Hon Abdullahi Umar Faruk is representing Birni kebbi/Bunza/Kalgo federal constituency of Kebbi State. In this interview with RUTH CHOJI, the lawmaker decried the poor approach to diversification of the economy. He also said the refusal of the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Col Hameed Ali, to wear customs uniform is a flagrant disregard for the sovereignty for the country
Most Nigerians expected the life span of the 2016 budget to end by March but from reports, it has been shifted to May. What informed this decision?
If I may use the word of the speaker, the fiscal year is for 12 months and this budget was signed in May, 2016 and it has to run through the 12 months cycle. That is why it started in May 2016, and it must end in May, 2017.
Is that the reason for the delays in passing the 2017 budget?
No, the two budgets are in no way connected. As far as legislative process is concerned, we are done with 2016 budget. We see it as an oversight issue now except if the executive comes for virement.
From a lawmaker’s view point, what makes the 2017 budget different from that of the 2016?
As far as I am concerned, the increase in capital project investment makes the 2017 budget different. We used to have capital projects at only 25% but this one is over 31% which is a remarkable improvement. I am praying for the day that we will see 50% capital project injection in the budget….
Is that possible?
It is possible because states are doing it already. They give 65% to capital projects whereas, it is the opposite in the federal. It’s a misnomer. If you need development, then you have to invest and the only way to do that is through capital projects. We have to reverse the trend in favor of capital projects at federal level.
Is the Federal Government doing enough in terms of reflating the economy?
I am a stakeholder in this government as an APC member. I am an ardent supporter of the President but his good intentions are not being implemented. So instead of getting the intervention of the President, the implementation procedure is not working, that is why we are where we are today.
For example, in the agricultural sector which is the main policy thrust of this administration, (this is an integrated issue which is connected to other areas), as much as they are talking about making the issue of fertilizer easy and affordable, it will take more than that because after the farmer harvests his crop, then what happens to their crops? Is government doing something about preservation and marketing? The farmers are forced to sell at lower prices because they don’t have storage facilites.
The bulk of what Nigerians do is peasant farming. Mechanized farming is not available here in Nigeria because the government has not made the equipment available even when we have National commission for mechanism farming. No peasant farmer can effort a tractor. The earlier the government approaches farming as a business concern, the better for us.
You obviously are not satisfied with the way the Federal Government is handling the agricultural sector?
Yes. Recently we were told by the hard working minister of agriculture that a friendly country wants to help us agriculturally by giving us machineries for us to pay later. But which agency do we have that will handle it? Do we just bring it and pack it somewhere so the elites alone can use it? Governments have been buying tractors for years but where are they? The common farmer cannot assess it.
We only see it in the books when they come to the National Assembly. So the FG must set up national center for agricultural machine for hiring to deserving farmers In every zone. At the same time there is a need to set up places where the farmer can come with his goods and the buyer will meet him to trade. That way you create a value chain because if this is done, some people will be operating the tractor, many others will be repairing the tractors, and others will be agents while there will be the buyers and farmers. The FG must also procure storage facilities, if not the FG will continue importing tractors and only those in government or who have friends in government can use them.
Some have blamed the state of the economy on policy somersault of the Federal Government, do you share such views?
At times government make pronouncements without really thinking it through. We only see the effects after it has taken off.
What is your reaction to the current friction between the presidency and the senate? As a member of the National Assembly, I am worried. I don’t think we can continue to lead this country on personification of governmental affair. This is happening at the presidency and the National Assembly. We have to divorce personal issues from national issues.
What is your take on the face-off between Controller General of Customs and the Senate on the issue of uniform?
That is fragrant disregard for the sovereignty for this nation. For whatever he claims to be, Nigeria is the very reason why he is what he is today. For every security outfit or paramilitary service, they are identified by their uniform, which is how you can identify the military from the navy. So even if for nothing but for identification sake, the man should wear the Customs uniform. Every agency jealousy guards their uniform, which is why some uniformed agencies are not respected like others, just because of their uniform.
The kind of respect you give a sailor will not be the same you will give some other uniforms because their uniform is spotless. So every agency using uniform are always proud of their uniforms.
The highest honor a uniform person can give a dignified and respected visitor is guard of honor. The guest will review the parade. The purpose is to see how beautiful and well organized their force is. The guest assesses the unit through their uniform.
The uniform reflects their character. He will check their beret, their uniform and shoes before looking at their face. If the visitor visiting the parading personnel saw a broken button in the uniform, that officer could be dismiss for disgracing their unit.
So if the CG refuses to wear the uniform, he is breeding disloyalty and indiscipline within the customs. Before you know it, you will see that, others coming after him will want to do the same thing and there won’t be law in the customs again. So if the senate as the highest law making organ in the country decides that, he must appear before them in uniform, he is expected to obey them because they are representing Nigerians. So disrespecting them is disrespecting Nigerians. Any decision the Senate takes is either a law or resolution and what they told Col Hameed Ali to do was a resolution they passed.
That is the entire country telling him to appear in uniform and then, because of ego, he refused. The solution is for the President to call a spade a spade. This man has disregarded the Senate and disgraced the president. There are a million Col Ali’s the President can chose from. Even Allah does not tolerate arrogance and this could lead a person to hell. It doesn’t matter how good you are, as long as you are arrogant, then you have failed as a person.
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