By Festus Ogunseitan
Against all the achievements recorded by the new administration of Nigeria, the only criticism from the opposition was on its love for loan-taking. It is only good governments that take loans for visible development like the road rehabilitation projects across the nation; new road inlets like the Badagry-Sokoto highway, which is a first in history, the development of waterways and the blue economy and creeks in the South-east, and also the international tubes and railways for better trade relations.
The improved financial status of the state governments speaks volumes of his achievements, so much that there is no single state governor that is not thinking or planning to convert to APC as all state responsibilities are being met on citizens.
On education, students are now better financed through increased loans and bursaries as it was in the Awolowo free education program for indigent students. All federal government colleges of science and technology FSTC are now on free study fully paid up to increase the numbers and quality of science based graduates in Nigeria and to give them incentives after school to serve the government in building the economy technologically.
As for the working class and labor, the approval of minimum wage has improved life condition for workers so much so that this is the administration in decades that enjoys relatively peaceful relations with labor.
The building of refineries and creating an end to petroleum scarcity. Power improvement by liaising with foreign bodies and making a working environment better to earn ppms and to boost power generation etc. All the states that refused to take loans were so poor and in disrepair till date like Sokoto and Taraba.
Loans are necessary tools for development for serious and direction-driven governments and that there is absolute end to corruption. He derived these from his tenure as State governor in Lagos state where he met a budget of 14.2 billion naira per annum and built it through loans and active engagements to 400 billion naira per year which is a record no African nation can build.
Jonathan during his tenure directed all PDP governors to learn from Lagos state. It was based on that that all the powerbrokers in Nigeria went to him to help Nigeria to become what Lagos became. To cap it all, he has paid for the principal IMF loan pending since decades of corruption.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Please note this article is an opinion piece strictly that of the writer and that The Alvin Report does not necessarily share these views. Thank you
