The
incoming government will be judged by its success or failure in tackling
poverty and unemployment, CHARLES
ABAH, CHUX OHAI, FOLASHADE ADEBAYO and BUKOLA ADEBAYO
write
Twelve
days after the presidential poll, the acrimonious singsong that ushered it in
has faded away. The initial hate campaign, mudslinging and intrigues have all
given way to a fresh political rhythms and demands. Little wonder, the
president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and his All Progressives
Congress, are facing new challenges and realities.
Apart
from the fact that a few politicians are behaving true to form–playing politics
of no character, dumping their parties and seeking stomach infrastructure – the
reality on the ground is that the incoming administration has more than excess
baggage of expectations to meet in the days ahead.
Indeed,
Buhari’s recent comment that he is no miracle worker is not enough therapy to
assuage the feelings of the citizens. Inasmuch as Nigerians are concerned,
there is no shying away from reshaping the parlous economy, fighting corruption
as well as correcting other ills plaguing the country.
The
Nigeria Labour Congress admits this as much, noting that the incoming
government has monumental challenges ahead. The NLC, through its
Secretary-General, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, says, “There is no pretence that the
collapse of the global oil prices, which put the Nigerian economy in crisis, is
still very much on ground. The new administration is coming in at a time in
which these challenges are still there and there is not much happening around
the world to alter the situation, for instance, the oil prices.
“However, while every situation presents its
own opportunities, we have always argued for the diversification of the economy
to encourage investment and growth in manufacturing. Labour will be one of the
beneficiaries because manufacturing creates more labour than any other sector.
So we look forward to the new leadership pushing for the diversification of the
economy.”
Besides
putting the Buhari government to task, the NLC chief notes that the congress is
looking forward to collaborating with the administration to reshaping the
economy. According to him, the union, in the interim, has set up a committee
that will help to rejig the nation’s economy. In his thinking, this is
imperative recognising that workers are, according to him, the “greatest
contributors to baking the national cake.”
Ozo-Eson
adds, “As for a comprehensive agenda, what we have done is to set up a
committee that will be starting work next week. The idea is that before the new
administration takes over, we would have put together a position on how to
manage the economy under this circumstance without workers being the
scapegoats. Right now, a number of states owe salaries under the pretence that
they do not have money, but we think that there is a way we can manage this
better. Therefore, there is the need to discuss policies with labour in order
to grow the overall economy for the good of all.”
Tackling
the unemployment monster
On
seeking solution to the hydra-headed unemployment problem in the country, the
NLC says it is not bereft of ideas. Ozo-Eson, who acknowledges that
unemployment is one of the greatest problems facing the country, advises the
incoming administration to pay attention to the manufacturing sector.
He
states, “We believe that the way to cure this is to grow the sectors that have
the high capacity to employ. That is why we must pay attention to
manufacturing. If we manage the economy such that growth is high in
manufacturing, then we will find out that unemployment will reduce as opposed
to having growth in sectors that hardly employ.
“Again,
in the short term, we think that there are many things that people can be
employed to do and the government has to come up with a package. We know that
going into the elections, the APC had said that it would place the unemployed
youths on stipends. Well, we live to see how much it will keep to that promise.
“Beyond
this, we think there is the need to create an environment that will allow for
skill acquisition so that people can have gainful employment. For instance, the
sourcing of many artisanal skills is from outside the country and this should
not be so. This is abnormal. It shows there is something that we have refused
to do right.”
Even
as the NLC and other stakeholders are buffeting the incoming government with
requests, the former National Universities Commission Executive Secretary,
Prof. Peter Okebukola, urges the president-elect not to be deceived that
administration has a solution to the nation’s myriad of problems in four years.
For
instance, while seeking a turnaround in the nation’s economy, Okebukola wants
the incoming government to carry out proper sectoral planning based on
available and projected resources
He
notes, “The incoming administration should not deceive itself that in four
years, it will demolish all obstacles to progress in Nigeria. It should
prioritise the sectors, even within sectors, rank, and prioritise based on
available and projected resources. The six sectors that I see President Buhari
stamping his mantra of change are in power, education, economy, health, road
infrastructure/transport and security. If by December 31, 2015, Nigerians see a
mere 10 per cent improvement in power, they will continue with the “Sai Buhari”
salute.
