[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is no longer news that Nigeria’s economy is on life support struggling between life and death. From the market women to the taxi drivers, husbands to breadwinners of families, writers to readers among others, the bad shape of the nation’s economy seems to be the reigning song on every lip – the failed change promise.
Sadly, the activities of the government they ignorantly voted for is not offering them hopeless talkless of hope as clearly seen in some of its programmes and policies.
If not, how do one explain the fact that, at a period where Nigerians are facing severe hardship, a period where some families can no longer afford school fees for their wards, a period where tenants are ejected on a daily basis by their landlords as a result of their inability to pay rents, a period where some families cannot even boast of one meal a day and a period where families are losing their love ones to the cold hands of death due to the lack of good medical care, is the same period, the federal government is launching a crappy campaign called Change Begins With Me.
As a matter of fact, this singular action by a government that came into power with a promise of improving the living conditions of Nigerians is to say the least, wicked and a clear abuse of Nigerians sensitivity. It shows how insensitive, the APC led federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is, to the plight of the poor masses.
To start with, why on earth should change begin with Nigerians when their President is not showing good example and has not changed from his dictatorial tendencies of 1984? He wants Nigerians to change, yet the last time I checked, nobody has sighted his SSCE certificate in spite of all the controversies it generated rather, what he did was to hire SAN’s and lawyers to defend him in court. Hmmmm, this is a case of Mr President asking Nigerians to do for Nigeria what he cannot do.
Furthermore, how does the Change Begins With Me campaign reduce the price of a cup of rice that now sells for N150 a cup as against the 70-80 Naira it was formerly sold or the price of Indomie super pack that now sells for N120 from N60? Infact, who has Change Begins With Me helped?
Does the Buhari administration need a sooth to know that, it’s economic policies if any are not yielding results and his entire Economic team have failed, hence the need to look beyond party, ethnic and religious lines towards getting the right people that will remedy our present situation?
Here is a country that is blessed with world class and respected economist like Dr. Okonjo Iweala, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Shamsudeen Usman, Alex Otti, Tony Elumelu, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, Peter Obi among others. Yet, while they receive standing ovation outside the shores of their own country. Back home, they are maligned, bastardised, mocked, and ridiculed.
For God’s sake, Islam will not cease to be what it is if Mr. President takes the bull by the horn by inviting some of these persons or other young Nigerians who have a deep knowledge about Nigeria’s economy into whatever capacity he deems fit to restore our economy.
It is sickening, nauseating and above all annoying to note that we have a president who considers each and every decision he takes as final not minding the impact of such decisions on the very people that he is governing. It is also sad that, virtually all the things Governor Ayo Fayose and Chief Femi Fani-Kayode said about President Muhammadu Buhari in the heat of the 2015 election campaigns, is what is playing out today, and the president is not showing any form of pretence. No CHANGE!
I align myself totally with Senator Ben Murray Bruce and Dr. Oby Ezekwesili who had blamed the country’s Economic woes to the hurried implementation of the Treasury Single Account, TSA and the president’s wrong approach to the war against corruption. President Buhari should have known that keeping money out of circulation in a recession and putting so much pressure on the naira as a result of withdrawals by foreign investors who wanted to keep their money safe and secured as a result of his one sided anti-corruption fight will have an adverse effect on the country.
I like to ask, where is all the so-called loot this administration claimed it has recovered? In which bank accounts are there kept? What is the total amounts so recovered? And why is the government borrowing when we have recovered so much money?
Like the former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan remarked on October 15, 2009 at the Nigeria Investment Forum in Abu Dhabi, UAE, “If the goodwill exists and the right approaches are used, all can be winners in the development process”. It is therefore imperative on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently go back to the drawing board, re-examine some of his policies, bring the right people on board irrespective of their party, religion and ethnic inclination for the overall development of our country.
Enough of the blame games, Mr. President. Nigerians are tired and fed up with your incessant lamentation. It is time for you and your team to offer solutions not blame the past administration for your failures. Beside, Nigerians expect that you read out your blueprint and timelines going forward in this administration.
It is now time for you to take responsibility and begin to act while Nigerians think of what to do to you and your party come 2019 because truly truly, THEM DEY VEX.
Richard Romanus is a public affairs commentator. He writes from Oderegha in Obubra, Cross River State. He can be reached by email HERE.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
