… Says dialogue with Boko Haram not foreclosed
Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe has reiterated the commitment of the present administration to address the myriad of problems confronting the nation, stating that the coming year would be glorious for Nigeria.
Okupe who stated this yesterday while speaking at an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos, said in the past 18 months, the government had made appreciative progress in various sectors of the economy especially in the area of power, agriculture and infrastructural development and expressed optimism that the “future of Nigeria under this administration is so great. Jonathan will fix Nigeria.”
He explained that though dialogue with the Boko Haram sect was not foreclosed, it was not in the place of government to organise the group for a dialogue, as there were presently different factions of the sect, which were still faceless.
Okupe said unlike the situation during Niger Delta crisis, when the militant leaders showed up for a dialogue with government leading to the amnesty programme, Boko Haram kingpins had remained faceless. He stated that while hoping for a dialogue with the group, the government would continue to tackle the sect as part of its responsibility to provide security for Nigerians, and expressed delight that the government was winning the war against terror in the country.
According to the him, apart from working hard to contain the activities of Boko Haram , the President Jonathan administration was also addressing the challenges in the power and other sectors of the economy.
He said at the inception of the current administration, the power sector was near comatose, but that things were looking up in that sector at the moment.
Okupe pointed out that when the president assumed office, power generation in the country was below 3000 megawatts while the 10 National Independent Power Projects (NIPP) were abandoned or stalled, but today, apart from the increase in power generation to 4502 megawatts, work in the 10 NIPP had reached 95 per cent completion.
He expressed optimism that with the projected generation of a minimum of 7000 megawatts by the middle of next year, economic activities in the country would receive a boost.
On the agricultural sector of the economy, the SSA said from January 2013, the Bank of Agriculture would be restructured and recapitalized, so that the government through it could give loan to farmers. Besides, the presidential aide said 78,0000 young Nigerian graduates would be employed in 2013 through the Ministry of Agriculture’s Young Graduate Farmers Scheme. He gave assurance that by 2014, Nigeria would be self-sufficient in rice production.
Also, Okupe said the government had recorded giant strides in infrastructural development in the last couple of months. He listed government achievements ito include the re-activation of the rail line from Lagos to Kano, which had been moribund in the past 10 years, adding that that would aide movement of people and goods from the North to South thereby easing pressure on the roads.
Furthermore, the presidential aide said the rail line from Lagos to Ibadan was also being worked on.
He said contrary to widely held opinion that the president was slow in his approach to governance, the government was only being cautious to avoid mistakes, pointing out that President Jonathan was adequately prepared for the task of administering the nation.
“He started as deputy governor, governor, vice president and president. No Nigerian president has undergone this process. Who among the opposition has had this kind of experience?
“Even in terms of intellectual capacity, he is a graduate, has a PhD. None of the opposition leaders is half qualified. It is absolute nonsense to say that Jonathan is not competent,” he stated.
Okupe described the opposition “as mentally indolent,” stating that apart from abusing the president, the opposition had not been able to present any cogent alternative solution to the problems plaguing the nation.
“It is sad that opposition is a gallery of jokers. They have no articulated programme,” he noted and urged the opposition to be more constructive and issue oriented in their criticism of the president.
Also, the presidential aide defended the recent reappointment of the former Minister of Works, Chief Anthony Anenih as the Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, saying the allegations against the former minister were unfounded.
He said the only issue Nigerians had against Anenih was the alleged misappropriation of N300 billion budgeted for the Ministry of Works during his tenure. However, he explained though the money was budget, it was not released to the ministry.
Fix what? Nigeria that has already turn apart,and besides okupe is only playing polites;the best and only solution 2 Nigerian problem is 2 split.
Ndi ochichi (ndi no na Ala-Igbo na ndi no na mgbago), ihe oma unu ga-emere onwe unu bu iletu anya ala ugbu a mara ezigbo ihe unu ga ebido imere Ndigbo. Unu ga agba nbo meputawa ezigbo ihe na-ala Igbo nke ga eme ka umu aka anyi na enweta ezigbo ihe ha ga neme wee hapu itinyewa aka na ajo ihe. Ochichi unu n’achi Ndigbo mere ihe ojoo dika ori, ndi-nto, na igwo ogwu ego jiri buo ibu n’ala Igbo karisie ebe nile. Ewoo! Jisos onye obi ebele! Ndi ochichi anyi, a choro m ime ka unu mara na ochichi ojoo unu na achi anyi mere umu aka Igbo ji juputa na Ulo-Nga (nkporo) di iche iche na obodo di iche iche. Ulo-Nga (nkporo) Chaina, Jamani, Amirica, Malesia, Indonesia na nke di na obodo ndi ozo di iche iche ga agbara m aka ebe.
