Governments’ development economic plans have protected their economies through periods of certainty and uncertainty.
Such economic plans allow a country to influence, direct, and control changes in principal economic variables such as investment, savings, consumption expenditures, exports, and imports, over a period of time in order to achieve a pre-determined set of goals.
The development plans are often classified into four broad categories, including short-range plans, medium-range plans, long-range plans, and rolling plans.
Nigeria has not been left out of this practice as it has in the past strictly followed various lengths of economic plans from pre-independence to the post-independence era.
The first attempt at development planning in Nigeria was the Ten-Year Plan of Development and Welfare (1945- 1955) it was followed by the Second Pre-Independence National Development Plan (1955 – 1960).
Development plan in Nigeria, after indepedence include the First National Development Plan (1962-1968), the Second National Development Plan (1970-1974), the Third National Development Plan (1975-1980) and the Fourth National Development Plan (1981-1985). This was followed by the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) of the regime of former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida.
The national rolling plans in the country began with the First National Rolling Plan (1990-1992), the Second National Rolling Plan (1991-1993), the Third National Rolling Plan (1993-1995), the Fourth National Rolling Plan (1994-1996) and the Fifth National Rolling Plan (1997-1999).
But some economic analysts have identified many problems that mitigated against successful implementation of development plans in Nigeria over the years.
The problems, according to them, include corruption, lack of feasibility studies and/or project analysis and effective coordination of development efforts, lack of suitable economic and political environment, lack of consultation and involvement of the local communities and the private sector in planning efforts and plan implementations.
Other problems, they said, include shortage of specialised skills, dearth of reliable data, technical changes and unforeseen economic fortunes, lack of properly defined economic and social goals, over-ambitious estimates, balance of payments problems and the nature of international economic environment, and bureaucracy in the Government administrative machinery.
These problems could have informed the decision of those adminstrations that avoided such economic plans and went ahead to run their government on emergency basis.
But President Goodluck Jonathan, on the first day of this year, noted that such emergency plan has resulted in wobbling economy.
Speaking at the New Year Service of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Abuja, he said: “For you to achieve anything, you must have a clear vision. Even if you look at what we have been doing as a nation, you will really see that before this time when the country used to have this 25 years plan, the budget was based on 25 years clear plan for the country. So you know where you are going for 25 years. Then it is broken down into 5 years plan and annual budget and we knew where we were going.”
“But after sometimes, things collapsed and we run government on emergency basis and you see government start wobbling. We are going back to those good days when we have vision. We have plan for agriculture, we have plan for industry, we have plan for automobile and many other areas.” he added.
Jonathan’s kinsmen and emblem
Next week Thursday is the 2015 Armed Forces Remembrace Day, which is a day specially dedicated for remembering fallen heroes, their relations and injured soldiers.
Towards supporting the relations of the deceased and the living heroes, President Goodluck Jonathan had last month launched the 2015 emblem to raise fund for the Nigerian Legion.
Not only did Jonathan encouraged Nigerians to buy the emblem but he made it mandatory for members of his cabinet and visitors to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“I, personally, will put on the emblem from today till January 15, and in the State House it is a tradition that for you to come in from tomorrow, you must wear the emblem.’’ Jonathan stated
The security officials manning the key entrances leading to the President’s office and residence have not failed to enforce the directive as it would be a miracle for anybody without the emblem to pass through such points.
Jonathan’s kinsmen including royal fathers from Bayelsa State were not exempted from the directive when they came to wish him merry Christmas and happy New Year at Aso Rock last Tuesday.
Apart from the normal security checks on Jonathan’s kinsmen at the gates, the security personnel had to make sure they were all hanging the emblem before heading to Jonathan’s residence.
Since most of them did not come with the emblem from Bayelsa State, they had to quickly buy one to gain entrance.
This is just one of the sales strategy for the emblem and it will really go a long way if all the proceeds from the emblem really get to the Nigerian Legion for the benefit of those who are entitled to it.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Col. Micah Gayya had complained during the launching in December that N75 million out of the N105 million pledged in 2013 for the emblem was yet to be received after over one year.
Hear him: “The saddest thing is that these pledges are made in the pubic eye leaving us with no avenue to tell the world that such pledges have not been redeemed. We call with loud voice on those who did not redeem their pledges to honourably do so.”
“We had our Legion Humanitarian Day on 27 November 2014 during which we empowered widows and gave bursary to the children of the fallen heroes. Our emphasis was on the victims of the current insurgency operation in the country especially those who are yet to be paid their benefits.”
“We lost over 100 members to the current insurgency in the Northeast and the affected families are in dare need of help.” he stated.
It is really hoped that this year will be different for the Nigerian Legion.
