Author: The Nation

By Tayo Ogunbiyi

 

FOR Lagos State, the past year was striking in diverse ways. For one, it was a year when the state became the nation’s epicentre of two striking events. The first is the COVID-19 pandemic, while the second is the EndSARS protests. Without a doubt, the two events had far-reaching consequences on the state’s 2020 outlook.

Just like elsewhere across the globe, COVID-19 pandemic disrupted socio-economic activities at ‘Centre of Excellence’, bringing almost every sector to a halt. The tourism, hospitality, informal and education sectors were, perhaps, the most affected, as jobs were lost and sources of livelihood unsettled. Also, markets, worship centres, business hubs and recreation centres were shut down for a season.

For an ever-bustling metropolis like Lagos, it was a most trying period. However, being the resilient city-state that it is, Lagos was able to decisively and effectively manage the COVID-pandemic and its attendant challenges. The proof of this is in the recommendations it got from across the globe, applauding the state government’s management of the pandemic.

Unfortunately, as the state was gradually coming out of the COVID-19 scare, it was faced with yet another challenge of equal magnitude-the #EndSARS protests, which initially began as a peaceful assembly against police brutality.

Beyond the trials and turbulence however, the state is certainly not totally defined by the COVID-19 pandemic and the EndSARS violence. Concrete moves were made to implement the Sanwo-Olu administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S (acronyms for Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21ST Economy, Entertainment and Tourism and Governance and Security) Developmental Agenda.

The transportation sector, in particular, received considerable attention in 2020. Early in the year, eight new ferries were commissioned by Governor Sanwo-Olu to enhance water transportation.

Also, five major roundabouts at Allen, Lekki 1st/2nd, Ikotun, and Maryland were redeveloped to meet current travelling challenges. Equally, the Oshodi-Abule-Egba Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) corridor was commissioned to give commuters along the axis a pleasant motoring experience.

Similarly, the Iru network of roads at Victoria Island, a Private-Public-Partnership (PPP) project done in conjunction with Access Bank Plc, was commissioned for public use, while the Pen Cinema Bridge has also reached over 90% completion stage and it is due for commissioning by February.

The reconstruction of the Lekki-Epe Expressway was also flagged-off, while an unprecedented programme aimed at bringing development to the grassroots equally berthed with the inauguration of 377 grassroots projects across all wards in the state by the governor. This is just to mention a few of the several road projects initiated by the government in 2020.

Also, the investment of the government in up scaling infrastructure in the education sector got a boost with completed projects such as 18 classroom blocks at Muslim Junior College, Egbe, 18 classroom blocks at Maya Secondary School, Ikorodu,18 classroom blocks at Eva Adelaja Junior Secondary School, Bariga, block of 20 classrooms at Bashua Military School Primary School, Shomolu, 13 classrooms at Saviour Primary School, Ifako-Ijaiye LGA, block of 20 classrooms at Ayanleye Memorial Primary School, Ifako-Ijaiye LGA and block of six classrooms at Ansar Ur Deen, Ibonwon, Epe, just to mention but a few.

Remarkable inroad has also been made in the training of teachers for 21st century competence. Through the EKO EXCEL training initiative, 3000 primary schools teachers have been trained on how to competently utilize technology in teaching. And the results have been amazing. More pupils now register in our public primary schools, while attendance rate has remarkably improved.

In order to bridge the housing deficit in the state, major housing projects were completed and commissioned in 2020. These are the Idale 252 units of 2-bedroom bungalows in Idale, Badagry, Courtland Villas, Behind Alhaji Femi Okunnu Estate, Igbohushu, Lekki with 120 units of 4-bedroom Maisonettes and BQs Lekki Apartments, Ikate-Eleguishi, Lekki. The Igbogbo Scheme, with 360 home units comprising 120 one-bedroom, is equally ready for commissioning.

Similarly, food security was enhanced through fresh initiatives such as the Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS), which is designed to build capacities of actors in the rice, aquaculture and poultry value chains towards large scale production and processing of rice, eggs, poultry and fish in the State.

The capacity of farmers was strengthened through the Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (LAP), Sea Food Festival and Eko City Farmer Food Market, improved rice cultivation, milling and bagging; poultry production and processing; fish and seafood production, education and provision of extension services to farmers.

In a bid to revitalize the Primary Healthcare system, a comprehensive assessment of all 329 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state was conducted to determine their level of functionality and Geographical Positioning System to identify gaps for service improvement efforts. This was done in collaboration with Health Assist and Pharmacies. 129 PHCs benefited from improved access to essential drugs through the Save One Million Lives intervention programme.

Similarly, 65 PHCs were provided with seed stock of essential drugs by PATHS2, 100% availability of essential medicines and an average of 85% growth in the sustainable drug revolving fund (SDRF) scheme.

The government also trained PHC workers on emergency preparedness and infection prevention control protocols as well as the implementation of the LGA Emergency Operations centre.

Maintenance of law and order, tourism, advocacy against gender violence, youth and women empowerment equally received a major impetus for growth in 2020.

Thus, despite the peculiar challenges of the year, the state government was able record milestone attainments aimed at concertizing the ‘Greater Lagos’ vision. With the 2021 ‘Budget of Rekindled Hope’, 2021 no doubt offers better prospects.

The budget 2021 was carefully designed to meet the aspirations of our teeming youth by focusing on sectors with job creating potential like agriculture, construction, technology and security.

A pivotal crux of the 2021 budget will be the promotion of an entrepreneurial culture among the youth.  In light of this, micro, small and medium enterprises will be strengthened because their activities help to facilitate socio-economic advancement.

One distinct feature of the budget estimate is the high ratio of Capital to Recurrent expenditure.  About N704 billion, representing 61 per cent of the total budget, is earmarked for capital expenditure in the proposed 2021spending.

This is consistent with the Sanwo-Olu administration’s move to keep the cost of governance low in the face of dwindling revenues and general inflation occasioned by multiple factors. No doubt, it is the same desire of shrinking overhead costs, in order to free more resources for fixed intensive investments, that informed the proposal to repeal the State’s Payment of Pension Law of 2007, which provides for the payment of pension and entitlements to former governors and their deputies.

The future, no doubt, looks exciting. But, in 2021 and beyond, Lagosians must join hands with the government to build an orderly society where there is respect for law and order.

 

• Ogunbiyi is Deputy Director (Public Affairs) Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

 

By Abdulrazaq Magaji

 

GROWING up in his native Ilorin, capital of Kwara State in the late 60’s and early 70’s, Comrade Issa Obalowu Aremu, mni, almost followed the mind of his friends who believed he was cut out for a career in the military. This was in deference to Aremu’s organizational and managerial skills which teachers and classmates from that era believed were necessary ingredients for anyone who desired a career in the military.

But young Issa (Yisa) had other plans: he had always wanted to touch lives! As a student at the pioneer community Ilorin Grammar School (IGS) from 1972 to 1977, Aremu realized that touching lives would remain a mirage if the unjust structure that bred inequality in society was not dismantled. Somehow, IGS became a training ground of sort. It was here that Aremu honed his writing skills as an active member of the Confidence Press Club. Aside being an enthusiastic sportsman, Aremu was an active member of the school’s literary and debating society.  Noted for his diligence, and academic excellence, Issa was one of the six products of IGS class of ‘77 to be admitted for the one-year Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) course at the School of Basic Studies (SBS) of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Samaru, Zaria, preparatory to a three-year degree programme in Economics. It was at Zaria that I met Aremu.

It was also at Zaria that Aremu met and struck lifelong relationship with future prominent Nigerians such as Lamido Sanusi, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Amir (Emir) of Kano, Sanusi Barkindo, current secretary general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, former permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, current Minister of Finance Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Chief Udeme Ufot, chieftain of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman, a former cabinet minister and former Commissioner for Political Affairs of the Economic Community of west African States (ECOWAS), former federal permanent secretary, Nuratu Batagarawa, and Hassan Bello, Executive Secretary of the Shippers Council.

