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On May 29, 2015, Muhammadu Buhari assumed office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For many Nigerians, expectations were somehow high, as most people expected the new government to perform some sort of magic and make all their problems fly away. These expectations were not actually out of place as the President’s campaign, which ran on “CHANGE” mantra made a number of promises to Nigerians during the campaign. Almost twenty months after the President took office; the change is yet to arrive. The economy is in recession, prices of goods and basic commodities have doubled, and poor Nigerians are finding it very difficult to survive. This left so many Nigerians wondering whether this is the change the APC led government promised Nigerians. To further add salt to injury, the President and his team came up with the “Change begins with me” mantra recently launched in Abuja.
It seems the President and his team at the Ministry of Information and National Orientation Agency do not know what next for Nigeria and Nigerians. The present reality across the nation and the sufferings being encountered from high cost of living, skyrocketing unemployment rate and the feeling of neglect to the plights of the people by this government should not have been meted with such a slogan at this point in time. How would you possibly communicate “change begins with you” to a hungry man on the street or to an unemployed youth for instance, or a man/woman who just lost his job as a result of unfavorable economy situation?
No Mr. President, the change actually begins with you.
The change begins with you when you inaugurate a strong economic team and make our economy the fastest growing emerging economies in the world with a real GDP growth averaging at least 10-12% annually as you promised during your campaign to the whole Nigerians. The change begins with you when you reduce the rate of unemployment by embarking on vocational training, entrepreneurial and skills acquisition scheme for graduates along with the creation of Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to create at least 5 million new jobs by 2019 as you promised during your campaign. This is 2016, unemployment still stood at around 28-30%. Where are the jobs you promised? Dear President, the change begins with you when you equate N1.00 to $1.00 as promised us during your campaign. Today, the same N1.00 to $1.00 is about N400.00 in exchange rate. This is not the change you promised us.
The change begins with you Mr. President when Nigerians have electricity 24/7 as you promised to generate, transmit and distribute electricity on a 24/7 basis and at the same time simultaneously ensuring the development of sustainable/renewable energy by 2019. Today, many Nigerians still cannot boast of regular supply of electricity. Even places where there used to be regular supply before you came on board, rarely have it like that anymore. The change begins with you when you fulfill the promise of creating a social welfare programme of at least five thousand naira (N5000) that will cater for 25 million poorest and most vulnerable citizens upon the demonstration of children’s enrollment in school and evidence of immunization to help promote family stability. Even the ‘Npower’ program recently initiated by your administration has not seen the light of day.
Dear President, how do you possibly preach to the parents of the Chibok Girls that change begins with them when their wards are still in the custody of their abductors?
Your administration appears to be winning the war against Boko haram, as considerable success has been recorded in stemming insurgency in the North east, but these girls are still nowhere to be found. Two years after these girls abduction, Nigerian government is yet to find their where about. Mr. President, change actually begins with you when the remaining 219 girls are rescued alive and sound, and taken back to their parents who are still waiting for their return. Although, you never promised that you will guarantee their return while campaigning in 2015, but sir, the onus to rescue them is now your responsibility as many Nigerians ensured you win the election for this purpose.
Finally my dear President, the change begins with you when you reform and strengthen the justice system for efficient administration and dispensation of justice with the creation of special courts for accelerated hearing of corruption, drug trafficking, terrorism and similar cases of national importance as you promised during campaign. One year after you started the war against corruption, no single person has been successfully convicted or jailed for the said crime. While it is true that the judiciary is part of those frustrating your war against corruption, kindly go ahead and carry out the said reforms for efficiency. You also promised to restructure governance for a leaner, more efficient, and adequately compensated public service sector, while promoting effective participation of the private sector for more robust job creation programs to employ the teaming youth. Today Mr. President, the same folks in the private sector are the ones retrenching their staffs in their thousands because the current economic challenges does not favor doing business.
The timing of this ‘change begins with me’ is just totally wrong. Let it start from your door step Mr. President, as the head of our dear nation, and you will seethe rest of Nigerians align to it.
Thank you for reading.
1 Comment
This is one of my all time best articles. Obayomi Abiola Benjamin took his time to talk us as Nigerians and to our dear President. I think a word is enough to the wise!