12 years on: Why does Abacha’s memory endure?
Though not elected, the Abacha regime had gone on record to be the first administration to convince Nigerians about the advantages of petroleum subsidy withdrawal. With the establishment of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) to manage the proceeds of subsidy withdrawal, Nigerians had for the first time seen evidence that such proceeds could bring maximum […]
Though not elected, the Abacha regime had gone on record to be the first administration to convince Nigerians about the advantages of petroleum subsidy withdrawal. With the establishment of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) to manage the proceeds of subsidy withdrawal, Nigerians had for the first time seen evidence that such proceeds could bring maximum benefits to majority of Nigerians. When it was established, the intervention agency was managed by a team of credible Nigerians, led by former military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari.
According to records, the defunct PTF was allocated N30 billion throughout its entire life but its impact was remarkable across the country. It was impossible to travel around the country then without being confronted instantly with the results of PTF performance on the ground. Conditions of our roads, hospitals, schools and water supply systems had witnessed remarkable improvements after many years of neglect; public infrastructure was on the verge of collapse.
Guided by integrity and public trust, the PTF introduced tough projects supervision standards, unlike previous practices where contractors would execute projects of poor quality and get paid for them. In most of the key areas of national infrastructure, the PTF made a mark, despite the fact that it had a mere N30 billion naira throughout its existence. For the first time, Nigerians had access to safer and affordable drugs in public hospitals because contractors were subjected to rigid supervision to avoid short-changing the public.
Until the intervention of the PTF, schools children were taking lessons under trees as school roofs were blown off by rain or there were no desks and chairs to take instructions. In fact, with the intervention of the PTF, public confidence started to return to public hospitals. Quality was the watchword of the PTF. Subsidy withdrawal is usually intended to strengthen the financing of the social service sectors and the performance of the PTF provided the strongest justification yet of why subsidy withdrawal is in public interest.
For several years, government policies were treated with skepticisms by the citizens, but with PTF, such cynicisms were replaced by newfound optimisms. Corruption, greed and selfishness have largely defeated the broad objectives of subsidy withdrawal. However, with the policy of prudent management of public funds by the PTF, Nigeria saw the direct evidence of the benefits of subsidy withdrawal. Hate him or not, you can’t deny the late General Abacha the credit for what the PTF had achieved within a few years.
To his credit, the late General Abacha gave the PTF a free hand to operate. The introduction of the PTF was one of the wisest and most foresighted policies ever introduced. Out of jealousy against Abacha’s enviable record of achievements, the former Obasanjo Administration scrapped the PTF and returned its functions to ministries.
Ironically, such hasty and ill-thought out decision ultimately made Nigerians to regret the absence of PTF. With PTF gone, Nigeria went back to past practice of corruption, greed and lack of due process in contract awards. In 2001 alone, N350 billion naira was allocated to the Federal Ministry of Works but at the end of the day, there was nothing to show for it. But the PTF achieved better results with just N30 billion naira allocated to it for executing projects throughout the entire nation.
Hard as Abacha’s critics may try, it is impossible to dismiss Abacha’s impressive record in this regard. Quality became the hallmark of his regime. The National Hospital stands as an enduring tribute to the memory of the late General Abacha. Our universities and other public schools were direct beneficiaries of PTF intervention. The intervention agency never sacrificed quality for speed or for the sake of protecting some vested interest.
Nigeria is a country with a notorious reputation for the mismanagement of scarce resources. However, for the first time in our memory, the PTF made a big difference. Despite the sustained campaign of blackmail against the PTF by those who had lost the opportunity to steal, the late General Abacha had allowed the agency to prove itself. Happily, within a short space of four years, the PTF took Nigeria a giant step forward. It is not the level of the resources available to the Government or how long it stays in power that counts but how well it performs or manages public resources for efficient results. As Nigerians remember the 12th anniversary of General Abacha’s demise, they are obsessed with a sense of nostalgia because of his remarkable performance record in the five years he was destined to rule Nigeria.
When history is written by your enemies, it is unlikely to appreciate the excellent performance record of leaders. The best and lasting tribute to the memory of any man is his outstanding record of performance. However, the hostility of critics cannot obliterate the record of good performance, especially in the eyes of objective and charitable critics or rather observers of political developments in Nigeria in the past 12 years since his demise. May his soul rest in peace!
Samuel Ochenelu, 15, Aba Road, Sabon Gari, Kano