On-the-news-of-nigeria-being-the-fastest-growing-economy-in-africa-under-the-16-years-of-pdp-federal-administration-a-hoax-intended-to-deceive
September 7, 2020 | News
ON THE NEWS OF NIGERIA BEING THE FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY IN AFRICA UNDER THE 16 YEARS OF PDP FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION - A HOAX INTENDED TO DECEIVE
With the evident fact that the current administration of President Muhammadu Buahri has been a target for all kinds of criticisms, by a gang up of ‘corrupt politicians’ and their fronts to resist the President’s anti-corruption war to free Nigeria from the ‘mind-boggling carefree corruption’ at all levels of government that existed in the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidency, we are not surprised with their usual claim that Nigeria was the fastest growing economy in Africa during the PDP era in Aso Rock. But any well-meaning Nigerian who is very conversant with the happenings in Nigeria’s socio-economic and political landscape within that period and now, knows that such a claim was, and is still aimed at deceiving the Nigerian populace. As we all know, Nigerian Politicians, particularly the corrupt stock of that PDP 16 years era, are always ready to say anything to make themselves look good in the eyes of the public. But majority of Nigerians know better.
Who do they think they are trying to deceive with this trickery of a claim? What were the parameters that were used to measure and justify this claim? Mind you, it was during the latter years of the 16-year-period of the PDP that Nigeria experienced a ‘monumental increase in revenue from oil and gas exports’ when global oil price was over a hundred Dollar per barrel. Yet, our then political leaders, rather than divest the Nigerian economy and invest in mass basic infrastructure and in sectors like agriculture, maritime, mining, industrialization, etc., they preferred to stuff their private pockets/accounts to satisfy their insatiable greed with public funds, which they regarded as “free money”. It was during the immediate past government under Jonathan that Nigeria witnessed supposed public leaders who abuse the demands of their office with their reckless lifestyles, indiscriminately printing and spending money with impunity, following a lot of shut-cuts rather than encouraging hard work and discipline in public service, etc. The massive and unrestrained looting that took place during the 16 years of the PDP Federal Government administration, would take years to address. Even the insurgency and guerrilla warfare in the country, especially in Northern Nigeria, will remain difficult to end because the people the nation’s Security agencies are fighting against are living within/amongst the people in disguise. They are stationed in any particular location. That is why the terrorist situation in different part of the world is also difficult to end. So, those criticizing the current government under Buhari should take note of this fact, and realize that it is not as easy as they paint it.
So, while this is not a blame game, neither are we trying to exonerate the Buhari administration from not doing somethings to try and address these myriads of problems, but it is important for us to understand the ‘realities’ that brought us to where we are as a nation.
Take the unemployment situation for instance. Though, this has always been a major problem in the country for decades now, but it was made worst during the 16 years of the PDP-led administration. It was during this period that big multinational oil giants like Shell (SPDC) divested their huge oil and gas investments onshore, especially in Delta State – leaving thousands of Nigerians unemployed. Then there is the non-functional Warri Sea Ports that has rendered the once commercial oil city of Warri a ghost of itself. In fact, some of the big known companies that folded up or relocated out of Nigeria under the PDP-led 16 years administration include: Kaduna Tiles, Iwopin Paper Mills, Jebba Paper Mills, NEPA (Privatized and 1million jobs lost), Nigerchin, Michelin, NGC, Leyland Motors, Oku Iboku Newsprint Paper Mill, Anamco, Volkswagen, Dunlop, Bacita Sugar, Nigeria Airways, NMT, Oshogho Steel Rolling Mill, Nitel, Nigerian Shipping Company, Dicon, Alcon, Nafcon, PAN, etc. in all, about 38 million Nigerians were said to have lost their jobs during this period. All of these happened during the 16 years PDP-led Governments, and not during the Buhari administration.
The insinuation that companies were withdrawing their investments from Nigeria because of President Buhari’s war on corruption as a result of Nigeria being corrupt, is wrong and unfounded. Shell (SPDC) and other companies listed have started divesting, folding up and relocating as they case may be, long before President Buhari came in. so, I disagree with this old propaganda and the subject claim, which some critics of this government have resurfaced/recirculated to try and justify their blind argument. The blunt truth is that the unemployment situation in the country was caused and made worse by the then PDP administration and not President Buhari, as some critics who are obviously paid to write against the Buhari administration, are trying to make Nigerians believe. But we should ask ourselves, was it President Buhari that caused Shell (SPDC) and other companies to divest and or relocate out of some States and even out of the country? Was it President Buhari that caused the close up/fold up/relocation of companies like Dunlop, Michelin, PAN, Volkswagen Plants, etc.? Was it President Buhari that created the confusion and crises in the nation’s Power Sector, especially in Power Distribution, with a supposed Privatization exercise? Obviously not!
