Chief Reagan John Ofomba, a lawyer and politician, is the President, Reagan Cement Company. In this interview with GEORGE OPARA, he speaks on the nation’s politics and economy.
Q: What do you make of the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua?
A: I think Nigeria could do better if the present administration realises that power is the centre of all economic activities and growth. What I noticed is that our governments at both federal and state levels, are running away from their responsibilities. Often, they say their job is to create an enabling environment and that government has no business being in business. To me, that is fraudulent and highly misleading. Creating the so-called enabling environment should not be separated from the importance of child education and empowerment. And because government has run away from its primary role of providing adequate security and protection of lives and property, the consequences have been grave. What has been the impact of the huge recycling of federal and states budgets every year? Nothing. The result is that if you have so much unspent money or money wastefully spent, providing a few services and goods, massive fraud sets in, as we can see today. If all these funds are tied to viable projects at the federal and state levels and adequately monitored, there would be fewer problems. Year in, year out, budgets and allocations have failed to improve the lot of our citizens. There is tokenism in funding education, building industries, construction and maintenance of roads. That is why most government officials are stealing and laundering money. Recall that somebody like Tam David-West was jailed in this country for taking a wristwatch and drinking a cup of tea offered by an investor. Can this level of discipline in public office be seen today?
Q: How would you assess the Independent National Electoral Commission?
A: I don’t have anything personal against Professor Maurice Iwu. But if the President, in his inaugural speech, informed Nigerians that the electoral system that brought him into power was faulty, then, the buck should stop at someone’s desk. That person is Professor Iwu. My feeling is that to bring about credibility and acceptability to this government and the electoral process, something must happen to that office. It is not about Iwu or PDP as a political party. It is about moving forward as a country practising democracy. In fact, as this issue lingers, the initial confidence people had in the administration of the president is dying. So, President Yar’Adua should act fast to restore the confidence of the people in political parties, electoral system and in the Nigerian project.
Q: Recently, former Abia State governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, said his successor, Governor T.A Orji is on his own and accountable for his actions in office. Is their relationship still cordial?
A: I don’t know what that relationship looks like now. But I know it used to be healthy when they were working as governor and chief of staff respectively. However, I think both of them have roles to play. It is very certain that the present governor was installed by the former. To that extent, he owes him loyalty. Whether that is not the case, I don’t know. But I think Chief Kalu was right. That is why some of us are saying that the governor should assert himself because he is accountable to the people. So, to be a surrogate or not will not be an excuse when his tenure ends.
Q: What is your assessment of Abia State lawmakers?
A: I know most of them. They are very intelligent and likeable people, individually. But we have a fundamental problem about the system that brought them to office. The system itself is faulty. The system may not allow them to function effectively as lawmakers. It is a bread and butter system. The system skews and squeezes them to the point that all of them only need to say ‘please help me’. And whatever they get becomes enough. I am of the opinion that they can do better if the system that brought them is reformed. Truly, most people are disillusioned when they understand that to contest election means to waste time and money, when people are handpicked. This makes people say that Nigeria is running a ‘selectocratic’ government instead of democracy.
Q: How would you describe the Nigerian business environment?
A: Very unhealthy. Very, very, unhealthy. And that is where government should come in. Our business environment is not fit for economic growth in the face of poor power supply, lack of good roads and multiple taxation. On a product made in this country, you pay multiple taxes, including Value Added Tax (VAT), when no value is added. Government should curtail multiple taxation and come up with enduring policies and programmes that would help the economy to thrive. For instance, last year, we were given licences by the federal government to manufacture and import cement. What it entails is that as you are bringing in cement, you are required to embark on backward integration and that requires you to go to the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power to obtain mining licences. The Federal Government and the Ministry of Commerce have done their part very well, but the other linkages that could empower you to go into the backward integration is being denied many companies seeking licences. And the ministry will tell you that for the past one year, it has not been issuing licences. Our applications have been lying there. At a point, people get frustrated.
Q: How do you think Abia youths should be empowered?
A: My philanthropic gesture started in the early 1980s when I distributed maize and cassava and stems to indigent rural farmers in Abia State, which they call Reagan cassava. I was manufacturing chalk and donating to most of the schools in my state. Also, I was giving fertilisers free to farmers. I have given scholarship to more than 25 students in my area. I have Reagan Foundation for the welfare of the youths. I have taken over the Ngwa Women Specialist Hospital, running a free medical scheme, including delivery of pregnant women. Children born in the hospital are being offered 20,000 shares each, free registration. We take care of their mothers as well and we have established a payroll for them under a scheme called Child Wish Initiative International and many other things. In addition, I have recently donated 10 percent of the annual profit of my company to youth empowerment.
Q: Why did you opt out of the 2007 gubernatorial election in Abia State?
A: The truth is that no political party could accuse me of picking its form. I never picked any nomination form. Yes, people wanted me to contest; there were people propping me up, campaigning and even organising for my declaration, but I looked at the terrain and discovered that it was not clear enough. However, my supporters who felt I have something to offer made posters for me.
Q: So, you expressed interest just because people wanted you to run?
A: When this agitation was going on, I sat back and put my ideas down in case I made up my mind to contest so that people would know my vision. That contrasts significantly with what obtains now when some people jump into public office without really preparing for it.
Q: But some people said you backed out because General Ibrahim Babangida withdrew from the 2007 presidential poll. What is your reaction?
A: I would want to be frank here. I think for everybody who aspires to be in a public office, he should clearly identify the ideology that propels him, the motivating policies and vision and those who would help in driving his vision, whether as a superior or subordinate. Frankly, I have always thought IBB is somebody one can look up to. I believe that he is a man who has given Nigeria a vision. There are quite a lot of desirable reforms he achieved for this country and today, his successors follow those reforms. There is no denying the fact that if IBB had contested, we would have been emboldened to throw our hat into the ring. In my discussion with him recently, I told him that when he was president of this country, I used to put off my freezer to enable me get my pot of soup. But today, you have to wait for the electricity before you could freeze your pot of soup. In IBB’s time, electricity, diesel, petrol and roads were very good and functional. Last year in Lagos, where we all do business, the Third Mainland Bridge built by IBB was closed down for repairs. And I tell you a lot of people never went to the Lagos Island during the period this repair lasted. How many mainland bridges have we seen after that? He made the road map to the development of Abuja . You could see the masterplan and how Abuja is transformed. Also, recall that he introduced the liberalisation policy.
Q: But he annulled the 1993 presidential election and you wish he could be elected a civilian president. Do you think he is a democrat?
A: Well, June 12 is one unfortunate political incidents that took place in this country, especially to the extent that lives and property were lost. The winner, Chief MKO Abiola, also died in detention. Other well meaning Nigerians died while protesting the annulment. But we should also look at the good side of June 12. Today, we all say June 12 was the day when Nigeria had, for the first time in its political history, a free and fair election. As a democrat, I think everybody regrets the annulment of June 12 election. Even IBB regrets that annulment. He feels now that it could have been better had he died than annul the June 12 election.
Q: Is IBB really keen on a comeback?
A: At different fora, IBB told us that he was old enough for retirement. And I believe him. He said: ‘I want to go on retirement and I want you younger elements to come and improve on what we have done.’
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