From D’Cosmo Desk: THE GATHERING OF THE SHARKS… Today, the ‘Giant Sharks’ of the Nigerian Polity are gathering yet again at ‘Eagle Square’, to further deceive Nigerians wit their perpetual phrase “Internal Democracy.” That is to elect new National Officers of their political party PDP. For 3days in Cross River, d State Radio Station (CRBC) won’t make any other public announcement than to repeat names of delegates heading for d Congress at Abuja; individuals who have not contributed anything meaningful to d repositioning of d State, which is fast heading towards a downward trend. Sometimes I wonder what the Governor and his Exco members go to office to do…, they have simply run out of ideas. Thus, d State is now a shadow of its old self. Few days back, the Minister of Agriculture addressed d nation shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting at Aso Rock. He sounded very enthusiastic to announce to Nigerians dat the govt has approved the obtaining of a $200 million dollars loan facility at a .05% interest rate from IDA (payable in 40yrs) for d financing of the FADAMA II project. So funny…, these ‘Giant Sharks’ glued closely to their radio sets, sipping as much information they could gather from d Agric. Minister. Why where they so interested, one may ask… Do they intend to change a career from politics to Agriculture? The answer is simple, few years back when govt obtained same loan for the FADAMA I project, its target population was the Nigerian Women (considering their vast number in Agriculture) and the Youths (Graduates, but largely unemployed), all geared towards diversifying the economy from Oil dependence and ensuring dat youths are actively involved to cope wit the ugly trend of unemployment. Women and youths were instructed to organize themselves into ‘Cooperative Society Groups’, so as to access the funds which will come as loan facilities. Those interested went into organizing ‘cooperative societies’, thus a lot of them sprung up throughout d country. With d first step accomplish, how do there get the funds… Typical of a Nigerian situation, one must be connected somehow to an influential politician (the Giant Shark) for recommendation. Not stopping there, the politician will state his interest whether in cash or direct involvement through cover-up names as member of d Cooperative group. The State Agric. Commissioner will demand his ‘Cut’ as they call it. Even staffs of d Ministry, processing the forms for d group will demand theirs. Imagine how much will finally get into d hands of these farmers. That aside, the politicians have now hijacked the process, using their influence they just register any name as a cooperative group atleast for mere formality and recording, then obtain the funds to themselves, travel to their communities and purchase land at very cheap prices, set-up poultry farms, fish farms, palm estates, pineapple farms etc. And whenever funding comes, they pick-up their phones and make calls for remittance of their share of the Agric. funds. What then happens to the women and youths? They become slaves to these politicians, working in their farms and remain impoverished… My candid wish is that a day will come when we Nigerians will wake-up and stand-up to these atrocities, negligence, nepotism and greed on the part of these individuals we addressed or call “Political Leaders.” …Nigerians are not “numb-skulls…” and so shouldn’t continue to be treated as such…
Posted on: Sat, 31 Aug 2013 14:08:50 +0000
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