The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola(SAN) recently disclosed that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration has delivered on its promises it made on electricity and infrastructure, Nigerians insist that Mr. Fashola is being economical with the truth. The Minister's claim is coming just a few months to the general elections, even though recently President Buhari kicked off his re-election campaign rally with a promise to take Nigerians to the next level. But Nigerians lament that their present level is characterized by exploitation and extortion by the Electricity Distribution Companies, while they still contend with bad road networks across the country. In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke says that the Federal Government has not done enough in the areas of stable electricity supply and good road network. Excerpts :
The Minister for Works, Power and Housing has said that the Federal Government has delivered on its promises on stable electricity supply and good road network. Do you agree with his claims ?
The main responsibility of Government has functionally distributed among the three arms, Judiciary, for quick and accurate dispensation of justice. However, there is a shortage in the number of Judges and the courts, with the challenge of the criminal tendencies of Nigerians, with the rising cases of crime and prison congestion, informed by the delay in attending to and the dispensation of trials and judgments.
The Bi-cameral legislature, is a legislature for fortune making, rather than that of passion for the people. And members happen to be a conglomerate of unskilled personnel in the areas of policy formulation and plans for effective implementation.
A mono-cameral legislature would have been better under the necessary prerequisites of experience, wisdom and readiness to work for the nation through committed personal sacrifices, that may not attract jumbo salaries and less work that have been draining the national purse.
The core responsibility of the executive is to provide basic amenities via modern technology for mass production of the basic needs of man-Food, Shelter and Clothing, as well as the establishment of functional infrastructure to ensure sustainable development, where climate change may not necessarily affect the environment because of the proactive measures militating against the causes.
Under this condition of sustainable development, the social scene, is expected to be naturally safe and secure.
In the area of the economy where the Minister of Works, Power and Housing belongs, infrastructural standards become a measuring gauge. The claim of the Minister is in order, when measured through political propaganda and the fact that he is a Lawyer rather than an Engineer.
Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire and Saudi Arabia have been having uninterrupted power supply for several years up till this moment.
In Nigeria, the giant of Africa, the supply of electricity might have been claimed to have improved, but it remains epileptic.
A visit to the three countries earlier mentioned, would show that these countries favourably and comparably compete with the network of good roads in the developed countries, the United States of America and the United Kingdom to be precise.
If what the Minster has been able to do till date , is satisfactory to his political party, innocent citizens believe that it is not enough.
Generally, the environment is not yet safe , feasible and conducive for reasonable investment.
Our economy is not yet viable to promote living wages and Nigerians continue to panic in the face of insecurity. These must have been the major conditions necessitating the call for restructuring and the extreme call for secession, characterized by insurgency, militancy, kidnapping and terrorism.
It is unfortunate that the three tiers of government are dislocated through poor economic formula as it is reflected in our revenue allocation ratio, 56% for the Federal Government, 24 % for the State Governments and 20 % for the Local Governments. The largest chunk is received by the Federal Government.
The state Governors who are representatives of the Federal Government in their states and the Chief Supervisors of the local governments have been hiding under the shortcoming of the strong centre and weak states, to dance in joy, in their under performances.
A review in this direction to favour calls for restructuring and resource control is timely necessary.
Roads in many states extended to the level of good transportation, are negatively affected by pot holes and other damages, which quickly wear off the vehicles, with the consequent high level of risk passengers and pedestrians pass through.
Environmental pollution is equally at its worst, while prices of commodities, essential and otherwise have gone up astronomically to the embarrassment of the poor masses through whose mandates the politicians found themselves in power, which they misused to favour their selfish desires only.
The Ivory Tower needs to train our leaders, Commissioners, Governors, Ministers and the members of the National Assembly, including the President and Vice President on the essence of astute management, classical administration for good governance. Minister sir, your Ministry can do better.
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