Nigerian Students Vehemently Rejects Proposed Sales Of Our National Assets By The Federal Government

"When wise men refuses to act,they are forced to succumb to the whims and caprices of the fools"---Cardinal Newman

The National leadership of the most virile conglomeration of revolutionary youths from the South of Sahara to the North of Limpopo in Nigeria and the fundamental advocate of the masses against anti-people policies of the government,the NANS,joins the teeming progressive populace of Nigerians to vehemently oppose and totally reject the proposes sales of our national assets by the federal in criminal connivance with the governors as a recipe out of our current economic recession.

While majority of students and youths support the anti-corruption drive of the government on assumption of office last year with utopian promises of positive changes to revamp the economy and the changes are not forthcoming to the extent of finding ourselves in economic recession, it is despicable that helpless Nigerians can be astronomically catapulted into psychological depression tingling towards total extinction with the planned sales of our national assets by the federal government to take the once robust fastest growing economy in the world out of an unprecedented recession that if not curbed, will lead to a depression.

We are not unaware of the obvious fact that Nigeria is currently going through the worst recession in her history due to the crash in oil prices and misplacement of exclusive priorities by the government,but the NANS cannot afford to fold our arms and allow Nigerian capitalist forces to take advantage of the situation that raped us into recession to allow them to kill and bury our economy into extinction.

The NANS leadership had observed with keen interest that privatization of our assets in the past has not delivered the much anticipated efficiency,profit and required nationalistic services other than enrich the pockets of feudal fronts and their kleptomaniac paymasters while there is absolutely nothing to show for the sales of government properties, investments and firms.It is therefore suffice to conclude that the advocates of the sale of our national assets simply want to dispose Nigerians to expand their feudalistic business empire(s).

Based on statistical data and emphasized information acquired from the Federal government,in the last fifteen months of this administration,the government claimed to have recovered N2.6trillion through TSA, N1.4trillion from subsidy, N3.2trillion from recovered loots,N665billion from stamp duty, N1.1trillion from Customs, N2.6trillion from tax revenue, totalling almost N13.2trillion to fund a N6.4trillion budget, yet we are borrowing in recession and about to sell off our national assets.

Consequent upon the above stated statistics and the desirous hope for gradual economic revampment and stability,the NANS is dumbfounded to hear that government has concluded plans to sell the nations critical assets in order to raise $15 billion dollars to rescue the country out of economic recession at a cabinet retreat hosted at the Presidential Villa in criminal conspiracy with the non-performing ministers and state governors.

We strongly oppose the measures that includes part sales of NLNG Holdings, reduction of government shares in upstream Oil Joint Venture operations,sales of Kaduna refinery, Warri refinery, Port-Harcourt refinery and concession of major/regional airports because selling our national assets is like selling our oesophagus to buy food as we will be left with nothing to sell,if we are in recession again.

The NANS leadership frowns critically against corrupt Nigerians who call themselves private sector operators and businessmen who in the face of recession,despite their wealth and resources,refused to invest in Agriculture, solid minerals, building capacity for national development or developing science and technology, but deeply interested in buying off profitable public assets to expand their kleptomaniac capitalist fiefdom.

It is not a gainsay that judging by the unfolding scenario,in line with the dubious proposal of the intending buyers,willing to buy during recession cum appetising collaboration of the state governments as an antidote to recession,we may simply surmise that the "recession" is orchestrated for the country's businessmen and political cabals to buy off "ready made" oil wells and gas from the national resource,instead of investing funds to fund oil and gas in Lake Chad, Ajaokuta Steel Rolling or Benue trough.

Judging by the body language of the government,collaborators and hurriedly packaged intending buyers,it is suffice to say that if whistles are not blown and issues are not raised, there is a surreptitious grand attempt to recess Nigeria further in allegiance to the suggested buyers by buying up our remaining assets as there are no captains of industry or progressive minded philantrophists other than crony businessmen, pooitical jobbers,rent seekers and commission agents who depends on patronage from government without any intention to take us out of the woods.

As a pragmatic way forward,the NANS leadership urges the Senate and the House of Representatives to immediately summon a joint session with the executive arm of the government led by President Buhari to meet, revisit and agree on a progressive synergy to take the country out of recession without seloing our national assets as the recovered funds can be injected into the economy to ameliorate the unfortunate situation we found ourselves.

We cannot but remind the nation that if we are being deodorized as leaders of tomorrow while our grandfathers are still at the helm of affairs with promises that we are being groomed for leadership,and our heritage and national assets are being sold off to recess our recession today, what are we going to sell tomorrow if we find ourselves in a collapsed situation again?

The NANS leadership will appraise situations,consult widely with progressive arms and stakeholders in the sustainability of the entity called Nigeria and update Nigerian students and youths on the next line of action but the NEC is resolved on the side of students and masses to equivocally oppose,resist and reject the proposed sales of our national assets as a panacea out of our current economic recession and we will not be coerced to do otherwise.

Aluta Continua;Victoria Ascerta!!!
Comrade Chinoso Obasi
President
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)

National Secretariat, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki

07069588888