Review… Top 10 challenges that can make or break Buhari

In from Olumide Olaoluwa

As Nigerians welcome 2016, they are hoping for the best from government. The departed year has been very turbulent for them. They were battered and stretched on all fronts. But ever resilient, they remain hopeful of a better future, and 2016.
If the year will be rewarding for them, they expect government to fix some critical challenges that confronted them in 2015 and previous years.

The success of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will be judged by his ability or otherwise to solve these nagging national problems:

Insecurity/terrorism: There is no doubt this is the most pressing challenge facing the nation. Many Nigerians can no longer sleep with two eyes closed. Banditry, armed robbery and other criminal activities have almost become the norms.
The terrorist activities of the Boko Haram sect have further eroded security in the nation. In 2015, the terrorists were responsible for the death of thousands, as well as the wanton destruction of properties.

Though the Army has recorded significant victories over the terrorists, many in the North East are still living in unspeakable fear and torment. The recent suicide bombings in Adamawa and Maiduguri by the sect prove they are far from defeated as government earlier claimed.

President Buhari will become a national hero if he succeeds in mobilising troops to defeat the terrorists and push them back to the sidelines in 2016 with little or no attacks in the volatile North East region.

Rescue of Chibok Girls: Former President Goodluck Jonathan lost almost all his goodwill when over 290 teenage girls were abducted under his watch on April 15, 2014 at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.

The international outrage that greeted the abduction led to #Bring BackOurGirls campaign that kick started the defeat of Jonathan at the 2015 general elections.

Buhari promised to rescue the kidnapped teenagers but nothing has been heard about them in the last seven months since he took over.

It will not only swell the hearts of Nigerians but also win the country enormous respect and goodwill if Buhari succeeds in bringing back the girls. Though it is acknowledged not all of them can be rescued, getting a fraction of them will write his name in gold forever in the nation’s annals.

Recovery of loots: Much has been said about the anti-corruption stance of the current administration but many Nigerians are bothered that there seems to be too much noise about recovered loots without prosecution of the looters.

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The federal government will do well to successfully prosecute convicted looters and recover the loots from them. The President has declared many have secretly returned stolen funds but it will interest Nigerians to have their names and the figures returned to the national treasuries for the sake of posterity.

Corruption: Closely related to this is the high level of corruption in public offices. Nigerians will be happy to have graft reduced to the barest minimum through conclusive prosecution of corrupt government officials as well as strengthening of anti-corruption agencies.

Unemployment: The issue of unemployment has reached alarming proportion with over 50 million youths believed to be without jobs.

The development is scary for a volatile nation with an army of unengaged and idle youth population. Many of them are easily cannon fodders for violent agitations and terrorist activities. Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, has declared that generation of employment will be the major priority of the administration.

Nigerians will be waiting to see how many millions of jobs the current administration can generate. This will, to a large extent, determine how secured and prosperous the nation will be in the coming years.

Low revenue generation: Falling oil prices and general economic recession have conspired to drastically reduce government earnings in the last months.

The situation means the nation is virtually on its knees economically with governments unable to meet basic obligations and execute developmental projects.

Buhari will have to devise creative ways of stimulating more revenues for government coffers to be able to afford dire developmental and infrastructural projects.

Poor infrastructure: Basic infrastructures across the nation remain either comatose or deteriorating, scaring away local and international investors.

Most federal roads are death traps with daily occurrence of accidents. Hospitals are more or less consulting centres without adequate tools and personnel. All of these must receive surgical attention in 2016 for Nigerians to believe the change mantra of the new administration.

Bad economy: If there is something that touches the nerves so much in the last months, it is the terrible state of the economy. Experts have attributed it to massive electioneering funding that left a big hole in the nation’s pockets.

Others said it is because the new administration has no agenda. The government, on its part, said it inherited a grounded economy with massive looting of public funds.

Nigerians have heard enough of analysis and blame-trading. They want the economy to recover for general prosperity. Whatever it takes, the government must quickly revitalise the economy for Nigerians to make legitimate earnings.

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Currency depreciation: The naira has taken too much battering in 2015. At a point, it exchanged for almost N400 for a pound. A dollar sold for over N270 at the parallel market. This is despite the official pegging of the rate at N199 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This has effectively killed many international transactions and businesses in the country. Nigerians will be glad to see the naira exchange at a lower, competitive rate. Government has to figure out how this can happen. If Buhari succeeds on this score, it will go a long way in fixing the ailing economy, and endear his administration, and political party to Nigerians.

Erratic power supply: Power has always been a big, big headache in the nation. Despite all its potentials, Nigeria currently generates less than 3,000 MW. This is grossly inadequate for domestic, let alone industrial use.

Nigerians want power at all costs. Talks that they cannot afford it are irrelevant. When power is available, Nigerians will more than gladly pay. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Raji Fashola, has a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to earn national accolade should he fix the power challenge.

Buhari, and his party, the APC definitely have their work cut out for them, and Nigerians are already beginning to ask questions, with doubts creeping in, as to what difference the party has made from the previous PDP-led administration, save for the much trumpeted anti-corruption fight.

And the success or otherwise of the party will depend on how Buhari is able to tackle the top ten challenges facing the nation. These challenges could either, expose him as incompetent, making Nigerians regret voting him. Or, they could turn out to assure Nigerians that they made the right choice after all. Time will definitely tell.

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