“If
this progressively increases by 20 per cent every year from 2016, the applause
metre will continue to rise. If by 2019 when he is due for re-election and he
is able to solve the power problem by 70 per cent, he would have earned a pass
mark.”
Revive
manufacturing sector
For
the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the All Progressive Alliance Party, Udeme Okon,
there is the need to also change the consumer status of the country. For
Nigeria to advance like China, United Kingdom and the United States, the
incoming administration must ensure that the country is weaned of its
adolescent appendage.
Okon
says, “No nation can overcome poverty without job creation and industries. No
nation can be profitable without a vibrant manufacturing company. A prosperous
nation is an industrialised nation. All the companies in the 70s and 80s that
are moribund must be brought back to life.
“The
textile industries in Kaduna, Kano, Kwara must start producing clothes. There
is no reason for Nigerians to be importing textiles. We should make what we wear
and wear what we make that is why Turkey and Vietnam are now the biggest
textile countries in the world.”
He
adds that the incoming administration should ensure that each state produces,
at least, three tangible goods worthy of exports for revenue generation.
He
notes, “The ceramic industry in Akwa Ibom used to be vibrant. Its operators
used to manufacture tiles, plates and standard ceramic products, now they are
nowhere to be found. If they were functioning, we won’t be importing
substandard tiles from China and Italy.
“The
Okuibiouko paper mills were manufacturing exercises books and stationery and
supplying many states in the country. They have folded up now. So also are the
biscuit manufacturing companies in Uyo. The Qua Cement Company in Ekette is also
moribund now. If need be, the Buhari government should ban importation if we
want our local industries to thrive.”
Cutting
the cost of governance
For
the former NUC chief, reshaping the economy also does not begin and end with
fighting corruption and providing infrastructure. By his calculation, the new
leadership in the wings needs to cut down the cost of governance.
He
adds, “On the economy front, Nigerians will want to see leakage occasioned by
corruption at the federal, state and local government levels plugged by at
least 65 per cent during his first year in office leading to more money being
freed for national development. His anti-corruption tactics will need to be
called to duty more forcefully. The stealing and brigandage in the oil sector
will need to be addressed and the exchange range and other finance-sector
mechanisms re-structured to favour manufacturing and job creation (hence youth
employment).
“The
cost of governance will need to be significantly reduced, perhaps cut to 50 per
cent of current rate. He should lead by example by cutting down on the number
of presidential and vice-presidential aides and directing all in his
ministerial team to shrink the large retinue of aides. The poor masses are tired
of being bamboozled with the largest economy in Africa label. They want to feel
and enjoy the dividends of being citizens of this largest economy.”
No
to abandoned projects
For
a former governorship aspirant in Imo State and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief
Mike Ahamba, since the victorious APC has promised in its manifesto to fight
corruption, he wants the party fight it within the ambit of the law.
Ahamba
also urges the incoming government to continue the good things that President
Goodluck Jonathan has been doing.
He
says, “The practice of abandoning projects because a new government has come in
must be discouraged. The incoming government should continue where Jonathan has
done well and correct the things he has not done properly. The important thing
is that Nigeria should move forward.
“Since
the Nigerian economy has been described as the fastest growing in Africa, I
believe that the rating should be sustained and made to reflect in the standard
of living of the people. Also, I believe that they should try to create jobs.
“The
car industry project of the Goodluck Jonathan administration ought to be
encouraged because car manufacturing or assemblage is a heavy employer of
labour. The incoming government should be able to enhance and continue the
agricultural development initiative of the present administration because it is
another job spinner.”
Also,
the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the governorship race
for 2015, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, wants the Buhari leadership to properly articulate
the details of the APC manifesto and all the issues relating to the present
downturn in the economy and the corruption permeating the economy with a view
to solving them.
Iheanacho
explains, “We really need to see the government hit the ground running as well
as to take measures that will really sanitise the economy. They should also
make effort to reduce the incidence of corruption in the country and other
evils.