The ‘70’s and ‘80’s were years of ideas, underscored by a raging battle between international capitalism and incipient socialism. Understandably, they were years when undergraduates actively participated in the liberal educational environment that featured radical scholars like Yusufu Bala Usman, Mahmood Modibbo Tukur, (both of blessed memory) Canadian Bob Shenton, George and Michael Kwanashie, Shamsudeen Usman, Patrick Wilmot, Yusufu Bangura and several others. Given his disdain for inequality and opposition to military rule, Issa Aremu blossomed in Zaria’s progressive radical community.

In his first year, Comrade Aremu became an active member of the Movement for a Progressive Nigeria, (MPN), and the Youth Solidarity on Southern Africa, (YUSSAN) two left-leaning groups that campaigned for good governance at home and rallied global support to dismantle minority rule in Southern Africa. He was elected Secretary General two years later. Comrade Aremu played a pivotal role in the formation of the Patriotic Youth Movement of Nigeria, PYMN, an all-embracing student movement that offered leadership for Nigerian students through the National Association of Nigerian students, NANS. Not everyone was happy with the rising profile of Issa Aremu and his radical colleagues.

On January 31, 1981, a demonstration on the main campus of the Ahmadu Bello University offered the Professor Ango Abdullahi-led management a bold-faced excuse to expel Aremu without the semblance of a hearing. Expelled alongside Aremu were 10 others: Abdulrahman Black, Jibril Bala Muhammad (both of blessed memory), Chom Bagu, Lamis Shehu Dikko, Juliana Upah, some of who, like Aremu, were final year students. For Aremu, being expelled three weeks after his 20th birthday and barely four months away from graduation was a downside. But then, the act served a dual purpose: it exposed Aremu and his comrades to barefaced injustice and reinforced their resolve to take a stand against dictatorship and struggle for democracy and social justice. Paradoxically, the rot in ABU erupted into a national crisis. In 1986, a female student, Farida Mustapha, was shot dead by policemen on the order of the university. The General Emmanuel Abisoye panel which investigated the crisis recommended for the removal of Professor Abdullahi.

In 1982, Aremu and others beat the notorious resolution of the Committee of Universities Vice Chancellors (CVC) not to accept expelled students and, with the support of progressive professors such as Claude Ake and Ikenna Nzimiro, Aremu got enrolled at the University of Port Harcourt. He eventually graduated in 1985 with Second Class Upper Degree in Economics. Plus ABU, he doubles also a member  of  Uniport Alumni where shares enduring affinity  with former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan,  Hon Minister of Transport,  Rotimi Amaechi, Dr Alex Otti, Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State, Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum  Timipre Sylva and Ambassador Dr Godknows Boladei Igali, all Alumni of Uniport. Four years later, he was at The Hague, Netherlands, for a second Master degree in Labour and Development studies. He had also worked with progressive radical Kano state Triumph newspapers set up by Abubakar Rimi and managed by ace journalist, Dr. Haroon Adamu.

Comrade Aremu was literally drafted into the Labour Movement by Alhaji Hassan Sunmonu, pioneer president of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at whose behest he was made Head of Economic and Research department of the Congress (NLC) from 1987 and 1989. Aremu counted among the intellectual power base of NLC that campaigned against fuel price increases, privatization and mass layoffs that characterized the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) of the 80’s. In 1990, Aremu joined the vibrant textile and garment union, an affiliate union of the NLC. He has not looked back since then. Today, he is the voice and luminary for millions of a multinational organized global workforce. As the sitting Vice President (Africa) of the octopoid IndustriALL Global Union, made up of more than 600 industrial unions, and 50 million workforce  he is in the vanguard of global campaign to defend workers’ rights and promote sustainable industrial policy in 140 countries in Africa, Europe, America and the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific. He was elected at the 2nd Congress of the Union in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in October, 2016.

