Previous govts bastardized the economy – Kingham.
Hon. Ahmadu Rigongsikwe Kingham is the National Coordinator, Tinubu/Shetima Mass Movement. In this exclusive interview with our Correspondent OKERAFOR ATHANATIUS in Jalingo, he accused previous administrations of bastardizing the economy saying there’s no need for the nationwide protest. Excerpts.
Nigerians have scheduled a nationwide protest that will start from 1st day of August, 2024. What is your take on this planned protest?
Yes, and thank you for the question.
It’s the right of citizens to protest when they feel things are not on the right track. But a protest done with an interior motive, sponsored by individuals who are out of government is the type we frown at.
Hon Ahmadu Rigongsikwe Kingham
The way this demonstration is coming, it’s suspected to be conceived by some people who think that they are very powerful and so, my candid advice to the entire Nigerians is that demonstration must not be done that way.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has just added the sum of seventy thousand Naira (N70,000.00) to the salaries of Civil Servants in Nigeria and he has gone working on the economy. And I also want to tell you that President Tinubu has the interest of the citizens of this country at heart. We can’t allow these people that are holding Nigeria hostage to continue to do that by instigating the citizens against the government.
Reasonable Nigerians will not go out for this protest because there are no reasons for the protest.
Are you saying you are comfortable with the way things are going in this country?
I am not comfortable but I have confidence in the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I know that he is working for the betterment of the citizens of the Country.
You can see in Taraba State, Government is distributing Tractors for farmers and the federal government has increased the salaries of Civil Servants in the name of minimum wage. The Federal Government is working, giving grants to citizens, market women and others. Manufacturers are being given some incentives in taxation. So, we should complement Government’s efforts.
It’s their right to demonstrate as I earlier said, but they should have a justifiable reason to demonstrate.
Are you saying that the 70,000.00 minimum wage is enough to correct the wrongs done to Nigerians?
There’s no amount of money that will be paid to civil servants that will be enough. All that will be enough is to have a better economy which Mr. President is working on. If you are receiving the salary of about 70,000.00 and you can not buy anything with it, is that a reasonable thing? If you receive N5,000.00 and you can buy all that you need with it, the Five thousand Naira is ok. So, the thing is not about the salary, it’s about the indices of the economy. The government should work on the indices of the economy for the betterment of Nigerians. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has just introduced loans for the university students and students of tertiary Institutions across the country. Students can just access loans for their studies. These are all efforts by the federal government to make sure that the people are comfortable. The economy has been bastardized by the previous Governments. You remember when Dr. Ngozi Okonji Iweala advised former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan that the way the Nigerian economy or the fuel money has been recklessly handled, that in no distant time, Nigeria Government will not be able to pay Salaries. This was the advice of the former Minister of Finance to the former President. These are some of the effects that we are having now.
Are you pointing accusing fingers at the past administration?
I am not accusing anyone, I am citing examples of evidence of why we are suffering now.
What can you say about former President Muhammadu Buhari‘s administration?
Former President Muhammadu Buhari had his own lapses. There were a lot of things that former President Muhammadu Buhari could have frowned at, he was supposed to have reacted against certain things but he kept quiet. He was always silent. People were recklessly handling our economy, our money, our currency.
Back to the protest. Are you aware that Nigerians are hungry and there’s a saying that a hungry man is an angry man?
Yes, Nigerians are hungry and a hungry man is an angry man but not a mad man.
Are you talking on the basis that you are a core supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shetima?
No, I am talking on the basis that we go to the same market. I am talking of the reality. A situation where I should imagine myself as being the President of the Country.
What is your advice to the common man and common woman in the market?
My advice is, let’s be patient with the government. Let’s use any available resources and opportunity to better our lives. Let’s go back to agriculture. There was a time during administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari when Aliko Dangote was invited for an economic programme. He said, the only way out for Nigeria is Agriculture, Agriculture and Agriculture. There is no other alternative to that and so, let’s go back to Agriculture.
You are asking Nigerians to go back to Agriculture, have made the farms safe for them?
Yes, that’s now my advice to Government. Government should be sincere, Government should provide security at all ramifications. Now that the Supreme Court had provided autonomy to the third tier of government, Government should be sincere, serious about it and provide security for the locals to operate freely. This is because the common man met the local government Chairman first before any other person in authority. And so, if adequate security is provided and the local government Chairman empowered sufficiently, then the common man will have about 70% of his economic recession or predicament reduced.
How can you describe Nigeria as a producing country?
We are in a global recess and one of the physical problems Nigeria is having is that we are not a manufacturing nation. We depend on other global manufacturers to sustain our economy. So, what happens in every part of this country is that we import things that have invariable effect in Nigeria. These are some of the challenges we are having in Nigeria. Government should work on us becoming productive.
One of the problems President Tinubu is having is fighting the Oil Marketers. They are not happy because of the removal of the oil subsidy.
Are you still telling Nigerians not to protest but be patient with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?
There’s no need for the protest. I believe in the administration of President Tinubu and that his Government is sincere, committed to better the lives of Nigerians. I am not comfortable with what is happening but I have confidence in President Tinubu’s Government.
Thank you.
You are welcome.
