TheCable

Good Governance and Transparency Initiative (GGAT), a socio-political group, has given President Muhammadu Buhari a pat on the back for his development plan for Nigeria.

The group said Buhari/APC’s ‘Next Level’ policy document unveiled on Sunday is an indication that Nigeria is surely heading for the desired level under the current government.

Emerald Nzeribe, coordinator of the group, made this known during a press conference on Monday.

The group said with the Next Level policy document, Nigeria is really now on the path to full recovery and growth, after several years of plundering by previous governments.

“By June 2010 Nigeria had over $42 billion in our foreign reserve account, fast forward to May 2015 same account had been depleted to $28 billion,” he said.

“This happened during the period that we had the highest oil prices ever. We had all the opportunity in the world to save, but we did not. Rather we depleted our reserves further in the midst of unprecedented revenue. Oil prices rose to as high as $147 a barrel yet we had no savings or infrastructure to show for the kind of revenue that accrued to the country at that period.

“That is just a glimpse of where we were coming from as a nation. When the Buhari administration came in oil prices dropped to as low as $26 a barrel but that will be no excuse for them. They went ahead to complete several projects that the previous government started but abandoned because funds that should have been allocated to such critical projects were rather diverted and siphoned into private pockets.

“Such was the level of profligacy and wanton stealing by the previous party in power. By May 2015 several states owed many months of salary arrears, even some federal government agencies and parastatals also owed salaries. That was how bad things were when this government came to power in May 2015.

“Insecurity; Over 14 local governments were under the control of Boko Haram, hoisting flags, collecting taxes ruling over those territories. Bombs were going off in many states of the federation including the FCT.

“Today all 14 local governments have been liberated, Boko Haram have been decimated and reduced to carrying out soft target attacks, as they no longer have capacity to carry out such massive audacious attacks like they did pre May 2015. The bombings have stopped. The age long Farmer- herders clash has been reduced drastically and the government of Buhari is moving to have it resolved once and for all.

“Corruption, one of the biggest plagues bedeviling our nation has been dealt a great blow under the buhari government. Before now it was a free for all under the last government. Money for security being carted away, oil subsidy scam, the alleged $2.1 billion withdrawn from CBN and shared for election purposes, it was just too much. This was the reason why Nigeria had no savings despite unprecedented revenues rather we even went a borrowing, accumulating debt in the midst of massive earnings.

”President Buhari seems to have turned the tide, under Buhari In the last three and a half years; the EFCC has secured over 210 convictions amongst them two former governors. Over 800billion Naira has been recovered. More than 400 properties have been confiscated. Indeed corruption has been dealt the kind of blow it has never been dealt in the history of our country.

This has been achievable because of the character of the people in charge now. Everybody knows it is no longer business as usual. You cannot discuss any form of business help with the president let alone cutting a deal with him. Leadership is about leading by example. They (Mr President and his Vice) have led by example. The President and his vice President have distinguished themselves like we have never had it before in this country.

“The Next Level policy document is clear and concise on the way forward for the country. The document lays out in clear terms its plan to tackle unemployment in the country, through the continuation and expansion of the several social intervention programs of the APC government.”