There should be continuity in projects across the nation

It has become the habit of Nigerians and governments in power to blame past administration; discontinue their good projects and correct their mistakes. This is not healthy in a country that is classified as under-developed.

Since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the focus of the governments have been on agriculture, mining, education, technology, transportation, works, housing, petroleum, defense, external affairs, internal affairs, industries and finance.

I do not want to believe that the governments of Ahaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Aguiyi Ironsi, Yakubu Gowon, General Olusegun Obasanjo(military and civilian),Alhaji Shehu Shagari, General Muhammadu Buhari (military), General Ibrahim Babangida, General Sanni Abacha, General Abdulsalam Abubarka, Alhaji Umaru Yar Adua, Goodluck Jonathan did not achieve anything in these areas mentioned above worthy of continuation by subsequent governments.

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Instead of continuing and improving on some good projects of the last government, they abandon them so that the kudos will not go to the past government. Is this how to move forward as a nation?

At times, the projects of past governments are abandoned and dubbed “white elephant projects” considering the costs of execution and  the necessary knowledge to execute them. This phrase is easily applied by present governments meaning that the project is very expensive and unachievable. What stops us from borrowing ideas from the beginners of the project or retain them because of the projects they have embarked upon.

I want to add also that the competent ministers or heads can be retained in order to complete the good projects they have started. I wish to stress more that I do not believe that all the members or cabinet members of an administration can be totally incompetent.

Now that we are clamouring for change, let us change in the way we criticize. Let us not criticize destructively, but constructively. Let us build on existing and edifying project started by past governments. Let us check the record of the past administrations and pick the good programmes they have started and complete them.

Embarking on new programmes and policies by new governments without completing the viable ones started by previous government is a waste of fund which the present economic condition of the country cannot shoulder.

Leadership or government is a serious business which should not be handled by wasters under any guise. The country does not have enough funds to play around with. Whether at federal or state level, governance should be seen as serious-minded people affair.

Disciplinary measures should be meted out to any government that embarks on this kind of wastage. Whether we believe it or not, recession is still biting. We are not out of it yet.

Chiemela N. Agu

 Lagos state

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