ASO ROCK WATCH: Of Buhari’s excuses and chilling massacre of Nigerians by terrorists. Two other talking points

Wallowing in excuses

On August 10, President Muhammadu Buhari found fresh reasons for the never-ending Boko Haram insurgency in North-eastern States.

While speaking during a meeting with North-east Governors’ Forum (NEGF), at the State House, he asserted that the persistent presence of the terrorists in some States of the North-east were due to lack of resources, including the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic which has worsened the situation.

The President had said: “We have problems of resources and security. You know what we inherited. The people of the North-East will appreciate what this administration has done.”
“I assure you that the government is doing its best. Lack of resources has hit us very hard,” he added.

President Buhari has a right to reel out excuses – if considered appropriate – for the failure of his administration to rid the North-east of terrorist attacks. However, having promised security as a cardinal agenda during his presidential campaigns, and given his reputation as a disciplined military officer, the least citizens expect are excuses.

Puzzled Nigerians are, therefore, eager to have Mr President address the following questions:
1. What constitutes lack of resources?
2. Did the pre-COVID-19 era witness better progress at the war fronts?
3. Why is the Boko Haram war festering and bandits conducting chilling massacre of defenseless Nigerians?

While the presidency seeks answers to some of these questions, one that it should prepare well to deal with is the one billion dollars he approved, on April 4, 2018, for the procurement of assets to fight insecurity in the country.

Buhari would silence all critics if he, working through relevant offices, lays bare the details of what the government had expended the money on in the fight against terrorism and bandits.

Aligning strategies and deploying resources to guarantee protection of lives and properties remain the minimum expectation of citizens. Dumping failure on the altar of excuses is to concede that the blood shed by innocent Nigerians amounts to nothing.

Two other talking points

On US visa ban

While receiving the report of the Committee on Citizen Data Management and Harmonization, chaired by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbosola, in Abuja, on August 11, President Muhammadu Buhari stated that the country was making meaningful progress to reverse the United States of America’s suspension of the issuance of immigrant visas to Nigerian passport holders.

The President said: “I note the progress made by Nigeria towards the removal of the visa restrictions as two out of six areas of concern raised by the United States had been fully addressed, two are substantially satisfied while some progress is being made on the remaining two.”

The then Acting US Homeland Security Secretary, Chad Wolf, had disclosed that the suspension which came into effect on February 21 was the result of “failures by the affected countries to meet American security and information-sharing standards.”

 

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As commendable as the progress report may seem, efforts at fixing the perceived shortcomings in Nigeria’s bilateral relations with the US must not be seen as one intended to please the latter but a deliberate and strategic move to position the country as a responsible member of the global community.

Suffice it to add that this is one efficient way to earn or attract mutual respect in the conduct of international relations.

It behoves Mr President to challenge his team to erase the remaining hurdles in the way smoothening visa restrictions imposed by the US. Let it be seen that this issue was fixed because Nigeria realizes it is the right thing to do and not because America wants it so.

Consuming everything Nigerian

President Buhari, on August 13, harped on the need to enforce local content in the country’s drive to enhance its productive capacity. He did so during the virtual commissioning of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), tower in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State.

The President had said: “I believe strongly in local production and patronage of our goods and services as one of the surest ways to empower our citizens and give them viable opportunities to excel in their chosen professions and business endeavours”

The President’s charge on local content policy is one that must be pursued with vigour and supported by the political class across all divide.

Paying lip service to the policy as was the case in the purchase of several vehicles for members of the House of Representatives is the height of hypocrisy. But they are not guilty alone!

Questions have also been raised as to the sincerity of the presidency itself in the execution of the policy. From all indications, it does not look like the presidency will jettison medical tourism anytime soon. And, are they not also guilty of throwing the country’s borders open to all manner of foreign imports, ranging from cars, clothings, furnishings and even edibles.

One thing is sure, until the President rises above the terrain to lead by example and drive local content enforcement, the Nigerian story will remain the same.

By John Chukwu…

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