WHY SHOULD OBASANJO RATE JONATHAN,S ADMINISTRATION BELOW AVERAGE? Nigeria’s former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Friday delivered a damning verdict on the performance of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, describing it as “below average”. Speaking at the ongoing Ake Arts and Book Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Mr. Obasanjo also said security is the greatest danger Nigeria is currently facing. “I rate this current administration below average,” Mr. Obasanjo said in response to a question about Mr. Jonathan’s performance. Even though many have criticized the administration of Goodluck Jonathan most especially Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan has become one of those great leaders of Nigeria who is only concerned about the development of Nigeria. However, the following should be noted about President Goodluck Jonathan: (1) In the year 2010, GEJ was the first Nigerian head to open his own Facebook page in an attempt to fulfill his promise to have a regular interaction with the public, so that he is able to attend to their regular needs and disputes. By this singular act, he is one of the first Presidents of Nigeria who has always been open to the public by granting them one of the easiest access through facebook and office. This ease of access to a President of a nation has not been heard of in Nigeria and in the world politics. (2) Goodluck Jonathan is the first President of Nigeria to have initiated Air Rescue mission for stranded citizens. This is one decision which was both criticized by his rivals as a waste of government resources and appreciated by citizens. (3) GEJ was the first President of Nigeria who had approved of the Freedom of Information Act, which allowed the citizens of Nigeria to have full information on the government,s workings and orders. (4) GEJ concentrated his efforts to upgrade the local travelling facilities. One of his main accomplishments was to upgrade the local Airports after 57 years. (5) GEJ focused his attempts on the electrical departments so that he could give his citizens uninterrupted power supply, which was until now being sold to the neighbouring countries. (6) GEJ successfully revived the Comatose Railways after twenty years. The revival of the railways with the help of private investors and State investors helped to re-establish an important part of Nigeria. (7) GEJ in his passed a bill which would ensure the entry of imported goods within 48 hours. (8) GEJ appointed the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria, which was previously unthinkable in Nigeria. (9) GEJ was the first to review the salary structure of Government Employees and re-arrange their salary on the basis of their performance. (10) GEJ is one of the most successful Presidents of Nigeria who has acted in the interest of his country and he is the first President of Nigeria who has been able to live up to most of his promises, which he made during his election campaign. There is no doubt that since Jonathan became President of Nigeria, he is working to improve and develop the nation. President Jonathan has resuscitated the railways. He has improved on the power situation in the country; air transport has been improved upon; the aviation industry is being improved upon and he has also improved on the educational sector. All the states in the country now have a federal university.Most to be highly commended is the Lagos, Ikeia Police Station abandoned for more than 3 decades, which is now wearing a new look after Presidential intervention. This is highly commendable Mr President! Well done!He believes in one man one vote and he has strengthened democracy. On the road network in the nation, President has directed the Federal Ministry of Works to fix all roads in the country and make them motorable.WHAT HAS JONATHAN ACHIEVED SINCE HE BECAME PRESIDENT:(A CASE STUDY OF KEY MINISTRY AND DEPARTMENT ONE YEAR IN OFFICE) AGRICULTURE The focus of the Ministry of Agriculture is to assure food security, reduce expenditure on foreign exchange on food imports, diversify the economy, generate foreign exchange and create jobs. Within the first 12 months, it has recorded great achievements in agricultural policy reforms; transformation of several crops; institutional reforms and international donor support for the agricultural transformation agenda. Corruption in fertiliser distribution has been eliminated, a database of 4.5 million farmers developed, a growth enhancement programme launched to provide targeted support for seeds and fertilizers; electronic wallet system developed using mobile phones to deliver subsidised seeds and fertilisers to farmers and N30 billion leveraged from commercial banks to finance seed and fertiliser supply. The crops with specific transformation programmes include cassava, rice, sorghum, cocoa, cotton and oil palm. AVIATION The Ministry of Aviation is implementing an Aviation Master Plan designed to provide a safe, secure, profitable and self-sustaining world class industry with a distinct airport experience for travellers. The ministry has developed a business code for engaging domestic and foreign operators on the flag carrier and national carrier models; an enhanced safety programme/projects; improved regulatory oversight; massive remodelling and reconstruction of airports across the country and capacity building for workers in the sector. COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY The Ministry of Communication Technology is developing ICT infrastructure and policy for the country. The ministry has launched the NigComSat-IR satellite; deployed PCs to 766 secondary schools; PCs and internet access to 193 tertiary institutions; IT centres in 240 locations; scholarship scheme for masters and PhD students and many other projects. DEFENSE The Ministry of Defence has rehabilitated several infrastructure including the National War Museum; workshops and equipment for the armed forces. There has also been construction and rehabilitation of several barracks, hospitals, cemeteries and procurement of patrol vehicles and vessels. EDUCATION The Ministry of Education has developed a four-year strategic plan for the development of the education sector. The ministry is implementing an Almajiri education programme; Girl-education programme; back to school programme in South East geo-political zone; technical/vocational education and training and capacity