The saddest part is that these politicians that partook in the destruction of the Nigerian economy in that 16 years of the PDP-led Governments, are today, trying to come back into Government. The question is, what exactly are they coming to do?
Agreed that some Nigerians are disappointed with the President Buhari-led APC Government with its CHANGE Agenda, especially in the area of governance and politicking, which they have not performed and lived up to the high expectations of Nigerians in general, but this is obviously as a result of the ‘Nigerian Factor’ – which we have discussed at length before now. But the fact still remains that the problems we see today in Nigeria, were created/caused by the PDP-led Governments in the last 16 years, hence it is unreasonable to expect President Buhari to address all of them within four years. There is no magic that he can perform to address these issues affecting the Nigerian populace within the few years he has been in office.
So, the subject claim is all book talk. The Nigerian economy was never growing under the PDP era. All they were doing was to spend public funds carelessly to pay foreign consultants that would fabricate unrealistic statistics just to boost the Nigerian economy image under their era and deceive the populace. But in actual sense, they did not achieve anything other than enrich themselves. What is growing an economy that is ‘generator-driven’? What is growing an economy that does not produce any commodity of international standard and foreign consumption? What is growing an economy that is dependant on only oil and gas exports? Is that how the South African economy was grown?
Nigerians should stop talking about a booming economy under the PDP era without the ‘evidence’ to justify the realities on ground. All these are cooked up and exaggerated figures that are placed online to entertain public readers/researchers. We do not need an expert, or the World Bank and IMF to tell us things about our country. The facts and realities are there glaring at us. a growing economy is not hard to know. Everybody knows the United Arab Emirates (UAE) economy is booming because you see places like Dubai and Qatar with their impressive tourism, trade and commerce industries. Nigeria is nothing but a “consuming nation” that is importing nearly everything it uses to survive. While it exports its natural resources, including internal meetings and workshops to places like Dubai, which is the speciality of PDP leaders.
If one should visit any known grocery store in the UK or US, one will see Made In South Africa commodities displayed in their counters for sale. But one cannot see anything displayed that is produced/Made In Nigeria. Yet, some people are excited to read the fake news and circulate same on social media - of Nigeria being the fastest growing economy in Africa under the 16 years of PDP. What growth are they referring to when the nation’s Power sector was sold to fronts/companies that do not have the capacity to run them? A country that only exports crude oil/natural gas and then imports refined petroleum products and other products/goods manufactured from petroleum resources; is that how a fastest growing economy should be? These so-called Nigerian experts just sit down and post nonsense data online to entertain readers and researchers. The bottom line is that the PDP 16 years in Office was a disaster.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes
With the evident fact that the current administration of President Muhammadu Buahri has been a target for all kinds of criticisms, by a gang up of ‘corrupt politicians’ and their fronts to resist the President’s anti-corruption war to free Nigeria from the ‘mind-boggling carefree corruption’ at all levels of government that existed in the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidency, we are not surprised with their usual claim that Nigeria was the fastest growing economy in Africa during the PDP era in Aso Rock. But any well-meaning Nigerian who is very conversant with the happenings in Nigeria’s socio-economic and political landscape within that period and now, knows that such a claim was, and is still aimed at deceiving the Nigerian populace. As we all know, Nigerian Politicians, particularly the corrupt stock of that PDP 16 years era, are always ready to say anything to make themselves look good in the eyes of the public. But majority of Nigerians know better.
Who do they think they are trying to deceive with this trickery of a claim? What were the parameters that were used to measure and justify this claim? Mind you, it was during the latter years of the 16-year-period of the PDP that Nigeria experienced a ‘monumental increase in revenue from oil and gas exports’ when global oil price was over a hundred Dollar per barrel. Yet, our then political leaders, rather than divest the Nigerian economy and invest in mass basic infrastructure and in sectors like agriculture, maritime, mining, industrialization, etc., they preferred to stuff their private pockets/accounts to satisfy their insatiable greed with public funds, which they regarded as “free money”. It was during the immediate past government under Jonathan that Nigeria witnessed supposed public leaders who abuse the demands of their office with their reckless lifestyles, indiscriminately printing and spending money with impunity, following a lot of shut-cuts rather than encouraging hard work and discipline in public service, etc. The massive and unrestrained looting that took place during the 16 years of the PDP Federal Government administration, would take years to address. Even the insurgency and guerrilla warfare in the country, especially in Northern Nigeria, will remain difficult to end because the people the nation’s Security agencies are fighting against are living within/amongst the people in disguise. They are stationed in any particular location. That is why the terrorist situation in different part of the world is also difficult to end. So, those criticizing the current government under Buhari should take note of this fact, and realize that it is not as easy as they paint it.
So, while this is not a blame game, neither are we trying to exonerate the Buhari administration from not doing somethings to try and address these myriads of problems, but it is important for us to understand the ‘realities’ that brought us to where we are as a nation.