Although
I cannot speak for the incoming leadership, it is clear that the present state
of the economy, particularly the continuous slide in the value of the naira and
the reduction in the revenue that is accruable from the sale of oil resources,
is a major source of worry to all Nigerians. People expect them to pay adequate
attention to these problem areas and to diversify the economy so that we are
not overly dependent on the revenue from oil.”
National
Health Act
The
Vice-President, West-African Region, Commonwealth Medical Association, Dr.
Osahon Enabulele, advises Buhari to ensure that his administration implements
the National Health Act that signed in 2014.
He
notes that under the Act, there is a provision for free basic health care
services for children under the age of five, pregnant women, the elderly and
persons with disabilities in the country.
Enabulele
notes that if the Act is if enforced, it would help Nigeria achieve the
Millennium Development Goal 4, 5, and 6 which aim at reducing maternal and
infant mortality rates by the year 2015.
For
agriculture, there is hope
As
far as the Chairman, Lagos State All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Femi
Oke, is concerned, farming in the country is still at the level of hoes and
cutlasses. The Epe farmer, who presides over five million farmers in Lagos,
looks lost when told of the insurance package given to about two million
Nigerian farmers and the N15bn loan granted the Bank of Agriculture for
distribution to Nigerian farmers at a single-digit interest rate for the
2013farming season.
“We
have not accessed anything from the government and we have been farming for
more than 20 years now. None of my farmers has been able to access any loan.
This is why we are calling on the president-elect to deal directly with AFAN.
We need equipment, such as bulldozers because most parts of the South West are
thick forest. We still use hoes and cutlasses. Let the new government provide
one bulldozer at least in one local government area,’’ he says.
Similarly,
the Head, Agriculture Group, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Wale
Oyekoya, notes that despite the advertised interventions of the outgoing
administration, farmers still grapple with post-harvest loss occasioned by
power outages. He alleges that 75 per cent of the outgoing administration’s
investment in the sector has been in the North.
“The
first thing to be done in the agriculture sector is to tackle corruption and
propaganda. You do not play politics with people’s stomachs and farmers need
more than fertilizer to thrive. Eighty per cent of the poultry products we eat
today come in through our porous borders. The local content in what we buy in
the market is very abysmal.
“Let
us not deceive ourselves, you cannot go to any commercial bank and get a loan
as a farmer. None of the funds we read about is coming to them. Farmers do not
have access to titled lands and no bank will accept a land without a title as
collateral. We want Buhari to make this sector a priority and strengthen our
export promotion policies,’’ he says.
However,
while commending the Jonathan’s administration on its strides in the sector, a
Professor of Agriculture, Akin Omotayo, urges the incoming government to focus
on improving irrigation methods to allow farmers stay productive, especially
during the dry season. He also recommends the development of grazing reserves
for livestock farmers, which would allow them stay in one location and avoid
bloody clashes with crop farmers.
Omotayo,
who is also the Director, Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources
and Agricultural Development, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, says
Jonathan has been able ensure fertiliser distribution using cell phones. He
also criticises farmers in the South West for not registering with the
government.
“I
would want the new government to focus on a full-scale irrigation development.
From November to April, farmers idle because there are no irrigation
facilities. There is no crop that cannot be produced all year round if the
irrigation sector is well-developed.
“When
the registration of farmers was done. farmers in the South West had the least
number who registered. Farmers in Borno and Yobe states with insurgency
challenges had the highest number. The South West is the most food- insecure
region in Nigeria and we should not be apathetic to government policies,’’ he
cautions.
However,
the National President, AFAN, Mr. Kabiru Ibrahim, notes that that the
association faced alienation by the outgoing government as most members did not
benefit from loans and fertilizers. He says the association boast 70 million
members whereas only 14 million farmers who he described as sympathisers of the
government were registered.
Therefore,
he calls on Buhari to appoint people who will liaise with AFAN in implementing
all policies related to the sector.
‘Most
of the 14 million farmers registered with the government are sympathetic to the
government. The loans were given only to state governments with a small list of
farmers. It was not given to farmers who do not belong to any party or had
nothing to do with the government. We are seeking government recognition in its
totality. Agriculture can do what oil has not done to Nigeria. Sectoral or
partial recognition cannot help this country,’’ he says.
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