strengthening for principals and teachers. It has also developed library resources; constructed classrooms; awarded scholarships and developed centres of excellence. ENVIROMENT The Ministry of Environment within the period of one year has completed the first phase of National Forest for biodiversity conservation; tackled deforestation in seven Northern states by raising six million tree seedlings; engaged in erosion and flood control projects in 62 locations nationwide and increased policy efforts towards the revival of Lake Chad. The Federal Capital Territory has developed a roadmap for sustainable development of FCTA. It is also engaging in land administration reform; re-established the Satellite Towns Development Agency and massive infrastructural development. The FCT has increased internally generated revenue by 35 per cent since 2011. FINANCE The Ministry of Finance is focused on restoration of fiscal prudence and steady and successful macroeconomic management resulting in lowering of government fiscal deficit from 3.35 per cent of GDP in 2010 to 2.85 per cent by 2012; reduction in recurrent expenditure from 77.18 per cent of Federal Government budget in 2010 to 71.47 per cent by 2012 and raising capital expenditure from 22.82 per cent of budget in 2010 to 28.53 per cent by 2012 and development of a fiscal framework for 2013 budget that will reduce fiscal deficit to 2.17 per cent of GDP, reduce recurrent expenditure to 68.7 per cent of budget and increase capital expenditure to 31.3 per cent of the budget. Other achievements of the ministry include improved management of government debt; improvement in Nigeria’s sovereign credit rating by Fitch Ratings Agency and Standard and Poor; reinvigorating the capital market; sovereign wealth fund; establishment of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment (SURE-P) programme and spearheading the YouWIN programme. HEALTH The Ministry of Health is implementing the National Strategic Health Development Plan. It is rehabilitating and equipping several teaching hospitals including Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Nnamdi Azikiwe University and University of Calabar. It has procured syringes, ambulances, blood banks, etc. It is also implementing programmes on disease control and surveillance as well as treatment of diseases and developing human resources for the health sector. INFORMATION The Ministry of Information has developed a comprehensive communication strategy to communicate government programmes and policies to the public. In addition, the ministry has developed a multi-media communication plan, campaign for nationwide security awareness and anti-terrorism, promotion of vision 20:2020 and the transformation agenda, and capacity building for staff of the ministry. TRANSPORT The Ministry of Transport has produced a 25 years strategic vision for Nigeria Railways and is rehabilitating several railway corridors including the Lagos-Ibadan-Ilorin-Jebba-Minna-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano with branch line from Zaria-Kaura Namoda; the Lagos-Abuja high speed (896 km); the Zaria-Kaura Namoda-Sokoto-Illela (640 km); East-West line from Benin-Agbor-Asaba-Onitsha-Owerri-Aba with a spur line to Onitsha-Nnewi (323 km) and coastal line Benin-Sapele-Warri-Yenogoa-PortHarcourt-Uyo-Calabar. It is also making effort towards establishing locomotive assembly plant in Nigeria in partnership with GE of USA and construction of jetties and procurement of ferries. EXAMPLE OF PRESIDENT JONATHAN,S ACHIEVEMENT IN TWO STATES FROM THE SOUTH AND TWO STATES FROM THE NORTH. ANAMBRA STATE: *Building of Aircraft Maintenance School at Akili – Ozuzo, Ogbaru Local Government Area. *Construction of Federal Government Secretariat in Awka. *Using Public Private Partnership to construct Second Niger Bridge (Anambra – Delta States). *FGN Funded Ecological Projects in Anambra State : *Nanka/Oko Landslide Project, the Nkisi Water Works Erosion Control/Dredging Projects in Onitsha. *The Okpolo/Ire Ojoto Erosion Control Project, Alor Town Flood Control and Road Improvement Projects in Idemili Local Government Area. *Rehabilitation of Onitsha – Owerri Road to Okija – Ihembosi – Afor – Ukpor – Ebenator – Ezenifite. *Onitsha River Port – Fixed and ready National Transmission Grid installed between Benin and Onitsha to prevent usual Nationwide Grid collapse. *Sure – P Projects on Primary Health Care & Transformation. *e – Wallet System in the distribution of agricultural inputs to the farmers and Dry Season Farming. *Ongoing Nnewi 2 x 60MVA, 132/33KV Substation 2 x 60MVA, 132/33KV Substation at Oba and 2 x 132KV Line Bays Extension at Nnewi, 2 x 60MVA, 132/33KV Substation at Mpu with 2 x 60KV Line Bays Extension at Nnenwe Onitsha – Oba – Nnewi – Ideato – Okigwe 132KV Double – Circuit Line, Ugwuaji Nnenwe 132KV Double – Circuit Line 2 x 60MVA,132/33KV Substation at Nnenwe. *Nnenwe – Mpu 132KV Double – Circuit Transmission Line, Onitsha – Ifitedunu and 2 x 132KV Double – Circuit. *Transmission Line, 2 x 60MVA, 132/33KV Substation at Ifitedunu and 2 x 132KV Line Bays Extension at Onitsha. *Modernisation of Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi. IMO STATE: *NDDC Projects: St Marks Estate and Federal Housing Estate Internal Road. *New Owerri Ejizie – Izuogu Road in Akeme community of Arondizogu, and the Solar Powered Water Project at Mbaoma in Owerri North. *Owerri Urban Water Scheme Project. *Rehabilitation of Opkpuala – Iguruta Road(Imo and Rivers States). *Reconstruction of Elele – Owerri Road Sea – Port and Naval Base Project in Osse – Motor Community (World Bank /FGN/Imo state) sponsored project. *Construction of Administrative Complex and Entrepreneurial Studies Complex in Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO). *Construction of the new Federal High Court Owerri division complex. *Establishment and Construction of a Court of Appeal Division in Owerri. *14Km Mbaise – Ngwa Road with a bridge at Imo/ Abia State (Cost ₦2.94B). *SURE – P Project on Primary Health Centres and other projects *Rehabilitation of Owerri – Port Harcourt Road. *Ecological Control Projects at Nekede, Saint Kzito Secondary School in Muchina and the Umuoza – Ugri Erosion Control Rehabilitation of the Sam Mbakwe International Airport Owerri. *Egbema Power Plant (338MW). *e-wallet System in distribution of the agricultural inputs to the Farmers and Dry Season Farming Project. *Ongoing Mbalano 2 x 30/40MVA, 132/33KV Substation and Okigwe 2 x 30/40MVA , 132/133KV Substation Dualisation of Ada Owerri – Ikot – Ekpene Border Section Phase one in Imo, Abia and Akwa –Ibom States. *Construction of Oguta River Port in Imo State. BENUE STATE: * Rehabilitation of Rail way lines. * Rehabilitation of Lafia – Makurdi Road, Aliade to Uturkpo Road. * SURE – P Projects in the state. * Construction of new library at the Federal Government College Otobi, Benue state. * Supply of new improved seedlings to boast groundnut and sorghum production. * Palliative reliefs for the Flood victims. * Construction of Perishable Cargo Terminal in Makurdi. * Ongoing construction of Oweto Bridge to link Benue and Nasarawa State (70% Completed). * Ongoing reconstruction of Makurdi – Gboko, Wannune – Yandev Section Road. * Completion of the Greater Makurdi Water Supply Scheme. * Construction of Oju – Obussa – Ainu Road. PLATEAU STATE: * Rehabilitation of Federal Roads: Manchok Vom road. * Construction of the Faculty of Social Science, Faculty of Post Graduate Studies, International. * Conference Centre and hostels in University of Jos Funded by CBN through TET Fund. * 120Mw Power sub- station in Makeri- Jos Completed. * Panshin Sub power Station. * SURE – P (Subsidy Re –investment Programme) Projects in the state. * Rehabilitation of Railway line from Kuru Station in Plateau state to Bauchi station. * Construction of Barkin Ladi Dam in Plateau state. * Rehabilitation of buildings at Police Staff College Jos. * e- Wallet for Farmers and Dry Season Farming Projects. * Construction of Jarmai – Bashar road and rehabilitation of Bashir – Dengi road. * Ongoing Kaduna – Jos 330kv double – circuit line, 2 x 330kv line bays extension at Jos substation. * Construction of Perishable Cargo Terminal in Jos. * Rehabilitation and re – commission of the NNPC depot in Jos. * Completion of the Mangu Water supply SOME VIEWS ABOUT OBASANJO,S ADMINISTRATION: WHY SHOULD HE NOW SCORE GEL BELOW AVERAGE? Obasanjo Is The Most Corrupt Nigerian-Gani Fawehinmi Posted: June 1, 2007 - 00:00 This man Obasanjo, when he came out of prison was having only N20,000 rich. Obasanjo was in prison for three years and his Ota farm which was in bankruptcy then was almost sold. They were thinking of how to sell most of his properties. Today, Obasanjo’s farm is rated as one of the richest in the world, all in a space of eight years that he governed Nigeria. If that is not corruption, then I don’t know what corruption means. If that is not abuse of office, then I do not know what abuse of office means. Eight years of self-centred disposition, eight years of wayo, eight years of deception, eight years of creating a few rich people, eight years of anti-masses programmes, eight years of deliberate junketing all over the world, eight years of make-believe, eight years of dictatorship, eight years of lack of coherent policies, eight years of so much wealth coming to the hands of government out of which Nigerians received aggravated poverty and economic pain. The so-called economic reforms of General Obasanjo where the heritage of Nigeria was sold, not even to the highest bidders but to the favoured bidders, contrary to the Constitution of Nigeria. The major sectors of our economy were placed on the building blocks of rapacious entrepreneurs, many of whom are in government, using proxies to purchase government properties, courtesy of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, and contrary in Section 16, sub-section 4 of the constitution which says that the major sectors of the economy shall be managed, operated and run by the Federal Government of Nigeria, solely and exclusively. Look at NITEL, another government investment that is relevant to the welfare of Nigerian people, it is still in the same mess. Our constitution says that economy of the country should not be operated in such a way that wealth would be concentrated in a few hands, but we are now having the very opposite of what the constitution says should be done. A company emerged, called Transcorp. There was no Transcorp before Obasanjo but Transcorp emerged from the bowel of Aso Rock, founded with the collaboration, connivance and conceptualisation of General Obasanjo to the extent that he owns 200 million shares. According to him, it will be the pillar of the private sector emerging in Nigeria. There is little difference between Transcorp and General Olusegun Obasanjo, except that a few favoured friends were brought into Transcorp. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, the Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange who is supposed to be a public officer runs the Transcorp with General Obasanjo. Both public officers contravened the code of conduct in the 5th and 3rd Schedules of the Constitution. Behold! General Obasanjo was never taken before the Code of Conduct Bureau for this. I protested to the Code of Conduct, I protested to the National Assembly, nothing came out of it. Here is a man who abused his office, set up a company to acquire the heritage of Nigerians. Today, Transcorp has acquired Nicon Hilton, and it has acquired NITEL. If this is not corruption, then I don’t know what corruption means. To me, Obasanjo is the most corrupt Nigerian. Obasanjo,s regime will go down in history as the most corrupt regime in the history of this country in the sense that no regime ever made so much money as was made under Obasanjo’s regime. It got to a point that the price of one barrel of crude oil was fetching $70 and Nigeria at that time was producing 3,150,000 (three million, one hundred and fifty thousand) barrels per day. As we talk, the Federal Government is making more than N200,000,000 (two hundred million dollars) everyday, including Sunday. The more money the Obasanjo regime made the poorer the Nigerian people became. And the more money the Obasanjo regime made, the richer a few people became, including Mr. President himself. For example, his library took me to court. His library which he launched on May 14, 2005 at Abeokuta garnered N8.5 billion. [Femi] Otedola gave N250 million; [Otunba Mike] Adenuga N350 million; [Aliko] Dangote, N220 million; consortium of banks N1.9 billion; consortium of oil companies N2.4 billion and so on. These oil companies we talk about, for eight years Obasanjo was the Minister of Petroleum Resources apart from being the head of state. No oil block was ever given to anybody without the connivance and approval of General Olusegun Obasanjo. He was more active as an oil minister than Mr. President. So there must be more than meets the eye. So much money was poured into electricity. Olusegun Agagu was former Minister of Power. And others after him. Why are we still in darkness? Why is it that the government inherited 3,525 mega watts of electricity in 1999 and now we are operating with less than 1,225 mega watts after spending billions of tax payers’ money. What happened to almost $16 billion dollars earmarked and allocated to the power sector? PTDF - the Petroleum Technology Development Fund which was established in 1973, meant for the welfare of our country by training our brilliant students in the universities with the fund. A fund meant for the improvement of our petroleum technology, a fund meant to ensure that the sons and daughters of poor parents who have the intellect can engage in research work. But alas! this fund was used. This fund was used, not only to pay lawyers, but to establish just one company alone. Now, Atiku dipped his hand into it, Fasawe dipped his hand into it and Mr. President dipped his hand into it for personal reasons. We want to have the full story of PTDF and other agencies of government. For eight years, Obasanjo did not build a single refinery to ensure a total reduction in the costs of petroleum products. Look at fuel, Obasanjo increased fuel prices more than 11 times. I can’t believe it. He just wanted to punish the people. I don’t understand. He is either a sadist or we ourselves are masochists, there are no two ways about it. ANDREW YOUNG - OBASANJO,S FRIEND : Courtesy, New York Times. Published: April 18, 2007 . As an international wheeler dealer, here is what makes Andrew Young tick For years, Andrew Young, the civil rights leader, has been deeply involved in this country (Nigeria) through the lobbying and consulting firm he heads, GoodWorks International. Its motto is: “We do well by doing good.” As business has gone increasingly global, many consulting firms based in the United States, like GoodWorks, have increased their operations abroad, taking on assignments in developing nations like Nigeria where power and wealth are frequently concentrated in a few hands. And consulting experts say it is common for United States firms that lobby for foreign governments in Washington to also have business interests in those countries. A look at GoodWorks’ activities in Nigeria, based on interviews and documents, provides a window into how embedded such lobbyists can become in developing economies. Along with lobbying for Nigeria, for example, GoodWorks is paid to represent many major companies like Chevron, General Electric and Motorola that seek big contracts from the Nigerian government. In addition, executives of GoodWorks have stakes in Nigeria’s oil industry, the country’s main source of wealth. And several years ago, the firm’s chief executive, Carlton A. Masters, started an American company with close relatives of President Obasanjo that bought an expensive Miami property with Mr. Masters’s money, Florida records show. It is not illegal for lobbyists simultaneously to represent foreign countries and companies seeking business from them. And they are not barred from having business interests in countries they represent in Washington. “Andrew Young has never been interested in these issues,” said Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer who is also president of the West African Bar Association. “He is just here making money.” GoodWorks’ dealings in Nigeria reflect Mr. Young’s relationship over three decades with Mr. Obasanjo. And like much else in Mr. Young’s life, it is a relationship filled with a mix of drama, ideals and opportunism. The two men met in the late 1970s, when Mr. Obasanjo, then a general, first served as this country’s president, one in a long line of military figures who ruled Nigeria. Two decades later, the names of Mr. Young and Mr. Obasanjo, who was no longer in public office, appeared together in a United States Senate report about the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, the rogue financial institution. The report criticized Mr. Young for, among other things, trying to obtain a bank loan to help Mr. Obasanjo start a farm equipment company for which he would have worked as a consultant.Mr. Masters said that GoodWorks typically received a “success fee” equal to 1 ½ percent of a contract’s value, a fee that can lead to big payouts. In 2005, for example, G.E. Energy, a GoodWorks client, won a $400 million contract to supply generating turbines in Nigeria. The company, a subsidiary of General Electric, said in a statement that it had a “standard sales representative agreement” with GoodWorks, but declined to elaborate. Mr. Young said that GoodWorks has started small companies here that employ Nigerians. But the company also has other local business interests. For example, the head of the company’s Nigerian office is the major shareholder in a local energy company, Suntrust Oil, which won a lease during a 2002 government auction of offshore fields that did not interest major energy companies. In 2001, for instance, Mr. Masters formed a Florida company, Sunscope Investments, with Mr. Obasanjo’s brother-in-law and his wife, that purchased a Miami condominium for about $750,000, Florida public records indicate. Florida records indicate that Mr. Obasanjo’s sister-in-law, Yamisi Abebe, remained an officer of Sunscope until last year, when the company was dissolved and transferred its interest in the condominium to Mr. Masters for a nominal sum. One lobbying expert, Charles Lewis, the founder of the Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan group in Washington that monitors lobbying, said that given Mr. Masters’s multiple lobbying roles in Nigeria, his decision to involve President Obasanjo’s relatives in his business dealings was troubling. OBJ IS A FAILURE. Ebun Adegboruwa, a Lagos-based lawyer, in an interview with OLUSOLA OLAOSEBIKAN brands President Olusegun Obasanjo a failure. Obasanjo,s administration between 1999 - 2007, came to fritter the resources of Nigeria, an administration that came to squander the confidence of Nigerians, an administration that came to impose a culture of violence and lawlessness, a culture of official corruption. But I think on the other hand too, economically, it was a regime that came to empower its own friends, captains of industry whom he promoted to appropriate the collective