Jonathan’s economic policy ‘failing’ — UN

In what appears to be an indictment on President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the United Nations, in a report has said that Nigeria’s unemployment rate has increased in the last two years under Mr. Jonathan’s watch, from 21.1 per cent in 2010 to 23.9 per cent currently.

The report shows that about one in four Nigerians are currently unemployed. Nigeria also has one of the worst youth unemployment rates in sub-Saharan Africa as 37.7 per cent – two in five – of Nigerian youth are unemployed.

These were stated in a 291-page publication called ‘The African Economic Outlook 2012’, and jointly published by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA; the United Nations Development Population, UNDP; the African Development Bank Group; and the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development.

The publication, launched on Thursday in Addis Ababa, was presented by the Director, Economic Department, NEPAD division of UNECA, Emmanuel Nnadozie. The publication, which is the 11th edition, however, described Nigeria’s economic growth in 2011 as “robust.”

The robust growth recorded in Nigeria’s economy, according to the publication, was driven mainly by the non-oil sector, and in particular, telecommunications, construction, wholesale/retail trade, hotel and restaurant services, manufacturing, and agriculture. (Premium Times)

Source: http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/news/176795-jonathans-economic-policy-failing--un

Awaiting the usual suspects to turn this on its head.

It's difficult to say the policy is failing, actually.
Much of the policy hasn't even been implemented. There's also a significant lack of alignment between the tiers of government, and even inside the executive.
Everybody is running around in different directions, all chasing moving targets.

The partisan-ship is also at its highest level since the military left the reins of power.

AjanleKoko: It's difficult to say the policy is failing, actually.
Much of the policy hasn't even been implemented. There's also a significant lack of alignment between the tiers of government, and even inside the executive.
Everybody is running around in different directions, all chasing moving targets.

The partisan-ship is also at its highest level since the military left the reins of power.

Look, if purely facing facts and statistics, you cannot/should not come to the conclusion you do here. There is no middle ground. It is either GEJ is reducing unemployment or worsening it. We don't need to over-intellectualise issues that are very simple.

In what appears to be an indictment on President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the United Nations, in a report has said that Nigeria’s unemployment rate has increased in the last two years under Mr. Jonathan’s watch, from 21.1 per cent in 2010 to 23.9 per cent currently.

You see now. Just passing by anyway

Gbawe:

Look, if purely facing facts and statistics, you cannot/should not come to the conclusion you do here. There is no middle ground. It is either GEJ is reducing unemployment or worsening it. We don't need to over-intellectualise issues that are very simple.

Nobody is over-intellectualizing anything.
And your comment is the example of the partisan-ship I mentioned in my post. Most of Jonathan's touted policies have not even gotten off the ground yet. This isn't a defect of his administration, everybody in Nigeria knows that execution is our greatest challenge. Not that I was defending the man. He just has not gotten started yet, simple.

AjanleKoko:

Nobody is over-intellectualizing anything.
And your comment is the example of the partisan-ship I mentioned in my post. Most of Jonathan's touted policies have not even gotten off the ground yet. This isn't a defect of his administration, everybody in Nigeria knows that execution is our greatest challenge. Not that I was defending the man. He just has not gotten started yet, simple.

Your points are well taken, but could easily be interpreted as defense of the man. The President must be held accountable for not doing a great job at getting his programs implemented despite the stated challenges. It seems quite obvious to me that the UN report indicates that there is room for the President to perform much better than he has done so far.

He said Ojota anti fuel subsidy protesters were sponsored.

Can he now come out and tell us if the same sponsors of ojota protest sponsored this UN report?

I can't see anything happening in this country in the past two years except increase in fuel price, PHCN bill and food stuffs.

I wonder if the YOUWIN program will actually translate into job creation - so far, it hasn't.

obowunmi: I wonder if the YOUWIN program will actually translate into job creation - so far, it hasn't.

YOUWIN, SURE-P and whatever else. It's IBB all over, stupid slogans that enable some obese men and women to corner more of the national cake for their personal use.
DFRRI, NDE, MAMSER, Better life etc where are they all today. Same same but different, sigh!

