A Nigerian senator, Shehu Sani, has described proponents of sale of the
country’s national asset as “economic predators and profiteers who want
to take advantage of the situation in the country.”
Mr. Sani, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts, said in a statement to Premium Times today that “Nigeria’s capitalist forces raped Nigeria to recession and now they want to kill and bury it.”
Mr. Sani, from Kaduna State, condemned the suggestion as being against the interest of the nation. He said privatization in Nigeria has not delivered the much anticipated efficiency and services other than enrich a few fronts and their masters. “There is currently nothing to show for the sale of government houses, (and) firms. The advocates of sale of our collective national asset simply want to dispossess Nigerians and expand their business empire.
“They call themselves private sector and business men; they refused to invest in agriculture, solid minerals or science and technology, they simply want to buy off profitable public asset.
“There are no captains of industry in Nigeria other than crony businessmen, rent seekers, commission agents who depend on patronage from government.
Mr. Sani said the country’s businessmen prefer to buy off “ready-made” oil wells and gas from the Niger Delta, instead of investing funds to find oil and gas in Lake Chad and Benue trough.
He called on Nigerians to rise up against any attempt to sell the country’s asset, arguing that, “Selling our national asset to stem recession is like selling ones lungs to buy food.
“Recession should excite innovation and ideas and not justify roguery. …. Nigeria’s poor have always lived under systemic recession and depression and on the edge of extinction,” he said.
Mr. Sani, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts, said in a statement to Premium Times today that “Nigeria’s capitalist forces raped Nigeria to recession and now they want to kill and bury it.”
Mr. Sani, from Kaduna State, condemned the suggestion as being against the interest of the nation. He said privatization in Nigeria has not delivered the much anticipated efficiency and services other than enrich a few fronts and their masters. “There is currently nothing to show for the sale of government houses, (and) firms. The advocates of sale of our collective national asset simply want to dispossess Nigerians and expand their business empire.
“They call themselves private sector and business men; they refused to invest in agriculture, solid minerals or science and technology, they simply want to buy off profitable public asset.
“There are no captains of industry in Nigeria other than crony businessmen, rent seekers, commission agents who depend on patronage from government.
Mr. Sani said the country’s businessmen prefer to buy off “ready-made” oil wells and gas from the Niger Delta, instead of investing funds to find oil and gas in Lake Chad and Benue trough.
He called on Nigerians to rise up against any attempt to sell the country’s asset, arguing that, “Selling our national asset to stem recession is like selling ones lungs to buy food.
“Recession should excite innovation and ideas and not justify roguery. …. Nigeria’s poor have always lived under systemic recession and depression and on the edge of extinction,” he said.
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