Nelson A.Osuala[ 3 August 2016] 09:09AM
The erstwhile Governor of Rivers state, and incumbent Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi have stated categorically that there was Economic recession during the Goodluck Jonathan's PDP led administration which though was covered up.
He contends that this recession was 'swept under the carpets' by the then Government of the day to which he did not deny was a part and parcel of, having sat as a chair of the Governor's forum during his tenure as Governor of Rivers state.
He argued that the 'Government' rather sort for a more mild word for recession and later came up with one, which is being 'cash-strapped'.
For the purpose of understanding, Recession is a situation in a country where there is high rate of poverty, inflation, mortality rate, unemployment, low calorie intake, budget deficit, inequality ecetra.
Premised upon the fore knoweledge of the above, Mr Amaechi argued that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Okonjo Iweala counselled that it is not wisdom to present Nigeria as financially leprous especially to the international community and investors.
According to the minister of Transport who argued against critics of the Buhari APC led administration, asserting that Nigerians should not blame the present administration for the state of the Country rather should point fingers to the previous administration.
Mr Rotimi Amaechi alluded to the above when in an interview on the Osasu show he was quoted as saying amongst other things that:
“People just pick up words without knowing what words mean. Even under Goodluck we went into recession.
I am one of those who participated in the budget. We looked at what happened in the past and we discovered that actually if recession means three times, we have done more than the three times before we came in.
The difference is that while our government is transparent and open, we are able to admit that, federal government was saying even to me as chairman of governor’s forum, ‘Amaechi, don’t say that again. If you remember as Governor, I said we’re broke.
The minister for finance came to my office in Abuja here and pleaded with me that I shouldn’t say it again. That if I said it, it would affect Nigeria in terms of investment that investors will run away. That I shouldn’t say we are broke.
I should say we are cashed strapped. That was what Ngozi Okonjo Iweala told me. So I knew as chairman of Governor’s forum, that we had gone into recession under Goodluck. I knew as chairman of governor’s forum.
And when I open my mouth to say it, that we are broke, she spoke to me not to say it.”
Reactions:
Should Nigerians continue to embrace Hunger and be silent about whatever state Nigeria is in?
Should the present Buhari APC led administration do nothing and fold her hands and allow the Nigerian Economy to degenerate into depression since she is not directly the cause of the recession earlier experiences?
Come to think of it, Is or Should Nigeria be divided on the basis of party lines?
Is Nigeria a specimen for experimenting untold hardship and recession?
These are some questions begging for answers.
Nelson A.Osuala
Is a Blogger & the Associate Editor of negroidhaven.org
( negroidhaven)
