CACOL condemns calls for FG to sell national assets

The group also said the plan to sell such assets, means that the ruling party has gone against the change agenda which it promised Nigerians.

CACOL alleged that the Federal Government is using the recession to do the bidding of some global donor agencies.

The Executive Chairman of the group, Mr. Debo Adeniran also described the planned move as prodigal, irresponsible and unacceptable.

Adeniran said “The reality is that the regime is hiding under the guise of ‘recession’ to actualize the ‘agreement’ it had made with the World Bank/IMF and the G-8 countries and this is the outcome of all the junketing around the World that President Muhmmadu Buhari had done since he was sworn in and even prior to his election into office.”

“Every reason been adduced for this decision is completely warped and very unintelligent. We had challenged the President to sell some of the aircrafts in the Presidential Fleet; we had called for the reduction of overseas travel, the slashing the humongous allowances and salaries of elected officials, etc. for the country to cut the cost of governance but government have remained adamant.

“We condemn and reject this decision in its entirety. We call on Nigerians to act now by resisting this attempt to erase the historical achievements of our heroes past, we must not let this happen. The regime itself should be ashamed that it has no concrete achievement that can be pointed to, yet it wants to sell-off assets that were put in place by past leaders.”

He also said “We are telling the dishonourable members of the National Assembly in particular that, instead of selling-off our National assets, we would prefer to get rid of the country’s Parliament! If truly, Nigeria is in serious economic crisis, it is then the right time to cut the cost of governance at all levels. Government must demonstrate that; truly the interest of the poor masses is a priority beyond personal ostentatious living of a few amidst a vast majority who are living in penury.

“We assert that all the promises the present government made have been betrayed and with bare-faced impunity. We recall clearly that the pledge made by the present government when campaigning was to revamp the refineries to boost local refining of crude oil, the sale of national was never on the plate!”

Adeniran added that “The present situation has vindicated CACOL’s position when President Buhari was hunting for Ministers. Prior to the appointment of the Minister for Finance and Economic Development, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, our group had advised to Federal government against it doing so based on our assessment.

”We thus once again call for the removal of the Minister who is obviously overwhelmed with present the economic situation in the country. The whole Cabinet members’ performance should be assessed and the incompetent ones should be changed without further delay. These times require the very best hands, for the period is indeed a very challenging one, but the neo-liberal approach of voodoo economics will only keep our country in economic quagmire.”

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has blamed the current recession on the past government’s habitof giving the people handouts instead of investing in infrastructure.