August 22, 2013
APC unfolds manifesto, targets 40,000MW
Interim National Chairman, All Progressive Congress, Chief Bisi Akande
The All Progressives Congress on
Wednesday in Abuja unfolded a seven-point cardinal programme that
would ensure that electricity generation hit 40,000 megawatts within
four to eight years of its leadership.
The party, in a 31-page manifesto,
which was presented to Nigerians listed the other components of the
cardinal programme as war against corruption, food security,
integrated transport network and free education.
Others are devolution of power, accelerated economic growth and affordable health care.
According to the party, the programme will transform Nigeria into a progressive state anchored on social democracy.
“Our government shall vigorously pursue
the expansion of electricity generation and distribution of up to 40,000
megawatts in four to eight years,” the APC said.
Last Tuesday, the Presidential Task Force on Power put the nation’s power generation at 3,311.40MW.
But the APC said it would also work at making power available from renewable energy sources such as coal, solar and wind.
The party said, “The country can only
succeed when all of us have equal rights, where no one is above the
law; where the culture of impunity is abolished and where there is a
level playing field.”
It stated that as a change agent, it
would “halt the dangerous drift of Nigeria into a failed state; with a
conscious plan for a post-oil-economy.”
The party stated that it would restructure the country and devolve powers to the units with the best practices of federalism.
It said that its government would muster
the political will to wage a stringent war against corruption. The
party warned that without successfully waging war against corruption,
Nigeria’s post-oil-economy would be disastrous.
Explaining its agenda on agriculture,
the APC noted that Nigeria, which used to be a leading exporter of
agricultural produce, had become import dependent.
It stated, “APC will embark on a massive and progressive re-organisation and revolution of the agricultural industry.”
The party also stated it would
embark on a national infrastructural development programme through a
private-public sector partnership.
According to the party, through this, it would construct 4,000 kilometres of “supper highways.”
It said that it would revatilse the railway system through the modernisation and rehabilitation of tracks.
The party added that it would build 200
kilometres of standard railway lines annually an carry out a thorough
review of the education sector.
It said that it would allocate up to 10 per cent of the country’s annual budget to the education sector.
The party promised to re-introduce technical and vocational education and review the 6-3-3-4 system.
In the health sector, the APC said that
it would work to reduce infant mortality rate by 2019 to three per cent
and reduce maternal mortality by more than 70 per cent.
The APC said that it would make free
ante-natal care for pregnant women and provide free health care for
babies and children up to school going age.
According to the party, the aged and people living with HIV/AIDS would also enjoy free health care.
On industrialisation, the APC said that it would conduct a state by state census of ailing industries.
This, it explained, would enable it to establish an industrial resuscitation fund.
The party added that it would create new development banks that would make affordable credits available for industrial growth.
On job creation, the APC said that it
would maintain “a sound macro-economic policy environment, run an
efficient government and preserve the independence of the Central Bank
of Nigeria.”
The party said that it would make the
economy one of the fastest growing economies by achieving a real GDP
growth of 10 per cent annually.
The APC also promised to amend the 1999
Constitution and the Land Use Act “to create freehold/leasehold
interest in land matching grants.”
The Interim National Chairman of the
party, Chief Bisi Akande, had before the unveiling of the manifesto,
said that Nigeria and its citizens were “in a state of near
permanent trauma.”
He noted that Nigeria had for many years been confronted with multi-dimensional challenges, including socio-economic crises.
“The result is that the nation and its citizenry continue to exist in a state of near permanent trauma,” he said.
Akande stated that in over 50 years of
its independence,Nigeria had suffered seven coups, which resulted in 28
years of military rule.
Akande said, “Trapped in a vicious
cycle of political crises, social upheavals and economic
under-development, Nigeria has become, not only one of the most unstable
countries in the world, it is also, regrettably, one of the poorest
despite its huge human and material resources.”
He said the APC would confront the
challenges facing the country. The challenges, according to him, can be
grouped into seven.
They include national unity and
integration; perennial threats to security, law and order; and
ensuring rapid economic growth with equity people-centered economic
management. Others are consolidating Nigeria’s emerging democratic
tradition; human development; and instituting a sustainable management
of the environment.
Akande stated, “The philosophy
underpinning the coming into being of the APC therefore is the
determination to bring the country back from the brink of collapse,
despair, and possible disintegration; reposition it decisively on the
route to emerging into a modern stable democratic nation, with a
productive economy that is based on equity and justice for all
citizens.”
He said the party would harness the abundant energies, enterprise and intellect of all Nigerians to move the country forward.
The interim chairman said, “We believe
that at the core of the paralysing challenges confronting Nigeria today
is the failure of governance which is manifested in the continuing
inability of the Nigerian state.”
According to him, Nigeria should assume
its proper place in world affairs commensurate with its size and status
as the leading black nation in the world.
Akande added, “To the APC therefore,
the objective of governance is the single-minded and unrelenting efforts
to confront these challenges and the eventual materialisation of a
united, peaceful and democratic nation, with a productive and constantly
growing economy; which provides significant opportunities for all its
citizens.”
“A large part of the APC’s agenda in particular will centre on the Nigerian youth.”
The Peoples Democratic Party however faulted a claim by Akande that Nigeria was in near trauma.
It said Nigeria’s economy was growing
consistently, stressing that the Gross Domestic Product had also been
rising at seven per cent for the past three years.
“The Nigerian economy is one of the
fastest growing economies in the world. In Asia, Europe and even
America, the economy is either in recession or growing at one per cent,
but our GDP has been growing at seven per cent for the past three years;
anybody who does not know this is either not in this country or he is
mischievous,” the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Tony
Okeke said.
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