‘Pay Attention To The Economy’-PDP Tells Buhari, APC

Press Statement

‘Pay Attention To The Economy’-PDP Tells Buhari, APC
……Urges Sustenance Of Existing Economic Projects

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the umpteenth time, urges the
President Mohammadu Buhari-led APC administration, to pay urgent
attention to the management of the nation’s economy.

The party said its worry stems from the fact that the economy has
remained on rapid fall since the last four months apparently due to the
absence of clear-cut fiscal policy direction and an economic team to
deal with the domestic and global challenges associated with a
developing economy.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement on
Monday said “whereas the PDP is in full support of the President’s
efforts in tackling corruption and insurgency, the party is however
concerned about the grave economic situation we now face, as well as
indices from global economic watchers, which this administration has
failed to give deserving attention, despite its predictable negative
impact.

The PDP said as a responsible party, it is duty-bound, beyond politics,
to draw the President’s attention to the fact that under the prevailing
circumstances, the nation is evidently heading to economic doldrums.

“Mr. President, this is no longer about politics and partisanship. It is
about the economy of our dear nation and the wellbeing of the Nigerian
citizens.

“Recall that we have severally in the past, drawn attention to official
reports showing that the unemployment situation in the country as well
as inflation rate are growing at frightening dimensions, not to talk of
the continued decline in domestic and direct foreign investments, all
due to uncertainty created by the lack of economic direction of APC-led
administration.

“The situation has become even of utmost concern following the failure
of this administration to articulate any interventionist policy at this
critical moment, when credible global economic monitors have continued
to predict that oil price may fall as low as $20 per barrel.

“It is worrisome that whilst other countries are taking deliberate steps
to enhance their investment profiles and hedge their economies at this
time, the APC-led federal government has done nothing in that direction,
but has centered on partisan politics and witch-hunt of perceived
opponents, while the economy remains vulnerable and unattended to.

“We caution strongly that this approach to governance is not healthy for
our nation. Indeed, the time has come for Mr. President to end the
apparent lethargy in his administration and take urgent step to set up a
crack economic team of experts to immediately swing into action and
salvage the situation by opening up all economic outlets, which have
been stagnated in the last four months.

“In managing this economy at this time, we urge Mr. President, as the
father of the nation, to look beyond partisan politics and ensure that
the policy frameworks and populist economic projects laid by the PDP
administration, especially in the non-oil sectors are not allowed to
rot, but adequately utilized for the good of all.

“In this regard therefore, we wish to draw attention to various
agricultural projects and programmes established by the PDP, especially
in the northern states, such as various dams and irrigation projects,
the e-wallet financial empowerment system to farmers, associated to the
over 2 million direct farm jobs, as well as the Green Belt project under
Presidential Initiative on Afforestation in Kano and 10 other northern
states, all in line with PDP’s agenda to return the region as the food
basket of the nation.

“The PDP believes that in the interest of millions of Nigerians citizens
who look up to the political class for direction, it is now imperative
on the APC-led federal government to pay deserving attention to the
economy and continue the policy of the past administration of opening
the space for harnessing indigenous potentials.

“Finally, we wish to reassure that the PDP, as a responsible party, will
remain committed to providing credible and robust alternatives and views
to government policies and programmes, in the general interest and
wellbeing of the Nigerian people”.


Signed:

Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary