People who command great clout in international financial and economic realm are rarely viewed as critics, disgruntled elements or meddlers in the affairs of others. Even when they use harsh words against the government, they still get invited to diplomatic receptions.
This was the situation with the world’s richest man, Bill Gates, last Thursday in Abuja, Nigeria. Mr. Gates criticised the federal government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP, describing it as a document which identifies investment in the people but fails to reflect it in its implementation.
Mr. Gates, who was invited to the meeting of the National Economic Council, NEC, at the State House, Abuja, with the theme: ‘Human Capital Investment in Supporting Pro-poor and Economic Growth Agenda’, did not mince words. To the chagrin of the gathering of eminent Nigerians, including the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, the business community, the academia, traditional rulers and officials of multilateral organisations, Bill Gates described Nigeria as one of the most dangerous places in the world for child-birth.
The man was not really saying anything new but he was speaking to people who loathed the truth. Mr. Gates also identified Nigeria as the fourth worst country in maternal mortality rate in the world, which according to him, is only a shade better than Sierra Leone, Central African Republic and Chad.
The Chairman of the world’s greatest charity, Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation, certainly did his home work well. He described Nigeria’s fiscal system as one that was built on low equilibrium and can only produce low levels of service. To drive the point home, Mr. Gates said what many people at the forum already knew – that his foundation’s biggest office in Africa is located in Nigeria with over $1.6 billion invested in the country so far.
But, Mr. Gates left a caveat. He noted that Nigeria has great economic potential, pointing out that it is up to the government to maximize such potential by investing in its people, whom he described as its greatest resource.
He also admonished the government to invest in healthcare, education and human capital, emphasizing that investment in infrastructure on a long-term basis must go hand-in-hand with investment in people, and promised to assist Nigeria in attaining higher equilibrium anchored on transparency through investment in the people.
