NIGERIANS NEED A REAL CHANGE

The PDP government has failed Nigerian for the
past decade and half. Nigerians does not need
tinkering on the margins. We needs real change:
change of orientation from decadence to real
growth with equity, employment and inclusion.
Interconnections must be established among
economic, social and environmental dimensions
of development. Nigeria needs to invest in
agriculture and agro-processing enterprises.
Rampant corruption, sectarianism, cronyism and
gross mismanagement of public funds must face
a frontal attack, not arresting one individual for
public consumption but all who have stolen the
nation wealth must face the full wrath of the
law. Dismissing or suspending a few police
officers does not mean restoration of human
rights and fundamental freedoms, there must be
total reform in the Nigerian police force. We
voted for change and change we must see after
May 29, 2015.
PDP government has failed. Controlling inflation,
important as it is, is not enough. Measuring
progress in economic growth and per capita
income terms is necessary but not a sufficient
condition for improving living standards of all.
Launching a new vision without providing a road
map about its implementation, monitoring and
evaluation isn’t helpful. For that reason 2020
vision died on the very day it was launched in
part because the then president hadn’t seen the
final version, it was a rush plan to appeal
millions of Nigerians. The drafters of the vision
never provided the methodology and indeed it
was plan to fail.
Overemphasis of export-orientation of
agricultural produce including foodstuffs has
damaged the environment through de-vegetation
and chemical pollution, overfishing and
deforestation and reduction of food supplies in
the domestic market contributing to severe
under-nutrition. Poorly fed women produce
underweight children with permanent physical
and mental disabilities, children develop smaller
brain size than normal and constrain their ability
to learn and underfed adults don’t have the
energy to perform optimally.
Exchange rate adjustment in favor of exports has
made the price of imports very expensive for
consumers and investors. Keeping inflation so
low has reduced money in circulation and drove
interest rates so high that few investors are able
to borrow and invest. Consequently economic
growth has declined considerably following
exhaustion of excess capacity. Nigeria’s
economy needs to grow at an average rate of 10
percent to meet the Millennium Development
Goals by 2020, a dream that won’t be realized.
Nigeria is well endowed in human, natural and
financial resources. The problem is poor
leadership. What Buhari needs is a government
of all stakeholders to sort out the mess that has
accumulated since 1999. Those who have helped
cripple the economy of the nation must not be
allowed to serve again, no matter the party they
belong. Nigerians can’t afford another failed 4
years under Buhari regime.
Gen. Muhammadu Buhari must avoid the
mistakes of the past of rushing to choose his
cabinet ministers without knowing who they are.
We should not have criminals in government
again. Nigeriansare hopeful that our children
unborn will see why we voted out the PDP
government and be grateful for the future
opportunity that will be provided to them by the
Buhari regime.
Comrade Ahmed Omeiza Lukman, Kiev Ukraine.