IT is no longer news that the economy of Nigeria is officially in recession. Did we envisage or prepare for this? I will say yes, given the ‘profligacy’ of the past sixteen or so years and the futile attempts made by Dr. Okonjo Iweala and others in the Goodluck Jonathan government, including the present emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, to remove fuel subsidy and save for the rainy day that we are now experiencing.

Did the people do anything about it? Yes, they voted out the inept and profligate Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government, that ushered in a new All Progressive Congress, APC, government. Has this change ameliorated the situation? I will say that it rather aggravated it, given the speed at which the recession manifested in less than fourteen months. What is the reason for this? Politics.

Let us face the truth, unless we collectively determine to resolve or sort out the question marks in our politics, our economy will remain in the limbo, as our policy decisions have proven to be mostly political and sentimental. If the government had been more focused on tackling the economy and less on politicking and propaganda, we would have managed the situation better. If the government, like an ostrich whose head is buried in the sand, had not stayed glued to what the past regime did and looking for excuses, they would have done better. If the government had not focused on bulldozing both the good and bad projects executed by the past government, things would have been better. Government is a continuum and a progressive and any forward looking regime must be able to analyse what is on ground,weighing its strengths and weaknesses, identify programmes that will benefit the people, redirect the course positively by effectively sanctioning negative behaviours and move forward. It is important for us to know the root causes of the recession in our land so that people do not wallow in ignorance.

A nation so blessed with human and natural resources looking up to others for survival, that is the paradox. We are an import dependent country and so must have sufficient foreign currencies to transact business. Also, because of our avaricious greed for anything foreign, our over dependence on oil and neglect of other critical economic sectors, the demand for foreign exchange cannot match the supply caused by the fall in international oil prices and the disruptions in oil production caused by the activities of Niger Delta militants.

That is the official excuse. What you will not hear is that, most of the principal participants in the present government were those who helped to run down the economy of the past government. The state governors who insisted that the excess crude sovereign wealth fund be shared, including the likes of Rotimi Amaechi, Bukola Saraki, Adams Oshiomhole and their other colleagues now trying to shift blame instead of accepting their collective guilt and proferring solutions to the crisis.

If this government had not concentrated on disgracing their predecessors, they would have realised that a good foundation in the agricultural sector had been laid and to continue with the programme. They would have realised that the ground work for an effective rail system had been laid. They would have realised that Nigeria is a choice destination for foreign investments, all of which they frittered away in less than two years. They would have realised that the Treasury Single Account, TSA, had already been experimented, awaiting full implementation.

They would have realised that our democracy had gone several notches higher judging from elections conducted before this new regime and acknowledged by the international observers, all of which is now being put to question in less than two years. Some have refused to acknowledge the nobleness of the action taken by ex- president  Goodluck Jonathan in graciously accepting defeat, thereby averting serious crisis for the nation. Some are still playing politics in government the same way they were in opposition. If our politics is not right, nothing else can be right.

This government through its conduct has been maintaining a superior stance over the people, at least from my perception. They have refused to see themselves as part of the problem and a leadership that fails to accept responsibility for the fallout of its action is not ready to find solutions to the problem. Even if the PDP had governed  badly in the past sixteen years, the people should not be made to bear the brunt of their actions. They all united to vote out the PDP and if they have succeeded in doing that, they should not be made to suffer more.

The government has treated some sections of the populace without regards to their feelings. How else do we explain a resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta region? Experts of war will tell you that your choice of opposition, strategy and timing matters a lot if you crave to win. You do not fight on all fronts, else you will leave your flanks open to attacks. Presently our military personnel are so stretched with the Boko Haram activities, the Biafra separatist movements, kidnappings all over and the monster of Fulani herdsmen, of which they are yet to find an answer. Because they have handled the Niger Delta issue badly by allowing disgruntled elements to regroup as militants, they have now  concentrated their military arsenal in the region. This is a bad strategy. Allowing the Niger Delta militants to regroup was a big mistake on the part of this government, knowing the impact of their activities in the nation’s economy. Crying sabotage now is not the point. The people are aggrieved and the cause of their grief must be looked into. I have written before that, until you find alternatives to the oil from the Niger Delta, you do not have any option but to deal and negotiate with the Niger deltans, a recourse to coercive force will not help matters.

The way issues concerning the region was handled by this government fell short of expectations. What they should have done is to first win the confidence of the people, bring them in and integrate them into government programmes until enough trust and confidence is established by all parties concerned, that way government actions will not be viewed suspiciously and from there they can begin to chart a new course. From the actions of government, it seems that some Niger Delta sons were deliberately targeted for persecution. There are better and transparent ways of bringing culprits to justice without making them feel persecuted. The way the maritime university project was stopped by the minister of transport lacks tact, appointments being made to replace those removed also portray a lack of understanding of the sentiments of the Niger deltans.

If our oil production has been going on steadily all these while, all the talk about recession will not come up. If the governors have not insisted on sharing the excess fund, Nigerians will not suffer today. If the government had instilled confidence in the people, to make them believe in their Change – through their actions and body language – the people will reciprocate and cooperate.

The cooperation of everyone is needed if we are to come out of this situation and our top men must lead the way, the Change must come from them.

Coming out of recession is not the problem, the issue is the ability of this government to make the people, especially of the Niger Delta to believe in their cause. The alternative to oil will not happen overnight, it will take at least three to five years to see it manifest. Meanwhile, we need the support of everyone.

*Mr.Sunny Ikhioya khioya.www.southsouthecho.com Twitter: @SunnyIkhioya