By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — THE Presidency yesterday took a swipe at
critics of President Goodluck Jonathan, describing
the accusation of incompetence levelled against him
by the opposition as mere political propaganda and
untrue.
It stressed that no Nigerian expected the level of
insurgency that the Jonathan Administration
inherited on assumption of office.
The Presidency, however, dared the opposition and
critics of Jonathan’s administration to come up with
facts of his incompetence and lack of achievements.
President Goodluck Jonathan with Prof.
Chinedu Nebo (left) and Alhaji Kabiru Turaki
(right) after their swearing in as new ministers,
Monday, at the State House, Abuja
In a statement signed, yesterday, by the Senior
Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs,
Dr. Doyin Okupe, the Presidency urged critics to x-
ray the challenges Nigeria had prior to the emergence
of President Jonathan as the country’s leader, adding
that achievements and competence cannot be judged
by noise making, propaganda and deception which it
argued were the hallmarks of the opposition.
Okupe said: “President Jonathan’s background does
not fall into the mould of incompetence or
cluelessness that the opposition tries too hard to sell
to the Nigerian populace.
What is incompetence?
“By definition, Reference Dictionary says:
“Incompetence is lacking qualification or ability”.
Webster Dictionary defines it as “lacking the qualities
needed for effective action”. Going by the above
definitions, President Goodluck Jonathan is perhaps
the most academically qualified Nigerian President
ever.
“By cognate qualification, no President has had the
experience, preparation and tutelage for the post of
the President than Goodluck Jonathan. He was
Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice President, Acting
President and elected President. Taking the Webster
Dictionary definition, an incompetent person, lacks
the qualities needed for effective action.
“We do not wish to assert the obvious fact that the
President has the requisite qualification for effective
action, rather we will examine the challenges that
faced the nation before his election as President and
state how he has tackled them. This will also probably
disprove the Governor Fashola’s “Mechanic allegory”.
“Empirical evidence shows that President Goodluck
Jonathan, has not only tackled the challenges he
inherited, but has successfully solved many of them
while those that remain are part of works in progress
which, God willing, will be resolved before the end of
2014.
“The repeated false claims by the opposition that the
President is incompetent is not only untrue and
obviously cannot be supported by facts, but is also
part of the opposition’s strategy to present the
government as not being effective so as to advance
their selfish cause. Nigerians should therefore ignore
this wild and baseless comments and team up with
the silent and effective achiever, in the person of Dr.
Goodluck Jonathan.
“We want to assure Nigerians that with the
undoubted and continued effective implementations
of the Transformation Agenda, Nigeria will never
ever be the same again. Achievements and
competence are always not judged by noise making,
propaganda and deception which are the hallmarks
of the activities of the Nigerian opposition.”
Challenges before Jonathan
Listing President Jonathan’s challenges on
assumption of office, he said in power sector, “major
challenges in the sector were: Low generating
capacity (output less than 3000 MW); abandoned
NIPP Projects, Unavailability of gas to service the
NIPP projects, Transmission challenges, Protracted
Inability to unbundle the PHCN and the eventual
privatization of the sector.”
According to him, in infrastructure: “Roads were in
states of disrepair nationwide. Railway Corporation
was not functional. Airports were in state of total
dilapidation, most of them without any maintenance
for decades.
On what the Jonathan’s Administration has done so
far, Okupe said:
*Benin-Sagamu Road has been awarded and
presently, the commuting time has been reduced
from 12 hours and above to four hours.
*The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concession was
decisively dealt with and immediate rehabilitative
efforts were carried out by Julius Berger and RCC,
which reduced the burden on commuters on that
road during the Christmas holidays.
*Abuja-Lokoja Expressway is progressing steadily.
*Kano-Maiduguri Road is in progress;
*The East-West Road, despite the negative reports by
detractors, has made significant progress with most
of its concrete works and bridges nearly completed.
*Onitsha-Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriage way, a
distance of 1664km, is due for completion in 2013.
