$800m loan: Don’t allow complete ruin of Nigerian economy by Buhari, Archbishop Chukwuma tells Senate

From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu

The Nigerian Senate has been urged not to allow a complete ruin of the country’s economy by the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Archbishop of Enugu Province and Bishop, Enugu Anglican Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, who made the call yesterday in a chat with Sunday Sun said it was unfortunate that Buhari’s administration which has ran the country on loans and deficit budget, would be asking for approval of yet another loan few weeks to its end, urging the Senate not give attention to such request.

Chukwuma said: “800 million dollars loan right now is not acceptable by Nigerians and it will be unfortunate if the Senate passes it. I am calling on the Senate not to approve that loan. If they approve that loan it means that all of them are corrupt and in alliance to finish Nigeria. Because at this time they are rounding up, if they had postponed the Census whatever remains they should postpone.”

The Archbishop who was worried about the loan profile of Nigeria wondered how the incoming administration could function.

His words: “He (Buhari) has said he is leaving 77 trillion debts for the incoming government which is worrisome. It is worrisome and I don’t know what magic Tinubu is going to make, it is failure upon failure. And that is why it is very important that we all begin to cry out that this way, which Buhari is going, he is trying to ruin the economy of Nigeria before he leaves. He has been a failure from beginning and he is still a failure now.

“More importantly, Nigerians are not interested in the loan, because the oil subsidy has not yet been removed. You can’t be getting a loan to cushion oil subsidy for Nigerians, how many Nigerians are you going to cushion the subsidy for? So we are not interested in that loan. We have had loans enough and we cannot continue to have loans and sustaining this country on loans and deficit budget is a shame and is a disgrace to the country. So we are saying that the Senate should not approve it.”

Chukwuma, who also criticized the last minute projects and money approvals said, “It is also very unfortunate that even in the last Executive Council they were approving so many billions for projects and one wonders, when these projects will be achieved. It is a way of laundering money out of the coffers of Nigeria.

“It is a shame that in this country we have sustained the budget on deficits, on loans, which is not good for Nigeria. And then all the ministers themselves should begin to give account of their offices.

“EFCC should open their eyes to see who and who would have to be questioned or arrested after May 29 if Nigeria is really fighting corruption. If not, then we all are definitely deceiving ourselves, that is what we are saying.

“The Judiciary too should be very careful; they should be thorough to let us know the state of the election of Nigeria. A lot of corruption is going on and is not right for us. Nigerians are crying, Nigerians are disappointed in the outgoing government and we cannot continue to be disappointed to the end.

“We are looking for a new Nigeria and we are looking for a hope that will bring restoration and a buoyant economy for Nigeria and then you are going to look for a loan, it is not going to argur well. We reject and say it is not acceptable.”