HOW NIGERIA PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN IS WASTING NATIONAL RESOURCES

How President Goodluck Jonathan is wasting resources through unnecessary appointments.

Let's start by looking at the list and designations of aides in the Presidency and see if they are necessary at all. President Goodluck Jonathan in June 2011 sought and obtained the approval of Senate to appoint 20 advisers to assist him in running his government. However, the President has, in apparent breach of the number of aides approved for him, gone ahead to appoint at least 24 advisers as at the last count.

Mr. Oronto Douglas, Special Adviser to the President on Research and Strategy. Sentiments aside, what exactly is the role of this office and couldn’t it have been carried out by a permanent employee in the Presidency?

Prof. Abubakar Sambo, Special Adviser to the President on Energy. Really? What distinctive ‘special advice’ is the President expecting from the incumbent here that the ministers for petroleum, energy and power cannot give?

Mrs. Sarah Akuben Pane, Special Adviser to the President on Social Development. One is too stumped to even comment on this.

Mrs. Sarah Jibril (remember her? If you cannot beat them, you join them!). She's the Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values. What a joke! Who even monitors what, if any, work some of these appointees have been carrying out?

Kingsley Kuku, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs. What would the minister and the minister of state for the Niger Delta ministry be doing and what about the head of the Niger Delta Development Commission?

Prof. Dan Adebiyi, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties and Senator Isaiah Ballat, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties (Office of the Vice-President). Could someone please unpack this designation for me? Same request suffices for Nze Sullivan Akachukwu Nwakpo, Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters and for Mrs. Asma’u Abdulkadir, Special Adviser to the President on Gender Issues. What on earth amounts to ‘technical matters’?
And there are also Yakubu Abdullahi, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters (Office of the Vice President);

Mr. Bashir Sufyan, Special Adviser to the President on Legal Matters (Office of the Vice-President).

Professor Nwanze Okidegbe, Economic Adviser to the President. What economic advice would this officer give the President that the National Economic Management Team members including the Minister of Finance and the Minister of National Planning cannot?

Senator Ben Obi, Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs. There is absolutely no reason to appoint a special adviser for just this function, when there is Ahmed Gulak, Political Adviser to the President just as the designation of Dr Mariam Ali, Special Adviser to the President on Inter-governmental Affairs.

Perhaps the most curious is the Special Adviser (New Media), Reno Omokri. In clear terms, he is special adviser on Twitter and Facebook matters! This is aside the fact that there is a Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.

Strangely, the ‘Twitter and Facebook special adviser’ is not attached to the office of the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity but to the Special Adviser, Research and Strategy.

By the way, these special advisers would ordinarily have their own personal assistants and other aides.
Total waste of funds that could have been channeled into productive and progressive uses.

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN ON FUEL SUBSIDY STRIKE IN NIGERIA.

Presidential Address On The Implementation Of The Deregulation Policy In The Downstream Sector Of The Petroleum Industry, Sunday, January 15, 2012
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Dear Compatriots,
1. This is the second time in two weeks I will address you on the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector. In the last seven days, the nation has witnessed a disruption of economic activities. Although, the economic imperatives for the policy have been well articulated by government, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) went ahead to declare a nationwide strike.

2. There was also near-breakdown of law and order in certain parts of the country as a result of the activities of some persons or groups of persons who took advantage of the situation to further their narrow interests by engaging in acts of intimidation, harassment and outright subversion of the Nigerian state. I express my sympathy to those who were adversely affected by the protests.
3. At the inception of the deregulation policy, Government had set up the Justice Alfa Belgore Committee to liaise with Labour and other stakeholders to address likely grey areas in the policy, but despite all our efforts, Labour refused the option of dialogue and also disobeyed a restraining order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

4. However, following the intervention of the Leadership of the National Assembly, and other well-meaning Nigerians, Labour accepted to meet with government, but this yielded no tangible result.


5. It has become clear to government and all well-meaning Nigerians that other interests beyond the implementation of the deregulation policy have hijacked the protest. This has prevented an objective assessment and consideration of all the contending issues for which dialogue was initiated by government. These same interests seek to promote discord, anarchy, and insecurity to the detriment of public peace.

6. Government appreciates that the implementation of the deregulation policy would cause initial hardships and commends Nigerians who have put forth suggestions and credible alternatives in this regard. Government also salutes Nigerians who by and large, conducted themselves peacefully while expressing their grievances. Let me assure you that government will continue to respect the people's right to express themselves within the confines of the law and in accordance with the dictates of our democratic space.

7. Government will continue to pursue full deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector. However, given the hardships being suffered by Nigerians, and after due consideration and consultations with state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly, government has approved the reduction of the pump price of petrol to N97 per litre. The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has been directed to ensure compliance with this new pump price.

8. Government is working hard to reduce recurrent expenditure in line with current realities and to cut down on the cost of governance. In the meantime, government has commenced the implementation of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment projects: including the Federal Government- assisted mass transit programme which is already in place, and job creation for the youth.

9.Furthermore, the legal and regulatory regime for the petroleum industry will be reviewed to address accountability issues and current lapses in the Industry. In this regard, the Petroleum Industry Bill will be given accelerated attention. The report of the forensic audit carried out on the NNPC is being studied with a view to implementing the recommendations and sanctioning proven acts of corruption in the industry.

10. Let me assure Nigerians that this administration is irrevocably committed to tackling corruption in the petroleum industry as well as other sectors of the economy. Consequently, all those found to have contributed one way or the other to the economic adversity of the country will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

11. My dear compatriots, I urge you to show understanding for the imperatives of the adjustment in the pump price of petrol and give government your full support to ensure its successful implementation. I further appeal to Nigerians to go back to work and go about their normal duties as government has made adequate arrangements for the protection of life and property throughout the federation.

12. Government will not condone brazen acts of criminality and subversion. As President, I have sworn to uphold the unity, peace and order of the Nigerian State and by the grace of God, I intend to fully and effectively discharge that responsibility. Let me add that we are desirous of further engagements with Labour. I urge our Labour leaders to call off their strike, and go back to work.

13. Nigeria belongs to all of us and we must collectively safeguard its unity

Thank you. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR
President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria