By Ikechukwu Amaechi
Published: December 13, 2011
Can President Goodluck Jonathan reclaim the moral high ground in 2012? That is the question that has concentrated my mind in recent times.
There is no doubt that 2011, particularly the second half of the year has become an uneasy year for him.
And that is sad because 2011 ought to be his year of glory. And it was. That is the year that he won election in his own right for the first time. It was even more dramatic because he won election at the highest level – the Presidency. And his popularity was at its peak. Then, it plummeted. Right now, Jonathan is no longer the popular President that was elected in April and sworn in on May 29. The change in fortune was rather dramatic.
As we go into a New Year, the President should ask himself what happened. Nigerians don’t love him less now than when they stuck out their necks to elect him their President. But they are, no doubt, not enamoured of some of his policies. The controversial fuel subsidy removal will ever remain a sour point. It is not only controversial, it is hugely unpopular. The issue is as combustible as oil itself. The President is not helping matters by insisting that there is no alternative. How can the government insist that there is no alternative when it has failed to do what is expected of it?
Removing subsidy, which in any case, is only the cost of corruption in the opaque oil industry is like putting the cart before the horse. It will not work. Even if the government succeeds in ramming the policy down the throat of hapless Nigerians, the bruises will be damning. The scars will be eternal, sad reminder of the high-handedness of the government. This battle is unnecessary.
Nigeria cannot make progressive in an atmosphere of acrimony. In such a milieu, Nigerians would be worst hit. President Jonathan is the only person who can change all this. We need a peaceful 2012. It should be the President’s year; the year he will start governing and not ruling Nigeria as he seems to be doing now. And his job should be easy. Rather than talking down on Nigerians, vowing at every stop to implement a policy that is so controversial, he must initiate a dialogue with Nigerians.
Even if it is true as his government is claiming that Nigeria’s economy will collapse if the subsidy regime subsists, he must convince Nigerians. Rather than projecting the negative, the President must emphasize the silver linings.
Despite the huge challenges, which, truth be told, were not Jonathan’s making, some strides are being made in the energy sector. For the first time in the history of Nigeria, the government has been able to generate 4,000 megawatts of electricity. Granted, when juxtaposed with other countries, even in Africa, that is insignificant, but in Nigeria where a President spent almost $15 billion dollars to generate less than 1000 megawatts, that is an achievement.
Under Professor Bart Nnaji, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), seems to have had a shot in the arm, so much so that the government is assuring that it would fast-track provision of adequate power supply to industrial zones across the country as part of its industrial revolution strategy.
So much is happening in the Aviation Sector where the British Government was compelled recently to eat the humble pie when their mega carriers, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways, were ordered to pay N35,250,000,000 ($235 million) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as compensation to Nigerian passengers for their unfair method of competition, deceptive practices and violation of Nigerian law. Granted, the money has not been paid and may never be paid, but for the first time, Nigeria refused to grovel before British institutions.
In the Agriculture sector, the Minister, Dr. Adeshina Akinwunmi, is doing everything to ensure that the country can feed itself. In an effort at ensuring that Nigerians consu7me what they produce, rather than the insatiable desire for foreign products, he got the international Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan to pioneer the use of 50 percent cassava flour in bread production.
If this policy is given a chance to succeed, the Minister pointed out that over N354 billion would be saved annually by the scheme which, no doubt, will make Nigerian farmers richer. That amount is higher than the N250 billion budgeted for fuel subsidy this year before the greed of the elite pushed it above the trillion naira mark. The President has already confirmed that is the only bread he eats now. Nigerians should follow the laudable footstep.
Why can’t the President seize the initiative and tell Nigerians what his government is doing rather being led into the avoidable crisis that is looming next year?
Nigerians don’t need this crisis. The violence in the land has been condemned by all well-meaning citizens and the President still has the support of the majority of the people who elected him in April. They did not elect him because he was going to solve all their problems. No one government does, no matter how ingenious and resourceful the leaders are. But sincerity of purpose makes all the difference.
Nigerians still love their Ebele Azikiwe, the man who charmed them with his infectious smile in April and still support him, but he must level up with them.
The time to do so is now. The President must reclaim the moral high ground in 2012 if he must come back on track.
