Fashola: Jonathan Has Nothing More to Offer

Fashola: Jonathan Has Nothing More to Offer

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Monday said the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan had nothing more to offer the country taking cognisance of several promises it made, but could not fulfill.
The governor, however, explained that the president and his team could no longer offer the country anything, not because his administration “is unwilling, but simply because it has given up all it has in its disposal.”
He expressed the view at the Women in Business (Wimbiz) conference held at the Eko Hotels in Victoria Island, noting that the country “is not transforming if transformation means to change for the better.”
At the conference, the governor said: “I know we are not transforming if it means to change for the better. I know we have lost opportunities for growth. I know it is not because this government is unwilling.
“But I believe this government has given all it has. He has nothing to offer. I know the promise of the country is not a mirage. It is achievable, but this slogan of transformation is not the vehicle to take us near where we desire.
“As long as our resources cannot be accounted for, as long as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) still owes all levels of government for crude oil sold and receipt unremitted and as long as revenue to state and local governments are diminishing monthly, I remain convinced that we are not transforming.”
Fashola also criticised the transformation document which the Jonathan administration authored, noting that the document detailed the policy and programme that “will be delivered by the administration.”
He explained that part of the promise made by the president was “to provide more power in the earliest possible time and set a target of 16,000 megawatts which he said it would be achieved by 2013.
“He promised to rehabilitate all the existing power generation, distribution and transmission assets to give a minimum of 6, 000 megawatts of electricity; complete all the National Independent Power Project (NIPP) aimed at producing 4,000 megawatts of electricity by 2012 and annex alternative sources of energy such as coal, wind and solar to generate an initial 13, 000 megawatts of electricity,” he added.
The governor also pointed out that Jonathan’s transformation programme “is yet to give residents power, the super highways that previously help us to connect each of the states and others. Tire manufacturers are relocating to other states, what did we contributed to address the issue. The transformation ambassadors said that all is well with the country. They have the right to say so.”
Fashola, however, disagreed with the ambassadors because the number “does not add up. Yes the transformation ambassadors have taken over the media space, but in the irony of fate, they overlook the fact that we need power supply to listen and watch them explain the transformation in the country.
“How many of us are they talking to? So who is listening? In this transformation, a section of the country is under siege and thousands of lives were already lost. Over 200 girls are missing and we are yet to be found them. I respect the right of the ambassadors of transformation agenda.
“I expect them to respect my own view. I know we are not transforming if it means to change for the better. I know we have lost opportunities for growth. I know it is not because this government is unwilling.”
Fashola, therefore, said the choice of electing a new president for the country “is imminent as very soon we will have to make choices. Before we make our choices, it is important we make our choice wisely.