Acting
President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday secretly travelled to London in the United
Kingdom where he held a meeting with ailing President Muhammadu Buhari.This is
coming as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) holds tomorrow. The Acting
President presides over the Council.
Details of
the unannounced trip were not made known at press time by officials of the
presidency.Osinbajo had earlier attended the Presidential Quarterly Business
Forum which held in the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The venue of
the two leaders’ meeting in London was not disclosed, but a tweet by Senior
Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande on his handle last
night indicated that Osinbajo met with President Buhari in London and was
expected to return to Abuja immediately.
“Acting
President Osinbajo meeting with President Buhari in London today (yesterday),
and returning to Abuja immediately afterwards,” the spokesman tweeted last
night. Buhari had two months ago travelled to London for an undisclosed medical
follow-up with his doctors in that country.
The
development has continued to heighten the political atmosphere in Nigeria with
uncertainty surrounding his date of return.At the Presidential Quarterly
Business Forum held in Abuja, yesterday Osinbajo assured Nigerians of an
expected turnaround in the economy in the next 12 to 18 months with renewed
government focus .
According to
him, the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is poised to deliver on the
promises it made to the people.The acting president, who said government had
identified critical areas to deal with and was working hard on providing
solutions, stressed the need for a synergy between the government and the
private sector with a view to moving the country to a higher pedestal.
“When Mr.
President launched the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (EGRP) sometime in
April, one of the things that he emphasised was the fact that we have made up
our minds as to where we are going.
“We have the
discipline to be able to do so, but this is a complex environment, it is a
complex economy and I think that we must trust the government.“ I have said it
repeatedly that in some sense, we are fortunate to have a leader like the
president who, at least we know, is straightforward and honest, and committed
to ensuring government money is spent the way it should be spent, and that
people don’t do what they like.
“To that
extent, I think we have the right environment at least in terms of government
discipline to be able to deliver on the promises that we have made. We say to
the private sector that we have enough willing and able partners.”
According to
Osinbajo, “There is no way we can ever be perfect. I mean government is a
behemoth where there are so many problems and issues. But do not doubt for one
moment our commitment to ensuring that we are able to deliver on the promises
that we have made.
“I believe
very strongly that Nigeria will turn around. I have no doubt in my mind that if
we are focused, even in the next 12 to 18 months, we will certainly see a
turnaround. I want you to join us in being able to ensure that this happens to
the Nigerian economy.”
While noting
that commitment must come from both the government and the private sector, the
acting president explained that what government had done was to “identify
certain critical things that must be done. We know that there are certain
things that if we do them, they will move the nation forward.
“Those
things include stabilising the macro economic environment, energy sufficiency,
power and petroleum, improving transportation infrastructure and achieving food
security. On each of these items, certainly progress is being made, and of
course, fighting corruption, controlling government expenditure, controlling
leakages and all of that.”
Earlier,
Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had stated that government could not provide
essential services, attributing the situation to the lean size of the budget.
Adeosun explained that Nigeria’s budget which is six percent of the Gross
Domestic Products (GDP), is the lowest compared to that of its peers in
Sub-Saharan Africa, and one of the lowest in the world.
“Our budget
size is too small and that means we can only pay salaries in some cases. We
don’t have money to deliver essential services. There simply isn’t enough money
in government to do what government wants to do.”
According to
her, not enough tax is being paid in the country. Fielding questions from State
House correspondents after the meeting, Vice Chairman, Mainstream Energy
Solution, Ismaila Isah Funtua said that government must increase electricity
tariff if it must have uninterrupted power supply in the country.
He said that
the electricity generating companies (GENCOs) declined to speak openly at the
meeting with Osinbajo because they believed that serious decisions could not be
taken at the forum. “We asked for a private meeting where serious decisions
could be taken. Whether government likes it or not, they have to review the
tariff of power in this country.
“This is my
cell phone, you pay for it even before you make use of it. And nobody is
controlling their tariff, they charge what they want and all of us we have at
least one cellphone.“Therefore, government needs to do the needful. If
government wants power, then they cannot continue subsidising for people.”
The Managing
Director of Egbin Power Plc, Kola Adesina, expressed regret that the country
was celebrating the generation of only 4,000mw. According to him, “A nation as
great as ours should not be celebrating 4000 megawatts. That is ridiculous, to
say the least. So, everyone of us, the public and private sector, must get down
and ensure that we rapidly grow the system, that value chain. We must ensure
that we steadily grow to the extent to enhance availability of supply to our
people.”
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