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Jonathan Midterm Report: Nweze Analyzes The Good And Bad

An economist and Professor at Pan Atlantic University, Austin Nweze, has said that President Goodluck Jonathan’s call to score his midterm performance is baseless, stating … Continue reading Jonathan Midterm Report: Nweze Analyzes The Good And Bad


An economist and Professor at Pan Atlantic University, Austin Nweze, has said that President Goodluck Jonathan’s call to score his midterm performance is baseless, stating that he did not make clear what his goals were at the beginning of his administration.

While speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, the professor said that there no performance metrics to use in measuring the how well the president has done in the past two years.

Mr Nweze implied that President Goodluck Jonathan did not plan before getting into power, an attribute he said is typical amongst African (and by extension) Nigerian leaders.

He said they are usually caught up in a struggle for power and forget to plan for it.

He also said in measuring the performance of the present administration; one has to consider both the fiscal and monetary aspects of the governance.

Corrupt Oil Industry

Mr Nweze also hinted at corrupt and unprofessional practices in the crude oil industry in Nigeria, describing it as a ‘huge mess’.

“If you are familiar with what goes on in the industry, you will feel sorry for this country and how the main source of national revenue (is run)… there’s huge corruption in the system,” he said.

He said that if the current administration can regularize the abnormalities in the sector, it would be recorded as a major plus. “If they are able to clean that up, that’s a huge plus,” he added.

He implied that majority of the contractors who do business at the federal level of government buy bids from ‘friends’ who have ‘connections in Aso Rock.

Markets For Farmers

Speaking on the report as regarding the level of the nation’s over-dependency on crude oil, which has reduced from 100 percent to 70 percent, and is now focusing on Agriculture as well, Mr Nweze said that government is putting in some ‘good thinking’ in the sector.

He however said the government needs to create a ‘holistic national strategy’ if the sector is to move from sustenance production to commercial production; after which exportation can be achieved.

He disclosed that Nigeria has over 79 million acres of arable land; a figure which surpasses that available in Thailand, the major exporters of cassava in the world.

He added that Thailand controls over 70 percent of the cassava market.