Dangote Is An Economic Predator – Shehu Sani

Senator Shehu Sani has frowned at the call for the sale Nigeria’s national assets given the present economic recession.

Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, Aliko Dangote, Senate President Bukola Saraki recently advised the federal government to sell off the country’s remaining asset like the multi-billion dollar Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Joint Ventures and use the proceeds to boost the economy.

But Sani in a statement on Friday, September 23, 2016, described those who proposed the sale of Nigeria’s national assets to solve the country’s economic crisis as ‘economic predators and profiteers who want to take advantage of the situation in the country.’

“There is currently nothing to show for the sale of government houses, (and) firms. The advocates of the sale of our collective national asset simply want to dispossess Nigerians and expand their business empire,” Sani said in a statement made available to Premium Times.

“They call themselves private sector and businessmen; they refused to invest in agriculture, solid minerals or science and technology, they simply want to buy off the profitable public asset.

“There are no captains of industry in Nigeria other than crony businessmen, rent seekers, commission agents who depend on patronage from the government,” he added.

The lawmaker urged Nigerians to rise up against any attempt to sell the country’s asset, saying “Selling our national asset to stem recession is like selling one’s lungs to buy food.

“Recession should excite innovation and ideas and not justify roguery. Nigeria’s poor have always lived under systemic recession and depression and on the edge of extinction,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senator Dino Melaye has called for the immediate sack of the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, Finance minister, Kemi Adeosun and Minister of budget, Udo Udoma for their incompetence.