The
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Monday, said that
President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has fulfilled its campaign promises
to Nigerians despite dwindling revenue.
“I am
happy that we are here today to prove that this government is not a government
of propaganda; this is a real government that is dealing with the real
people," the former APC's spokesman said.
Mohammed
made the pronouncement at the Presentation of National Social Investment
Programmes (N-SIP) Report Card event to mark the 2nd Anniversary of President
Buhari’s administration in Abuja.
The
theme of the report card presentation was “Showcasing the Achievements of
National Social Investment Programmes: A Smile for Every Nigerian. “
He
said through N-SIP the Federal Government provided employment to 200,000
unemployed graduates, engaged 57,000 people through Government Enterprise and
Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and empowered about 26,000 ordinary Nigerians
through Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).
Mohammed
said that under the National Home Grown School Feeding Programmme (NHGSFP),
government was able to serve about 25 million meals to 1.2 million pupils all
over the country in order to make leaning conducive.
The
minister added that the APC-led Federal Government under its school feeding
programme had employed no fewer than 12,000 cooks across 36 states and the FCT.
“This
is a government that promised and delivered on its promises and the unique
thing about this particular N-SIP is that it has been achieved in an era when
there has been no revenue.
“It
would have been very perfect excuse to say that because oil revenue dropped
drastically, therefore, we are not able to deliver on our promises.
“But
despite the dwindling revenue, we are able to deliver on our campaign promises
and then this is not related just to the social investment programmes alone.
A
check of the promises made by the APC during the campaign for the 2015
presidential election revealed that the government has not fulfilled all its
promises as claimed by Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
10 of
the unfulfilled promises are
Provision of allowances to
the discharged but unemployed Youth Corps members for Twelve (12) months while
in the skills and entrepreneurial development programme
Unemployed
corps members are still awaiting the fulfilment of this promise. The National
Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme has pass-out over 20,000 corps members since
President Buhari assumed office.
720,000 jobs by the 36
states in the federation per annum (20,000 per state)
The
National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in its unemployment report revealed that
3.67 million Nigerians became jobless in 2016 alone.
According
to the Bureau, at least 18,919 Nigerians lost their public sector jobs of the
federal, state and local governments between October 2015 and March 2016.
Within
the same period, 11, 593 new public sector jobs were generated, putting
employment generation figure in deficit.
In his
Democracy Day’s speech, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said that the government
has engaged 200,000 unemployed graduates through the N-Power scheme.
The
promise was 20, 000 jobs per state, totaling 720, 000 jobs in a year.
Making our economy one of
the fastest-growing emerging economies in the
world with a real GDP growth averaging 10% annually.
Nigeria
recorded quadruple negative GDP Growth in 2016, according to data provided by
the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). It was the first year round negative
growth since 1987 (prior to rebasing).
The
World Bank has projected 1% GDP growth for Nigeria in 2017, the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) projected 0.8% for the same period. Both projections are pointers that Nigeria is
exiting the current economic recession.
Eradication of state of
origin, replacing that with state of residence to ensure Nigerians are
Nigerians first, before anything else.
Two
years into the administration of the APC-led government, no success has been
recorded in this regard.
Ban on all government
officials from seeking medical care abroad
The
obvious. The president is in the United Kingdom attending to his health.
According to media report, his Chief of staff and more than two ministers had
sought medical treatment outside the shores of Nigeria, against the
pronouncement banning same for government officials.
Implementation of the
National Gender Policy, including 35% of appointive positions for women
There
are only five female ministers, namely Khadija Abba Ibrahim, Minister of State
Foreign Affairs; Hajia Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, the Minister of State Budget and
National Planning; Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan, the Minister of Women Affairs; Aisha
Abubakar, the Minister of State, Trade, Industry & Investment and Kemi
Adeosun, the Minister of Finance. This pattern is also reflected in other key
appointments.
Generation, transmission
and distribution of at least 20,000 MW of electricity within four years and
increasing to 50,000 MW with a view to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power
supply within 10 years.
The
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has denied
the popular quote attributed to him that he could fix the problem of
electricity in Nigeria within six months.
“I
have heard that I said that electricity problem will be solved in six months. I
have never made the statement. Anybody who has a video of where I said this
should please make it public. The point I made was when I was handing over the
Lekki IPP because we had about 10 megawatts of power there,” Fashola said
during an interview on Nigerian Television Authority Network.
Nigeria
has not achieved 5, 000 megawatts more than two years into the Buhari’s
administration.
Making Information
Technology, Manufacturing, Agriculture and Entertainment key drivers of our
economy
The
oil sector still remains the major driver of the economy. The 2017 budget is
based on expected revenue from oil sales.
Establishing at least six
new universities of science and technology with satellite campuses in various
states.
Another
unfulfilled promise by the APC-led government.
Ensuring timely payment of
retirement benefits for all pensioned senior citizens and creating a poverty
safety net for all aged citizens above the age of 65.
There
are still report of unpaid pensions across the country. The promised safety net
for all aged citizens above the age of 65 remains unfulfilled.
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