Journalists Fault Nnaji’s Resignation; Urges FG to recall minister

- from Young Journalists Forum -

The Nigeria Young Journalists Forum (YJF), has expressed its sadness over the
sudden resignation of the minister of power, Prof Bart Nnaji who he
said has performed excellently as a minister in the country.

In press statement yesterday and signed by its president Ayodele
Samuel and secretary, Zacheaus Somorin, the forum expressed its sordid
disappointment at the enthusiasm with which president Jonathan
accepted the minister’s resignation saying that the presidency should
have persuaded him not to do so ‘at this critical moment when there
has been improvement in the power sector’.

‘While we respect the reason why the power minister might have
resigned, we are however marveled at the way the presidency has
accepted the resignation of Prof Barth Nnaji who has been so committed
to the resuscitation of the recumbent electricity sector in Nigeria’
the statement read in part.

Ayodele and Somorin pointed out that while other ministers have been
enjoying ‘the collective wealth of the country through crass
opportunism offered by their various appointments”, Professor Nnaji
has been fighting tooth and nail against all the ‘centripetal and
centrifugal forces’ that have created logs in the wheels of progress
of the critical sector.

‘The governance inertial and transparent lack of astuteness of the
present government has again been revealed as some cabals must have
been motivational to the resignation of the minister which the
presidency accepted with no qualms’ Yjf stated.

The group explained that while there might have been allegations of
the Nnaji wanting to benefit his companies in the electricity
transmission and generation contract, the basis, which it said it
suspects, that the presidency had riveted on to ‘force Nnaji to
resign’, the federal government should have rather looked at the
positive angle of such a move as the minister might have been so
careful against fraudulent contractors that may win the contract
without performance.

The group alleged that some cabals, including some conservative
elements within PHCN labour movement, who have been malleable tools in
the hands of private individuals who do not want stable electricity in
Nigeria, have been frustrating the minister before now calling for his
resignation with no rational reason.

‘In most parts of the country, electricity supply has become
ubiquitous with suppliers of generators and fuel to company almost
falling out of business. Nnaji ensured that those who may constitute
hindrance to the reforms were appropriately dealt with, with such an
attempts resulting in verbal diatribes in the media’ the statement
added.

It therefore called on the federal government to recall Nnaji to his
duty post saying that he should be allowed to end an effective process
he has started despite all odds.

Young Journalists Forum
Lagos
08074420617, 08157346899