On Thursday, they gathered at the Presidential Villa for the 149th meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC). Vice President Kashim Shettima chaired as usual, with the usual suspects in attendance – governors from the 36 states of the federation, CBN officials, and the Finance Minister. The highlight? A whopping $90 billion livestock transformation plan by 2035.
My thoughts on this? I’ve seen this movie before. Grand announcements at NEC meetings that end up gathering dust in one government shelf. I won’t be surprised if in a few months, you’ll buy akara wrapped in the Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board policy document.
Don’t get me wrong, the NEC’s meeting started on a somber note – observing a minute of silence for victims of recent killings in Benue and Plateau States. But then came what NEC does best – approving grandiose plans.
First, the Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board, to be domiciled in the Presidency and funded by textile import levies from Nigeria Customs Service. This sounds good on paper. As Shettima rightly pointed out, Nigeria can grow cotton in 34 states, yet we’re producing a measly 13,000 metric tonnes while importing textiles worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Then came the big reveal – the livestock transformation plan projected to generate $74-$90 billion by 2035. Before you get excited, remember similar plans have been announced before. The National Livestock Transformation Plan (2018-2028) was supposed to modernise our livestock sector with emphasis on cattle ranching and peacebuilding. How’s that going so far?
The Vice President’s speech had all the right buzzwords. “Governance is not the theatre of promises. It is the solemn business of fulfilment,” he said. “We are not merely responders to crises. We are architects of a sustainable future.” Beautiful rhetoric, but the real question is: will these plans translate to action this time?
Come to think of it, should we be excited about another board when existing ones have failed to deliver? I thought we should be discussing practical steps to address insecurity, poverty, and our failing infrastructure.
The questions we should be asking: How will this livestock plan benefit the common man? How will it address the farmer-herder conflicts that have claimed thousands of lives?
The Green Imperative Project (GIP) with offices across the six geopolitical zones sounds impressive too. But how many government initiatives have withered away after the fancy launch ceremonies? How many have improved the lives of ordinary Nigerians?
Trust our politicians to always major in the minor. While Nigerians are grappling with inflation, unemployment, and insecurity, our leaders are busy setting up new boards and making projections for 2035.
The Accountant-General’s update revealed that our Excess Crude Account stands at a paltry $473,754.57. Yes, less than half a million dollars! Remember when the ECA had billions? But that didn’t stop our leaders from making grand plans that would require significant funding.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, also informed the Council about strengthening Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET). Another worthy initiative on paper. But will it translate to action, or will it join the long list of abandoned policies?
Let’s be honest, our government has never lacked ideas or policy documents. What we lack is implementation. The Vice President seemed to acknowledge this when he said, “We are not here to admire the beauty of policy design but to ensure the substance of its execution.” Yet that’s exactly what we’ve been doing for decades – admiring policy designs while execution remains elusive.
I’m particularly skeptical about the new Federal Ministry of Livestock Development’s strategy. The presentation projected that it would build a $74-$90 billion sector by 2035. That’s a lot of money, especially for a country that hasn’t been able to solve basic problems like electricity.
The strategy will focus on five key pillars: Animal Health and Zoonoses Control, Feed and Fodder Development, Water Resources Management, Statistics and Information Systems, and Breed Improvement initiatives. Sounds comprehensive, but how will it be implemented? How will it address the core issues behind the farmer-herder conflicts?
The Council also reviewed proposals to transform Nigeria into a red meat exporter with access to key Middle East and Asian markets. Noble ambitions, but we need to first ensure we can feed ourselves before thinking about exporting.
Shettima urged the NEC members to “resist the temptation of grand rhetoric and embrace the hard work of reform.” Yet, grand rhetoric is exactly what we got from this meeting. Plans, projections, and promises without concrete timelines or measurable outcomes.
The Vice President also pushed for field visits by the NEC Implementation Monitoring Committee. Finally, a practical suggestion! But will these visits be more than photo opportunities? Will they lead to actual course correction when initiatives are failing?
The truth is, no policy, no matter how well-designed, can succeed without the political will, adequate funding, and proper monitoring. And that’s where our governance system has consistently failed.
As we ponder these new initiatives, let’s remember that the most important aspect of nation-building which we often overlook is good leadership at all levels. Till we begin to have good leaders with the fear of God, in a restructured Nigeria or not, El Dorado will be a mirage.
I hope I’m wrong this time. I hope these grand plans will translate to actual development. But history suggests otherwise. As citizens, we need to hold our leaders accountable, demand regular updates on these initiatives, and ensure they don’t end up as mere footnotes in our long history of failed policies.
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