Nigeria’s return to participatory democracy in 1999 was an important milestone in the life of Comrade Aremu who, for years, been in the trenches with progressives to campaign for an end to military rule. But the politicians who inherited political power were either befuddled or overwhelmed by the challenges of governance. The situation was particularly abnormal in Aremu’s home state of Kwara which fell into the hands of an oligarchy of local businessmen. Soon, disharmony pervaded Kwara, the ‘State of Harmony’, and residents of the state became the butt of derisive and corrosive jokes among their neighbours. In July, 2018 Comrade Aremu declared his interest in contesting the governorship election and instantly changed the political narrative as he did so. For a man who had made his mark on the national and international scenes, many considered Comrade Aremu’s decision a harbinger of hope. He was soon dubbed “The game-changer’’ by analysts and several press reviews referred to him as the best among the pack.

Expectedly, he chose to pursue his ambition under the Labour Party of Nigeria, a party he served as deputy national secretary between 2010 and 2014. But the Labour Party enjoyed a near-zero presence in Kwara State. Within months of picking the party’s governorship ticket, Comrade Aremu got down to building and strategizing the Labour Party for the onerous task of de-capturing the state from wholesale personalization of the common wealth. By the end of 2018, he had whistle-stopped the length and breadth of the state to cement old alliances and seek new allies. Not a man given to be flippancy, Comrade Aremu’s pledge to transform Kwara State into a ‘haven of prosperity’ endeared him to many. Overnight, Comrade Aremu turned a little-known party into a mass movement. Before he opted out of the race, apparently to enhance the chances of the eventual winner of the election, Comrade Aremu lived up to his billing of a game-changer by breathing fresh life into the “O TO GE” (Enough is enough!) movement that terminated years of wastage in Kwara State.

As he bows out of Textile Union on his 60th birthday, Aremu has cause to celebrate and be celebrated. Here is one African passionate about the African project and continues to do his bit in its actualization even as many despair. His suggestions on taking his home country, Nigeria, and Africa to greater heights, just as his antidote to the high cost of governance, are as revolutionary as they are realistic. For instance, Aremu believes that divesting the centre of most of its powers, part-time legislative duties and remunerations and reserving legislative seats for professionals should be pushed to the front burner if Nigerians are sincere about deepening the nation’s democracy.

• Magaji is based in Abuja.

 Anyasi Frank Ojeme

 

NIGERIA has practised democracy for more than 21 years. Democracy is a system of government in which the ultimate power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free, fair and credible elections.

Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as government of the people for the people and by the people. It is therefore, generally taken for granted that the pursuit of the welfare of the generality of the people is the epicentre of democracy where it is practised. While this may be so in some democracies, the reverse is the case in others.  Though scholars do not agree on what democracy is, but there is an agreement on what it is not. Thus that democracy is not autocracy, authoritarianism, or dictatorship is widely accepted. It serves as the basis of government in a state that acknowledges rule of law and free and fair elections. Although, democracy is a universal concept, its practice differs from one place to another with regards to acquisition and disposition to power and institutional arrangement. Hence, one can talk of American democracy, British democracy, and Canadian Democracy and so on.

Section 14(1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, states that the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a state based on the principles of democracy and social justice. In Nigeria, democracy cannot be defended on the ground that it has achieved all fundamental values. Claude Ake laments, democracy is no longer about government by the people or even government by representatives of the people or participation in any meaningful sense, it is merely a matter of joining groups which strive to influence policy or realize interest.

To have a stable democracy, institutions must be built to guard against the tranny by the few and protect the rights of the minority. Survival of democracy in a society depends on the survival of the political institutions (state, rule of law and accountability) which when fully developed tend to exist for a long time. Failure to develop and respect the institutions leads to political decay which leads to the failure of democracy to deliver its promises to citizens as these institutions, may be used to undermine the rights and freedoms of the people. Decentalisation leads to growth of institutions, provide new ideas and train citizens to participate in the political process.