*2nd Niger Bridge – N5 billion has been set aside for
commencement of works.
“The Lagos-Jebba-Kano Rail line which has been shut
down for over 20 years has commenced successful
operations since December 2012. The Abuja-Kaduna
modern gauge rail line is over 35 per cent completion.
Ajaokuta-Warri modern garage rail line has been
completed. A new modern gauge rail line from Lagos
to Ibadan was awarded towards the end of last year.
The Port Harcourt-Maiduguri (Eastern Rail line) will
start operation anytime from now.”
On Aviation, he said: “22 Airports were earmarked
for re-modeling and rehabilitation. 11 have been
completed and commissioned. Five new terminals in
Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Enugu as well
as six Cargo Terminals will begin this year.
“In the last 50 years, the Nigerian economy has
suffered stagnation due to inability of successive
governments to diversify the economy and steer it
away from the mono cultural dependence on oil to the
detriment of other critical economic sectors.
Specifically, this administration has re invented the
wheels of the Agricultural sector and it now accounts
for 75 per cent of non oil exports.
“The cassava component of the Agricultural
transformation programme has attracted N600
billion (about 380 million dollars) into the Nigerian
economy from the substitution of bread wheat flour
with cassava flour. Nigeria will, before the end of this
year, earn an additional 136 million dollars from
export of cassava chips.
“Nigeria is today producing 3.5 million tons of rice
locally and will by 2015 meet its total local demand of
five million tons of the staple. This will save about
300 billion dollars in foreign exchange and create
jobs for our local farmers and entrepreneurs.
“Similarly, Nigeria produced about 10 million tons of
maize in 2012 while four high yielding hybrid of
sorghum were provided for farmers free of charge to
revolutionize sorghum production nation wide. The
same method is being adopted to bring back the lost
glory of cocoa production with a view to increasing
the current production volume from 250, 000 metric
tons to 500, 000 metric tons in the next two years.
High yielding, early maturing hybrid cocoa seedlings
are being distributed free of charge across cocoa
producing states.
“Cotton farmers, especially in the Northern part of
Nigeria have been provided 1,500 tons of improved
seedlings and are currently cultivating 17,319
hectares of cotton.
“The value chain approach for intervention in
Agriculture as an alternative revenue earner is being
successfully implemented by the Federal Government.
The ultimate goal is to turn Nigeria from being a
major importer of food to a net exporter by 2015.”
On economic stability, Okupe said: “Economic
stability is a necessary foundation for economic
growth. This is why the Jonathan administration
through the implementation of sound monetary and
fiscal policies has been able to provide macro
economic stability for the country in the last two
years.
“It is noteworthy that while other major economies
including that of South Africa and the United States
of America are being downgraded, Nigerian economy
is being upgraded by global rating agencies including
Fitch, S&P, JP MORGAN. While the overall global
projection for economic growth in 2013 is 3.5 to 5. 5
per cent, projected growth for Nigeria has been put
at 6.5 per cent and above.
“Nigerians rightly observe that in spite of this
favourable macro-economic indicators such as
increased GDP, reduced inflation, and increased
foreign reserve, the population is yet to benefit by
having food on their tables. It should however be
realized that achieving macro-economic stability is
the foundation upon which other economic reforms
such as the investment in power sector,
infrastructure and development of skilled manpower
will be built.
“However, government, in realization of the need to
make the transition period less stressful has initiated
socio-economic programmes such as the various
youth empowerment, wealth creation initiatives
under the SURE-P, NAPEP and other agencies.”
On insecurity, he said: “No Nigerian expected the
level of insurgency that the Jonathan Administration
inherited on assumption of office. But this
Government re-tooled its security apparatus,
introduced modern technology to information
gathering, retrained its Military and Police Officers
in the art of combating terrorism, and in less than
two years, obvious decline has become noticeable in
the frequency of bombing attacks. From January to
November 2012, going by the figures supplied by the
Intelligence Reports and Independence Survey, the
incidence of bombing has gone down by about 50 per
cent.”
