How come the power sector that recently got a financial bailout and its gas debts to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) settled by the CBN, could afford to cough out the sum of N5.5billion? If the power sector had the fund, why then did it wait for its legacy debt of about N36.9 billion owed to gas suppliers to be paid by the CBN? Why did the CBN had to intervene to the tune of $213 billion to help stabilize operations in the power sector? We must be reminded that the CBN is the banker to the Federal Government and the money in its possession belongs to taxpayers. Nigerians must not forget in a hurry that the present administration is often long on promises and short in fulfilling them. For instance, Jonathan in 2011 said, “if voted into power within the next four years, the issue of power will become a thing of the past. Four years is enough for anyone in power to make significant improvement and if I can’t improve on power within this period it then means I cannot do anything even if I am there for another four years.” Sadly, it is true his administration cannot do anything about the suffocating power situation in the country. , Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution prohibits any association from contributing to the election expenses of any candidate or aspirant. However, PDP Governors Forum donated N1.05billion. Some Federal Ministries also made fatuous donations. These came against the backdrop that civil servants at both Federal and State levels are being owed salaries for upwards of three months for which they are currently gearing up for an industrial action. Already, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) have threatened to call its members out on a nationwide strike if the Federal Government failed to pay their October and November salary arrears. Notwithstanding the bad governance currently replete at the federal level, Nigerians must not despair because a credible party to clear the mess of the present administration and return our country to the path of probity, accountability, transparency and frugal management of national resources is set to take over the saddle of leadership in the forthcoming elections. Therefore, Nigerians must seize this golden opportunity to chase out treasury looters and financial scammers by installing an All Progressives Congress (APC) national government in 2015. The signs that the APC is capable of revamping our economy, create jobs, defeat insurgency, boost healthcare and education and properly manage national resources are very clear and unmistakable. Timi Frank
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 20:03:39 +0000