AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
Mr. Olugbenga Leke Oyewole, former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Ebele Jonathan on Maritime Services, has advised the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to ensure that his administration places premium on development across the six geo-political zones of the country.
If this is done, Oyewole said that the incoming administration would be able to warm itself up to the hearts of the suffering Nigerian masses who voted for opposition parties in the last general elections.
In a personally signed statement titled, ‘Honest agenda for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,’ made available to journalists on Tuesday, the ex-SSA, said that Tinubu must prioritize economic development, security and a robust anti-corruption drive.
In a bid for remarkable impact, he advised that the president-elect should immediately shop for six visionary Nigerians with impeccable character from the six geo-political zones of the country to act as Presidential Liaison Officers for the zones with clear-cut roles and responsibilities.
The statement read in parts that “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our President-elect, you have all that you need as the President of Nigeria to do all that Nigerians want from a responsible government.
“Your Excellency, please shop now for six visionary Nigerians with impeccable charactersfrom the six geo-political zones as Presidential Liaison Officers for the zones. It should be partof the responsibility of your Transition Committee to design their roles and responsibilities.These roles should revolve around the strengths of each geo-political zone and how the zonescan contribute maximally to the well-being of its residents as well as the overall development ofNigeria.
“For example, the South-South can be saddled with the immediate establishment of six Nano-Refineries with 25,000 barrel refining capacity each per day. The money needed to dothis is about $800m. The government is currently contemplating sharing $800m with some families as palliative against subsidy removal, please beg them to keep this money for a moremeaningful purpose.
“Similarly, the Northern zones can be stimulated by solid mineral resources. Zinc, Lithium,Copper, Cadmium, and Lead are basic requirements of battery production. Refineries for thesesolid minerals and battery production plants can be set up across the North to meet nationalalternative energy requirements and the emerging global electric car battery demands. Gold andother precious metals are also in abundance in Nigeria, but past governments have not beensensitive to this sector.
“All Local Governments should be compelled to acquire a minimum of 50,000ha for diverse farmproduce, the entire Sambisa forest could be a big national farm and not a terrorist hideout. Letthe South-West ensure that raw Cocoa is never exported again but Chocolate pastes, Cassavamust be exported as starch for the pharmaceutical industries, and there should be a valuableaddition to all exports from Nigeria to create jobs and increase foreign earnings as a matter ofnational policy. Hides and Skin industry, Bitumen, Palm Oil, Iron Ore, Coal, etc are availableendowments to Nigeria amongst others resources.
“The states and the regions should be allowed to use a large percentage of their earnings
for local developments. Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Solid Mineral, Transportation, WaterResources, etc. can all dissolve to the states and the regions to lighten the centre. This is a sureway to stimulate healthy regional economic competition, increase foreign earnings, crash theDollar – Naira disparity, lower the cost of commodities, and guarantee food security.”
On security, he said, “We need to improve our data acquisition system and its availability foruse by relevant agencies. Sir, political concessions and compromises should neverextend to national security.
“Your Excellency should considerautomating the entire civil service, procurement processes, and electioneering system tobecome a champion President. We must have identification numbers, as Nigerians, that properly tell who we are; Nigerians in the diaspora should be able to vote, payments due into the Federation Account should truly be validated by systems in place, oil theft should become a thing of the past, maritime activities and landings at our ports should be detailed on autonomous platforms for appropriate Dues, Charges, Levies, to the maritime agencies, etc.”
