WHY GOODLUCK JONATHAN SHOULD SUCCEED BY BOB EJIKE Recently the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) passed a vote of confidence on President Goodluck Jonathan and declared that it is evident that Nigeria has made noteworthy progress in many sectors under his leadership. In the confidence motion moved by Senator Ibrahim Mantu and unanimously adopted by all committee members at PDP NEC meeting, the party commended President Jonathan’s “resolute and decisive tackling” of Nigeria’s security challenges, which, it said, had limited terrorism and insurgency in the country, principally in the North-East geo-political zone. The PDP also commended ongoing reforms and development in the country, particularly those in the agricultural, aviation, transportation and education sectors, saying it was ostensible that President Jonathan’s Agenda for National Transformation was being meticulously implemented and that Nigerians were better for it. The party also applauded President Jonathan’s strict devotion to the rule of law as well as his protection and defense of the constitution. Any close observer will note that the president’s plan for the nation’s development is extremely ambitious and being adhered to by the administration. President Goodluck Jonathan’s roadmap for electric power supply detailed a clearly defined plan of implementation for the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act and reaffirmed the administration’s intent to resolve the national power crises and positioning the power sector on the path Improvement. Among the new innovations was the reinstatement of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. This regulatory body was empowered with a new Chairman and Commissioners, who were sworn in for the objective of providing proper regulatory functions for the Nigerian electricity market. President Jonathan administration split the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) into 18 successor companies geared towards more productivity and power generation and distribution efficacy. In August 2011, Jonathan had gone a step further by inaugurating the CEO and board of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (also known as the Bulk Trader), thus creating the right atmosphere for private sector investment in the Nigerian Power Sector, by establishing a credit-worthy power off taker, NBET Plc, which gives assurance to the power generating companies that power produced will be paid for. To add to these, the Jonathan administration embarked on an initiative to encourage the use of energy efficient bulbs and lighting systems for the purpose of creating an energy conservation culture. This he did by launching the Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation Lighting Scheme. The Federal Government signed an MOU with global power sector leader, General Electric. The MOU stipulates that General Electric will invest up to 15 percent equity in power projects in the Nigeria to the tune of 10,00MW capacity by the year 2020. General Electric is also to establish local packaging facility for small aero-derivative turbines in Nigeria to create new jobs for Nigerians. The Federal Government of Nigeria also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the US- ExIm Bank for the provision of an investment window of up to $1.5BN for entrepreneurs interested in investing in the Nigerian Power Sector. This is the first time such an enormous sum is being provided by the US Exim Bank for a specific sector in Africa. In December 2012 Goodluck Jonathan increased power generation from around 2000 megawatts to 4502 megawatts, the highest level since the nation’s return to democracy in 1999. Power generation in Nigeria will soar to 6,000 megawatts by July this year, and by December it will peak at 10,000 megawatts according to the Minister of State for Power. All ten Power Plants within the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) scheme will be commissioned by the end of this year. Presently, most of the power plants have arrived at 95 percent completion stage. Last year, President Jonathan declared an emergency in the Gas sector, partially improving the power supply. During that period there was insufficient gas supply. Following the presidential intervention, the nation presently produces more gas than is required for domestic consumption. Goodluck Jonathan has privatized the power distribution companies (DISCOs) under a clear bid process, for more effectual power supply. Today, in an unprecedented manner large swathes of the national territory enjoy long hours of uninterrupted power supply, with the exception of a few areas where limited power distribution network problems have created blockages in the way of even power transmission. The Jonathan administration makes agriculture a priority. 14 new rice mills with the capacity of processing 240 metric tons of rice were set up by the private sector in 2012, additionally; 1.2 billion dollars was secured by the Federal Government to install 100 large scale rice processing mills for the annual production of 2.1 million metric tons of rice. The result is the creation of about two million new jobs among rural inhabitants. The Federal Government is set to implement a Young Graduates Commercial Farmers Scheme in 2013. The scheme promises to absorb 780,000 graduates in its first phase and provide about four million jobs in the agricultural sector in the first year. Under Jonathan Nigeria has reached a record 60 per cent sufficiency in rice production, a achievement, which the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) recently described as capable of raising world rice output to an unprecedented levels. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture aims at making Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production by 2015 and ending trends like the N 356 Billion currently spent on the annual importation of rice, and replacing about 40% of the over N 635 Billion annual wheat imports, by 2015. The most outstanding fund injection initiative ever commenced by any Nigerian government for the endowment of rural peasant farmers and the creation of wealth for rural dwellers, the restructuring of the Nigeria Agricultural Bank towards recapitalization for the provision of loans to peasant farmers at single digit interest rates, is ongoing. In July 2012, the exportation of dried cassava chips commenced and for the first time Nigeria achieved commercial scale export of dried chips. This initiative will earn the nation $136 million annually. Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava, with 34 million MT produced per annum. The present government is providing improved cotton seedlings free of charge to farmers, towards the revival of cotton production principally in the Northeast and Northwest of Nigeria. The anticipated outcome is the revitalization of the upstream and downstream cotton/textile subsector prior to the end of 2013. The Jonathan administration has attracted around $8 billion in private investments into the agricbusiness, crop production, processing and other such projects under the Agriculture Transformation Agenda of the Ministry of Agriculture. To read the rest of the story get a copy of National Edifice magazine from your vendor.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 08:02:34 +0000
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