₦airaland Forum

Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes. —Peter Drucker

Few days ago, I was going through Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s first inaugural speech with nostalgia. November 12th, 2008 will remain indelible in the annals of Edo history. The events preceding that day were even more historic. For the first time, my mother who hated politics and detest antics of politicians came out not just to vote but convinced others to vote. The threat of armed thugs invading her polling unit did not deter her from exercising her franchise that historic Saturday of April 14th, 2007. The story was the same throughout the state.

It was a ballot revolution. Some were not so lucky as they lost their lives trying to protect a mandate they believed will liberate the state from the stronghold of the nihilistic PDP led government that was leading the state to Golgotha. Edo state actually set the pace for defending votes which metamorphose to the now popular one man, one vote mantra. The speech titled “The Dawn of A New Era in Edo State’’ was timely because the people yearned for true change, prosperity and the possibility of Edo reclaiming its lost glory in the comity of states.

Six years and nine months later and I am here going through the speech again, comparing it with situation in the state “pre-speech’’ era and trying to identify what has changed. How many of the issues raised in that speech have been tackled with positive outcome. It will be criminal to allude that nothing has changed. It will be most uncharitable to entertain such thoughts. However,the question remains how has the government’s intervention the last year impacted on the common Edolites beyond political rhetoric.

What about the perennial problems of erosion, youth restiveness and unemployment, the moribund agricultural sector, health, women empowerment etc. I believe there should be an indicator to determine good governance in our climes. A kind of unbiased assessment of political office holders during their tenure in office. Most times, our assessment of performance are subjective and influenced by love for leaders, political affiliations, rhetoric from office holders and media influence which may not be true representation of the reality on ground.

The cold war between the president and the senate president was temporarily aborted when the president sent a letter to the senate seeking approval for the second tranche of a world bank loan of $75M U.S Dollars for Edo state. The loan request was received with mixed reactions in the state considering its debt profile. The opposition had accused the government of incurring a debt of 250bn Naira in the last six years without commensurate value in development. The state govt had always denied the claim by the PDP but has not furnished citizens with the actual debt profile of the state. However the Debt Management Office (DMO) Debt profile report put the state’s external debt at $123M U.S Dollars (4th highest) as at 31st December, 2014. This exclude domestic debts which is always higher and difficult to independently verified.

Debts within acceptable limits are not out of place. Emphasis should be placed on the purpose for incurring the debt and how properly they will be utilized. Incurring debts to meet the obstentious lifestyles of politicians or to meet over-bloated recurrent expenditures should be discouraged at all cost. According to the letter sent to the senate, the world bank had approved a $225M U.S Dollars for a development policy operation(DPO) to be accessed in three tranches. The Edo State Government had informed the president that the key programme objectives of the DPO were already beginning to show in terms of increased influence of private investment to the state.

Therefore, there should be speedy approval of the request of the second tranche to consolidate on the gains of the first tranche. As a concerned citizen of Edo state and a youth whose tomorrow will be faced with a debt burden, I want to ask the state govt or the senate should ask them to show evidence of the so called gains of the first tranche. The letter talked about Increased private investment to the state; where are the investment? In which of the sectors? How many real jobs have been created within this period? How has it affected internally generated revenue? What are the short and long term benefits/consequences of these loans?.

What is the plan for repayment? What are the likely impact from the proper utilization of the second tranche? What are the likely benefit/consequences of forfeiting the second tranche of the loan considering the external debt profile of the state? Are there alternate measures in place to actualize such programmes without resorting to loans? What is the overall debt profile (external and domestic) of the state?. It is pertinent to ask these questions considering where we are coming from as a state. Any action(s) capable of taking the state to the dark days of yester years will be resisted. It is incumbent on the govt to properly enlighten the people on action it is taking which the citizens believe would have adverse effect on the state in the future.

Finally, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole must be mindful of decisions he takes especially at the twilight of his administration in order to remain on the good side of history. Let it not be said that the one whom the people once believed would liberate the state ended up plunging the state into huge debts that generations yet unborn will continue to pay in pains. If we must borrow, let it be for reasons that will be of immense benefits to the common Edo man. A review of what the previous loans has been used for and the benefits (short and long term) will go along way to douse the tension generated by this new loan request.

Source: The FCT Post - http://www.fctpost.com/2015/08/07/before-the-senate-approves-edos-75m-loan-request/

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deeboiii:
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wicked

I don't think osho is back from his new position of chief minister for accusation and financial allegations to answer your question
please hold the line till September or december

That
loan
is
for
lara
maintenance