March, 1955.

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

I rise to move the Second reading of – ‘A Bill for a Law to Appropriate the sum of £ 12, 191,130 to the service of the Western Region for the year ending on the thirty-first day of March, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-six.’ In accordance with Standing Order 76, I have it in command from His Excellency the Governor to convey his consent to the consideration of this Bill.

Mr. Speaker, this is the first time in the history of Nigeria when a Nigerian has had the honour of moving the Second reading of an Appropriation Bill ill any Legislature in Nigeria. During this same month, the Minister of Finance in the Eastern Region will be doing precisely the same thing.

It is indeed a unique privilege for all of us – movers and Hon. Minister alike – to be spared to see the advent of this historic event, and to participate in its inauguration.

It is my fervent prayer that it may please God Almighty to grant that we may prove ourselves worthy of this privilege.

It is, I think, Mr. Speaker, fitting that, on this epock-making occasion, we should cast our minds’ eyes back to the period since 1947.

Before that time, the only constituted deliberative and law-making body in Nigeria was the Legislative Council of Nigeria. Under what was known as the Richards Constitution, the Regional Assemblies were created for the first time in 1947. The cardinal and sole aim of the Richards Constitution was to give to Nigerians a greater opportunity to participate in the discussion of their own affairs. Consequently the then Regional Assemblies, unlike our Assemblies of today, were deliberative only and not legislative.

I do not propose to dwell on the political aspect of that Constitution on this occasion. What will be of interest in retrospect to all of us, within the province of our discussion this morning, are the finances which our Assembly in the West had at that time to deliberate upon.

The House of Assembly in the Western Region met at Mapo Hall on 161h December, 1947. The revenue and expenditure which the House considered and on which it made commendations to the Legislative Council were respectively £1,223,550 and £ 1,194,800. From that time up to 31st March, 1952, the aggregate revenue and expenditure deliberated upon by the House were £9,628,130 and £9,385,741.

Compared with the revenue shown in the draft estimates now before us and the sum of money which this House is being asked to appropriate for spending in the next financial year, it will be readily agreed that we have travelled a long distance indeed financially since 1947.

It is of special interest to compare the amounts spent on Education and Health (to quote two instances only) during the five fiscal years from 1st April, 1947, to 31st March, 1952, with the amounts which this Hon. House is now being asked to vote on the same services. During the five-year period mentioned, expenditure on Education and Health was £2,370,033 and £887,860 respectively, as compared with the sums of £5,154,920 and of £ 1,907,830 which this House is being asked to vote under Heads 336 and 351, and Appendix WM for Education and Health respectively for one financial year only.

The revenue of the Western Region during the period under review was comparatively small for two main reasons. Firstly, the revenue of Nigeria itself was comparatively small, only £18,404,000 in 1947- 48 rising to £36 million in 1951-52 as compared with £50,287,400 in 1954-55. Secondly the functions assigned to the Regions were fewer than they are now. Notwithstanding these two reasons, however, the aggregate revenue of the Western Region could have been larger if the allocation of revenue had been less inequitable.

The journey from 1952, when the Macpherson Constitution was introduced, has been no less spectacular. Our revenue and expenditure in 1952-53 were respectively £5,390,806 and £4,480,316, as compared with the figures of £12,995,080 and £12,447,300 in our present estimates.

It is important to remember on this occasion that we are, financially, where we are by the Grace of God Who has crowned with a great measure of success the efforts of those who l.ave, in the teeth of violent opposition, relentlessly advocated the allocation of revenue on the basis of derivation.

When this Government assumed office in February 1952 it became our duty to present to this Hon. House estimates in preparation of which we took no part whatsoever. We had to make the best of a difficult job. We then formulated three principles by which we were guided in reshaping those estimates and in controlling expenditure under them after they had been approved.

It appears to me appropriate on this occasion to recall those principles, first in order to refresh our memories, secondly in order to re-assess their soundness in the light of experience, and thirdly, in order to appreciate how effective they have been in application.

In a ministerial statement made by me in this House on the 20th February, 1952, I said inter alia as follows:

‘In our study of the Estimates we have been guided by three principles which I very earnestly recommend for the consideration of this House.

‘The first principle is that, save in the case of Departments which cater for the educational, economic health and social needs of the people, there should be no increase’ in establishment except in so far as such increase is due either to reorganization … or to the inclusion of Lagos in the Western Region.

‘The second principle is that, wherever practicable, increases in establishment would be governed by the policy of Nigeria… And the third principle is that as far as possible within the limits of our resources, expenditure on services which tend to the welfare, the health and the education of the people should be increased at the expense of any expenditure that does’ not answer to the same test.’

These principles stood us in good stead in 1952, and their faithful application has produced gratifying results. Today, not less than 28 per cent of the Senior Service l20sts in the Region are held by Nigerians. It was much less in 1952.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

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