Nigeria's Vision 2020: Fact or Fantasy

By

Prince Nwaokugha Ikeokwu

princenwaoku@yahoo.com

 

 

The concept of national development is perceived in all ramifications as a spiral growth in the economic, social and political life of any nation at a particular period. It is worthy of note that while the advanced nations of the world like America, Britain,  e.t.c are striving harder to consolidate on their already improved technology, the developing nations are struggling to break even, with specifications as yardsticks.

 

It is pertinent that Nigeria‘s roadmap of joining the league of leading nations is a topical issue that has dominated the polity, with stakeholders trying to initiate actions. From the look of things, it has become a Herculean task to differentiate between positive and negative initiatives in Nigeria as previous efforts to achieve targets have always been a conspiracy within a cartel to achieve a private goal with our collective patrimony.

 

Road maps like: Vision 2000, 2010, 2015 and 2020 are projections used by the government to give hope to the citizens about its short, medium and long term measures to improve the welfare of her citizens. Hardly had any administration come on board without a virgin plan professionally packaged to ease the agonizing pains of the masses, although these plans which come with great expectations are found to be more active on papers than in implementation.

 

In the moral sense of it, there is nothing wrong in planning or setting a target as it is glaring that he who fails to plan has planned to fail. Nigeria including the rest of our developing partners is no exception as they are preoccupied with goal setting. One thing is to set a goal; another is the achievement of the set goal. At this juncture, it is pertinent to retrospect our antecedents as an insight into flaws of the past, as leverage to achieving the vision 2020 target.

 

Despite the regional politics of the 60’s where political parties took on the identity and ideology of each region, ever then, there had been institutional framework lunched in different fora.  These include the Obasanjo’s Universal Primary Education (UPE), Operation Feed the Nation (OFN). Gowon’s Economic Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (3R’s), Shagari’s Green Revolution, Babangidia’s Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), Mass Mobilization for Self Reliance and Economic Recovery (MAMSER) and Directorate For Food, Road and Rural Infrastructure (DFFRI.) Abacha’s Vision 2000. Obasanjo’s Universal Basic Education (UBE), National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) and  Millennium Development Goal (MDG).

 

A critical review shows that these programmes, though similar despite the differences in nomenclature, had the potency of transforming our economy into a global force if they were properly implemented and consolidated, but one thing that is visible among these programmes is the “Pull-Down syndrome”. In as much as overriding vision remains a panacea to country’s greatness, it is worthy of note that no country can advance when there is inconsistency in her policy formulation and implementation, which is common in Nigeria as no administration will want to execute the programmes of his predecessor, which invariably should be cost effective and result oriented. 

 

No doubt that Nigeria, a leading nation in Africa is blessed with abundant human and material resources including our foreign Reserves which could propel our economy to a global force before 2020, but the fundamental questions remains: achieving vision 2020 on what basis?  Do we desire a technology driven economy or a consumer nation. How committed is the government in reducing poverty through employment generation, promoting entrepreneurship development and ensuring a conducive environment in which business will thrive?  What about corruption and poor economic management which remains a component in our national underdevelopment.

 

Obviously, becoming one of the most vibrant economic by 2020 goes beyond the disbursement and spending of the monthly allocations by the 3 tiers of government without the diversification of our revenue base rather them depending on oil economy.

 

Recently the federal government announced its short term measures to import rice from Thailand to cushion the effects of the recent global food crisis. While some applaud this initiative, most Nigerians are skeptical about its implications, especially to our local industries. Nigeria’s GDP from agriculture currently, stood at 42% with 92.377 million hectares suitable for agricultural activities, unfortunately less than half is cultivated..

 

In the recent past, education sector, the bedrock of every developing nation and the hope of future generation has been engulfed by numerous problems.  The University Lecturers had gone to court to seek redress, while secondary and primary school teachers embarked on industrial action to press home their demand, which propelled government to intervene after several weeks. This invariably portends a gloomy future to the younger generation.

 

The transport sector which acts as a conveyor belt to increase our GDP is in state of coma. The existing roads are not motorable due to poor maintenance; the rail which is an alternative to the already overstressed road network is not functional,

 

Also the development of rail was not provided for in the 2008 budget. Despite previous administration’s vision on rail modernization, which necessitated the award of $8.3 billion contract to China Civil Engineering Corporation yielded no result, as the contract was inflated by about $5.8 according to the media report. Also the Senate Public Hearing on Transport revealed that over N120 billion was spent on rail from 1999-2008. While the air; the fastest means of transport has not got rating either, as aeroplane bigger than a story building could take-off and disappear into tin air without solution.

 

In the petroleum down stream sector, the refineries are operating below the required capacity as the country still depends on imported fuel, the fertilizer plants are dead. The country’s vast gas resources remains unexploited and more than 90% of associated gas is being flared despite the 2008 deadline given to the Multinationals by the National Assembly. The solid minerals like salt and iron ore which could be exploited in commercial quantity for foreign exchange are still imported; the ones exploited contribute as low as 40% to the GDP.

 

No nation can achieve greatness amidst insurgency and insecurity. The restiveness in the volatile regime of the Niger Delta is capable of truncating Nigeria’s Vision 2020 roadmap if not properly controlled; this has sent wrong signals to our prospective foreign investors. In the recent past there have been furious agitations from the region that the government should be more proactive in the implementation of the region’s master plan already designed by the previous administration or refer back to the recommendations of the Willinks Commission of 1958. Well, thanks for the creation of the Niger Delta Ministry which is a welcome development to the people from the coastal region.

 

The energy sector which remains a vital force to the growth of any economy is in shambles, waiting to be resuscitated. Billons of dollars expanded by the previous administration on power have not improved the situation. Our economy is generator driven, which escalates the cost of operation.

 

The Yar’Adua’s led administration has adopted 7 point agenda to transform our economy for better, but there are insinuations that with the pace at which the government is moving, her agenda might not be achieved, let alone vision 2020.That as a Chemist he ought to react promptly to problems, while others are of the view that he is still studying the mired problem inherited from his successor.

 

How long do we continue to pay lip service to the development of our dear nation? What Nigerians need at moment is action. In guiding against the pitfalls of the past, it is important to identify our national interest and build our core values around it. There should be a total disconnect between factional and national interest. There is need to pursue measurable targets and ensure continuity in the implementation of our economic policies. The National Assembly should include a clause in the constitution that will facilitate continuity of some national socio-economic policies. 

 

For the nation to realize her dream of 2020 all efforts must be geared towards overhauling the entire system, starting from reorientation of our values, poor economic management and corruption, enforcement of policies to adequate security of lives and property. Infrastructural development like road network, electricity and so on should be place as priority

 

It is high time we realigned our foreign policy by looking inward to a situation where an average Nigeria is sure of shelter, food and affordable healthcare services. Government should strengthen local industries and improve the standard of education for a brighter future. Above all, the plight of those who produce the wealth of the nation should be put into consideration to avert hostility and restiveness. The anti-graft agency should be properly reinforced to discharge its statutory responsibility without fear or favour to reduce corruption to the barest minimum. If all these are properly addressed, the road to achieving our vision 2020 project is assured.

 

 

 

Prince Nwaokugha Ikeokwu

 

National press Centre,

 

Abuja.