President Goodluck Jonathan has said the lack of an efficient national identity management system has made it difficult for Nigerians, especially those in the bottom of the pyramid, to benefit from government programs.
Jonathan stated this on Thursday, in Abuja during the presidential launch and unveiling of the National identity card.He lamented that a number of government programs which the country ought to have effectively implemented for the benefit of Nigerians could not be achieved owing to credibility of the data management processes.For instance, he listed the abuse of the fuel subsidy program, which according to him, was meant to reduce the cost of transportation for Nigerians as well as make life more meaningful for the ordinary people as one of the disadvantage of not having an efficient national identity management system.
The president regretted that it was unfortunate that after spending billions of naira annually in fuel subsidy payment, majority of Nigerians don’t get to enjoy the subsidy owing to the fact that about sixty per cent of such funds are smuggled out of the country.
He lamented that those who smuggled these subsidy funds out of the country are the ones who turn around to instigate Nigerians against the government.He said, “I’m particularly pleased about National Identity Management Commission because a number of things we are suppose to do well as a nation, we are not doing well.“And sometimes we blame government because of the failure of the system and the credibility of the process.“If you take the issue of subsidy of transport, what we do is subsidizing hydrocarbon, it does not go to the ordinary people. Government spends huge some of money, hundreds of billions of Naira every year in the budget, ask the National Assembly.
“We are thinking about how do we subsidize transport of the person going to school, the person going to the market, the person moving from Lagos to Enugu or Lagos to Kano. Not paying subsidy that 60 per cent of that will be smuggled out of the country.“And those who make the money will come and use that money to induce the people suffering to even riot against government.”He also said it was difficult to effectively replicate the amnesty program in the Niger Delta region in the North when the insecurity crisis begun few years ago owing to lack of accurate data of those affected by the crisis. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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If you are not up to the job then leave it to those who are. An effective leader would be at least telling us about how he is punishing looters thereby preventing such situations
ReplyDeleteAt AnonymousAugust 28, 2014 at 10:22 PM
DeleteGood talk
The statement attributed to GEJ is enough for him to be asked to resign or be impeached. Being the President implies that one should be able to manage governance efficiently and ensure that all citizens are adequately and fairly catered for. If GEJ can't do that, what then is he doing in power? And he is still hoping to continue in 2015. O God, help us with the right leaders that can move this nation to the enviable height that it ought to be.
ReplyDeleteThe President is making excellent effort in introducing the National Identity Management System. Many Nigerians are honest and law-abiding. However, many other Nigerians are also dishonest and lawless in their behaviour.
ReplyDeleteNigerians should support National Identity Management System for Nigeria. It will expose corruption and corrupt practices. It will also encourage discipline in every areas of our personal life. For example, banks will be confident about giving business loan to honest entrepreneurs while identifying crooks. Another example is that the Police would like to know who is who in a crowd of people.
Any Nigerian who is against the National Identity Management System is not a good ambassador of the country if they cannot profess any alternative solution.
I support the President in setting up a successful National Identity Management System.