I had the exceptional privilege of driving a car I could call my own exactly 8 days after my NYSC. This was because I was retained by the institution with which I did my national service.
Within a week of receiving my appointment letter I was paid two years rent-advance. I became an instant big man. This was just about 18 years ago. How many NYSC members find institutions to do their national service today let alone being retained?
But that is not the point.
The point is that from that 1st car, which was a fairly used Nissan Prairie to the beat-up truck which I drive presently, in all those years, from Gen Abacha to Dr Goodluck Jonathan never once has the fuel indicator on my dashboard shows yellow until 2016 under Gen Mohamadu Buhari.
Today I joined a queue at a filling station called Mega Station at Abak Road, Uyo. After spending two hours it was the turn of the guy in front of me to buy Petrol. I was happy that after him, I would buy. But something happened. The guy asked the attendant how much per liter and he said N140. The guy went hysterical. He shouted "so it's for 140 naira a liter that I queued for two hours?
" He slapped the attendant; who retaliated. Before you could say Buhari the man brought out a large club from his car and attacked everybody in sight.
And all scampered to safety. That is the new country we find ourselves courtesy of "change". But it wasn't the fault of the attendant. His attack on the attendant was unwarranted.
But what do you expect in an economy that has turned most people to become prone to overreaction and to attack innocent people.
It is because of this consciousness that I would most respectfully call on the Hon Speaker, Akwa Ibom State RT Hon Onofiok Luke to pardon Mr. Ita Awak (Publicity Secretary of AKS APC) for his tantrum paroxysm which resulted in recent unwarranted attack on the person of the Speaker. Who knows what the Publicity Secretary maybe passing through like every other Nigerian?
According to Mr. Ita Awak, the Hon Speaker had on 29th April, 2016, addressed Young Lawyers’ Forum of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, who had congregated in Uyo for a summit. During the address he mentioned to the lawyers that they should rise up and speak up against "apparent misgovernment" which we currently witness in the country. According to Mr. Ita Awak, the Speaker didn't provide any evidence of apparent misgovernance.
Therefore, he called him a chameleon, opportunist and all what not. And ask the speaker to first talk about Sen Akpabio and the Tropicana project before he can comment on Buhari's government. My dear readers, is that how bad we have become in our socio relationships in this country? Is there no more truth? Reading through Mr. Ita Awak's write up with the above caption it is difficult to see what in that claim necessitate the name calling and insults rained on the person of the speaker except insolence has become the new-normal in our society or Mr. Ita Awak is under intense psychological pressure.
What evidence does Mr. Ita Awak need which would be stronger than the penchant by Mr. President to misinform or under-inform the public on sensitive national issues?
For instance for days back we were informed of about $200billion to be recovered from some persons courtesy of UAE. That is about 40 trillion naira. Later nothing was said about it.
Nigeria recently entered into agreement with China on currency swap. How many Nigerians know what this is all about? The president informed Nigerians that the swap would reduce pressure on the naira and perhaps provide a negotiating platform for better trade and investment concessions with other countries. However, he kept mum about the following:
1. How this would be achieved as long as Nigeria remains an import dependent country.
2. The fact that the swap deal would not necessarily increase forex inflow.
3. And Arising from (2) above, it won't make naira stronger therefore impact on currency pressure maybe neutral.
4. The currency swap does not address the issue of consumer prices which is a result of scarcity of forex and other cost push factors. In effect it may not address inflation.
5. Above all it would make Nigeria to be heavily China dependent. Considering the already existing trade imbalance in favor of China, Nigeria industrial future is bleak.
Ok let's say this is about under-information. What about other pressing issues?
Who is not aware that the economy is growing negatively. From 4.6% in 2014 we are approaching less than 3% and still reducing. Key factors that should help stimulate the economy like power(electricity) is at its lowest ebb. Even Former Gov Fashola now Minister confessed that his children have developed rashes because of lack of electricity for them to use fan at night. If that's fashiola's children how much more your children and mine and Ita Awak's children. Should we all remain quiet for fear of Mr. President until everybody develop leprosy ("akpamfia")? Ofcourse Mr. President has insisted its not his fault. He has consistently blamed Jonathan for everything.
Fine. But we voted him because he told us he would fix it. What we want to see is leadership by Mr. President in fashioning a simple economic agenda with well defined milestones rolled out which we can all join hands with him to implement with expectation of certain result at each milestone. But so far nothing is in place.
My sister Inlaw returned from the market just yesterday evening to inform me that garri is 3 cups for 200naira. That means one and a half cup of garri sold for 100naira. It has never been worse in the history of this country. Things are going worse and worse each day. Food prices keep skyrocketing. But all we hear are claims that Jonathan's goats ate all the yams in the barn. We are told he is catching them and some are vomiting etc. But where is the vomit? Why are we still in this situation one year after? Is it Jonathan that is holding the budget from being passed 5 months into the budget year?
Early this year ExxonMobil laid off some staff; more companies have done same since then and just yesterday First Bank announced that it was laying off a whopping 1000 staff. All these people have dependants who would suffer, yet they say no one should talk. Dollar is dancing azonto with naira in the forex market.
Yet no one is saying anything. Anyone that speaks is immediately subjected to a barrage of attacks by APC propagandists. In Akwa Ibom APC would immediately introduce a red herring using former Gov Akpabio. Must we all keep silence and die of hunger and deprivation?
Seeing the way things are going Hon Luke used the occasion of his meeting with his professional colleagues to draw government attention and solicited for their support and participation to prevail on government to do something. This is called political participation. Mr. Ita Awak's grouse is that Mr. Speaker uses the word "misgovenment". If this is the word used to describe the present outcome I think Mr. Speaker was diplomatic enough. At least he did not say "bad government". Misgovernment implies mistake in government arising from poor decisions, inadequate persons with adequate technical experience and requisite exposures to support the president, trying to do things all alone without taking professional advice like the terms of agreement signed with UAE etc. Which can be corrected. But somebody has to draw his attention to it.
It is a desperate act to pool wool over the eyes of the public for Ita Awak and his APC to try to mislead the public by making reference to Gov Akpabio and Tropica project instead of addressing the national issues at stake where their party is in charge.
Is Sen Akpabio the president?
Of what relevance is Tropicana to fuel scarcity in the country, inflation, unemployment etc?
Is petrol supposed to be refined at Tropicana?
Is power generation and distribution going to be done at Tropicana?
According to newspaper reports this morning over 26 states would not be able to pay April salary despite areas some were already owing their workers. Does this relate with Tropicana?
As Publicity Secretary to the main opposition party in the state Mr. Ita Awak has every right to raise issues on the state of work at the Tropicana. He should also recognize Mr. Speaker's right as an important member of the main opposition party at the national level to raise concern on national issues. If Mr. Ita Awak has issues about Tropicana and raised it I am sure he would get answers in relation to Tropicana. It is disingenuous to try to confuse people with issues related to Tropicana, a hotel under construction in Akwa Ibom when we are discussing national issues of fuel scarcity, poor power generation and distribution, falling value of the naira, inflation, unemployment, underemployment, none salary payments and mass lay-off of workers, hunger and deprivation that pervades the land under APC government.
Reviewing Mr. Speaker's professionally grounded speech in that meeting, it is clear that Mr. Ita Awak's attack on him was unjustified. I therefore call on Mr. Ita Awak to be man enough to accept his fault and apologize to Mr. Speaker.
By the way Mr. Ita Awak mentioned Sen Godswill Akpabio severally in his writing. I have a word for him. Hon Onofiok Luke is one of the youngest Speakers in this country. That is one of Sen Akpabio's legacy in human development. Akwa Ibom also have one of the youngest Senators in person of Bassey Albert Akpan. That also is courtesy of Akpabio. If Ita Awak and APC cannot celebrate Sen Akpabio's infrastructural legacies let them celebrate his human development achievement which include an ongoing free education program.
-James Abang Writes From Atte-Okiuso Village, Urueoffong/Oruko.
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