Buhari deserves accolade for bringing Nigeria this far — Saulawa
Alhaji Ibrahim Abdo Saulawa is the chairman, States Coordinators’ Forum, Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) and BSO Coordinator, Katsina State chapter. In this interview, he spoke on many achievements of the present administration under President Muhammadu
Your group vigorously campaigned for the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari. Now, nearly two years in power, do you think you really made a good investment?
In fact, my personal view and assessment of the present leadership in the country under Muhammadu Buhari is that he has performed very wonderfully well because of the nature of government he inherited.
Let me say that when President Buhari took over in 2015, virtually there was nothing left in the federal government’s treasury. He met nothing on ground, except debts. And we know that our main source of income is crude oil. When he came into office, the crude oil benchmark at that time was around 35 dollars per barrel and government had to use 27 dollars to produce each barrel of oil in Nigeria.
Also when President Buhari took over, vandalization of oil installations in the Niger Delta became the norm with attendant setback in oil production.
But despite the odds, however, when you compare this with the past administration under Goodluck Jonathan, you will realize that they even produced about 2.5 million barrels of oil and even more per day.
So, if you look at the way this administration is still paying workers’ salaries among other obligations, you have to give them credit for the feat.
How do you react to the complaints from many Nigerians that things are hard while poverty and hunger stare many Nigerians in the face?
The cause of this recession, leading to the present hardship among Nigerians is the past administration. Really, there is hardship in the country but Nigerians have to exercise patience. So, as far as I am concerned, there is no way you can meet a messed up system and then clean it up in one day even if you are a magician and we all know that Buhari is not a magician.
If you remember, in 1984 when Buhari took over as military Head of State, he met a messed up economy. Many Nigerians suffered but at the end of the day, even before he was overthrown, things became better.
What about the issue unemployment in the country? of
Since the coming of the present administration, it has directly and indirectly employed more than 100,000 Nigerians, including graduates. For instance, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has been employing. Also, teachers have been employed and thirdly, the civil service has equally been employing.
These are beside the countless indirect jobs created through agriculture. Please go to the villages and ask farmers if they would accept any employment in the main stream civil service, they would tell you no because they have been empowered; they are getting added value from their farms.
But I will advise the youths that we should be self-reliant, instead of depending on government employment. Relying on government jobs will not fetch us anything, because after 35 years, you must retire. But if you are a welder or a farmer and you plant cocoa in your farm, nobody will come and remove it, since it is your investment.
Some people say the N5,000 being paid by the APC administration to the vulnerable in the society will not in any way reduce their hardships, what is your take?
The payment is good because it will alleviate the sufferings of the poor in the society, especially those that are not criminally minded. For instance, I saw some youths who benefitted from this payment in Bauchi State, some of them invested the money in buying goats and today, they are into goat rearing business, and I know that within few months, those goats will multiply.
The Buhari administration is being accused of toying with the Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta. How do you think the issue can be resolved?
The Amnesty Programme is on course but you see, many people are misquoting the administration about the programme. Let me say that the Amnesty Programme has gotten the rightful leader in the person of Brigadier-General Paul T. Boroh.
Boroh is doing very well and is reaching out to the right targets, unlike other special assistants to the president on Amnesty Programme. I know that every kobo budgeted for the programme is paid to the former agitators.
However, the problem is with the leaders of the region, who are leading these avengers. One thing I observed is that most of the past ministers, senators and governors in the area have their thugs in the area. I appeal to Mr. President that the amnesty should continue and even upgraded. Many of the former agitators have become self-employed. They are into agriculture, fisheries and other businesses as a result of the programme.