On May 29th
2015, there was excitement in the air all over
Nigeria that People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
has finally left power. “Change has come” was
on the lips of the populace amidst high hopes
that there was finally going to be food on the
table of the poor; those that finally get their
own share of the national cake during PDP’s
sixteen (16) years rule in the country. It is now
eight (8) months ago and it seems like the
hopeful masses have been deceived. On the
front pages of the national dailies and headline
news of the television stations, all we see is
“Anti-Corruption War against ….” It is becoming
worrisome how the government has lost focus so
soon forgetting that Nigeria needs economic
liberation, development of the local
manufacturing industry, building of indigenous
technology, exploration of its numerous mineral
resources amidst others.
2015, there was excitement in the air all over
Nigeria that People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
has finally left power. “Change has come” was
on the lips of the populace amidst high hopes
that there was finally going to be food on the
table of the poor; those that finally get their
own share of the national cake during PDP’s
sixteen (16) years rule in the country. It is now
eight (8) months ago and it seems like the
hopeful masses have been deceived. On the
front pages of the national dailies and headline
news of the television stations, all we see is
“Anti-Corruption War against ….” It is becoming
worrisome how the government has lost focus so
soon forgetting that Nigeria needs economic
liberation, development of the local
manufacturing industry, building of indigenous
technology, exploration of its numerous mineral
resources amidst others.
Fighting corruption
some will say will put Nigeria on her path to
greatness, no doubt about that; but let us ask
ourselves, what did the teeming population vote for?
What was the expectation of the unemployed
graduate who voted for All Progressive Congress
(APC)? What were the hopes of the aged in the
village who cast their votes for President
Buhari? How about the sick in the hospital that
came out en masse to vote for change?
some will say will put Nigeria on her path to
greatness, no doubt about that; but let us ask
ourselves, what did the teeming population vote for?
What was the expectation of the unemployed
graduate who voted for All Progressive Congress
(APC)? What were the hopes of the aged in the
village who cast their votes for President
Buhari? How about the sick in the hospital that
came out en masse to vote for change?
The
writer wants to believe that none of them wanted
a government that would focus all of it's attention
on anti-corruption crusades without making
creative and deliberate efforts to develop
the economy.
writer wants to believe that none of them wanted
a government that would focus all of it's attention
on anti-corruption crusades without making
creative and deliberate efforts to develop
the economy.
Under the last administration,
Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) made an
all-time high of $568billion sending a signal to
the world that Nigeria is a place where foreign
investors can come can invest their monies with
a ready market to buy their products but now, it
is like the story is a totally different one. Foreign
investors are pulling out of the economy, value
of the Naira is dropping, foreign exchange
earnings are on the decline with a host of other
economic problems; and all the government talks
about is fighting corruption? The writer has been
forced to ask “what plan does the government
have for the recovered funds?” This question is
paramount because under the past
administration of General Abdusalam Abubakar
and President Olusegun Obasanjo some of the
funds General Sani Abacha looted away were
recovered but their usage did not have any
significant improvements on the economy. It
must not be forgotten that it is the same set of
politicians that managed the recovered funds
under those previous
Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) made an
all-time high of $568billion sending a signal to
the world that Nigeria is a place where foreign
investors can come can invest their monies with
a ready market to buy their products but now, it
is like the story is a totally different one. Foreign
investors are pulling out of the economy, value
of the Naira is dropping, foreign exchange
earnings are on the decline with a host of other
economic problems; and all the government talks
about is fighting corruption? The writer has been
forced to ask “what plan does the government
have for the recovered funds?” This question is
paramount because under the past
administration of General Abdusalam Abubakar
and President Olusegun Obasanjo some of the
funds General Sani Abacha looted away were
recovered but their usage did not have any
significant improvements on the economy. It
must not be forgotten that it is the same set of
politicians that managed the recovered funds
under those previous
administrations that are still
in power today.
in power today.
As a young gas engineer, I have
been observant of the price of crude oil in the
international market for the past year which is
the main source of the country’s foreign
exchange earnings. It has obviously been on a
decline falling to all-time low of $26 per barrel in
January, 2016. But unfortunately, the anti-
corruption government has been blinded to this
and its implications on the Nigerian economy.
Instead of focusing on diversifying the economy
aggressively, focus is being laid on chasing
corrupt ex-public officers of the opposition party
up and down while disregarding the rule of law in
carrying out its campaign. Is the anti-corruption
fight going to generate employment of the
teeming unemployed population? Is it going to
add more megawatts of electricity to the
national grid? Is it going to improve the
healthcare system in the rural villages? Is it
going to put food on the table of the average
Nigerian? The writer stands corrected but he
believes it would not. What the average Nigerian
wants to see is industries been built, electricity
situation of the country improving, certificates
finding their owners worthy employment
opportunities, an efficient housing system, world-
class education standard, access to portable
water in the rural communities, Nigerians being
proud of the fact that they are Nigerians amidst
others. Unfortunately, the writer does not see
this happening in a country where the
government is all focused on fighting corruption
without effective economic plans and policies to
grow the economy. It is rather disheartening that
most Nigerians are now realizing that the
change they vote for is not what they are
getting. Without euphemizing it, the writer must
say that we have all been fooled. Let’s appeal to
one another’s conscience and evaluate what the
present administration has done so far and we
will all realize that an all anti-corruption
government is not what Nigeria needs right now.
But again, the writer will let Nigerians decide for
themselves what they really want…
been observant of the price of crude oil in the
international market for the past year which is
the main source of the country’s foreign
exchange earnings. It has obviously been on a
decline falling to all-time low of $26 per barrel in
January, 2016. But unfortunately, the anti-
corruption government has been blinded to this
and its implications on the Nigerian economy.
Instead of focusing on diversifying the economy
aggressively, focus is being laid on chasing
corrupt ex-public officers of the opposition party
up and down while disregarding the rule of law in
carrying out its campaign. Is the anti-corruption
fight going to generate employment of the
teeming unemployed population? Is it going to
add more megawatts of electricity to the
national grid? Is it going to improve the
healthcare system in the rural villages? Is it
going to put food on the table of the average
Nigerian? The writer stands corrected but he
believes it would not. What the average Nigerian
wants to see is industries been built, electricity
situation of the country improving, certificates
finding their owners worthy employment
opportunities, an efficient housing system, world-
class education standard, access to portable
water in the rural communities, Nigerians being
proud of the fact that they are Nigerians amidst
others. Unfortunately, the writer does not see
this happening in a country where the
government is all focused on fighting corruption
without effective economic plans and policies to
grow the economy. It is rather disheartening that
most Nigerians are now realizing that the
change they vote for is not what they are
getting. Without euphemizing it, the writer must
say that we have all been fooled. Let’s appeal to
one another’s conscience and evaluate what the
present administration has done so far and we
will all realize that an all anti-corruption
government is not what Nigeria needs right now.
But again, the writer will let Nigerians decide for
themselves what they really want…
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