Nigeria’s system may collapse -Jonathan

Written by Dipo Laleye, Minna Tuesday, 27 July 2010

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan on Monday warned that “unless Nigeria retraces its steps and takes the right steps very soon, the system will collapse.”

President Jonathan was particularly concerned about the high level of corruption, illegal acquisition of wealth and non-payment of taxes by Nigerians; issues he argued could lead to the collapse of the system.

In a message to the 4th National Diaspora Conference, which opened in Minna, Niger State, he said that Nigeria could not continue to deceive itself when the country was not producing but depending on imports for its day to day needs.

“We must pay our taxes and stop relying on petrol money,” President Jonathan said in the address read by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed.

“Change is a must, the time is up” he added, stressing that, “Nigeria is genuine; Nigeria is not fake; those who are not genuine, those who are fake will definitely be shown the way out.”

President Jonathan challenged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of “doing things correctly” so that foreigners could be attracted to the country, adding that without the necessary environment, “the brightest brain will be an idol of sympathy.”

In his response to the criticism that had greeted the plan by the government to celebrate the nation’s 50th Independence, President Jonathan said the country had every cause to celebrate because “we have survived despite our diversities and we should celebrate our survival.”

He urged Nigerians in the diaspora to join the government in revamping the nation, saying that what they were able to do in a foreign land should be done at home for the overall growth of the national economy and the country in general.

Niger State governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, in an address, observed that over $10 billion was remitted to Nigeria annually by Nigerians in the diaspora, saying with the situation, it was possible to float diaspora bonds “as financial tool to bridge the financing gaps in the country.”

Aliyu told the banking sector in the country to take advantage of the ongoing banking and financial sector reforms by the Central Bank of Nigeria to sanitise its operations so as to earn the confidence of Nigerians in the diaspora.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora, Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in a goodwill message delivered at the event, said a bill providing for the establishment of a National Diaspora Commission had been passed by the House.

She added that the bill had now been sent to the Senate for similar action before it would be sent to the president for his assent.

Dabiri-Erewa stated that the proposed commission, when established, would not be bogged down by bureaucratic bottlenecks of the ministry as it would, to a large extent, be made autonomous.

A communiqué is expected at the end of the conference on Wednesday.