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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG (722 Views)
'retire Quietly Or We Open The Pandora Box'- VON DG Tells Ex-president Jonathan / Okorocha To Oyegun & Lai Mohammed – Caution Osita Okechukwu, The VON DG Now / Fg Appoints Heads Of Nta, Nbc, Frcn,von, Noa (2) (3) (4)
Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by LoveMachine(m): 12:24am On Aug 26, 2016 |
Mr Osita Okechukwu is the Director General (DG) of Voice of Nigeria (VON). In this interview, he speaks on the state of the nation and the steps being taken by the federal government to address the challenges. There have been a lot of criticisms about the government on the issue of change. How do you feel when Nigerians complain about the difficult economic situation? I have heard a lot of people expressing disappointment with the government. They say this isn’t the change that President Muhammadu Buhari promised. It’s what we inherited. President Buhari said that transparency requires that on whatever job you want to give out, you must follow the provisions in the Procurement Act. That’s why you find out that most newspapers and journals are bulky. If we implement the budget, by this time next year, the Nigerian people would be happier with Buhari than they are today. There would be a “trickle-down effect” as the contracts are being executed. There would be more money with the people, more activity and productivity. Between 2015 and back to 1999, most of the budgets were never implemented up to 50%. Nobody has heard President Buhari sharing money in the National Assembly to confirm minister’s appointments or any other officer. He does not need to bribe people for the budget. He can’t dish out money because it is under the transparent fiscal responsibility act. He has submitted the budgets of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and all those other agencies whose budget isn’t in the national budget to the National Assembly. You can check it. The people do not understand this. They worry that if you say change, you have to bring the money that should be shared. We can’t do that because we are not the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). That’s what reigned in the PDP. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo finished eight years. But he couldn’t complete one federal road. He didn’t even complete the one in Agege, Lagos that leads to his farmland in Ota and to his local government in Abeokuta. Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan could not do the East-West road that runs across the Niger-Delta. Meanwhile, the oil, on the average, was sold at that time at $100 per barrel. There was even a time we sold about $145 per barrel. Unluckily for our regime, we are running below $50 per barrel. When people see Mr. President fighting corruption, they think that it’s not a foundation. It is a foundation because that’s the key. Every eye is just on the center. You said that Obasanjo couldn’t build the road that leads to his hometown. How do we expect something different with this current government? Yes, they couldn’t do it. The ex-president, Obasanjo, knowing how busy Ibadan to Lagos was, he conceded it to one private company. He had unprecedented oil money that was accruing on a daily basis. But he didn’t use it for the people. This is President Buhari’s first budget. He will execute it. He wouldn’t mind the private sector’s involvement. But he would also execute it with the little money on ground. People will see it happen with the little money we have on ground today. Thirty per cent of the budget is on capital expenditure. That’s why you see adverts in the newspapers. What are the signs so far that the execution of the projects is in progress? I have attended several meetings. As soon as the money comes, we will conclude all the processes and award the capital projects with the ministries of power, works, housing and transport. It is the dedication of the people’s funds to their needs. One good project can transform this country. That is the failure of the PDP and that is what we are trying to avoid. We want to leave behind a legacy. But it doesn’t come fast. You can’t turn around the power sector in one year. You can’t turn around the major projects in one year. Because of the difficult economic situation now, some people find it difficult to even buy kerosene. States like Nassarawa have cut workers’ salaries. How will you allay the fears of the people who have begun to draw a comparison between your government and the previous administration? It is a human element. We know that the hunger in the land is palpable. We are aware of that. But we are saying that we didn’t contribute to the stealing of our commonwealth, neither did we contribute to the drop in the oil price. Those are the two issues. The little we collected, we will use it prudently for the overall interest of the whole country. That is Buhari’s whole agenda. How will appeal to people who expect instant results? No, it doesn’t happen that way. There is a process. It won’t be long. We also say that as little as it is, there should be questions also at the local level. If you look at the center, it takes half of our earnings. People should ask their governors what is going on. The independence of the state legislature has been crippled. Those leading most local councils were appointees of the state government. Most states do not even conduct elections. Nobody wants to ask questions. These things don’t encourage prosperity or happiness of the citizenry. 1 Like |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by bizz(m): 12:55am On Aug 26, 2016 |
cf |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by Masculity(m): 1:08am On Aug 26, 2016 |
Ameen, Sir. We can't wait to enjoy the change.
|
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by Ngozi123(f): 1:10am On Aug 26, 2016 |
We are waiting... |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by Eminembuz(m): 1:18am On Aug 26, 2016 |
We've heard..so NL'S lets digest and recommend...base on my own individualism I most say...the secret of revolution is sucess. Which I audiciously believe that the future holds better information than we do..therefore, let's see where this will take us to..wish every past, present and future presidents that will rule this country well..chai! Who knows I meant be the next! Either way all the best PMB. More grease to your elbow. |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by ificatchmodeh: 1:38am On Aug 26, 2016 |
..na lie..pure lie.. No the raise our hope.. Bubu self don tell us say na till 2018.. Us self comfirm... Why you come dey lie... Nansense Apc and lies..... Don't even know why the lies 1 Like |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by omogin(f): 1:53am On Aug 26, 2016 |
Sing praises! It may keep you on your job |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by BeeBeeOoh(m): 3:10am On Aug 26, 2016 |
Yes! That must be when we all must have died This man is an unadulterated anu ofia & anu mpama.. |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by agwom(m): 9:16am On Aug 26, 2016 |
Hope so... |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by Beremx(f): 9:27am On Aug 26, 2016 |
.....coming from Osita Okechukwu... I am not surprised sha! |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by 989900: 9:37am On Aug 26, 2016 |
People should ask their governors what is going on. The independence of the state legislature has been crippled. Those leading most local councils were appointees of the state government. Most states do not even conduct elections. Nobody wants to ask questions. These things don’t encourage prosperity or happiness of the citizenry. |
Re: Nigerians’ll Soon Have Reasons To Be Happy With Buhari – VON DG by chernest2002: 10:04am On Aug 26, 2016 |
Story from zombie to zombies. |
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