AjanleKoko:

Nobody is over-intellectualizing anything.
And your comment is the example of the partisan-ship I mentioned in my post. Most of Jonathan's touted policies have not even gotten off the ground yet. This isn't a defect of his administration, everybody in Nigeria knows that execution is our greatest challenge. Not that I was defending the man. He just has not gotten started yet, simple.

after two years, thats failure

naijababe:

YOUWIN, SURE-P and whatever else. It's IBB all over, stupid slogans that enable some obese men and women to corner more of the national cake for their personal use.
DFRRI, NDE, MAMSER, Better life etc where are they all today. Same same but different, sigh!

In regards to YOUWIN, not sure that I agree with you. Its an accurate program with optimistic and reachable goals. However, because the legitimate business climate in Nigeria is not supported by FAIR pro-business government policies. Even if these businesses are given 1million naira, I highly doubt that it will go far. The cost of doing business in Nigeria is high.

What yardstick is the UN using to measure failure?abeg make dem leave us with their imperialistic programmes.

At this point, I am working to track the program and its participants. I am very interested in the job creation numbers. It is a good case study on how to run job creation/economic development programs in difficult and challenging places like Nigeria.

AjanleKoko: It's difficult to say the policy is failing, actually.
Much of the policy hasn't even been implemented. There's also a significant lack of alignment between the tiers of government, and even inside the executive.
Everybody is running around in different directions, all chasing moving targets.

The partisan-ship is also at its highest level since the military left the reins of power.

So when should we expect him to start implementing his policies ojare , Saturday wey go better, na from friday we go begin dey suspect. Jonathan is confused and all he seems to care about this days is what who says about him.

Dis Guy:

after two years, thats failure

In a country and culture where no one likes to take responsibility for anything. Is it?

I sympathize with GEJ. Its not easy to rule a country like Nigeria.

obowunmi: I wonder if the YOUWIN program will actually translate into job creation - so far, it hasn't.

How if i may ask . . . .

bubadaniel13: What yardstick is the UN using to measure failure?abeg make dem leave us with their imperialistic programmes.

How is the UN imperialistic? Many Nigerians and Africans work there

naijababe:

YOUWIN, SURE-P and whatever else. It's IBB all over, stupid slogans that enable some obese men and women to corner more of the national cake for their personal use.
DFRRI, NDE, MAMSER, Better life etc where are they all today. Same same but different, sigh!

Don't delve into what you can't defend . . .leave YOUWIN out of your point . . . .Thanks . . .

This is another international conspiracy. What a contradiction, recall that recently US president declared that Nigeria is the fastest growing economy, and argued that our economy may dominate Europe in the nearest future. His speech triggered the US to move in with investment proposals. The US for instance has begun the process for the building of Six refineries, Bill Gate just moved in his company and charity organization, US has invested $2billion in Nigeria Agric Sector and are in the rested in developing Small and Medium Enterprise. http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/news/284-breaking-news/43606-us-injects-2bn-into-sme-development-in-nigeria
Don't be deceived, our economy has since picked up and we are growing geometrically

This is another international conspiracy. What a contradiction, recall that recently US president declared that Nigeria is the fastest growing economy, and argued that our economy may dominate Europe in the nearest future. His speech triggered the US to move in with investment proposals. The US for instance has begun the process for the building of Six refineries, Bill Gate just moved in his company and charity organization, US has invested $2billion in Nigeria Agric Sector and are interested in developing Small and Medium Enterprise. http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/news/284-breaking-news/43606-us-injects-2bn-into-sme-development-in-nigeria
Don't be deceived, our economy has since picked up and we are growing geometrically

obowunmi:

In regards to YOUWIN, not sure that I agree with you. Its an accurate program with optimistic and reachable goals. However, because the legitimate business climate in Nigeria is not supported by FAIR pro-business government policies. Even if these businesses are given 1million naira, I highly doubt that it will go far. The cost of doing business in Nigeria is high.

And I could say the same of say NDE for example, the reality is that these programs appear to be created at some person's whim. Two potential and legitimate setbacks are in your post. How will they be addressed? Have the people behind this program even thought of those setbacks?

jmaine:

Don't delve into what you can't defend . . .leave YOUWIN out of your point . . . .Thanks . . .

Willing to learn, I am not here to argue just for the heck of it. So tell me what I need to know about YOUWIN that's different for previous programs of this sort.

jmaine:

How if i may ask . . . .

What do want to ask? Not sure I get your question.

