THE NIGERIA'S PLANS ON PAPER WITHOUT IMPLEMENTATION. By Zik Gbemre

"Nigeria’s Problem Is Not Planning, But That of IMPLEMENTATION".... Zik Gbemre.

"Every now and then respective Governments make great plans, but the lofty ideas are never put to work. If they were, Nigeria would be feeding Africa".

"Despite all these so-called Economic and Development Plans, Nigeria’s economy and the standard of living of the citizenry have not even been scratched on the surface of improvement".

"In the end, the majority of Nigerians are driven more into poverty, while some few are made richer by the day".

"Nigerian Governments at all levels should no longer be talking of plans, but effective execution and honest implementation".

It is one thing to make plans, but it is a different thing altogether to bring such plans to reality. The ‘space’ between planning and implementation has obviously overwhelmed many not to actualize their dreams, visions, and goals. As it is with an individual, so it is with a State, and a nation.

Over the years, unfortunately, this dilemma has characterized every aspect of Nigeria’s economic well-being. What is even more annoying is the fact that despite past Economic Development plans made by various governments to improve the nation’s economy, most of which have not seen the light of the day, yet, every now and then, more forums/conferences/workshops/summits are organized to make and discuss more plans on paper, or to reveal to Nigerians, Governments plans to develop the country. Perhaps, just to create the impression that the “government is working”. It is also sad that they concentrate on such activities to the detriment of what is far more important, that is, bringing the objectives and plans into ‘REALITY’ to positively improve the lives of Nigerians without ‘enriching few’ to the detriment of many.

This practice, which has become a culture, is not only disturbing, but it actually questions the integrity of our political leaders of not having the “vision”, the “will” and what it takes to lead.

To even think that we have a National Planning Commission, which is currently the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, whose mandate is to determine and advise the Government of the Federation on matters relating to National Development and overall management of the national economy, through the formulation of medium-term and long term economic and development plans for the nation. This is enough slap on our face as a nation that is still greatly underdeveloped. It is also laughable and a mockery of us as a people that the so-called vision of the Commission is “to be the most efficient planning institution that guides the growth and development of Nigerian economy to be and among the leading economies in the world.” But despite the fact that the Commission has been in existence for close to three decades plus, Nigeria is still one of the most poorly developing countries, and the poverty capital of the world.

This notwithstanding, one feels irked that the National Planning Commission/Ministry of Budget & National Planning is doing nothing short of throwing funds down the drain and merely creating avenues for embezzling and misusing public funds. To put it in plain words, some of the activities or exercises organized by the Commission are nothing short of jamborees or merry go-rounds. And we say this with all boldness because NIGERIA’S PROBLEM IS NOT PLANNING, BUT THAT OF IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION.

Year in year out, we make good plans, as witnessed by the country’s annual budgets . The lofty ideas are never put to work. If they were, Nigeria would be feeding the entire African continent, going by former President Obasanjo’s “Operation Feed The Nation,” and Shagari’s “Green Revolution”. By the same token, Nigerians would have been economically empowered by Babangida’s “People’s Bank” and Obasanjo’s “Poverty Alleviation Programme.” Or the Economic Recovery & Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017-2020 of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government. But despite all these, Nigerians still remain amongst the poorest people in the world, using the price per income index as a parameter. And the situation seems to be getting worse by the day.

This practice and culture of having big plans on paper without proper execution, has been the bane of Nigeria’s development as far back as we can remember. In fact, right from the first-ever development plan, which was the 1956 Development plan drawn by a Central Development Board. A few years ahead, another Development plan was permanently drawn up and put into effect, to expire or elapse in 1960.

We have had a six-year Development plan that was adopted to be implemented between 1962 and 1968. At the end of the Nigerian civil war, the Gowon administration, of which Obasanjo was a key member, decided on a three-Rs programme of Reconciliation, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation. And for this purpose, a more comprehensive Four-year-plan was launched to take effect from 1970 to 1974. Then came to the ‘almighty’ ‘Nigeria Vision (NV) 20: 2020,’ regarded as an economic plan aimed at making Nigeria be amongst the world’s developed economies by the year 2020. We are already in 2021, and with little to nothing to show forth concerning these plans.