“In view of the fact that the security agencies have
severely weakened the insurgents’ capacity to do
damage, a call for ceasefire has emanated from them.
It is clearly untrue therefore to say that government is
not on top of security issues in this country.”
On corruption, Okupe stressed: “There is probably no
better proof of a leader’s commitment to a corruption
free Nigeria than what this president has done in the
area of exposing corrupt practices and ensuring that
culprits are brought to book. The various reforms
carried out in the last two years in the area of pension
administration, management of the nation’s ports,
Oil and gas, fertilizer management, electoral process
as well as the strengthening of institutional
framework for fighting corruption are certainly the
most courageous moves ever undertaken by any
Nigerian President.
“The sleaze uncovered in these processes are in
consonance with the spirit and letters of the Freedom
of Information Act which was the first bill signed into
law by president Goodluck Jonathan on assumption
of office.
“Today, the presidents foresight as contained in the
bill on reform of the Criminal justice system which he
initiated ,is underscored by the outrage which
followed a light sentence given to one of the suspects
in the widely reported police pension fraud. The
import of this is that the president’s work in fighting
corruption only needs to be complemented by the
Legislative and Judicial Arms of government to have
the desired effects.”
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — THE Presidency yesterday took a swipe at
critics of President Goodluck Jonathan, describing
the accusation of incompetence levelled against him
by the opposition as mere political propaganda and
untrue.
It stressed that no Nigerian expected the level of
insurgency that the Jonathan Administration
inherited on assumption of office.
The Presidency, however, dared the opposition and
critics of Jonathan’s administration to come up with
facts of his incompetence and lack of achievements.
President Goodluck Jonathan with Prof.
Chinedu Nebo (left) and Alhaji Kabiru Turaki
(right) after their swearing in as new ministers,
Monday, at the State House, Abuja
In a statement signed, yesterday, by the Senior
Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs,
Dr. Doyin Okupe, the Presidency urged critics to x-
ray the challenges Nigeria had prior to the emergence
of President Jonathan as the country’s leader, adding
that achievements and competence cannot be judged
by noise making, propaganda and deception which it
argued were the hallmarks of the opposition.
Okupe said: “President Jonathan’s background does
not fall into the mould of incompetence or
cluelessness that the opposition tries too hard to sell
to the Nigerian populace.
What is incompetence?
“By definition, Reference Dictionary says:
“Incompetence is lacking qualification or ability”.
Webster Dictionary defines it as “lacking the qualities
needed for effective action”. Going by the above
definitions, President Goodluck Jonathan is perhaps
the most academically qualified Nigerian President
ever.
“By cognate qualification, no President has had the
experience, preparation and tutelage for the post of
the President than Goodluck Jonathan. He was
Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice President, Acting
President and elected President. Taking the Webster
Dictionary definition, an incompetent person, lacks
the qualities needed for effective action.
“We do not wish to assert the obvious fact that the
President has the requisite qualification for effective
action, rather we will examine the challenges that
faced the nation before his election as President and
state how he has tackled them. This will also probably
disprove the Governor Fashola’s “Mechanic allegory”.
“Empirical evidence shows that President Goodluck
Jonathan, has not only tackled the challenges he
inherited, but has successfully solved many of them
while those that remain are part of works in progress
which, God willing, will be resolved before the end of
2014.
“The repeated false claims by the opposition that the
President is incompetent is not only untrue and
obviously cannot be supported by facts, but is also
part of the opposition’s strategy to present the
government as not being effective so as to advance
their selfish cause. Nigerians should therefore ignore
this wild and baseless comments and team up with
the silent and effective achiever, in the person of Dr.
Goodluck Jonathan.
“We want to assure Nigerians that with the
undoubted and continued effective implementations
of the Transformation Agenda, Nigeria will never
ever be the same again. Achievements and
competence are always not judged by noise making,
propaganda and deception which are the hallmarks
of the activities of the Nigerian opposition.”
