Recession: We're suffering for despising Bello's advice

As Nigeria economy slides into another round of recession, stakeholders, lawmakers and well-meaning Nigerians have continued to blame those in charge of making fiscal decisions in the country for outright neglect of Governor Yahaya Bello’s admonition during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Experts have adduced that the long time of economic lock down which brought untold hardship on Nigerians is the major cause of the second round of recession in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Governor Yahaya Bello, a Chartered Accountant had at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, called on strategic approach in tackling the ravaging effect of the virus as against the total lock down which was imposed with attendant economic squabbles on the citizens.

Senator Yakubu Oseni representing Kogi Central Senatorial District who averred that Governor Bello has ever been very proactive on issues of public and national importance said he (Governor Yahaya Bello) was called unprintable names when he admonished that the country’s economy should not be on lockdown.

For warped political reasons, the lawmaker who lend his voice against the lockdown of the economy in an interview with the Leadership newspaper published on Sunday, May 10th 2020, said the young Governor being a resourceful Accountant was able to predict the latent negative economic impact of putting a country on hold instead of exploring other alternatives to contain the spread of the virus.

“It is very unfortunate that we despised his wise counsel on important national issues. Governor Yahaya Bello may be young but he has proved his youthful usefulness in the way and manner he handles security and other teething issues that transcended previous administration in the state.

“Kogi State gained notoriety in bank robbery and kidnapping cases prior to his inauguration as the Governor in 2016. This he quickly decimated by taking the fight right into the dens of the hoodlums and today, the state has become one of the safest in the country with soaring records of foreign direct investment.

“We cannot afford to continue to live in self-delusion and denial when we are blessed with human resources that have displayed rare competence in solving our common problem as a nation,” he said.

It would be recalled that Senator Yakubu Oseni on the heels of the panic created by the corona virus outbreak had joined forces with Governor Yahaya Bello to create awareness and sensitisation across Kogi State and Nigeria on the best way to handle the pandemic.

He had severally admonished and sensitised his constituents that with absolute faith in God, cleanliness and strict observance of guidelines as provided by health authorities, Covid-19 would not penetrate the boundaries of the Confluence State.

Senator Oseni who had again called for calm and prudence as the country manages the recession, advised that politics of bitterness and sentiments which tend to erode the ability to recognise sound and wise counsel should be shunned.

He however expressed optimism that Nigeria will come out of this recession in no distance time.