By Mohammed S. Seidu
Yusuf
Alli’s piece titled ‘What becomes of Jonathan’s Women’ and his narrow-minded
and unsubstantiated conclusions and barefaced lies about the performance of
Okonjo-Iweala is indeed only a classic example of how a ‘Managing Editor’ of a
national newspaper should not write.
The
write-up is but an unfortunate representation of the many tired lies and
speculative attacks that have been consistently hurled at the Minister with the
singular malicious objective of dragging her unassailable professional reputation
to disrepute.
But a lie will forever remain a lie no matter how often it is
repeated and many a good natured Nigerians will never cease to rise up in
strong defense of truth especially when it faces abuse by those who it is their
professional duty to protect and defend.
Ordinarily,
a Managing Editor of a National newspaper should be someone who has amassed
several years of experience, understands clearly the defining and central role
that the media plays at forming public perception – for good or bad.
He
should be a person who is at home with the guiding principles of professional
journalism and is aware that he occupies a position that places on him the
onerous responsibility to ensure that what is published stays within the limits
of fairness, equity, justice and truth.
This
in the very least should be the pre-requisite qualification of an editor, and
even more for a Managing Editor.
It
is on this basis that I find it highly disturbing that Yusuf Alli, a so called
‘Managing Editor’ could publish damaging conclusions about a respectable figure
like Okonjo-Iweala that are not based on proven facts.
It
is the height of unprofessionalism for a person of such media standing to
resort to citing rumors, lies, gossips and unsubstantiated facts peddled by disgruntled
individuals to malign the integrity of the Minister. Such a tendency by one so
highly placed speaks to either a sad combination of crass ignorance and
incompetence or just plain deceit that is anchored on a penchant to misinform
the public.
Considering
the position that Yusuf Ali holds, I am strongly inclined to believe his case
is not ignorance or incompetence but that of a deliberate ploy to deceive and
misinform Nigerians. And my reasons are simple.
If
not plain deceit why would Yusuf Alli still be throwing up the long settled
matter of the alleged missing $20 billion? How could a Managing Editor of a
national newspaper like the Nation not know that this issue has been settled
and rested?
Is
he so overwhelmed with spite that he has lost track of current events? Is
he not aware of the PwC audit and the Senate Committee report which have
attested that there was no $20billion missing?
But
of course, Yusuf Alli is not simply ignorant of these facts, they just do not
help his objective which is to malign the person of Okonjo-Iweala.
That
is the only reason why he has deliberately elected to play deaf and dumb and
throw them up as facts. Thank God, Nigerians know better and are not as
vulnerable as Yusuf, his paymasters and their minions would want them to be.
For
the many Nigerians who our editor friend intends to mislead, I will yet again
re-state the facts to set the records straight once again. The issue of the
missing $20 billion started when the then CBN Governor now Emir of Kano Mr.
Sanusi alleged that as much as $49 billion was diverted by the NNPC.
He later reviewed the amount to $20 billion.
The Senate Committee on Finance chaired by Senator Makarfi conducted an open
probe into the matter which the former CBN Governor also participated and
eventually established that no money was missing as alleged.
However
to put the matter to a definite rest, it was the Minister of Finance,
Okonjo-Iweala who suggested the appointment of a reputable international
accounting firm to conduct an independent audit of the accounts of NNPC.
PriceWaterHouseCoopers (PwC) was eventually contracted and they have done their
work and submitted their report stating clearly that no $20billion is missing.
PwC only asked the NNPC to refund to the treasury, the sum of $1.4billion and
this has also been long done.
With
all these facts in the public space, it is curious and suspect that the
‘Managing Editor’ would still be fronting the outlandish claim that under the
watch of Okonjo-Iweala ‘about $20b oil cash could not be accounted for’.
If
an ordinary reporter, an inexperienced journalist were to do such a job, we
could excuse him for immaturity but for a ‘managing editor’, it is shamefully
unfortunate and suggestive of an unholy agenda.
The
likes of Yusuf Ali should know that as much as they hate to admit,
Okonjo-Iweala has already written her name in gold on the economic landscape of
Nigeria. This fact cannot be obliterated by their many lies.
Contrary to what
they never tire of projecting, her name is in no way connected to any existing
‘financial sleaze’ that she will have to clear.
She
has conducted herself creditably well and has in very tough working conditions
kept her name and her reputation which after over twelve years of being under
ferocious attacks remains strongly unassailable.
If
there was any iota of evidence that proves otherwise, her manic detractors like
Yusuf, who nurse an obsessive desire to destroy her would have latched onto it
and dragged her to EFCC or ICPC already.
