Okonkwo Peter Chigozie.
President Muhammadu Buhari not rushing to appoint 36 ministers till now does not make him “Baba go slow”. It could have been disaster continua if he still saddles Nigeria with over-bloated 36 ministers without first streamlining the ministries and parastatals inline with “Oronsaye’s Report”.
Taking off with “business as usual” of 36 ministers with bogus salaries and allowances without adding value of services will contravene Section 16 of our Constitution which demands prudence in management of the Nations Resource to enhance maximum output under good governance.
The President can also make use of some heads of Prime Agencies and Parastatals as Executive Cabinet Members designating them Ministers thereby attaining the Federal Character Structure demanded by Section 147 of the Constitution.
Diligence as a virtue supports Mr. President in his calculated steps once it is not over stretched. These notwithstanding, the President is supposed to have appointed a Chief-of-Staff, Attorney-General, Secretary to the Federal Government and Minister of Finance within 30 days of assuming office as a helping tool to his due diligence steps.
The President as “Baba Diligence” is supported by the Word of God in Luke 14:28….. where Christ admonished on the need to evaluate costs before embarking on a project.
REMOVAL OF PETROLEUM SUBSIDY AND THE ROT IN NNPC
Removal of Petroleum Subsidy is a sensitive issue that touches on the raw nerve of Nigerian people as the President rightly pointed out during his last visit to the United States. As volatile as this is, it requires either a statesman’s decision or a populist decision. A statesman is a Leader that cares for the present and future generation, while a Populist is a Leader of the moment satisfying only his popularity ego caring less if there is no Nigeria tomorrow.
Petroleum subsidy is a cesspool of corruption likeable only to a cancerous tumor. It must be cut-off and save Nigeria the unbearable criminality of a few that continue to deplete our commonwealth. Any one assuring Mr. President that this paper fraud can be effectively checked is only day-dreaming. Some people in this great nation of innumerable good citizens have an unimaginable capacity to compromise any system.
The current problem the oil market provides a leeway to cut off this cancerous lump of fraud called subsidy. It will diminish this presidency if this fraud continues unabated. As a paper document based fraud, it is difficult to police. NNPC is a citadel of fraud that cannot be allowed to fester any longer or it will consume and ruin our entire commonwealth. Any Agency of government that can spend un-appropriated billions of Dollars nicknaming the fraud overhead and administrative costs is just a citadel of corruption. It is gratifying to know that the unbundling and reorganization of NNPC is top on Mr. President’s agenda of action.
AMNESTY PROGRAMME AND CRUDE OIL THEFT
The President’s recent appointment of Brigadier P. T. Boroh (rtd) as the coordinator of the Amnesty Programme for former Niger Delta Militants is spot-on and timely. The caliber of Boroh further distinguishes Mr. President as “Baba Diligence” who looks before he leaps.
General Boroh should promptly tackle all outstanding issues and allowances to keep the peace of Niger Delta running. Nigeria cannot afford another dislocation in our oil production at this critical juncture.
Crude oil theft in Niger Delta is a well organized crime run by a cartel with intimidating financial arsenal. This cartel corrupts and compromises all commanding security structures and JTF Commanders in Niger Delta. This organized criminal organization which is aided by top officers operates in most on-shore and off-shore terminals of both multinational and indigenous oil platforms. Segun Adeniyi of Thisday Newspaper has written extensively on this national tragedy. His write-ups on this matter will provide reasonable insight on solution.
A National Ad-hoc Committee is urgently needed to study the modus operandi of this cartel and proffer solution on how to arrest this rape of our commonwealth.
Dear Baba Diligence, your integrity was attested to and proclaimed to the whole world by President Barack Obama during your recent visit to the United States. You must not disappoint on this challenge which requires the full manifestation of your strong character.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CRISIS
The President’s fatherly role as Baba Diligence has finally rested the crisis in the lower chamber of the National Assembly – House of Representatives. The upper chamber (Senate) of the National Assembly is a different ballgame. The opposition PDP is already interwoven in the crisis and equally a beneficiary. The Senate is mostly made up of senior citizens of Nigeria with commanding profile.
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