E jim ohere a na-eme ka ndi nile bu ndi Ikorobia n’ala Igbo mara na oge erugo mgbe anyi g’ebilite n’ura. Ihe obuna ndi ochichi anyi ma obu ndi Naijiria choro Ugbu a k’ha ga-enweta, ha choo mma ha enweta mma, ha choo njo ha enweta njo. Ndigbo abughi ndi Naijiria, anyi bu ndi Biafra. Naijiria choo k’anyi buru otu, ha nye anyi Ochichi na afo puku abuo na iri na ise, ha ga-emezukwara anyi Steeti anyi ka ozue ezu di ka nke ndi ozo.
I g’enweta m na: nkiti asato nkiti ato itolu ano nkiti asato otu itolu abuo
If Doyin Akupe was not SSA to the president will he be sincere enough to praise the president the way he is doing now?
Chris Adukwu My Brother, That is the only thing he knows how to do, His stock in trade is PRIASE SINGING, what else do you expect from a man that speaks from both side of his mouth? , Abacha Men. I do not blame them, i blame Jonatahan because he would have refused to be drafted as Nigerian president and now see what he has turn Nigeria into a laughing stock before the commitee of Nations.
Papa Awolowo had said it b4 his glorious exit dat we Nigerians wil fight 4 ourselves when w’r pushed against d wall. Jonathan is far frm bein d mesiah.Nigerians,it’s time 2 fight dis holy amagedon.
Papa Awolowo had said it b4 his glorious exit dat we Nigerians wil fight 4 ourselves when w’r pushed against d wall. Jonathan is far frm bein d mesiah.Nigerians,it’s time 2 fight dis holy amagedon.HE WHO’L C D END OF WAR MST BECOME WAR.
God dey
Okupe, please we have heard enough of your sermons,. The day tells what the evening will look like; your situation is like a man threatening his household that he would run mad he doesn’t need to say before he does it. Nigerians are hungry, naked and jobless; you are telling us that your master will fix Nigeria. There is a local adage that says,”The eunuch fails to fix what he ought to fix, and he says he can fix the needle with a thread.” Mr FIX IT will come in no distant time.
Okupe is only jingling al dis nonsence in order for contuniation and retaining his office 2 continue milking Nigeria.
okupe is speaking for his belly and pocket. Dont blame him. He is doing what he is paid to do. Who wouldnt praise a generous boss? Even dogs do better
THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE IS SOME IMPROVEMENT IN POWER SUPPLY THESE DAYS –the ones I am seeing with my two eyes. Let us not deny a truth. God abhors it. ALSO THERE IS SOME LIGHT IN THE AGRIC. SECTOR. FOR US NOT HAVING HIGH DISTRESS IN PRICES OF FOOD STUFFS AS A RESULT OF DAMAGE OF CROPS BY FLOOD FEW MONTHS AGO IS A CREDIT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TO ME, THERE IS NO IMPROVEMENT THERE. THE SPOILT ENUGU-ONITSHA AND ENUGU-PORTHARCUORT EXPRESS WAYS THAT ARE NOT RECONSTRUCTED ARE MAJOR CONCERN TO ME. THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES THERE ARE JUST PLAYING WITH LATERITE AND SAND. IF THE CALIBER OF JULIUS BERGER DOESN’T COME TO RECONSTRUCT THAT ROAD, I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED. WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE MUST ALSO BE GOOD FOR THE GANDER.
PhD my foot, his metamorphosis from dep gov through to president has not translated to anything tangible for the average Nigerian. It is only Okupe and his likes that are seeing the so-called improvement because all of us are either ‘blind or not observant’. He must justify his pay and he is a day dreamer. This Jonathan is not working hence Nigeria is burning.
I hv not seen any development in d power sector in my state and that is why nigeria shld split.
This crap how much money is he squander on his watch etc. They are not going to fool us again. Our God is ready for them, they will vomit all ill gotten wealth.
Lies and more lies. Dr Okupe is being paid to do what he is doing. Everybody knows that development is a mirage and only exist in the minds of the govt officials. So far, this administration has disappointed the people.
Let him fix your family first. Bastard
ABATI lies for GEJ’S goverment with a little conscience while OKUPE tells blantant lies without any conscience!
He thought, it is still the days of Radio Nigeria and NTA Chanel 10, when the goverment use to have firm control of what the populace hears as news.
Mr. OKUPE times has changed and no one can fool us anymore. The facts are before everyone through various social media, google etc…
The more you lie to our people the less popular the government of GEJ. Anyway, GEJ is clueless and believes anything. Keep telling that Nigerians now eats five square meals a day and are asking for more toilets for their excreta!
Tell him that every Nigerian has a 5-bedroom fully detached house. Tell him that all our roads are now tarred. Our power is now on 24hrs round the clock, so good the Nigerians are now selling their generators to Ghana.
Let him continue living in that fools paradise until 2015. Then he will learn the bitter truth, when we give our verdict through the ballot box.
Animal in human skin!!!!!!!!!!!
This Okupe is the most stupid person I have ever seen.