By Jasper Azuatalam

Buhari: some silent achievements. Photo credit: Telegraph of UK

Some times, when things happen so fast, it appears unnoticeable. Things have happened so fast since Muhammadu Buhari became President and it seems we have forgotten the past.

Just a quick reminder.

In 2011, former president Goodluck Jonathan cried out that the “cabals” in his government, especially those in the oil industry were holding his government to ransom. He tried to remove fuel subsidy and pegged the pump price of fuel at N148 per litter. Nigerians resisted it and he reduced it to N97 per litre and fuel subsidy continued.

Nigeria was paying over N1.5 trillion for subsidy per year till late 2015. President Muhammadu Buhari came and insisted that there was nothing like subsidy and that the word subsidy is a fraud to siphon Nigerias resources.

President Muhammadu Buhari pulled the string, disbanded the cabals and removed subsidy.

Today, Nigeria no longer pay subsidy to anyone, but the amazing thing is that fuel is now sold below the price it was sold when Nigeria was paying subsidy. Fuel is also freely available everywhere at a reduced price. Who will ever believe that the cabals can be disbanded and subsidy removed without an increase in the pump price of fuel? What a world!

Before now, the federal government operated over 200 bank accounts and the agencies/institutions of government that generate revenue make sure they retire all revenue generated as expenses and management cost. The PDP government suggested a Single Treasury Account TSA, but the fat cows and cabals never allowed its implementation.

Today, President Muhammadu Buhari has disbanded the fat cows/cabals and reintroduced and implemented the Single Treasury Account TSA which has yielded N2.2 trillion naira as at December 2015 which was just a little more than 4 monthsof its implementation.

Federal Allocations are now disbursed as at when due. Before former president Goodluck Jonathan handed over power to President Muhammadu Buhari, Federal allocations were owed like salaries leading many states to bankruptcy, but President Muhammadu Buhari came and paid bailout to states. Today, the monthly allocations are coming as as at when due irrespective of the fact that crude oil which is the major source of revenue has fallen from $140 per barrel under Goodluck Jonathan to $28 per barrel today.

Stealing has become corruption.

Under the PDP administration, stealing was not corruption. It was an acceptable norm. Today, under President Muhammadu Buhari. Those who looted Nigeria’s resources are willingly returning millions of dollars to the government and facing various charges in court.

Discipline has returned in public service and everyone is learning to be accountable knowing fully well that President Muhammadu Buhari will ask everyone to account for his stewardship sooner or later.

I can count to number 100, but the wailing wailers will turn their eyes away from all these achievements pretending they are not aware. It is OK, but we must continue to share them until the blind will see them.

It is not yet uhuru because the system was badly bastardised, but there is hope for a better tomorrow as President Muhammadu Buhari is paddling the canoe slowly and steadily to the promised land.