Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, on Tuesday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute a team of experts in economics to advise him on how best to tackle core economic issues confronting the nation.
He sais such experts would address the raging debate for devaluation of the naira, as well as X-ray the implications of other economic actions the administration.
Anyaoku, who spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, as chairman of the launch of former Ambassador Olusola Sanu’s Memoirs entitled: “Audacity on the bound, a diplomatic odyssey,” however, reiterated his call on the president not to devalue the naira.
“I wish to restate my view that the case has still not been convincingly made that devaluation of the naira in our present circumstances will truly serve this country’s national interest.
“President Buhari should stick to his anti-devaluation position, but should also urgently appoint a team of acknowledged experts in economics to advise him objectively on how best to tackle Nigeria’s current economic crisis, including the implications of devaluing or not devaluing.”
Anyaoku bemoaned that his call for a restructuring of the federation into six regions had continued to fall on deaf ears underscoring lapses in the existing architecture.
He said a regional system would ensure maximisation and utilisation of the nation’s natural resources and faster development.
“I have persistently called for the restructuring of the present government architecture of 36 states to ensure a federal structure of six regions. If it is our vision to achieve greater political stability; we are to ensure faster development through effective maximisation and utilisation of our natural resources,” he stressed.
Citing excerpts of Ambassador Sanu’s Memoir, Anyaoku noted that the presidential system provided the leeway for politicians to corruptly enrich themselves.
He stated: “Nnamdi Azikwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, laid the foundation for the development of their respective regions. The parliamentary system, which they operated, gave little room for massive corruption which obtains today. The new generation of politicians have exploited the presidential system to operate a system that has become a drainpipe of the treasury. It is hard to believe that we now operate a system, where we have more than 3,000 advisers in federal, state and local government.
“States that have little or no Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) have over 30 advisers, senior special assistants and assistants. The shape of Nigeria is evident in the fact that even the chairman of a local government operates the presidential system at an entitlement. They have Chief of Staff, Chief of Protocol, Press officer and so on. The result is that 30-40 per cent of our annual budget is spent on maintaining the structure. If you calculate the amount of money we spend on transport and travelling, we will be spending almost half of our budget on non-productive sectors of the economy.”
Anyaoku, in his eulogy, described Sanu as one of Nigeria’s brightest administrative officers in foreign circles, who retired with a legacy that real success in one’s endeavour hinges on hard work and service.
He regarded Sanu’s memoir as an instructive material and corpus of knowledge for current and intending diplomats.
“Ambassador Sanu was an epitome of punctuality and one of the brightest administrative officers in Nigeria’s foreign circles. Suffice it for me to say that I believe that this memoir is a must read. It is an instructive material for the present and future generation of Nigerians.
“Ambassador Sanu’s memoir depicts for serving and future diplomat a legacy of a brilliant career as Nigeria’s ambassador in some of the key cities of the world. He was a successful international negotiator of trade and commercial relations between the European Union and fortified African, Carribean and pacific countries.
“He has a legacy of an effective peace builder internationally as Nigeria’s private special envoy to Sudan. This memoir leaves a legacy of demonstration that in every man or woman’s life, real success in any endeavour comes from hard work and good service.
“Nigeria’s diplomacy will be richer for it if all our experienced and retired diplomats decide to put pen to paper in writing their memoirs. From the corpus of knowledge in such memoir, there will certainly be no dearth of information on the country’s diplomatic circle. The memoir not only tells us about the diplomatic career of Ambassador Sanu, but depicts the character of Sanu to speak truth to power.”
A former president of the country, General Yakubu Gowon, who was special guest on the occasion, acknowledged the exemplary performance of Sanu while serving as a diplomat.
Gowon added that Sanu, like him, was concerned about a united Nigeria.
Ambassador Sanu’s memoir is made up of 516 pages of 21 chapters.
Book Reviewer, Ambassador Oladapo Fafowora, said the book underlined Sanu’s public career, spanning six decades, critical foreign policies and his contributions in Nigeria’s diplomatic circles.
Some guests on the occassion were chairman, Erin Energy Corporation, Dr Kase Lawal, who was Chief Launcher; the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji; the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, represented By Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed.
Others were chairman, Transition Committee which heralded the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Ahmed Joda; the Alani of Ido-Ani, Oba Olufemi Olutoye; chairman, Edwin Clark Foundation, Ambasssador Akporode Clark; a diplomat and a former Minister of Petroleum, Chief Philip Asiodu.
Credit: Tribune (Nigeria)
