By Ewache Ajefu/Editor,Newsdiaryonline.com
Owing to growing criticism of the current administration, the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP has said any objective assessment of President Goodluck Jonathan will reveal tremendous achievements the administration has recorded in the last fourteen months.
The Party said that efforts by some desperate politicians to tar the PDP with non performance brush is beclouding their vision to the commendable efforts of government.
“We have no doubt whatsoever the President is on course and will continue to deliver on the PDP promises to the people of Nigeria. Quite a lot has been achieved in the various sectors and there is no gain saying the government needs the continued support and prayers of Nigerians to do more.”
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party said though it is the right of every Nigerian especially the opposition to assess and interpret government efforts to suit their biases, objectivity of criticisms is central to any collective effort towards building a better nation.
“Let’s remain partisan, let’s remain politically plural for that is the true essence of democracy but let the greater interest of the nation remain prime in all our engagements. Mischief and deliberate misinformation calculated to bring the President to undeserving disrepute is a great disservice to the nation. We wish that those who have made this a hobby would quickly realise their mistake and retrace from this untoward track that would least benefit the nation.”
According to Chief Metuh, notwithstanding the security challenges in the country which the President is sparing no effort in tackling, he has made significant strides in every sector of national growth.
“Even though the issue of security as the President admitted was not a major issue during his campaign, he has none the less been on top of the emerging security challenges while at the same time delivering on other sectors. Communities and towns across Nigeria have witnessed remarkable improvement in public power supply as generation has moved from 3000 megawatts in 2011 to 4300megawatts as of today”.
The statement said Jonathan’s administration met ten abandoned independent power plants and has successfully revitalised all. While some of the plants in five of the power stations located at Olorunsogo, Sapele,Omotosho, Geregu and Alaoji are completed and are already generating power, the rest of the power stations at Calabar, Egbema, Ihovbor, Omoku and Gbarain are at various stages of completion.
“This improved generation capacity is not isolated as government through the National Independent Power Plant is similarly building robust distribution and transmission infrastructures. The construction of about 8000kilometers of high capacity electric lines is at the final stages of completion across the length and breadth of the country while distribution transformers are being added at the consumer level to enhance the stability of power distribution.”
The statement added that Nigeria has once more become a destination of multinational power conglomerates like the General Electric Company, Siemens, Daewoo and the Electrobras of Brazil which have gone beyond mere statement of intention to preliminary investment engagements. “This is as a result of the investment friendly atmosphere created by the present administration.”
The statement further said that failed opposition politicians who claimed that it was their pressure that resulted in the on-going trial of persons indicted in the mismanagement of the petroleum subsidy by the House of Representatives are economical with the truth.
“We do not allow the opposition to dictate the pace for us. However, we wish to state that the initiative is completely ours. We had on the 1st of April and on the 4th of May 2012 unequivocally assured Nigerians that the PDP would not shield anybody indicted in the subsidy fraud or in other corrupt practices even if the person is a member of the Party. Our Party also indicated clearly that due process must be followed to avoiding making any Nigerian suffer unjustly. It is also pertinent to restate that the President had in reference to the same issue earlier this year, assured “that there will be no sacred cows in the matter and that any organisation or individual found guilty of fraud or corruption will ultimately face the full weight of sanctions prescribed by the extant laws of the country.” It is therefore outright falsehood and injury to facts for the opposition to make such claims.”
The statement further said that though the nation is passing through challenges, the Party and the government are committed to satisfying the yearnings of the people.”The unity of our dear country and the welfare of the citizenry shall continue to be paramount . We wish to assure all Nigerians that there are better days ahead. “
