Playing Politics With Social Welfare And State Services

The primary essence of politics in a democracy is to provide channels by which the people can elect their governments and their representatives in the legislature. Multi-party democracy therefore guarantees the people with opportunities to choose from among an array of candidates presented by the political parties the most fitting to fill executive and legislative.
Other holders of public offices and positions who might not have been installed through popular elections are however subject to the laws made by elected legislatures and implemented by those in elective positions. Such appointed public officers like judges, ministers, commissioners, special advisers and complementary and supportive roles to the elected public officers.
Outside those in public office there are also several other players like those in opposition, pressure groups, organized labour and the private sector. They are recognized by law and conventions to work together to achieve one thing: good governance. And what is good governance all about? Chapter Two of the Nigerian Constitution, Fundamental Objectives and Directives Principles of State Policy captures the essence of government, which is summarized in Section 14 of the Constitution that says the primary duty of government is security and welfare of the people.
When politicians begin to toy with the welfare of the people under the guise of playing politics or demonstrating control of power, they are not only breaching the constitution but are also laying the foundation that can lead to the collapse of the nation.
That is why we consider the resort by some politicians to abuse the channels provided through the judiciary to seek political redress to play with the welfare of workers and the people whose welfare government exists to serve. Such politicians could still seek and obtain redress for whatever reliefs they are seeking from the court without seeking to deny the people and legitimate government workers their pay.
The recent attempt to block the allocation of federally generated revenue of Rivers State Government is one of such ill-conceived attempts by politicians to toy with the welfare of the people. And surprisingly, a court of law gave vent to the effort without giving consideration to the probable consequences of denying workers their salaries, stopping payments for awarded projects and stifling government overheads.
If the truth must be told, when government is denied funds for its operations, it is not the elected officers and the political class in government that suffers the pain because there are several alternative means by which they can be funded. It is the civil servants who depend on salaries and the welfare programmes of government to which the lives and fate of millions of citizens are tied.
There should be a limit to politics. Politics should aid allocation of resources to needed areas of public need and good, it should not be a hindrance to welfare. The courts are presided over by well trained and experienced judges, who should know better and avoid granting orders that could hinder the essence of government.