The All Progressives Congress on
Wednesday in Abuja unfolded a seven-point cardinal programme that
would ensure that electricity generation hit 40,000 megawatts within four to
eight years of its leadership.
The party, in a 31-page
manifesto, which was presented to Nigerians listed the other components
of the cardinal programme as war against corruption, food security,
integrated transport network and free education.
Others are devolution of power,
accelerated economic growth and affordable health care.
According to the party, the
programme will transform Nigeria into a progressive state anchored on
social democracy.
“Our government shall vigorously
pursue the expansion of electricity generation and distribution of up to 40,000
megawatts in four to eight years,” the APC said.
Last Tuesday, the Presidential Task
Force on Power put the nation’s power generation at 3,311.40MW.
But the APC said it would
also work at making power available from renewable energy sources
such as coal, solar and wind.
The party said, “The
country can only succeed when all of us have equal rights, where no one is
above the law; where the culture of impunity is abolished and where there
is a level playing field.”
It stated that as a change
agent, it would “halt the dangerous drift of Nigeria into a failed state; with
a conscious plan for a post-oil-economy.”
The party stated that it would
restructure the country and devolve powers to the units with the best practices
of federalism.
It said that its government would
muster the political will to wage a stringent war against corruption. The party
warned that without successfully waging war against corruption, Nigeria’s
post-oil-economy would be disastrous.
Explaining its agenda on agriculture,
the APC noted that Nigeria, which used to be a leading exporter of agricultural
produce, had become import dependent.
It stated, “APC will embark on a
massive and progressive re-organisation and revolution of the agricultural
industry.”
The party also
stated it would embark on a national infrastructural development
programme through a private-public sector partnership.
According to the party, through this,
it would construct 4,000 kilometres of “supper highways.”
It said that it would revatilse the
railway system through the modernisation and rehabilitation of
tracks.
The party added that it would build
200 kilometres of standard railway lines annually an carry out a
thorough review of the education sector.
It said that it would allocate up to
10 per cent of the country’s annual budget to the education sector.
The party promised to re-introduce
technical and vocational education and review the 6-3-3-4 system.
In the health sector, the APC said
that it would work to reduce infant mortality rate by 2019 to three per
cent and reduce maternal mortality by more than 70 per cent.
The APC said that it would make free
ante-natal care for pregnant women and provide free health care for babies and
children up to school going age.
According to the party, the aged and
people living with HIV/AIDS would also enjoy free health care.
On industrialisation, the APC said
that it would conduct a state by state census of ailing industries.
This, it explained, would enable it to
establish an industrial resuscitation fund.
The party added that it would create
new development banks that would make affordable credits available for
industrial growth.
On job creation, the APC said
that it would maintain “a sound macro-economic policy environment, run an
efficient government and preserve the independence of the Central Bank of
Nigeria.”
The party said that it would
make the economy one of the fastest growing economies by achieving
a real GDP growth of 10 per cent annually.
The APC also promised to amend
the 1999 Constitution and the Land Use Act “to create freehold/leasehold
interest in land matching grants.”
The Interim National Chairman of
the party, Chief Bisi Akande, had before the unveiling of the manifesto, said
that Nigeria and its citizens were “in a state of
near permanent trauma.”
He noted that Nigeria
had for many years been confronted with multi-dimensional
challenges, including socio-economic crises.
“The result is that the nation
and its citizenry continue to exist in a state of near permanent trauma,” he
said.
Akande stated that in over 50
years of its independence,Nigeria had suffered seven coups, which
resulted in 28 years of military rule.
Akande said, “Trapped in a
vicious cycle of political crises, social upheavals and economic
under-development, Nigeria has become, not only one of the most unstable
countries in the world, it is also, regrettably, one of the poorest despite its
huge human and material resources.”
He said the APC would
confront the challenges facing the country. The challenges, according to him,
can be grouped into seven.
They include national unity and
integration; perennial threats to security, law and order;
and ensuring rapid economic growth with equity people-centered
economic management. Others are consolidating Nigeria’s emerging democratic
tradition; human development; and instituting a sustainable management of
the environment.
Akande stated, “The philosophy
underpinning the coming into being of the APC therefore is the determination to
bring the country back from the brink of collapse, despair, and possible
disintegration; reposition it decisively on the route to emerging into a modern
stable democratic nation, with a productive economy that is based on equity and
justice for all citizens.”
He said the party would harness
the abundant energies, enterprise and intellect of all Nigerians to move the
country forward.
The interim chairman said, “We
believe that at the core of the paralysing challenges confronting Nigeria today
is the failure of governance which is manifested in the continuing inability of
the Nigerian state.”
According to him, Nigeria should
assume its proper place in world affairs commensurate with its size and status
as the leading black nation in the world.
Akande added, “To the APC
therefore, the objective of governance is the single-minded and unrelenting efforts
to confront these challenges and the eventual materialisation of a united,
peaceful and democratic nation, with a productive and constantly growing
economy; which provides significant opportunities for all its citizens.”
“A large part of the APC’s agenda
in particular will centre on the Nigerian youth.”
The Peoples Democratic Party however
faulted a claim by Akande that Nigeria was in near trauma.
It said Nigeria’s economy was growing
consistently, stressing that the Gross Domestic Product had also been rising at
seven per cent for the past three years.
“The Nigerian economy is one of the
fastest growing economies in the world. In Asia, Europe and even America, the
economy is either in recession or growing at one per cent, but our GDP has been
growing at seven per cent for the past three years; anybody who does not know
this is either not in this country or he is mischievous,” the National
Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Tony Okeke said.{Punch}
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