wealth of the people in the name of commercialisation, privatisation and all the rest. Talking about education, the universities are dead now. And there are close to 50 private universities in Nigeria now. Two of them owned by General Obasanjo and one by his Vice President, ABTI University in Yola. So that, in education, what the government has done is to kill public interest, so as to make it lucrative for private institutions which are milking individuals. What has happened is that the children of the rich are either attending London School of Economics and Political Science, Harvard University, London University, Cambridge, or they are attending Covenant University or Bells University or Igbinedion University or ABTI. So, the ones that the masses can afford, the Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ibadan, the University of Maiduguri, are dilapidated. It is no longer productive for you to think of taking your children there because a programme that is meant to take four years, by the time you calculate all manner of frustrating programmes that the government has installed in these institutions, it becomes difficult to graduate. Even at the secondary level, the system has been destroyed such that it becomes no longer advisable to patronise these schools, except you opt for the British-American International School, Lekki International School and others. So with this structure, poverty will certainly be on the rise. Because if your child cannot go to school, it automatically means that the best he can get is technical employment, whether as a manual labourer or an apprentice. He becomes like a slave to the children of the rich who are able to afford education and the rich will continue to dominate those who cannot afford education. The military regime of General Sani Abacha was generating 4,000 mega watts in his wicked days in this country. Under Obasanjo we got to a stage where we could not produce 500 mega watts. But we must come to the irresistible conclusion that Nigeria went backwards in the time of President Obasanjo. But the external debt settlement is said to be a plus for the administration... When you talk about debt recovery, who is not owing? Even America is owing. So why the rush to pay debt when your people have not eaten? And, in any case, why did Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala leave the government? Was it not because of the various scandals that trailed the so-called debt recovery? I didn’t think it was necessary to rush to pay that money. Then, number two, if you use such resources to empower and develop your people, it would have been acceptable. Is it not now that the President is leaving office that he is awarding contracts of N500billion and mobilising immediately? We underestimated him. He will continue to wear Bushmen dresses and continue to behave like a farmer and a jester, whereas he was scheming frantically to acquire wealth. Fani-Kayode said that he realises N30 million every month from Ota farm. A place that was almost moribund by the time he came back from prison! Obasanjo institutionalised Corruption in Nigeria - Yakassai Sunday, 14 November 2010 The maniac for corruption in government in a massive scale started from Murtala/Obasanjo’s regime. Fortunately or unfortunately for this country, it has never witnessed massive stealing of the highest magnitude as we have witnessed during the second coming of Obasanjo. I’m talking of 1999 to 2007. If you listen to the revelation of colossal amount of money that was wasted or stolen as was revealed in the power probe of the House of Representatives and also the stealing in the Education Trust Fund that nobody would ever dream that people can commit such crimes and go away with it. Come down to the state governors, you would hear that a governor misappropriated billions of naira from the state. Look at the case of Igbinedion. How much he admitted in court through plea bargaining that he stole. But he was convicted for a short period of time. Are you saying that between 1999 and 2007, corruption was given the greatest boost? Corruption was institutionalized in Nigeria. Go and get the reports and surprisingly nobody was arrested. Only a few. Look at the Halliburton incidence. When Obasanjo was in power, he allocated plots to himself in the choice area near the CBN quarters. I did not count. My calculation is that they are about 20 blocks of flat. They may be more. He started building them and the project was halted for almost 20 years since he left office. When he became president, he completed them. Obasanjo raised N7 billion to build Obasanjo Library which Federal Government establishments like Port Authorities, Maritime Authorities contributed money including big government contractors and businessmen like Dangote, Otedola contributed billions. Who has ever done that in the whole world? Obasanjo today has a palatial house at the minister’s quarters. It is a new, gigantic building. Obasanjo has farms all over Nigeria. He went as far as to perhaps Uganda to buy land to farm. This man is 75 and I’m 84 but I believe if you give me the CBN today, I can’t eat more than what I am eating; I can’t sleep in the kind of bed that I am sleeping. Why should a man at 75 be amassing such wealth like a madman? Obasanjo will not like a transparent government because it would probe him. No credible person will emerge through fair election that would leave Obasanjo untouched. CORRUPTION WAS MORE PRONOUNCED UNDER FORMER PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO THAN UNDER THE LATE MILITARY DICTATOR, GEN SANI ABACHA - MALLAM NUHU RIBADU Former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said corruption was more pronounced under former President Olusegun Obasanjo than under the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha. In one of the US embassy cables released by whistleblower, WikiLeaks, Ribadu reportedly said this during a four-hour discussion he had with a former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders, on December 29, 2007. The meeting was said to have been held at Sanders’ residence in the wake of the transfer of the then EFCC helmsman to the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos in 2007, for further studies. “Although he created the EFCC and understood its importance for him with the international community, Ribadu explained, that by far and even more than the Abacha days where he (Abacha) was the sole thief, corruption under Obasanjo’s eight years was far worse, because everyone stole. Col Umar On Obasanjo And Corruption - Politics - Nairaland All the promises of Obasanjo in his May 29 1999 inaugural speech have been observed in the breach. It is said that Nigeria earned more revenue in Obasanjos eight year reign than all the remaining period of its existence since amalgamation in 1914. In spite of this none of his 18 point agenda has been successfully completed. The only evidence of this stupendous national wealth is the presence of a few bunch of billionaires created by the Obasanjos economic reform policies. Those who rose from rags to scandalous riches through cronyism. It was through a business environment which enabled them to steal public assets, win contracts without recourse to due process and evade payment of taxes. The evidence is also seen in Obasanjos metamorphosis from a near bankrupt farmer to the richest African living or dead and one of the richest persons in the world with an estimated personal fortune of over S20 billion, a far cry from the N20)000 he declared on the eve of his first election in 1999. To verify the above claims Nigerians should consider the following assets owned by the former president. Ota farm worth billions of Naira. Obasanjo is the proud owner of Bells secondary school and University. Obasanjo has many other farms in many parts of the country. Obasanjo is a major share holder in many companies including the largest company in Africa, TRANSCORP, where he owns 200 million shares worth billions of naira. Ownership of large shares in Banks. Ownership of palaces in many parts of the country. Ownership of many landed properties in Abuja including a palace currently under construction by an Italian company. Ownership of five star hotel under construction in Abeokuta: Ogun State. Chief Orji Kalu had testified to Obasanjos ownership of a huge foreign account. The Federal Government may wish to search in the Carribean countries where it is believed, he maintains such accounts. It is instructive that the Carribean was his first place of visit soon after leaving office. As far as the country is concerned president Obasanjos eight year malevolent dictatorship has resulted in its near collapse. His personal gain and those of his cronies have thrown the nation into socio economic and political mess. Nigeria bequeathed to the Yaradua administration can be defined as a failed state. Obasanjos conquest, as it were, has had the following negative impact. ECONOMIC IMPACT. All the huge investments intended to create a conducive environment for meaningful development have been mismanaged and wasted. Nigerias infrastructure have been further degraded. Over $16 billion invested in the power sector has resulted in decreasing its generation capacity from 2600mw in May 1999 to 2300mw in May 2007. Both transmission and distribution have also suffered similar decline. Our transport infrastructure has also worsened, Such infrastructure decay continues to militate against the growth of the real sector. For example over 60% of our industries have been forced to shut down with the remaining operating below 45% installed capacity. Inflation rate has been galloping at an annual rate of over 20% in the eight years. We can only speak of employment in the crime industry. Our educational system is facing imminent collapse due to the administrations failure to adequately invest in the sector. Less than 10% of the total annual budget has been allocated to this sector in eight years, far less than the 26% recommended by UNESCO. There is also serious decline in private sector investment in education which drives the elite to seek alternatives abroad including places like Malaysia, Ghana. Togo and Benin republic. POLITICAL IMPACT One of the true tests of democracy is the level of observance of the rule of law by its operators. Unfortunately, Obasanjo showed total disregard to this guiding principle. He refused to recognize or respect the separation of powers between the three arms of government, He, as the president and chief executive, usurped the powers of both the legislative and judicial arms. He defied the courts by refusing to accept and implement their judgments. He treated the legislature as an appendage of the executive. He exercised full oversight function on the legislature to the extent of deciding its leadership. We cannot talk of the existence of democracy when the freedom of choice through the regular conduct of free and fair election is absent. Most elections under Obasanjos eight year rule were characterized by fraud and rigging. It is a measure of the perversion of our electoral system under Obasanjo that the elections of seven state governors, eighty six members of state and national assemblies including that of the Senate president have so far been overturned by election tribunals and appeal courts. The worst act of subversion occurred when president Obasanjo attempted to have the constitution amended so as to perpetuate himself in office. Most of those patriotic and courageous legislators who voted against that amendment were prevented from being re-elected either through illegal disqualification or rigging. This has deprived the nation of the services of some of the most distinguished and honourable politicians. It has also stunted the growth of our democracy. NNPC. Nigerians vigorously questioned the rationale of a president choosing to add to his burden by taking over the direct control of the busiest Ministry, that of petroleum, and refusing to give it up despite persistent insinuations and innuendos regarding his selfish motives. REFINERIES The Obasanjo administration inherited refineries that were largely unserviceable, operating much below their 450,000 barrels per day installed capacity. The president promised to reverse the trend. Repair contracts worth hundreds of millions of Dollars were awarded for this purpose. It was money thrown down the drains as the refineries continued to loose their refining capacities, which fell from 250,000 barrels per day as at May 29, 1999 to about 150,000 barrels per day by 2001. No explanation was given for this. No one was held accountable. In a surprising move the government directed an increase in the crude allocation to NNPC, for local refining and use, from 300,000 barrels per day to 450,000 barrels per day as if the refineries are functioning at full capacity. What could be the reason behind