VISION 20:2020 may not be feasible - Minister (Dont we all know ni?)

Minister of National Planning and Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr Shamsudden Usman, has said that the desire of Nigeria to be among the top 20 most developed economies of the world by 2020 may not be feasible.

Dr Usman, who revealed this in Abuja on Tuesday when he presented the scorecard of his ministry to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that certain variables were not put into consideration when the idea was being muted at the inception of the civilian administration.

The minister pointed out that when the government started the documentation of Vision 20:2020 in 2009, Nigeria was number 44, adding that if by 2020 the nation rose to number 25, he would  be a proud man.

According to Usman, “where were we in 2009? We were number 44. By the end of 2011, we were number 36. This is progress. We made quite a lot of progress. In other areas, we are not. I don’t want any of you to meet me in 2020 and say you are the one telling us that we are going to be among the top 20 economies.

“But what I am saying is that even if we are not among the 20 by that time, we were number 44 in 2009. If by 2020 we are number 25, I will be a very proud man. The reason is because we are consciously moving and doing all the necessary things to move up there.

“It’s not saying we must be there. What it’s saying is if we get there, then these are the actions we must need to take as a country. We must do this and that in governance, in human development, in infrastructure. That is what the document is saying and we are actually taking those steps. And if we are, what progress are we making?”

The minister also blamed the crisis in the nation’s power sector to the over 30 years of military rule, during which the sector was totally neglected. ... Tribune