Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo
The National Economic Council, made up of the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and 36 state governors, has despite public opposition, endorsed plans by President Muhammadu Buhari Government to sell some national assets due to the current economic recession in the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, said in a statement that the sale of national assets was one of the recommendations of the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma (SAN), during the National Economic Council meeting yesterday.
Other recommendations, he said, included the diversification of the economy and the use of recovered loot.
The statement added, “the President’s Economic Management Team is working on plans to generate immediate larger injection of funds into the economy through assets sale, advance payment of licences renewal, infrastructural concession, use of recovered funds etc. to reduce funding gaps; and implementation of fiscal stimulus/budget priorities.”
Civil societies and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), as well as some opposition politicians, including the deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu are against the move.
The NLC had threatened to resist any attempt at selling the national assets. But did not disclose how it intends to stop it.
However, in separate statements yesterday, the NLC Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, condemned the advice given by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi and Aliko Dangote as selfish and not in the national interest.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said government’s investments in the LNLG and Joint Venture oil upstream operations were profitable and should be preserved for the future.
He said: “It is on record that dividends, in excess of $1bn, have accrued annually to the national coffers from the gas company over the past 12 years. These calls are more worrisome when one considers the history of sovereign assets divestiture in the past. Where are the proceeds from sales of the assets in the power sector for instance?
“With the benefit of hindsight, it is obvious that these assets were distributed to favoured individuals and surrogates of the ruling elite without any appreciable benefits to Nigerians.
The TUC on its part labelled those clamouring for the sale of national assets as enemies of Nigeria.
What Checkpointcharley understands is that those in support of sale are those in power or near the corridors of power, who are posturing to buy such national assets at give-away prices, using proxies and cronies, as happened in the sale of NICON, NITEL etc.
I call on Nigerians to do all to resist the proposed sale. It will only benefit predators, who call themselves leaders.
cpcnews.org 