The score card has come in and the Federal Government has performed woefully. I will spare us the boredom of reeling out the stats all over again. We are in a more terrible state than we were one year ago. To mention just one indicator, over a million people have joined the labour market in just one year. This is really the lowest of all since we became a country and it is so sad that I happen to be a father and Nigerian at this time.
It can no longer be business as usual. We will not withdraw our mandate as the mandate was freely and joyously given but then again we retain the right to ask questions and demand answers. The major question is, ‘What will be done by the Government to make sure that we get out of this stupor and on time?’ This question must be answered objectively and with the single-minded focus of a government that truly believes in its change mantra.
For me, the first thing the Government should do on the road to recovery is to look closely at the cabinet. There should be a major earth-shaking cabinet change. The contraption that is this cabinet must be dissolved. Enough of the rent seekers, the political godfathers have been rewarded enough, their acolytes must give way for more serious minded egg-heads who have the capacity and depth to face this massive economic turbulence we are going through.
What this means is, if the President is very patriotic, which I know he is, then he must forget the second term and do away with the political jobbers in his cabinet. He is the very best President we can have at this time since his strong and firm commitment to what is right and his no nonsense attitude when it comes to taking firm decisions will put his people in a strong position to implement well thought out policy initiatives.
For me, the following Ministries should be immediately looked into, Finance, Solid Minerals, Labour, Youth, Sport and Culture, Transport, Agriculture, Communications and Technology. To me, we need people in these ministries who understand the dynamics of the various sectors that they superintendent. Other Government parastatals like the Investment Promotions council and other allied organs must not be left out.
We need a dynamism the present crop of technocrats despite their selfless devotion to the country simply do not have the capacity to deliver. For a country in the kind of fix we find ourselves to have a major economic parastatal to be battling with dress code just highlights the ineptitude that we face in a war situation. How will dress code help us out of the woods? Even if people have to come to work naked, let them come, as long as efficiency is returned to the work place .
So my call is an immediate reshuffling of the cabinet and the bringing in board of true professionals with in depth understanding of the evolving dynamism of the new economy.
That is my on two pence.
Thank you
well said….enough with the political higi-haga…