Chukwum 0konkwo:2014 in Retrospect (Continued). Even though the rate at which the wind of epidemic was blowing across Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea was enough signal that Ebola could hit Nigeria given Nigeria’s strategic position in Africa, government failed to take adequate measures to ensure that checks were in place, particularly at the airports and borders, to detect possible Ebola cases. It was not too long (in June) Nigeria released the result of its rebased gross domestic product (GDP) which put Nigeria above South Africa as the largest economy in Africa that the first Ebola case was reported in Nigeria. At the time Patrick Sawyer, Liberian-American, landed in Lagos airport in July 2014 no one was aware that he was ill with the Ebola virus. Subsequently, he fell seriously ill starting a chain of infections that did not only put Nigeria on the list of Ebola infected countries, but also tested the Nigerian health system. Thank goodness the Lagos State government moved swiftly and decisively to contain the virus through contact tracing, isolation, treatment and public enlightenment. The federal government equally added momentum to the fight against Ebola by declaring a state of emergency and calling the country to action. The commitment of health workers, spearheaded by the Ministry of Health which provided all the necessary support, was impressive. Even though Nigeria lost 7 patients out of 19 infected patients, the country was able to beat off Ebola virus and prove to the world that through decisive leadership and a highly coordinated and quick response Ebola virus could be contained. In October, 2014 Nigeria was officially declared Ebola free by the World Health Organization (WHO). The birth of APC did not come without ripostes from the ruling PDP. Right from inception APC was seen as a threat to PDP’s dominance in Aso Rock. At alarming rate PDP governors, lawmakers and top guns defected to APC and vice versa. With this threat PDP was out to throw a monkey wrench in the plans of APC to take over the seat of power in Aso Rock in 2015. The political permutations in the National Assembly took a twist turn when the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, in November 2014 decided to defect from PDP to APC, a move that took PDP members in the house by surprise. That defection was long time coming but they (PDP clan in the House) were not smart to see the handwriting on the wall. Tambuwal’s defection to APC signaled a coup de grace for APC; having gained the leadership as well as majority of the House, APC appeared to have raised PDP’s alert level to the highest. That was a bitter pill for PDP to swallow. The presidency in order to show its teeth was acting through the Inspector General of Police (IGP) who in attempt to show his diehard allegiance to the presidency took the law into his own hands. The IGP had withdrawn all the security details of Aminu Tambuwal, arguing that by defecting to APC he (Tambuwal) had lost his seat in the House of Representatives, hence should be deprived of the privileges due to him. Following the request of President Jonathan asking for an extension of the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, three states ravaged of all their values and valuables by Boko Haram, the Speaker had convened the House prior to the due resumption date, to enable the House to attend to Mr. President’s request. The political water having been polluted by blood stains from the APC-PDP power tussle; the sharks were ready for a feast, the security operatives acting under the directives of the IGP barred Aminu Tambuwal from gaining access into the National Assembly, a move that was immediately restrained by the APC clan who had accompanied the Speaker, hence resulting in the ugly incidents ranging from gate climbing by House members to Police using tear gas on APC members. As despicable as the act of gate climbing might seem, the unprofessional conduct of the Police was repulsive, unpardonable, and deserved condemnation. A year that started off on a promising path seemed to be ending on shaky ground given the uncertainties surrounding the falling oil prices which have begun to show unfavourable implications on the economy. The current year-end economic outlook leaves fundamentals as forecasted for 2014 in doubt. As the volatility in oil prices continues, the instability in foreign exchange characterized by a depreciating Naira continues to rub salt in the wound; Naira continues to show great signs of distress and no clear sign of recovery. Though government has assured that measures are in place, in terms of buffers, to weather the looming economic storms, it is clear that both fiscal and external buffers are currently low and urgently begging for rebuilt. Government has started dealing with the pressure on fiscal revenue and expenditure with the drastic budget cuts, unfortunately in capital budgets, and introduction of more taxation. Sadly, government’s continued silence on reducing the costs of running the Presidency and National Assembly raises a big question mark over government’s sincerity in reducing recurrent expenditure and continues to beg the question, if the austerity measure the government has adopted is merely targeted on low-income earners. It is my submission that for Nigeria to overcome the looming economic hardships, the elites must imbibe the spirit of sharing their prosperity to help share the burden of those at the bottom of the pyramid, while everyone must actively and sincerely put hands on deck to build the economy.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 13:11:45 +0000
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