PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday said that
his administration has never arrogated to itself all knowledge or attempted
to play God either in action or by pronouncement.
According to him, Nigerians should always bear
in mind that the federal government never ever felt shy to seek advice,
consider dialogue or seek positive compromise, saying that some selfish and
self-centered persons always capitalise on situations to cause mischief by
trying to portray the administration in bad light.
Chief Obasanjo who stated this while
inaugurating an Independent Consolidating Committee for Cushioning Measures
on the Fuel Price Increase at the Presidential Villa Abuja, explained that
it is a well-known fact that �we will be irresponsible to forget the future
and the successor-generation�.
He pointed out that, Nigerians need to
understand that only a bad father thinks of himself while alive and not of
his off-spring, adding that in doing that such a father will be seen as
wicked and irresponsible.
This administration, he said, has taken tough
decisions on privatization and deregulation of the down-stream sector of the
petroleum industry, pointing out that although it is agreed that the
decision would cause some temporary hardships on the people generally, there
is however, an assurance that benefits derivable from the measures would be
there for all to enjoy.
�We believe that tough decisions must be taken
when necessary, but must also be mediated with cushioning measures as
necessary,� he said, advising the committee members to collate, harmonise
and coordinate measures that would be agreed to bring about short term
relief and medium term positive impact on the effect of high oil prices.
Chief Obasanjo who stated that the present
administration has the mandate of Nigerians to guard and protect their
interests, guide and influence these interests, assured that government is
ready to listen.
Leadership, he added, is not just about power,
strength, courage, efficiency and effectiveness, but it is also about
compassion, dialogues, vision, mobilization and spirituality, assuring that
government is committed to these qualities.
The president further explained that most
leaders in the world who had been reformers were misunderstood, unfortunate
not by strangers, but mostly by their own people, yet those misunderstood
had in the end been lucky to be vindicated, while others had not been so
lucky.
In his remark, the committee chairman, Senator
Ibrahim Mantu, explained that the problem of fuel price increases has
generated recurring crisis that has plagued Nigeria and even threatening its
peace and stability.
When the price of petroleum went up to N40 per
litre, he said, everybody thought that was going to be the final adjustment,
pointing out that, since it was not so, there is something wrong with the
policy of deregulation.
Senator Mantu therefore, promised that the
committee will look for ways to effectively cushion the effects on Nigerians
so that the oil boom could become a blessing to Nigerians and not otherwise.
Members of the committee are
Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Austin Opara, Kaduna state
governor, Alhaji Ahmad Makarfi, ministers of finance, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, and that of women affairs, Obong Rita Akpan.
Others are the ministers of labour and
productivity, Dr. Hassan M. Lawal, Inter-Governmental Affairs, Special
Duties and Youth Development, Mr. Frank Nweke (Jnr.) as well as Information
and National Orientation, Chief Chukwuemeka Chikelu.
Also included are Economic Adviser to the
President, Prof. Ode Ojowu, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji
M. Yayale Ahmad, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Engr. Funsho Kupolokun,
and National Coordinator, Poverty Eradication Programme, Dr. Magnus Kpakol.
In the committee also are the D-G Small and
Medium Enterprises of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mrs. Dupe Adelaja and five members
representing labour-three from civil society and two from NECA.
The rest included Special Adviser on Civil
Societies, Engr. Muhammad Abba-Gana, Chairman NACCIMA, Chief Maduako,
President National Council of Women Society, Dr. K. Nwakafor, representative
of Youth Council of Nigeria, Mr. Ben Dutoye and President, MAN, Engr.
Charles Ugwu.
Others are representatives of Nigerian Guild of
Editors, Mrs. Angela Agoawike, President of Senior Civil Servants
Association, Mr. Olaitan, Prof. Yusuf Obaje and Ibrahim Mosuky (NIREC).
The permanent secretary, ministry of labour and productivity
will serve as the committee�s secretary.