this? Well, the NNPC was supplied crude for local consumption at a heavily subsidized rate. For example, by 2001 when president Obasanjo decided to increase the local allocation, a barrel of crude was selling at $35 per barrel on the international market. NNPC was being charged $18 per barrel. Now since the refineries had a refining capacity of 150,000 barrels per day, NNPC had excess of 300,000 barrels at the subsidized rate which was exported making a profit of 300,000 barrels per day multiplied by $17 per barrel which comes to $5,100,000 profit for NNPC. The crude allocation was paid in local currency, the Naira. For some inexplicable reason, NNPC paid the CBN at the rate of N110 to the Dollar instead of the prevailing forex rate of N135 to the Dollar. Again, there has not been any explanation for this under payment. a) How was the $5,100,000 per day utilized? b) What informed the decision to discount the Dollar by about N25 and who authorized this? NNPCs explanation to the first query that the profit was used for import of petroleum products is unconvincing because the expenditure is an appropriation matter that needed to be approved by the National Assembly and there is no evidence to prove that such approval was ever sought or obtained. The contracts were never a subject of Federal Executive Council consideration and approval therefore lacking transparency. When the RMAFC raised queries, the president felt intimidated enough to set up a committee to investigate allegations of impropriety. One of the findings of the committee was that NNPCs benchmark prices were in some cases higher than the ones quoted by major trading companies. The report was so damaging to the president and NNPC that he quickly suppressed it. Business as usual continued. CRUDE OIL CONTRACTS No where has president Obasanjo shown so much disdain for due process and displayed greed and crass opportunism as in the management of crude oil contracts. The nation was defrauded tens of billions of Dollars in the most opaque and criminal contract process, which was handled between the president and his willing accomplice, the GMD NNPC. It will interest Nigerians to know that all crude oil lifting contracts signed by the Obasanjo administration were only advertised once. All subsequent awards were done through a roll over. This was achieved through an arranged delay in notification of the expiration of the ongoing contracts. The GMD NNPC writes to the president seeking his approval to roll over the contracts citing lack of time to adhere to a proper procedure and the president willingly approved. In this way due process was circumvented. It is safe to say that NNPC contracts were not subject to due process verification, The president decided on the terms. So also were winners and losers decided by president Obasanjo. In some cases, the winners were companies with dubious profiles. They won huge contracts on account of their close relationship to the president or members of his family. For example, Petrodel Resources Ltd which got one of the highest allocations of 90,000 barrels per day was initially not known to NNPC consultants based in London. On further inquiry, it was discovered to have been registered in Isle of man as a one man registered company. This fact was made known to the president by the investigative panel which he set up to probe the crude oil contracts in September, 2003. Once again, no action was taken to correct the system. OIL BLOCK ALLOCATIONS The allocation of oil blocks was preceded by the usual Obasanjo deceptive maneuvers intended to give the process some semblance of credibility. The real allocations were concluded long before the blocks were advertised. Some of the oi blocks that were allocated by previous administrations and which were found to be highly productive were revoked and reallocated to preferred bidders on the flimsiest of reasons. Over 70% of all blocks allocated by the Obasanjo administration were cornered by him and his business associates through this dubious process. LPG SCAM If the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) popularly referred to as cooking or domestic gas is beyond the reach of the average Nigerian because of its exorbitant cost, it is thanks to the nefarious activities of the Obasanjo business clique. On the instructions of the president, the NNPC allocated the bulk of LPG produced locally to a select group of LPG marketers. Some of these marketers were allowed to use NNPC storage facilities at concessionary rates. It is to these facilities that they shipped their allocations and sell at international market price on the false claim that the product was imported. In this way, the price rose sharply from N38,000 per metric tonne as at May 1999 to N98,000 in 2007. That is to say that government subsidy was only enjoyed by the favoured marketers. Such market manipulation continued to drive the prices skyward. A tonne of cooking gas is currently being sold for N250,000. It is so painful to remember that a tonne of LPG sold at the subsidized rate of N4,000 during the much vilified Abacha administration . AGO The Automobile Gas Oil scam took a similar pattern to that of the LPG. The only difference being that in this case, only one company was given monopoly of marketing the product. The evidence of the rip-off could be seen in the stupendous wealth being displayed by the Executive Chairman of the company. A man of very humble means at the beginning of the Obasanjo administration soon became scandalously rich. He is currently the proud owner of many choice properties in London. He once bought a living house i for over £10 million but discovered later that it lacked parking space for his large fleet of Rolls Royces, BMWs, Porches and Mercedes. Whereupon, he decided to purchase the neighbouring house for £7 million and had it demolished so he might have adequate parking space for his cars! So close was he to President Obasanjo that he often kept him waiting for hours in the office to discuss business. He was a major contributor to Obasanjos pet projects. In eight years, this chap has succeeded in building a business empire which has a daily turnover running into hundreds of millions of Naira all thanks to his close link with President Obasanjo. NIPP PROJECTS. In actual fact, the Obasanjo administration planned the NIPP project and succeeded in achieving its principal aim, which was to enrich the president and his business associates through