We note the submissions by the Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) ASIWAJU Bola Tinibu at his lecture in the Washington DC, the United States, entitled “Current Developments in Nigeria : The View of the Opposition” However , there are few points that require clarification from us.
To describe the Federal Government as a “giant bureaucracy suffering from elephantiasis” is untrue and unfair. Since the administration came concerted efforts has been made to reduce the size of government as evident in the setting up of the Steve Oransanye’s committee which looked into areas where the inherited bloated bureaucracy could be trimmed down the committee has submitted its report and the government has accepted the recommendations. Also important, is the Federal Ministry of finance effort to reduce the recurrent expenditure profile to below 70 percent.
On the issue of devolution of powers, where he called for the decentralization of power, this idea is not peculiar to the Action Congress of Nigeria, as in recent times many Nigerians, including members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party have openly canvassed for the enthronement of true and fiscal federalism.
On poverty, the challenges Nigeria faces on this issue is traceable to several decades of dysfunctional socio-economic policies and infrastructural neglect. The correction of these is the embodiment and major pillars of the transformational agenda of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
Foreign direct investment has increased and through the activities of the newly recapitalized Bank of industry, cogent intervention is being made towards boosting our industrial and capital development.
The Action Congress’ leader also touched the issue of debt. We unequivocally maintain that he got it all wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong for nations to borrow money for developmental purposes. Virtually all nations run budgets on deficit, including the United States of America on which soil Asiwaju Tinubu spoke. The US has a debt profile that exceeds $4 Trillion, and remains perhaps the largest borrower in the world. Lagos state is one of the highly indebted state even during the administration of the AC leader.
On Boko Haram and restive northern youths, while we appreciate the suggestion about employment of youths in the north, we confirm that this administration has in the last 12 months, without prompting from any quarters, spearheaded what can be termed a silent agrarian revolution in the north. This has already resulted in the increased output and yields of commodities like maize, rice, sorghum and cotton, and governments are this sector is still on going.
For example, government is about to restructure and recapitalize the Agriculture Bank so as to make funds readily and directly available to peasant farmers with minimal bureaucracy and very low interest rate. It is also estimated that by the end of 2014, no fewer than 14million youths will be of the streets in the north and fully engaged. Government has also supported this drive by the introduction and propagation of the Al Majiri Educational programme.
On security, the position of the revered Leader of the Action Congress is incorrect. While at the beginning, the free flow of information among agencies may not have been at an excellent level, since the President Jonathan administration had taken the bull by the horns, by the overhaul and installation of a new security infrastructure and architecture, synergy within these agencies have been commended by the international bodies and agencies. Their effectiveness has reflected in their ability to forestall strings of activities by Boko Haram.
We note his remarks about the creation of local councils in Jos , Plateau state, however, the protracted crisis in Jos has much deeper issues that creation of Local councils alone can resolve . In the last one two weeks, government had met with various interest groups. They include the Berom, Hausa and Fulani communities. Consultations are currently being made by President Jonathan towards finding a lasting solution to the problem.
On Corruption, it is a truism that it has always been regrettably endemic. But no other administration had taken the steps so far taken by this administration in tackling the scourge head on. This is evident in the change of leadership at the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and fortification of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), plus the prosecution of those found culpable in the oil subsidy scandal, including those close to the government.
We appreciate his contributions to national discourse, and we assure the opposition and Nigerians that we shall continue to inform, engage and interface between government and the citizenry.