FG And Malaysian Consultants

Many Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief recently when the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and other economic experts revealed that the country, which had been in serious economic downturn for almost two years, has eventually exited recession.
But, rather than the Federal Government leveraging on this gratifying and heart-warming development, which though is yet to have direct impact on the lives of the citizenry, the Buhari administration, in yet another obdurate economic policy, reportedly made a move to hire experts from Malaysia, a third world country like Nigeria with a whopping N458 million.
While justifying the Federal Government’s latest move, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma, said the resolve to engage Malaysian consultants was aimed at ensuring the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) under a three-month contractual framework.
According to Udoma, the contract, which is in three phases, would cover agriculture, transportation, power, gas, manufacturing and processing, as well as involve about 100 Nigerians from the public and private sectors that will eventually manage the implementation of the study.
Well said, Minister Udoma! As much as we appreciate government’s initiative at consolidating and strengthening the nation’s economic recovery growth plan, The Tide takes exception to the humongous amount involved n hiring consultants from a third world country like Malaysia.
Considering the fact that Nigeria is just exiting recession, we expect the government to be prudent in its expenses. It is only by cutting down on cost of governance and avoid reckless expenditure that Nigerians can feel the positive impacts of this administration.
We particularlyfind it worrisome and embarrassing that in spite of array of local economic wizards like Professor Pat Utomi, Dr. Akinwuni Adesina, Mrs Aruma Otteh, among other world-class economists and experts with international exposure, experience and know-how, the Buhari administration cannot assemble economic think-tank to manage the nation’s economy.
The Tide strongly believes that the Buhari-led government can conveniently source for capable Nigerians who have made their marks in the economic and financial sector, both within and outside the country, to revive the ailing economy.
Indeed, given this latest move by the Federal Government, it appears to us that Nigeria’s much hyped exit from recession is just a mere face-saving propaganda by the Buhari administration, or that the government is truly clueless or lack the capacity to revive the nation’s economy as many experts have posited.
It is our candid opinion, therefore, that the Federal Government should, as a matter of national priority, jettison the Malaysian initiative and look inwards for economic salvation.
We recall that the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government promised Nigerians change and a new lease of life. There is, therefore, no better time for the APC government than now to keep its promise and justify the mandate freely given to the administration by the electorate.