The
truth is, from the missing $20billion to the missing $30 trillion, these
figures only exists in their creative imaginations and are as empty as air. So
try as hard as they can, they will continue to fail in their evil enterprise.
For
Yusuf Ali to describe Okonjo-Iweala’s performance as ‘‘lackluster, riddled with
controversies, and largely a disaster’ simply goes to show how unprofessional,
unbalanced and base media criticism has sunk.
How could Yusuf ignore the
unprecedented landmarks that dot her years as the driver of the Nigerian
economy as Head of the economic team under Obasanjo and coordinating minister
for the economy under the Jonathan administration?
How
could our friend fail to give due and complete credit to the visionary and
effective coordination of the economy, a consequence of which Nigeria now
boasts of being the largest economy in Africa and the 26thlargest in
the world surpassing not just South Africa (with a GDP of $356 billion as of
2013) but also Austria, Venezuela, Columbia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore?
Yusuf
should tell us what is ‘disastrous’ about the fact that she has supervised over
an economy that is more diversified now more than ever before with the non-oil
sectors overtaking oil as the major drivers of the economy and contributing
even more to the GDP.
Yusuf
Alli should also point out to Nigerians what is ‘lack-luster’ about the fact
that our economy has actually been growing at an impressive average of 7% per
annum in the past four years and is projected to be among the top economies in
the world.
The
arguments that this growth has not impacted the most number of Nigerians does
not take away the positive in the fact that our economy is growing. The
Minister is not unaware of the inequality that exist and has openly admitted to
this trend which is a product of decades long of insipid growth.
However,
growth is a necessary factor for judging our economic well being and to ensure
that more people are touched the Minister has for one being instrumental to the
policies that are meant to stimulate growth in sectors that have the most
potential to impact more Nigerians.
Yusuf
Alli cannot deny the revolution that is going on the Agricultural sector which
has kept food prices relatively stable and inflation at single digit in spite
of the drastic fall of oil prices.
He
cannot claim ignorance of the revival of the manufacturing industry with the
partial implementation of the National Industrial Revolution Plan which led to
the growth of the sector at over 22% in 2013 and now contributes over 13% of
formal sector jobs.
He should tell Nigerians again, what is ‘disastrous’ about
the unprecedented fact that under her watch, our economy has doubled cement
production capacity from 16.9 million tons to 39.5 million tons with Nigeria
now a net exporter of cement.
This
approach of ensuring inclusive has been commended severally by renowned
economists worldwide as an effective strategy which will in the long term
surely build growth on a sustainable basis.
The
setting up of the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Bank and the Development Bank of
Nigeria is a strategic way to ensure that there are strong private sector led
institutions with the financial muscle to power those sectors long term and
cause the unleashing of their economic potentials.
So Yusuf is being shamefully economical with
the truth when he ignores these developments in his prejudiced analysis to
create the impression that the economy is in ruins.
In
addition to these private sector-led institutional measures, direct government
intervention programs like YouWin, GIS, MCH, CSWYE are all hugely popular and
impactful projects which the economy under her watch have promoted.
Thanks
to the brilliant coordination of Okonjo-Iweala, young Nigerians are now being
encouraged via a multiplicity of smartly thought-out and Government funded
initiatives to be their own bosses.
For
instance, the unprecedented Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria
(YouWin) program has so far enabled about 3,900 young Nigerians with bright
ideas and with grants ranging from five – ten million naira to start and run
their businesses.
Tens
of billions have so far been committed to this transparent program where merit
is king and you do not need to know a Senator to win. These beneficiaries are
Nigerians.
The over 22,000 people they have employed are also Nigerians who
have names, locations and businesses and can proudly attest to the fact that
this government and this economy under the strong and competent coordination of
Okonjo-Iweala is working.
Even
in the area of governance and corruption, while it remains a challenge dating
back several decades and over many administrations, Okonjo-Iweala has been
behind the systems-approach to tackling the problem, especially through the
deployment of several electronic platforms, and these have shown good results.
These
are the truths about the performance of Okonjo-Iweala that the likes of Yusuf
Ali do not want Nigerians to know.
But
sadly, the more they try to malign her name, question her integrity and create
this façade that the economy is not working, the more Nigerians are poised to
rise and put a lie to their deceit.
Okonjo-Iweala
has worked hard, stayed strong on her principles and built a strong name and
reputation in the world of development economists. This is a fact that cannot
be challenged or destroyed. The Yusuf Alis of this world should know this and
cease trying.
Mohammed
Seidu writes from Kaduna state where he works as a civil servant.
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