One of the challenges of Nigerian politics is lack of institutionalization of party-politics. The party system is still weak and vulnerable with no visible sign of adding value to democracy. Internal cohesion and discipline have not been institutionalized. The absence of equalization platforms and subversion of the will of ordinary party members and delegates in party primaries and general elections have adversely affected the growth democracy. Moreover, a few prominent, powerful and influential party members call the godfathers have completely hijacked the party machinery. Godfatherism has become a dominant feature of the Nigeria’s party system. It is based on the belief that certain individuals possess considerable power to unilaterally determine who gets party ticket to run for an election and who wins in an electoral contest. The hijack of political parties by godfathers has virtually choked off the party system as a channel for aggregation of local and constituency interests. The preferences expressed by the party usually turn out to be the personal interest of the godfathers.

Nigerian judiciary has some of the best minds because of their training and experience. Judges are exclusive beings because they are set apart for their job and are held in awe. Like Caesar’s wife they are expected to be above suspicion. Unfortunately, the rank of erring judges has been on the increase. Most times, judges play on the fact that the judicial pronouncements at the apex court are unchangeable and therefore, dish out awkward and sometimes illogical verdicts that stand justice on its head. Over the years, politicians have established a nexus between their desperation to get power and susceptibility of vulnerable judges. The judiciary is almost “electing” more governors than the electorate. Judges are mindful of this power and consequently, giving verdicts which the common man cannot explain. More often than not the overriding factor is money. After all, must not be done but seen to be done.

It is the fear that the supposed impartial mind of the judges can no longer be assured that many voters are worried that the judges would become threats to the growth and development of democracy. The judiciary cannot afford to be the cog in the wheel of democratic progress.

Another major drawback of democracy in Africa is that many African leaders are not democrats. It is difficult to give what you do not have. The struggle for power is do or die. In South Africa, Nelson Mandela gave exemplary leadership because he was a democrat.

The major problem confronting Nigerian democracy is voter’s apathy. The turnout for the election in Nigeria is declining. For instance in 2019, presidential election, incumbent president was re-elected with 15.2m votes while the main opposition party – People Democratic Party (PDP) was able to get 11.3m votes in a country with a population of 200 million people, including more than 84m registered voters. Lagos State with the highest number of registered voters has voters turn-out rate of 18%, Ghana recently conducted general election and the voter’s turn-out rate was 70%.

Fewer Nigerians nowadays feel the need to vote in elections because of poor electoral organization. The last three elections were postponed at last minute causing frustration as well as suspicion that politicians were delaying things to perfect their strategies. Voting itself is very tedious, often involving long hours of waiting in a cumbersome and inefficient process. This underscores request for the electronic voting system which has not seen the light of the day.

Then there is the ever present fear of violence on election day. Politics is a high stake game anywhere in the country. This is because the rewards are particularly high. Nigerian legislators are among the highest paid in the world, in spite of the fact that the country is the poverty capital of the world. Nigerian elections can hardly be described as free and fair as they are often characterized by all sorts of malpractices and fraud. Indeed controversies arising from widespread electoral fraud assailed Nigerian democracy all through its entire post-colonial political history. There is no remarkable ideological difference between the political parties, particularly the two main parties hence, the frequent defections from one party to another.

Despite myriads of disappointment of hopes, the desire for democracy amongst Nigerians has remained high. Since the commencement of the current democratic dispensation, Nigerians have consistently expressed their desire and preference for democracy by their active participation in the various transition programmes and electoral processes.

However, in order to sustain democracy, there must be massive investment in social economic development to reduce the poverty level coupled with civic education of the political elites. The political gladiators must play according to tenets of democracy.

 

• Anyasi is a retired Director of the Ministry of Defence.