Challenges before Jonathan
Listing President Jonathan’s challenges on
assumption of office, he said in power sector, “major
challenges in the sector were: Low generating
capacity (output less than 3000 MW); abandoned
NIPP Projects, Unavailability of gas to service the
NIPP projects, Transmission challenges, Protracted
Inability to unbundle the PHCN and the eventual
privatization of the sector.”
According to him, in infrastructure: “Roads were in
states of disrepair nationwide. Railway Corporation
was not functional. Airports were in state of total
dilapidation, most of them without any maintenance
for decades.
On what the Jonathan’s Administration has done so
far, Okupe said:
*Benin-Sagamu Road has been awarded and
presently, the commuting time has been reduced
from 12 hours and above to four hours.
*The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concession was
decisively dealt with and immediate rehabilitative
efforts were carried out by Julius Berger and RCC,
which reduced the burden on commuters on that
road during the Christmas holidays.
*Abuja-Lokoja Expressway is progressing steadily.
*Kano-Maiduguri Road is in progress;
*The East-West Road, despite the negative reports by
detractors, has made significant progress with most
of its concrete works and bridges nearly completed.
*Onitsha-Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriage way, a
distance of 1664km, is due for completion in 2013.
*2nd Niger Bridge – N5 billion has been set aside for
commencement of works.
“The Lagos-Jebba-Kano Rail line which has been shut
down for over 20 years has commenced successful
operations since December 2012. The Abuja-Kaduna
modern gauge rail line is over 35 per cent completion.
Ajaokuta-Warri modern garage rail line has been
completed. A new modern gauge rail line from Lagos
to Ibadan was awarded towards the end of last year.
The Port Harcourt-Maiduguri (Eastern Rail line) will
start operation anytime from now.”
On Aviation, he said: “22 Airports were earmarked
for re-modeling and rehabilitation. 11 have been
completed and commissioned. Five new terminals in
Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Enugu as well
as six Cargo Terminals will begin this year.
“In the last 50 years, the Nigerian economy has
suffered stagnation due to inability of successive
governments to diversify the economy and steer it
away from the mono cultural dependence on oil to the
detriment of other critical economic sectors.
Specifically, this administration has re invented the
wheels of the Agricultural sector and it now accounts
for 75 per cent of non oil exports.
“The cassava component of the Agricultural
transformation programme has attracted N600
billion (about 380 million dollars) into the Nigerian
economy from the substitution of bread wheat flour
with cassava flour. Nigeria will, before the end of this
year, earn an additional 136 million dollars from
export of cassava chips.
“Nigeria is today producing 3.5 million tons of rice
locally and will by 2015 meet its total local demand of
five million tons of the staple. This will save about
300 billion dollars in foreign exchange and create
jobs for our local farmers and entrepreneurs.
“Similarly, Nigeria produced about 10 million tons of
maize in 2012 while four high yielding hybrid of
sorghum were provided for farmers free of charge to
revolutionize sorghum production nation wide. The
same method is being adopted to bring back the lost
glory of cocoa production with a view to increasing
the current production volume from 250, 000 metric
tons to 500, 000 metric tons in the next two years.
High yielding, early maturing hybrid cocoa seedlings
are being distributed free of charge across cocoa
producing states.
“Cotton farmers, especially in the Northern part of
Nigeria have been provided 1,500 tons of improved
seedlings and are currently cultivating 17,319
hectares of cotton.
“The value chain approach for intervention in
Agriculture as an alternative revenue earner is being
successfully implemented by the Federal Government.
The ultimate goal is to turn Nigeria from being a
major importer of food to a net exporter by 2015.”
On economic stability, Okupe said: “Economic
stability is a necessary foundation for economic
growth. This is why the Jonathan administration
through the implementation of sound monetary and
fiscal policies has been able to provide macro
economic stability for the country in the last two
years.
