By Adnan Mukhtar Adam TudunWada
When President Muhammadu Buhari choose to appoint himself as petroleum minister, it was followed with series of praises that it was a good decision by the president, he is capable and clean to head such a ministry that was tagged as corrupt and the main source of Nigeria’s revenue.
During the administration of former President Jonathan, the Nigeria’s oil sector was so dirty and the most corrupt sector, therefore President Buhari sees himself as the only person capable of the ministry so as to bring the surgical changes needed.
What draws my attention of writing this piece is as a result of the lingering fuel scarcity since after his assumption into office and no any development in bringing this to an end, fuel is a necessity as we use it in our day to day activities, the price of commercial bus and other commodities will rise, oil is one of the necessities of humans in this 21st century, we use it in our generator because of the lack of constant electricity in the country, we use it in our cars, Keke napep, grinding machines etc therefore this problem should come to an end.
Your Excellency as Nigerians are suffering more especially with long queues in our filling stations, Nigerians like me cannot endure such a long queue and that’s why I hardly go to the filling station because of the injustices of its operators, I prefer fueling my companion motorcycle with black market oil despite been causing problems to my caperator, I still manage with it to avoid waiting on the long queue under a heated sun
The fuel scarcity still persists and is worsening day by day, it seems like the minister of petroleum cannot do the job this time around because of the mess done by the previous government, things have fallen apart as every sector is not left behind, the minister of State petroleum who doubles as group managing director of the NNPC Dr Ibe Kachikwu has been making unfulfilled promises on the said matter. Nigerians are optimistic on the government of President Buhari, we have been exercising patience but it seems we are about to be pushed to the wall, the fuel scarcity and the long persisting queues in our filling stations are disheartening and should therefore come to an end by the Honourable Minister who doubles as President of the country, it is an embrassment to the president over his failure of not solving this problem for over seven months when one considers his experience in the oil sector.
When President Buhari appointed himself as petroleum minister, i was one of those people that are chanting praises on his decision to do that going by his track record in the oil sector, he has been head of petroleum trust fund under Abacha and the petroleum minister under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. With this record of experience in the oil sector no one will doubt the competency of the President as petroleum minister, he has an extensive knowledge in the oil sector. It is now his duty to solve and bring an end to the lingering fuel scarcity, he should prove to us his experience and competency in the oil sector and if he cannot do it, he should resign for the interest of Nigerians.
If the president cannot combine his job of a president and minister of petroleum, then he can appoint a resourceful and competent person as the minister, if he likes he can promote Dr Kachikwu who also doubles as group managing director of the NNPC to a full minister
One of the reasons why I am calling for Buhari’s resignation is because of the constitutional question of whether the president is allowed to combine two job at the same time, it is impossible for him to be summoned by the national assembly on any misgivings that might arise and to supply information that will help to settle the minds of Nigerians, he should therefore appoint someone that will be available and accountable to Nigerians through the Federal legislature, media and the civil society.
On the issue of the economy, the president should as a matter of urgency appoint people with deep economics knowledge as members of his economic team like during the administration of former President Jonathan where he appointed economic guru’s and experts as members of his economic team, the unveiling of some federal executive Council members as members of the economic team should not stand, economic team is comprised of people with deep economic knowledge, people that will iron out economic issues by proffering solutions to them, issue of the economy should be handled to experts and allow those members of the Federal executive council to concentrate in the activities of their respective ministries, an economic team should not be seen like a forum.
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Adnan Mukhtar Tudunwada is a youth activist based in Kano