those dubious contracts. No one could fail to realize the non-viability of the NIPP projects in view of the epileptic supply of Gas from the crisis ridden Niger Delta. If not for selfish interests, why would the government pay fully for the supply of turbines when civil works had not commenced in most of the sites. The civil works will take at least two years to complete. In the meantime, the turbines are wasting at the ports. Some of them may never reach their destinations due to lack of accessibility to the sites. Why did the government not consider repairing the many existing unserviceable thermal stations and their expansion? Why were the repairs and expansion of the Hydro-stations not considered? The only explanation is that the NIPP contracts were comparatively more lucrative. It was all about personal interest and wickedness. After an expenditure of over $3billion, the NIPPs will almost certainly turn out to be mere white elephant projects. The nation has once again been duped by a man who claims to have direct communication link to God Almighty. The federal Government must review the NIPP contracts just as it must review the Gurara and Mambilla hydro contracts awarded about a week to Obasanjo:s departure. WATER RESOURCES The plan of the Obasanjos Administration to deploy huge resources for the provision of drinking water and irrigation was welcomed by Nigerians. Over N400 billion was spent on the various water resources projects in the eight years of Obasanjo administration. Unfortunately less than 20% of such projects were completed. Federal Government may wish to probe the Gurara to lower Usuma Dam water transfer project and the Azare water scheme to have an idea of the fraudulent nature of the ministrys contracts. It will interest Nigerians to know that Obasanjo Holdings company, the former presidents company, was a major player in the ministrys projects. For example most of the borehoe hand pumps used by the Ministrys borehole contractors were supplied by Obasanjo Holdings. The collection point was Obasanjos farm in Ota. WORKS AND HOUSING In his first year alone, Obasanjo released over N300 billion for the emergency rehabilitation of roads. It was estimated that well over N900 billion was spent on road projects by the end of his administration in May 2007 with very insignificant improvement in the state of our roads. Obasanjo himself had cause to express dissatisfaction with the performance of the works ministry. So, what happened to all the money. Why will Nigerians be satisfied with Obasanjos hypocritical expression of dissatisfaction when, given his antecedents, we know that he is the main beneficiary of this scam .AVIATION The neglect faced by this industry resulted in the high incidence of plane crashes which occurred between 1999 and 2006 with heavy loss of lives. To add to the nations pain President Obasanjo decided to capitalize on the aviation mishaps to enrich himself and his cronies. After the Bellview plane crash in 2006 which claimed over 100 lives including that of the Sultan of Sokoto, the president saw an opportunity to reward his most overzealous defender, Femi Fani Kayode. He appointed him the minister of aviation in a cabinet reshuffle. He handed over the sum of N11.5 billion unbudgeted to the new minister, to do as he pleased. And so he did. Since the National Assembly is currently investigating the utilization of the funds, the nation will have to wait for its findings, however want to say that most of this money was misappropriated. The then minister of finance Mrs. Nenedi Usman felt so concerned about the fraudulent manner with which the funds were being managed that she decided to complain to president Obasanjo. A meeting was convened by Mr. President with Mrs. Nenedi, Femi Fani Kayode and some senior aides of the president in attendance. The meeting turned out to be aimed at reconciling the Minister of Finance and her aviation counterpart. At the end of the meeting the president counselled Fani Kayode to abide by Obasanjos brand of due process and sin no more. Fani Kayode would not be deterred. He went back to business as usual. But he committed a serious error of judgment by offending one of the presidents daughters. This lady requested the Minister to approve a payment of N500 million to her boyfriends company which she claimed was for a job it performed for FAAN. The Minister refused her request on the ground that the contract didnt receive due process clearance. He remained adamant even after the company secured due process clearance. At the sendoff breakfast organized by Obasanjos aide and friends held at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, the president pulled Fani Kayode aside and lambasted him for what he termed as his greed and fraudulent character. He predicted his downfall on account of such traits. This was an apparent expression of his disappointment in the Ministers act of loyalty for not sharing the presidential bounty with his family members. The National Assembly probe will perhaps reveal how the largesse was shared. RAILWAYS. The Obasanjo administration embarked on the modernization of the nations rail system to the standard gauge. It is of course the right thing to do to ease the problem of land transportation in a large country like Nigeria. The plan was a welcome development to most Nigerians. The feasibility of the project was enhanced by the huge oil revenue that accrued to the government due to the astronomical rise in oil prices. But as in the power sector, that opportunity was lost to Obasanjos fraudulent motives. Two highly inflated contracts were signed with a Chinese firm CCECC for the construction of the Lagos -Kano standard gauge lines at the cost of $8.3 billion and the Maiduguri - Port Harcourt line at the cost of $9 billion. The projects were to be financed with a so called concessionary loan of $1.28 billion from China and illegal deductions from the Federation account. The Obasanjo administration has hurriedly released the sum of $250 million to the contractor before the take off of the project. The Federal Government must probe the contract pricing, procedure of award and the wisdom of financing the project with a non concessionary loan when the nation is said to have over $50 billion in its foreign reserve. BY: THEOPHILUS OKWEZUZU NO. 17 BROAD ST. LAGOS.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 11:37:47 +0000
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