Don’t play politics with economy, Jonathan advises govs

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has stressed the need for cooperation between the federal and state governments in the effort to transform thecountry,
urging state governors to refrain from playing politics with issues thatborder on the nation’s economy.
He gave this advice on Monday during the inauguration of the National Economic Council (NEC) at the State House, Abuja. President Jonathan said if there was anything the governors disagreedon, they should bring it to the attention of the Federal Government rather than taking it to the media.
Members of the council include Vice-President Namadi Sambo, who is chairman; governors of the 36 states of the federation; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), coordinating minister of the National Economic Management Team andMinister of Finance; Attorney-General of theFederation; Minister of National Planning; Chief Economic Adviser; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), among others.
Jonathan explained thatthe presence of two state governors in the Federal Government Economic Management Team was to ensure synergy between both levels of government, since both of them could not succeed while working in isolation.
According to him, “I will,therefore, plead with the governors, those ofthem who are here and those who are not here,not to play politics with anything that has to do with the economy of the country.
“Of course, we have a multiparty system and, of course, we cannot allcome from the same party. All political partieshave the same aspirations, good governance, to improve the welfare of the citizens.
“So, we don’t need to play politics with the economic issues. I will, therefore, plead with the governors that at the end of any of the Governors’ Forum meetings, if you feel there are issues that you think that are grey, it is better you approach us so that wecan sit down and look at it and discuss and agree on where to go.”