5th May, 2011
As the count down to the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan on 29 May begins, Nigerians have a wish list which appears rather short but if the needs are met it could go a long way in ameliorating their plight. To be able to do that speedily, Jonathan has to assemble a crack team for his new cabinet, a team hungry to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
Since Jonathan appears to have a clear idea of the problems that have beset Nigeria for decades, such as very poor electricity supply, bad roads, decaying educational and health institutions, lack of commitment to agricultural revolution, etc., he should be able to come up with policies that would address these problems. He should then thrust the policies on technocrats that have a track record of performance whether in the public or private sector. Jonathan should invite Nigerians in the diaspora who are experts in various fields to join his government so that they could put their services at the disposal of Nigerians for the good of all.
It would be a costly mistake for Jonathan to pick dead woods or recycle those who no longer have anything to contribute to national development because they are members of the Peoples Democratic Party. Appointment of new ministers should not be limited to PDP members alone. The current bickering within the PDP over who should be appointed ministers is most unfortunate and uncalled for.
Allowing sycophants to have a field day in his emerging government will be his greatest undoing. They will not tell him the true picture of what is happening across the country and this will give the president a false sense of performance whereas the reverse is the case.
Again, as President Jonathan picks members of his team, he should put round pegs in round holes for optimum performance. We want a situation where an expert who has a thorough grasp of what it takes to turn around the dismal and very embarrassing electricity supply situation to man the ministry of power. Same for the works ministry as well as the health, education and agriculture ministries.
Nigerians need an inspiring leader. They also expect so much from President Jonathan in terms of providing them minimum comfort citizens of other nations take for granted. And what is this minimum comfort? Regular electricity supply, good roads, adequate water supply, food, medical facilities, etc.
With a crack team and a clear cut agenda to revitalise the nation’s economy, President Jonathan could bring about the change Nigerians desire so much. A five-point agenda bordering on turning around the power supply situation, agriculture, health, education and infrastructure would enable Jonathan to be more focused and run a purpose-driven government in the next four years so that at the end of his tenure, Nigerians could point to some of his concrete achievements.
President Jonathan should avoid the pitfalls that dogged the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo for eight years. These pitfalls, one of which is corrupton, left Obsanjo with nothing to show for all the hundreds of billions of naira he sank into the nation’s economy.