HammedSodiqq: This is another international conspiracy. What a contradiction, recall that recently US president declared that Nigeria is the fastest growing economy, and argued that our economy may dominate Europe in the nearest future. His speech triggered the US to move in with investment proposals. The US for instance has begun the process for the building of Six refineries, Bill Gate just moved in his company and charity organization, US has invested $2billion in Nigeria Agric Sector and are in the rested in developing Small and Medium Enterprise. http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/news/284-breaking-news/43606-us-injects-2bn-into-sme-development-in-nigeria
Don't be deceived, our economy has since picked up and we are growing geometrically

Only the short sighted will believe this evil report,they are just envious.

naijababe:


And I could say the same of say NDE for example, the reality is that these programs appear to be created at some person's whim. Two potential and legitimate setbacks are in your post. How will they be addressed? Have the people behind this program even thought of those setbacks?

Sure. Every development program has SWOT. So setbacks are expected. I didn't create the program so I can't speak to if folks behind the program will address the setbacks. For now though, winners of YOUWIN have received their funds.

Sentiment apart, I will say that the president might be slow and not failed. cos, one year is not enough to pass pessimistic judgment.

Ghana and Nigeria among world’s fastest growing economies in 2012/2013 FEATURE ARTICLES, GHANA, NIGERIA | BY CLAUDE HARDING | APRIL 11, 2012 AT 14:
The west African nations of Ghana and Nigeria are expected to be among the world’s fastest growing economies in 2012, according to an emailed research note by Charles Robertson, global chief economist at Renaissance Capital.
Robertson’s data comprises consensus forecasts and the latest estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) growth figures.
In 2011, Ghana was the fastest growing economy from a total of 43 markets included in Renaissance’s graphs. This growth was largely off the back of Ghana’s new oil industry. Nigeria had the 6th highest GDP growth, ahead of India.

In 2012, Ghana is again expected to show the strongest GDP growth, with Nigeria in 4th position.

However, next year Ghana’s growth will slow down, while Nigeria is likely to remain in 4th position. “Finally Ghana shifts out of overdrive and gives Asia a chance to shine a little – though personally I doubt China will be growing at 9% in 2013. Around 7% to 8% looks more realistic, if only due to base effects,” notes Robertson.
In 2013, South Africa, the continent’s largest economy, is likely to grow faster than Australia. “It might be a good time for the South Africans who emigrated to Australia to sell up their inflated property prices, sell the overvalued AUD and move back to South Africa,” says Robertson.

“A lot of the emerging Europe, Middle East and Africa economies we cover are doing an awful lot better than most give them credit for. Helped by Nigeria, Kazakhstan and Ghana, they take two to three places in the top 5 in 2011-13. South Africa consistently beats developed market commodity exporters,” says Robertson.

If we must discuss this thread . .we must eschew all manner of bias and discuss the full weight of the article highlighting the cons & pros been portrayed . . .

The indicting issue in the article was the increasing rate of unemployment over a two year span, and this also corrobrates with NACCIMA report of about over 800 factories who folded up in a 2 year span of 2009 - 2011, add that to the massive retrenchment in the financial sector and the deductions won't be far off since they incorporate such available data . .

But the article did still term the Economic growth as robust for 2011 . . . .

Current developments shows promise if followed up, notably MAN who recently applauded the FG policies in reducing some tedious processes the manufacturing sector faced. They asserted that 240 new factories were established with over 250,000 jobs provided in 2012 . . .Negligible you might say but still a good start since it is a direct input of recent policies propounded by the current FG as established by MAN

obowunmi:

In a country and culture where no one likes to take responsibility for anything. Is it?

I sympathize with GEJ. Its not easy to rule a country like Nigeria.

Well knowing that you choose your team wisely and make swift changes

look at the power sector its eventually picking up and mos tpeople are seeing the effort of that team

princenayo: Sentiment apart, I will say that the president might be slow and not failed. cos, one year is not enough to pass pessimistic judgment.

I still maintain that this an evil report....

even in more developed countries e.g US, Unemployment rates rose in nine states that are considered battlegrounds in the presidential election,in Nevada,Ohio, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin and New Hampshire. unemployment rate is increasing...the UN only try to put Nig in the spotlight when it comes to such, atleast the Government is trying so much to bring in investors, diversify the economy so as to create more jobs and provide employment, it can only get beta, it a matter of time.