Take the unemployment situation for instance. Though, this has always been a major problem in the country for decades now, but it was made worst during the 16 years of the PDP-led administration. It was during this period that big multinational oil giants like Shell (SPDC) divested their huge oil and gas investments onshore, especially in Delta State – leaving thousands of Nigerians unemployed. Then there is the non-functional Warri Sea Ports that has rendered the once commercial oil city of Warri a ghost of itself. In fact, some of the big known companies that folded up or relocated out of Nigeria under the PDP-led 16 years administration include: Kaduna Tiles, Iwopin Paper Mills, Jebba Paper Mills, NEPA (Privatized and 1million jobs lost), Nigerchin, Michelin, NGC, Leyland Motors, Oku Iboku Newsprint Paper Mill, Anamco, Volkswagen, Dunlop, Bacita Sugar, Nigeria Airways, NMT, Oshogho Steel Rolling Mill, Nitel, Nigerian Shipping Company, Dicon, Alcon, Nafcon, PAN, etc. in all, about 38 million Nigerians were said to have lost their jobs during this period. All of these happened during the 16 years PDP-led Governments, and not during the Buhari administration.
The insinuation that companies were withdrawing their investments from Nigeria because of President Buhari’s war on corruption as a result of Nigeria being corrupt, is wrong and unfounded. Shell (SPDC) and other companies listed have started divesting, folding up and relocating as they case may be, long before President Buhari came in. so, I disagree with this old propaganda and the subject claim, which some critics of this government have resurfaced/recirculated to try and justify their blind argument. The blunt truth is that the unemployment situation in the country was caused and made worse by the then PDP administration and not President Buhari, as some critics who are obviously paid to write against the Buhari administration, are trying to make Nigerians believe. But we should ask ourselves, was it President Buhari that caused Shell (SPDC) and other companies to divest and or relocate out of some States and even out of the country? Was it President Buhari that caused the close up/fold up/relocation of companies like Dunlop, Michelin, PAN, Volkswagen Plants, etc.? Was it President Buhari that created the confusion and crises in the nation’s Power Sector, especially in Power Distribution, with a supposed Privatization exercise? Obviously not!
The saddest part is that these politicians that partook in the destruction of the Nigerian economy in that 16 years of the PDP-led Governments, are today, trying to come back into Government. The question is, what exactly are they coming to do?
Agreed that some Nigerians are disappointed with the President Buhari-led APC Government with its CHANGE Agenda, especially in the area of governance and politicking, which they have not performed and lived up to the high expectations of Nigerians in general, but this is obviously as a result of the ‘Nigerian Factor’ – which we have discussed at length before now. But the fact still remains that the problems we see today in Nigeria, were created/caused by the PDP-led Governments in the last 16 years, hence it is unreasonable to expect President Buhari to address all of them within four years. There is no magic that he can perform to address these issues affecting the Nigerian populace within the few years he has been in office.
So, the subject claim is all book talk. The Nigerian economy was never growing under the PDP era. All they were doing was to spend public funds carelessly to pay foreign consultants that would fabricate unrealistic statistics just to boost the Nigerian economy image under their era and deceive the populace. But in actual sense, they did not achieve anything other than enrich themselves. What is growing an economy that is ‘generator-driven’? What is growing an economy that does not produce any commodity of international standard and foreign consumption? What is growing an economy that is dependant on only oil and gas exports? Is that how the South African economy was grown?
Nigerians should stop talking about a booming economy under the PDP era without the ‘evidence’ to justify the realities on ground. All these are cooked up and exaggerated figures that are placed online to entertain public readers/researchers. We do not need an expert, or the World Bank and IMF to tell us things about our country. The facts and realities are there glaring at us. a growing economy is not hard to know. Everybody knows the United Arab Emirates (UAE) economy is booming because you see places like Dubai and Qatar with their impressive tourism, trade and commerce industries. Nigeria is nothing but a “consuming nation” that is importing nearly everything it uses to survive. While it exports its natural resources, including internal meetings and workshops to places like Dubai, which is the speciality of PDP leaders.
If one should visit any known grocery store in the UK or US, one will see Made In South Africa commodities displayed in their counters for sale. But one cannot see anything displayed that is produced/Made In Nigeria. Yet, some people are excited to read the fake news and circulate same on social media - of Nigeria being the fastest growing economy in Africa under the 16 years of PDP. What growth are they referring to when the nation’s Power sector was sold to fronts/companies that do not have the capacity to run them? A country that only exports crude oil/natural gas and then imports refined petroleum products and other products/goods manufactured from petroleum resources; is that how a fastest growing economy should be? These so-called Nigerian experts just sit down and post nonsense data online to entertain readers and researchers. The bottom line is that the PDP 16 years in Office was a disaster.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes