A Public Affairs Analyst, Patrick Okigbo, has stressed the need for the new Ministers to perform well in their various ministries, saying that the success of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, will determine Nigeria’s future.
Mr Okigbo made the statement on Monday while giving his opinion about the composition of the cabinet inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.
He urged Nigerians to pray for the success of Mr Fashola, pointing out that Nigeria required huge investment in infrastructural development.
Mr Okigbo cited a document put together by the last administration that had a 30-year plan for infrastructural development and said that the document had put Nigeria’s infrastructural needs within the period at $2.9 trillion.
He believes Nigeria has to open up some sectors for investors to come in and fund infrastructure.
“Over the next five years, we need to spend about $125 billion and on average we spend about nine to ten billion dollars every year. We need to up that to an average of about $25 billion every year,” he said.
Remove Subsidy
Mr Okigbo further stressed the need for the government to remove subsidy on petroleum products, but he expressed fears that Nigerians had no trust in their leaders.
He stated that the subsidy regime had been tainted with corruption which should be addressed to gain Nigerians’ trust.
“What we suffer in Nigeria is deficit of trust. We do not trust the government that it will use the money for what it says it will use it for.
“That is why this current administration is in the best position to push forward that issue.
“Nigerians do not believe that some of the money gotten from the subsidy channeled to the SURE-P was used.
“What Nigerians are looking for is a purposeful leadership. If the President continues with the integrity that he has and sets the precedence and the rule, everybody will follow.
“If there is a consequence for stepping out of line, then the ministers will step into line. I believe that they have enough competence to do what they have to do,” the analyst added.
