These are extremely trying times for everyone in this nation. Hard and difficult times for the rich and the poor, the mighty and the lowly. The Presidency is battered daily and on all fronts. Governments – federal and state – are condemned and even cursed by citizens daily. Life is hard, becoming too expensive and highly unsafe everywhere. Scarcely any oasis of rest or refuge. So, I sat down and reflected. At my age and given my experience in politics, suppose I am the President today, what will I do?
First, I will with humility ask the House of Representatives to convert my planned meeting with them to be a meeting with both houses where I will give an address on the state of the nation.
Before the scheduled meeting I will do the following:
- I will retire ALL Service chiefs.
- Retire or remove or redeploy all officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces, above the ranks of Brigadier, that have had any roles to play in commanding or related position in the war against BOKO HARAM Insurgency.
- Appoint and install new security chiefs and field commanders to prosecute a new offensive against insurgency.
- Call for a highly-confidential retreat of all former security chiefs from 1999. Some civilians should also participate. These must include Senator Ndume, Gov Nasir el-Rufai and former Governors Ali-Modu Sherrif and Ibrahim Shettima. This retreat should be a form of private Truth Commission and also to explore possible options for victory.
- Personally embark on some diplomatic shuttle to France, Cameroon, Niger and Chad. The war against Boko Haram cannot be won without 100% cooperation and active participation of these countries.
- I will appoint 3 Special Duties ministers in the Presidency. (A) Special Supervising Minister for INTERNAL SECURITY. Covering Insurgency, Banditry, Kidnapping and Cultism. (B) Special Duties Minister for SOCIAL WELFARE. (C) Supervising Minister for the ECONOMY.
7. I will withdraw the national budget and rejig it fundamentally
I will cancel all non-essential and non-critical capital projects and drastically reduce running and overhead costs in government. To achieve this, I will rely on the services of highly recommended consultants not the civil service. All money saved from this exercise will be diverted to a special subhead for the newly-created department of social welfare to directly benefit the poor, the needy and the economically-disadvantaged in the nation.
- I will begin a process of reducing the staff strength of the civil service and government parastatals by 15% yearly for the next 3yrs. Parameters for this will be carefully worked out and affected person be compensated financially through the instrumentation of the National Pension funds and amendments to existing extant laws guiding retirement and compensations in the civil service.
- I will immediately kickstart and institute an accelerated process for police reforms. Also, I will in consultation with the national assembly initiate the bill for accelerated passage of State Police.
- I will include in the new reviewed national budget a grant of N1 trillion to be allocated and be disbursed to the more than 35 million registered SMEs in the country on the condition that all aspiring recipients must employ at least 1 additional staff. It may be 2 or more and grants be given will be based on capacity of the enterprises and their prospects.
Banks, insurance companies, oil majors, private enterprises who engage substantial number of new graduates (e.g. for Banks a new staff enrollment in a year of 3000 graduates and above should qualify for between 5 to 10% tax rebate in the year under considerations) will qualify them for negotiated tax rebates with the FIRS.
All the above suggestions and more from other sources are achievable in record time. Whenever there is a will, always there will be a way.
May God bless, strengthen and increase the wisdom of Mr. President and those who rule over our affairs in this nation.
It is not too late to save Nigeria.
*Okupe is a former presidential spokesman.
