Blair to Buhari: Take tough decisions on NNPC, others

    Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said on Wednesday that the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, must capitalize on the goodwill among Nigerians to take drastic decisions that will impact positively on the nation’s economy on the long run.

Represented by Peter Mendelssohn at a two- day policy dialogue on the implementation of the agenda for change organised by the Policy research and strategy directorate of the All Progressive Congress Presidential a Campaign Council, the ex- British PM said one of such decisions will be to drastically overhaul the nation’ soil sector by immediately reposition the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and eliminate corruption in the sector.

He said “Let me give you an example of another emerging economy that I have spent time more recently. President of Indonesia was elected last year with huge public support. As a foremost businessman without link to the political elites, he was hailed as a leader who could transform Indonesia.

“One of the things he did after being inaugurated last October was to slash Indonesia’s hugely expensive and inefficient, but yet popular fuel subsidy, a policy decision which had toppled previous administrations and consistently brought people out into the streets. He decided to do it straight away.

“He had that goodwill and had that authority and that was the time to move. Obviously, when there was a low price of oil, it made it less painful, but it was well timed.

“On one part, the new President has demonstrated to his people and the international market that he was serious about economic reform and that he was no longer to be underestimated and the protests on the streets ended up being minimal compared to previous times.

“As you know, addiction to fuel subsidy is not limited to Indonesia. I am saying take advantage of that goodwill of being elected to take difficult decisions that may inflict immediate pains, but will in the long terms be of interest to the country and the government.

“What you do in the first 100 days is important and symbolic and can also have tremendously positive repercussion for the government and throughout country. You have a limited window of opportunity to make an impact as a government. Looking at Nigeria, I would say your vulnerability is corruption and that is not new to you, particularly around the oil sector.

“People in this country seem to be able to do things with impunity and beyond the reach of the rule of law or proper accountability and the judicial system. You can crack the NNPC nut or you can make a start on it in the first 100 days and if you do so, you would have built a very strong foundation for what you have to do in the next four years and beyond.

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