Hon Abbass Tajudeen is representing Zaria federal constituency of Kaduna State. In this interview with RUTH CHOJI, the lawmaker spoke on some national issues including the anti-corruption fight and the economy
Nigerians received the economic recovery plan presented by Mr. President with mix feelings. What is your take on this?
I think we should give the Federal Government time because we have some ministers who have been adequately briefed on the economic recovery plan. I think by and large, it is achievable even though it is dependable on some key variables. These variables have to be corrected before the economy can recover. It will depend on prices of international crude oil in the international market. By and large, the ability of the Federal Government to curtail the activities of the Niger-delta avengers which has effect on the production level of crude oil in the country. If they are able to get them right, then they can recover the economy.
The CBN has been pumping forex into the economy but there are concerns that the apex bank might not be able to sustain it?
I must commend the CBN for that initiative because we have seen, through their intervention, what the forex has done. From over N500 to $1 to about N380 to $1, I think it is quite a commendable efforts. However the ability of the CBN to sustain it if the trend remains the same is another thing. Crude oil production has been relatively stable and the price has been above $50pb. I think it is something that can be sustained if the variables remain stable until the end of this year. But if the prices at the international market slide down, then there are tendencies that it could be disrupted, it could affect the ability of CBN to continue pumping forex into the system.
What will it take to improve the value of the Naira?
It will stabilized if government can reduce the importation of luxury goods and other items that are not important. Also our ability to improve our agricultural sector from consumption to exportation is key. The problem with Nigeria is that we rely on foreign goods and when the foreign exchange is not available, there is chaos. We need to look at our competitive advantage. We are fortunate that Nigeria has fertile land, we can grow almost anything.
But is the plan to diversify the economy to towards the agricultural sector making any impact?
From the figures we have been given, particularly for last year harvest, I think it is a step in the right direction. You can see that right now price of rice is cheaper than grains. This is because of the effort put in place to ensure that rice production is encouraged. I think they can sustain that momentum and extend that same priority given to rice to other commodities. I think we are on the right track. A year or two from now, we should not only be looking at food sufficiency in the country but we should be looking at being a major exporter of grains and rice, particularly in the West African sub-region
Some have advised the federal government to sell our refineries, do you agree?
Absolutely, we have seen how such action in the past favored the economy. Look at the telecommunication sector, at the time when it came out, people were apprehensive, that Nigeria may be short change but today, we have seen the tremendous effect the industry has on the economy in terms of efficiency, employment and the rest. Today, nobody is talking about NITEL. I believe government has no business being in business, they should just be the regulators. I think it is time the government look at other sectors like the NNPC and think of how it can be privatized. Privatization will not hurt Nigeria if it didn’t do so in the past. I think government should look at either leasing it out or privatizing it.
What is your reaction to the recent discovery of monies in different places across the country?
I am bothered. Perhaps it accounts for the problem the country has been facing for the past two years. We heard that monies were removed from banks and kept in private houses and that is what accounted for the shortages we are having in the market. I think it is a worrisome issue, government must take a stand. The security agents should track the owners….
But nobody has been arrested since these discoveries were made?
From the point of law, you need to have proof, apart from mere suspicion or hearsay. You have to get your facts before you can arrest anybody. For us to appreciate the work of EFCC, we need to go back to the whistle blower policy. We need to see how we can assist them when they come out with these information. In so doing, you will have a lot of bottle necks and challenges which have been drawing back some of the activities of the EFCC, but it has to be done.
Some have advocated for Nigeria to adopt unicameral legislature.
It is not the system that will solve our problems. Leaders, politicians and Nigerians must make the system work no matter the system you bring. If the leaders are not willing to play the game by the book, we will still end up in the same quagmire. The bicameral system is not bad, it is the way we the leaders play it. Some Nigerians have also contributed to where we are. Why is it that this problem doesn’t happen in some places that are operating presidential system of government except Nigeria? You can see that it is the people that need to change their habit. We need to be more nationalistic. People don’t work for a system, it is the system that works for the people.
What is your impression of the back and forth between the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara and Governor Nasir el-Rufai, over ensuring transparency in handling of funds to offices?
I am not worried because many people have been saying what Governor Nasir el-Rufai has said, in the last 16 years. I really commend the Speaker too for summoning the courage to disclose that from 2017 budget, the world will know what the budget to the National Assembly is. I have spent six years in the National Assembly, but I have never seen the budget of the National Assembly. I think it will be something that will be of interest to us with the members and the larger society. We are looking forward to the time that, the two chambers will make the budget transparent for all to see.
Do you think Nigeria is ready for e-voting, considering that the Senate has already passed an amendment of the electoral act that proposed its use for future election?
It all depends on a lot of things. I don’t know what the e-voting entail but from the little that I have seen of the card reader used in 2015, I think we should give it a chance. Without card reader, Buhari wouldn’t have been in government because the card reader automatically reduced the number of fictitious voters. People were accredited and allowed to vote. The number of people who voted in each ward and state was drastically curtailed by 10-20%. We should allow INEC and other agencies to come out and tell us what arrangements they have to make e-voting possible and how realistic they can make it happen. The answer that they will give us will make us know whether it is possible or not.
Why hasn’t the budget been passed?
The chairman, appropriation committee of the Senate said, every budget is supposed to have a one year life span, that is twelve months of financial activities before it is closed. The 2016 budget started in May, so by allowing it to end in May, 2017, it will give the country the opportunity to ensure that it is properly implemented. It will give the government the opportunity to say this is what they have done in one year. I think it is because of the level of implementation of the capital budget in the country that made the National Assembly to say, let them give this budget a little more time to see if they can do more on the capital aspect of the budget. The implementation was impressive because some MDAs could have about 60-75% capital implementation. This is unprecedented.