“It is noteworthy that while other major economies
including that of South Africa and the United States
of America are being downgraded, Nigerian economy
is being upgraded by global rating agencies including
Fitch, S&P, JP MORGAN. While the overall global
projection for economic growth in 2013 is 3.5 to 5. 5
per cent, projected growth for Nigeria has been put
at 6.5 per cent and above.
“Nigerians rightly observe that in spite of this
favourable macro-economic indicators such as
increased GDP, reduced inflation, and increased
foreign reserve, the population is yet to benefit by
having food on their tables. It should however be
realized that achieving macro-economic stability is
the foundation upon which other economic reforms
such as the investment in power sector,
infrastructure and development of skilled manpower
will be built.
“However, government, in realization of the need to
make the transition period less stressful has initiated
socio-economic programmes such as the various
youth empowerment, wealth creation initiatives
under the SURE-P, NAPEP and other agencies.”
On insecurity, he said: “No Nigerian expected the
level of insurgency that the Jonathan Administration
inherited on assumption of office. But this
Government re-tooled its security apparatus,
introduced modern technology to information
gathering, retrained its Military and Police Officers
in the art of combating terrorism, and in less than
two years, obvious decline has become noticeable in
the frequency of bombing attacks. From January to
November 2012, going by the figures supplied by the
Intelligence Reports and Independence Survey, the
incidence of bombing has gone down by about 50 per
cent.”
“In view of the fact that the security agencies have
severely weakened the insurgents’ capacity to do
damage, a call for ceasefire has emanated from them.
It is clearly untrue therefore to say that government is
not on top of security issues in this country.”
On corruption, Okupe stressed: “There is probably no
better proof of a leader’s commitment to a corruption
free Nigeria than what this president has done in the
area of exposing corrupt practices and ensuring that
culprits are brought to book. The various reforms
carried out in the last two years in the area of pension
administration, management of the nation’s ports,
Oil and gas, fertilizer management, electoral process
as well as the strengthening of institutional
framework for fighting corruption are certainly the
most courageous moves ever undertaken by any
Nigerian President.
“The sleaze uncovered in these processes are in
consonance with the spirit and letters of the Freedom
of Information Act which was the first bill signed into
law by president Goodluck Jonathan on assumption
of office.
“Today, the presidents foresight as contained in the
bill on reform of the Criminal justice system which he
initiated ,is underscored by the outrage which
followed a light sentence given to one of the suspects
in the widely reported police pension fraud. The
import of this is that the president’s work in fighting
corruption only needs to be complemented by the
Legislative and Judicial Arms of government to have
the desired effects.”
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — THE Presidency yesterday took a swipe at
critics of President Goodluck Jonathan, describing
the accusation of incompetence levelled against him
by the opposition as mere political propaganda and
untrue.
It stressed that no Nigerian expected the level of
insurgency that the Jonathan Administration
inherited on assumption of office.
The Presidency, however, dared the opposition and
critics of Jonathan’s administration to come up with
facts of his incompetence and lack of achievements.
President Goodluck Jonathan with Prof.
Chinedu Nebo (left) and Alhaji Kabiru Turaki
(right) after their swearing in as new ministers,
Monday, at the State House, Abuja
In a statement signed, yesterday, by the Senior
Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs,
Dr. Doyin Okupe, the Presidency urged critics to x-
ray the challenges Nigeria had prior to the emergence
of President Jonathan as the country’s leader, adding
that achievements and competence cannot be judged
by noise making, propaganda and deception which it
argued were the hallmarks of the opposition.
Okupe said: “President Jonathan’s background does
not fall into the mould of incompetence or
cluelessness that the opposition tries too hard to sell
to the Nigerian populace.
What is incompetence?
“By definition, Reference Dictionary says:
“Incompetence is lacking qualification or ability”.
Webster Dictionary defines it as “lacking the qualities
needed for effective action”. Going by the above
definitions, President Goodluck Jonathan is perhaps
the most academically qualified Nigerian President
ever.
“By cognate qualification, no President has had the
experience, preparation and tutelage for the post of
the President than Goodluck Jonathan. He was
Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice President, Acting
President and elected President. Taking the Webster
Dictionary definition, an incompetent person, lacks
the qualities needed for effective action.
“We do not wish to assert the obvious fact that the
President has the requisite qualification for effective
action, rather we will examine the challenges that
faced the nation before his election as President and
state how he has tackled them. This will also probably
disprove the Governor Fashola’s “Mechanic allegory”.
“Empirical evidence shows that President Goodluck
Jonathan, has not only tackled the challenges he
inherited, but has successfully solved many of them
while those that remain are part of works in progress
which, God willing, will be resolved before the end of
2014.
“The repeated false claims by the opposition that the
President is incompetent is not only untrue and
obviously cannot be supported by facts, but is also
part of the opposition’s strategy to present the
government as not being effective so as to advance
their selfish cause. Nigerians should therefore ignore
this wild and baseless comments and team up with
the silent and effective achiever, in the person of Dr.
Goodluck Jonathan.
“We want to assure Nigerians that with the
undoubted and continued effective implementations
of the Transformation Agenda, Nigeria will never
ever be the same again. Achievements and
competence are always not judged by noise making,
propaganda and deception which are the hallmarks
of the activities of the Nigerian opposition.”
Challenges before Jonathan
Listing President Jonathan’s challenges on
assumption of office, he said in power sector, “major
challenges in the sector were: Low generating
capacity (output less than 3000 MW); abandoned
NIPP Projects, Unavailability of gas to service the
NIPP projects, Transmission challenges, Protracted
Inability to unbundle the PHCN and the eventual
privatization of the sector.”
According to him, in infrastructure: “Roads were in
states of disrepair nationwide. Railway Corporation
was not functional. Airports were in state of total
dilapidation, most of them without any maintenance
for decades.
On what the Jonathan’s Administration has done so
far, Okupe said:
*Benin-Sagamu Road has been awarded and
presently, the commuting time has been reduced
from 12 hours and above to four hours.
*The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concession was
decisively dealt with and immediate rehabilitative
efforts were carried out by Julius Berger and RCC,
which reduced the burden on commuters on that
road during the Christmas holidays.
*Abuja-Lokoja Expressway is progressing steadily.
*Kano-Maiduguri Road is in progress;
*The East-West Road, despite the negative reports by
detractors, has made significant progress with most
of its concrete works and bridges nearly completed.
*Onitsha-Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriage way, a
distance of 1664km, is due for completion in 2013.
*2nd Niger Bridge – N5 billion has been set aside for
commencement of works.
“The Lagos-Jebba-Kano Rail line which has been shut
down for over 20 years has commenced successful
operations since December 2012. The Abuja-Kaduna
modern gauge rail line is over 35 per cent completion.
Ajaokuta-Warri modern garage rail line has been
completed. A new modern gauge rail line from Lagos
to Ibadan was awarded towards the end of last year.
The Port Harcourt-Maiduguri (Eastern Rail line) will
start operation anytime from now.”
On Aviation, he said: “22 Airports were earmarked
for re-modeling and rehabilitation. 11 have been
completed and commissioned. Five new terminals in
Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Enugu as well
as six Cargo Terminals will begin this year.
“In the last 50 years, the Nigerian economy has
suffered stagnation due to inability of successive
governments to diversify the economy and steer it
away from the mono cultural dependence on oil to the
detriment of other critical economic sectors.
Specifically, this administration has re invented the
wheels of the Agricultural sector and it now accounts
for 75 per cent of non oil exports.
“The cassava component of the Agricultural
transformation programme has attracted N600
billion (about 380 million dollars) into the Nigerian
economy from the substitution of bread wheat flour
with cassava flour. Nigeria will, before the end of this
year, earn an additional 136 million dollars from
export of cassava chips.
“Nigeria is today producing 3.5 million tons of rice
locally and will by 2015 meet its total local demand of
five million tons of the staple. This will save about
300 billion dollars in foreign exchange and create
jobs for our local farmers and entrepreneurs.
“Similarly, Nigeria produced about 10 million tons of
maize in 2012 while four high yielding hybrid of
sorghum were provided for farmers free of charge to
revolutionize sorghum production nation wide. The
same method is being adopted to bring back the lost
glory of cocoa production with a view to increasing
the current production volume from 250, 000 metric
tons to 500, 000 metric tons in the next two years.
High yielding, early maturing hybrid cocoa seedlings
are being distributed free of charge across cocoa
producing states.
“Cotton farmers, especially in the Northern part of
Nigeria have been provided 1,500 tons of improved
seedlings and are currently cultivating 17,319
hectares of cotton.
“The value chain approach for intervention in
Agriculture as an alternative revenue earner is being
successfully implemented by the Federal Government.
The ultimate goal is to turn Nigeria from being a
major importer of food to a net exporter by 2015.”
On economic stability, Okupe said: “Economic
stability is a necessary foundation for economic
growth. This is why the Jonathan administration
through the implementation of sound monetary and
fiscal policies has been able to provide macro
economic stability for the country in the last two
years.
“It is noteworthy that while other major economies
including that of South Africa and the United States
of America are being downgraded, Nigerian economy
is being upgraded by global rating agencies including
Fitch, S&P, JP MORGAN. While the overall global
projection for economic growth in 2013 is 3.5 to 5. 5
per cent, projected growth for Nigeria has been put
at 6.5 per cent and above.
“Nigerians rightly observe that in spite of this
favourable macro-economic indicators such as
increased GDP, reduced inflation, and increased
foreign reserve, the population is yet to benefit by
having food on their tables. It should however be
realized that achieving macro-economic stability is
the foundation upon which other economic reforms
such as the investment in power sector,
infrastructure and development of skilled manpower
will be built.
“However, government, in realization of the need to
make the transition period less stressful has initiated
socio-economic programmes such as the various
youth empowerment, wealth creation initiatives
under the SURE-P, NAPEP and other agencies.”
On insecurity, he said: “No Nigerian expected the
level of insurgency that the Jonathan Administration
inherited on assumption of office. But this
Government re-tooled its security apparatus,
introduced modern technology to information
gathering, retrained its Military and Police Officers
in the art of combating terrorism, and in less than
two years, obvious decline has become noticeable in
the frequency of bombing attacks. From January to
November 2012, going by the figures supplied by the
Intelligence Reports and Independence Survey, the
incidence of bombing has gone down by about 50 per
cent.”
“In view of the fact that the security agencies have
severely weakened the insurgents’ capacity to do
damage, a call for ceasefire has emanated from them.
It is clearly untrue therefore to say that government is
not on top of security issues in this country.”
On corruption, Okupe stressed: “There is probably no
better proof of a leader’s commitment to a corruption
free Nigeria than what this president has done in the
area of exposing corrupt practices and ensuring that
culprits are brought to book. The various reforms
carried out in the last two years in the area of pension
administration, management of the nation’s ports,
Oil and gas, fertilizer management, electoral process
as well as the strengthening of institutional
framework for fighting corruption are certainly the
most courageous moves ever undertaken by any
Nigerian President.
“The sleaze uncovered in these processes are in
consonance with the spirit and letters of the Freedom
of Information Act which was the first bill signed into
law by president Goodluck Jonathan on assumption
of office.
“Today, the presidents foresight as contained in the
bill on reform of the Criminal justice system which he
initiated ,is underscored by the outrage which
followed a light sentence given to one of the suspects
in the widely reported police pension fraud. The
import of this is that the president’s work in fighting
corruption only needs to be complemented by the
Legislative and Judicial Arms of government to have
the desired effects.”

Sorry DR.U hv a bad product to sell,try my next door neighboor.sorry ehhh next time