New Government Requires N4.1 Trillion To Take Off, Says Oyegun

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Politics Saturday, May 23rd, 2015

By Ganiyu Nasirudeen – The incoming administration from the takeoff, requires a total of 4.1 trillion Naira, expected to be expended on sundry expenses, including oil subsidy payment, arrears of salaries at Federal and State levels and debt servicing, among other key areas.

In the same vein, the Senators-Elect under the platform of the incoming ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have been urged to prepare for tasking tenure as, they may be required to “pass important bills at very short notices”, in view of the critical socio-economic states of the country and urgent attention she requires to salvage it.

National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, made this known Saturday, in Abuja, at a two-day retreat organized by the party, for its newly elected upper legislators.

Speaking on the poor state of Nigerian economy, Chief Oyegun held the Senators would begin to “understand the enormity of the challenges ahead”, when put into perspective the backgrounds such as of the falling oil prices, the unprecedented 60-billion-dollar debt which the outgoing government is leaving for the incoming, the largely depleted Excess Crude Account (ECA), the 60 billion dollars that have been lost in the last four years to crude oil theft (and which are perhaps still being lost as we speak), the need to rapidly create jobs for teeming unemployed youths, enhance the security of the citizenry and improve the economy.

“This is not a lamentation forum, but still, we must tell ourselves the truth about the state of the nation, and the expectations of our people. In fact, to a number of our compatriots, by May 30th, a day after the swearing of our President-elect, all the streets in Nigeria will be air conditioned while electricity will become stable and fuel scarcity will be a thing of the past” the APC National Chairman established.

While admitting the expectations were real, yet said would not happen overnight, hence called on the party’s Senators-elect, to take extraordinary actions to address the “extraordinary challenges” that confronted the nation.

Chief Oyegun observed that the incoming President, more than anyone else, needed the support and cooperation of the 8th National Assembly to fulfill his campaign promise to Nigerians.

“You may be required to pass important bills at very short notices. This will not be unprecedented but will require a buy-in to the programmes of the President and the Party and a willingness to work with him and the party for the benefit of all Nigerians. The demands on you will be tasking, but you are up to the task!

“Unparalleled commitment, uncommon patriotism, unprecedented hard work and indeed a reservoir of your innermost strength will be required, as our party takes the centre stage in the next few days and begins to implement its programmes for the benefit of the long suffering people” Chief Oyegun stressed.

As Chief Oyegun expressed delight on number strength of the APC in the 8th National Assembly, he reminded the Senators that all eyes would be on the party, as well as people expectation “to see if our government will walk its talk in terms of running a lean and effective government, one that eschews waste, corruption and indiscipline and one that will harness the nation’s human, material and natural resources for the well-being of the people”.

He asserted that there was no magic wand to make the country’s economy better overnight, stating that the realities on ground, some of which he listed would be a long and tortuous process, adding that bold decisions would need to be taken and this could only be possible “if there is a synergy among our party, the National Assembly and the President”