Despite all these so-called Economic & Development Plans, Nigeria’s economy and the standard of living of its Nigerian citizenry, has not even scratched the surface of improvement, when compared to what is happening in other climes in Africa and across the globe that are less endowed in terms of natural and human resourcefulness.

This again, justify the fact that it is not to have lofty Plans On Paper to tell the world that they are working, but it is to implement these plans to the latter and with all sincerity of purpose to the benefit of the Nigerian people.

The saddest part in all of this is the enormous funds often said to have been spent by relevant government authorities of different administrations in the name of implementing some of these lofty Economic Plans. But at the end of the day, the majority of Nigerians are driven more into poverty, while some few are made richer by the day.

The truth is, to attempt to mention all the many Nigerian Development and Economic plans, which every administration has drawn up to date, will be time-consuming, burdensome, and boring. But one thing is clear: all the plans were/are aimed at 1. Increasing the growth rate of the Nigerian economy, 2. Re-investing a significant percentage of the Gross Domestic Product Investment, 3. Developing opportunities in the education, health, and employment sectors, 4. The expansion of the installed capacity of electricity generation, 5. The expansion of railway mileage, tarred roads, housing, airports, seaports, and other basic infrastructure.

Except for specifics, the above has been the ‘broad focus’ of all our Development Plans in the country. But in spite of all the good intentions, Nigerians have remained hungrier, angrier, more frustrated, more poorly clothed, and poorly housed, not to mention being made to face all kinds of dehumanizing and degrading harsh environments to dwell in the midst of rising insecurity. Indeed, the average Nigerian lives in apathy, not sure where his meal for the next week will come from. Or if his life will not be untimely cut short by unknown gunmen and terrorists’ activities. In plain words, therefore, Nigerians are daily living from hand to mouth just to survive, and also living in fear of the unknown.

Not to be misquoted, let us make it clear that we are not saying that our Development Plans are not good. On the contrary, they have been excellent, exceptional, and regarded by experts as highly-priced objectives across the world as a nation. We have one of the best planners in the whole wide world. The snag however, is in the implementation. Something always goes wrong between the point of planning and the final product/execution.

Having said that much, Nigerians, particularly our political leaders in all spheres of government, should no longer be talking of planning, but ‘effective execution/honest implementation.’ In the album titled Icon is Love, Barry White, the man with the most recognized baritone voice, admonished that people should “Practice what they preach.” And this goes to our economic plan executors.

They should pick up all our past Development Plans; that is, go back to the drawing board, and ask – what went wrong? Why is there still power outage in Nigeria? Why are our refineries not working at installed capacity? Why are tens of thousands of mileage roads across the country in a state of disrepair? Why is the Nigerian economy driven by generators and not a steady and reliable power supply? Why are we so dependent on oil and gas revenue for development as a nation? What is happening to our Agricultural sector, Tourism sector, Solid minerals, etc? What happened to our railway transport system? Why do Nigerians not have enough food? Why do the people not own their own homes, or be able to stay in affordable houses? Why can’t most parents and guardians afford school fees for their children and wards? Why do we have so many university graduates as jobless youths on our streets, either looking for jobs, involved in one crime or the other, or looking for illegitimate ways to migrate out of the country at the risk of their lives? Why do we live in a state of perpetual insecurity?

It is a slap on our face as a nation that smaller and even less endowed countries in Africa and across the globe are far ahead of us in terms of development, human per capita index, and modern advancement in all sectors. And today, many Nigerians, including our political leaders prefer to go abroad to enjoy the various sectors of foreign economies; be it Education, Health, tourism, etc. Imagine a place like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in spite of their vast resources in natural minerals (just like Nigeria is blessed), they still depend on only 7% of their oil, gas, and condensate revenue to develop their nation. Their government gets the rest of national revenue from Trading, Tourism, and Banking, etc.

Until we sit down as a nation and ask ourselves these critical questions, and find honest answers to them, we will never get to the “Promised Land”. Rather, we will continue to plan yearly, and deceive ourselves like a farmer who clears his farm of weeds but never gets around to planting any crops. Our political leaders at all levels of government should strive to leave indelible marks in their reign in office before their exit. Those coming in should also focus on rendering selfless service to their fatherland. Let the right thing be done, this I urge.

Zik Gbemre.

"We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes".