The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Oriade begins face-lifting of deplorable roads

    Oriade begins face-lifting of deplorable roads

    Chairman of Oriade Local Council Development Area, Ramotalai Akinlola-Hassan has appealed to the residents to desist from dumping refuse into drainages, as the council commenced face-lifting of deplorable major roads.

    The council’s chairman, said it is in response of the cries of its residents and motorists, over the state of the road, that it commenced the provision of palliative measures on three major roads in its Satellite areas.

    The three major roads are Community road, Abule-Ado, Dupe Otegbola and Assembly road.

    According to the council’s Supervisor for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Tunde Musa, the provision of palliative measure on the roads, which began on July 11, is to reduce the pain and rigour experienced on a daily basis, by residents and motorists while plying the roads.

    Read Also: ‘Why deplorable roads should be fixed’

    Musa stated that 22 trucks of hardcore stones have been spread on the three roads by the council, to make them motorable, because the roads have remained waterlogged due to incessant rains and blockage of drainages on both sides of the roads.

    Akinlola-Hassan also promised that major rehabilitation work on the deplorable roads would begin after the raining season.

    He reminded residents of the council that the three major roads are federal and state roads, but the council decided to provide palliative on them, in order to reduce the pain residents and motorists go through everyday on the roads.

    “The council does not have the financial wherewithal to find a lasting solution to the roads, however, attention of the Lagos state and Federal governments would be drawn to the deplorable condition of the roads, with a view to finding a lasting solution to them,” she said.

  • CDAs hail Tinubu over Ogalla’s appointment

    CDAs hail Tinubu over Ogalla’s appointment

    Over 30 Community Development Association (CDAs) in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area in Lagos State have lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his choice of Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla as Chief of Naval Staff

    Speaking with reporters in Araromi, near Adamo, Ikorodu, the Chairman of Ward E4 Joint CDA, the umbrella body of the CDAs, Mr. Alaba Salako described the appointment as a step in the right direction.

    According to him, the nation is bound to gain massively from Ogalla’s appointment given his repertoire of experiences at different levels in the Navy.

    He reasoned that this was what is most needed at this time when the nation is confronted with security challenges that are multi – dimensional.

    He said: “As a people who know the thinking and aspirations of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are therefore not surprised by his choice of Rear Admiral Ogalla.

    “As somebody some of us have closely associated with, we are more than proud of his professional achievements as one of the leading lights of our armed forces

    Read Also: Reps screen CDS, service chiefs

    “Coming from President Tinubu who is a stickler for excellence, Ogalla’s appointment further confirms his readiness to tackle insecurity head on.

    “It is also a testament to the fact that commitment to duty, hard work and integrity pays in every calling.

    “As partners in progress, we shall continue to pray for the President to succeed because we are all stakeholders in project Nigeria.

    “We are particularly delighted and emboldened to do this because we believe in the bold initiatives so far carried out by President Tinubu because they are aimed at moving Nigeria forward.

    “As grassroots people, we pledge our unflinching support to the administration to succeed, even as we shall continue the business of advocacy.

    “However we strongly urge the Federal and Lagos State Government to reciprocate our good gestures with infrastructural facilities, considering the landslide victories we delivered to the APC in the 2023 general election.”

  • Hijrah 1445: Sultanate Council declares today Muharram 1

    Hijrah 1445: Sultanate Council declares today Muharram 1

    • •Kano, Kebbi, Osun, Oyo announce public holiday
    • • Christian cleric hosts Muslim youths

    The Sultanate Council yesterday announced that due to non-sighting report of the crescent in Nigeria, today has been declared the first day of Muharram 1445 After the Hijrah (AH).

     In celebration of the Islamic New Year, some states across the country have declared today as a public holiday.

     In Kebbi State, Governor Nasir Idris declared today as a work-free day for the residents to celebrate the New Year.

     A statement in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, by the Head of the Civil Service, Alhaji Safiyanu Garba-Babale, reads: “This followed the Sultanate’s declaration of Wednesday, July 19, as 1st day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic Year.

    “The public holiday is to enable the Muslim Ummah to celebrate the Islamic New Year.”

     Also, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has declared today as a public holiday in commemoration of this year’s Hijrah celebration.

    In a circular by the Chief of Staff to the governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi, the governor congratulated Muslims on the commencement of the New Year and enjoined them to pray for the peace, unity and sustainability of the state and the country.

    In Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke also declared today as a public holiday.

     A statement yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Regional Integration and Special Duties said the governor would preside over a special match past on July 22 at Osogbo Township Stadium as part of activities to mark the Islamic New Year.

    Adeleke congratulated the Muslim Ummah on the celebration of the new calendar year.

    Also, the Kano State government has declared today as work–free to mark the beginning of the 1445 Islamic New Year.

    A statement by Information Commissioner Baba Dantiye said Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf congratulated Muslims around the world on the new Islamic year.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Makinde declares Wednesday public holiday

     He enjoined the civil servants and other residents to pray for peace, tranquility and economic development of the state and the country. The governor urged them to practise the virtues of kindness, love and tolerance, as exemplified by Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

     Also, a team of northern Christian clerics has felicitated Muslims across the country, Africa and the Arab world on the Islamic New Year.

    Pastor Yohanna Buru conveyed the greetings when some Muslim youths and scholars visited him at his home in Sabon Tasha, southern Kaduna.

    The Christian cleric urged Muslims to intensify prayers for peace and unity in the country, West Africa and the rest of the world.

    The guests said the visit was meant to foster more friendly relationships with Buru and Christian organisations in the area to promote peaceful co-existence.

    Buru, who always sends peace messages through his Facebook page and other social media platforms on every Islamic New Year, emphasised the essence of such messages in promoting peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance among Muslims and Christians.

  • A worthy cause

    A worthy cause

    •NASS, other states should support Lagos Assembly’s quest for state police

    Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA) has asked the 10th National Assembly to commence the process of altering the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to allow for the establishment of state police. At its first plenary session, Speaker of the LSHA, Mudashiru Obasa, moved the motion for such constitutional amendment and it was overwhelmingly supported by members of the 10th state assembly. Obasa said state police would help stem the high level of insecurity across the country.

    We support the call by the Assembly, and urge other states to join in the demand for constitutional amendment to allow for state and other levels of policing. We hope lessons have been learnt from the opportunities missed by the previous assemblies at the federal and state levels. Without doubt, despite the best efforts of the federal police, security situation in the country has continued to deteriorate and unless critical steps are taken, it will get worse.

    Currently, according to available data, Nigeria has about 371,800 police officers for a population of over 200 million. While the United Nations recommends one police for every 450 citizens, Nigeria has an estimate of one police for every 540 citizens. To meet the recommended standard, a police report in 2017 said the country needs to recruit 30,000 police personnel annually for the next five years. Apart from poor numbers, Nigeria also faces the challenge of poor policing by personnel posted to strange environments.

    To stem that challenge, the country initiated the community policing model. Last year, speaking at a capacity building workshop for stakeholders, the immediate past Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, said: “community policing is undoubtedly a way to go in a drive to effectively address the complex and dynamic challenges of crimes and mitigate the challenges of internal security realities.” That police initiative was launched in 2017, with the intention to recruit 10,000 police constables at a budget of N13 billion for the programme.

    While there are patches of success, the scheme has not drilled any hole in the massive crust of insecurity weighing down on states across the country. Kidnapping for ransom, farmers-herders clashes, banditry, insurrection, armed robbery and sundry criminality are upending the nation’s wellbeing, and so, there is urgent need for a review of the nation’s security architecture, without further delay. With a large chunk of the police guiding very important personalities (VIPs), what is left of the 371,800 is not enough to effectively police the 923,768 sq. km. of Nigeria, with all its complexities.

    Read Also: Lagos Assembly seeks constitutional amendment to allow state police

    At a current estimate of over 200 million, Nigeria’s population is projected to grow to 400 million people by 2050, and unless efficient and effective policing is put in place, the present security nightmare would become a child’s play in the nearest future. For 2023, the budget proposal for the Ministry of Police Affairs and agencies under it was N871 billion, and the former minister, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari, at the budget defence lamented that it was grossly inadequate.

    No doubt, funding remains a major challenge for the police, necessitating the intervention of state governments. Over the years, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, established in 2007, has helped to augment funding of security agencies in the state. Nearly all other states have had to buy equipment for police in their state, as the Federal Government is unable to provide the needed funding. Unfortunately, despite the massive state funding, a governor has no operational control over the police, and that affects efficiency.

    Considering the challenges which have made policing ineffective across the country, and the urgent need to secure every inch of our land, the 10th National Assembly should heed the call by the LSHA and further amend the 1999 Constitution to allow for state police.

  • Use palliative to establish industrial development areas

    SIR: Aside the N8,000 cash palliatives to 12 million households as proposed by the government, there is need for distribution of asset-based palliatives to all the local government areas in the country.  This will be in the form of establishment of Industrial Development Areas (IDAs) in all the 774 local government areas throughout the country.  Such development will create long-term values that are far more beneficial to the people as it will assist existing and aspiring entrepreneurs within the Mini/Micro/Small/Medium space. Distribution of cash, in as much as is necessary and important for certain categories of people, particularly the aged and the physically challenged, may do little to reduce the level of pains associated with the removal of subsidies for many households. 

    The cash palliatives will disappear few days after each slot albeit the difficulties in recognizing the needy and the most vulnerable within the society. Whereas asset-based palliatives will continue to add wealth by increasing productive activities in a sustainable manner.

    Industrial Development Areas (IDAs) are areas mapped out and dedicated for joint use of resources particularly power, water, equipment, machines and tools for production of goods and services. They are used as shared facilities by those who have been trained but who cannot afford funding to purchase the equipment and machines for production. IDA come in in different forms and can be adapted to each local government in accordance with their skill set or raw materials availability associated with a particular location. 

    Read Also: NLC knocks FG on new pump price, palliatives plan

    For instance, in each IDA you could have a hub for any of kitchen businesses, cottage industrial park, business incubation centre and production centre etc. Component of IDA will also include facilities for skill acquisition where people are trained to be masters of their vocation.

    A palliative of N800b when divided 774 gives N1.03b and to each local government. From this amount each local government can set up a minimum of two functional production centres with installed equipment, machines and tools. Each centre can accommodate a minimum of 500 budding entrepreneurs who in turn will employ a minimum of two assistance who may be any of production staff/keepers/transporters/marketers/salesmen etc. Thus, you have 3,000 jobs created from a single local government which comes to 2,322,000 direct jobs created from all the local government when put together.  Projection of additional jobs can be made when the entrepreneurs rotate the use of the facilities for a minimum of four times in a year giving a total of 9.2m jobs.

    There are examples of incubation centre in Agege as a federal government hub and pilot project production centres in both Alimosho and Surulere owned by the Lagos State government through the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment.

    •Akintunde Maberu,

    abusiventures2013@gmail.com

  • Enter, Eko Rice

    Enter, Eko Rice

    Eko Rice, product of the Lagos rice mill, Imota, near Ikorodu — the largest rice mill in Africa, third largest in the world — just hit the Commodities Exchange market.  Its quoted entry price is N33, 000 for a 50-kilogram bag.  Its projected yearly sale is 2.5 million units.

    At N33, 000 per 50 kg bag, Eko Rice makes little dent on the rice — and other foodstuffs’ — inflationary spiral.  Some imported rice brands sell below that price (many at around N28, 000 to N30, 000) — still too high.

    Still, many of these brands are smuggled stuff.  Many too may yet be mere chaff, past their prime as nutritive stuff, thus constituting latent health hazards.  Nevertheless, locally planted and processed rice, with no freighting costs over the seas, should cost far less than imported ones, other things being equal.

    But like LAKE rice before it (LAKE is acronym for LAgos and KEbbi: the two states that collaborated to produce that rice brand), Eko Rice is symbol of an agricultural renaissance, which the Buhari Presidency dubbed “eat what you grow and grow what you eat.”

    The promise of Eko Rice is therefore great.  With other local brands, agro-powered jobs could be secure and sustainable, so long as overall security is ramped up and farmer-herder clashes are reduced to the barest minimum, aside from securing the vast farms nationwide from rampaging bandits and allied criminals.

    Read Also: Jollof rice war continues at CBL, as Eko Kings face Warriors

    With larger plots of land put to safe and secure rice farming and more mills set up to process paddies, agriculture-processing could open the flood gates to Nigeria’s re-industrialization, so long as routine electricity supply is greatly boosted.  

    With processing replicated agriculture-wide: mango, orange, etc (into fruit juices), cashew (processed both for local consumption and export) and cassava (processed into industrial starch), the prospects of food security is not only bright, thumping unemployment could also be a thing of the past.

    But back to Eko Rice.  Its market entry price is certainly no comfort for an inflation-ravaged market and for the many poor household struggling to grind out a living.  Still, it’s at worst a hard start to a very promising journey of saturating the market with local rice, at good prices that make imported rice mostly unprofitable.

    That should be the target of Eko Rice and other local brands — flooding the local market and then exporting the excess for forex.

    That’s the rebound economy Nigeria needs — an agriculture process-led real sector, providing mass jobs, guaranteeing food security and affordability, and banishing poverty.

    At that threshold waits the ultimate “dividend of democracy”.

  • Scrap subjugated minister of state portfolio

    Scrap subjugated minister of state portfolio

    •  Zaidu Zaidu and Progress Godfrey

    Friedrich Hayek, a philosopher and economist, once said: “Only through independence can we truly exercise our capacity for critical thinking and decision-making.”  These time-tested words underline the importance of independence and individual autonomy, especially when tied to enormous responsibility. The portfolio of the Minister of State, a subordinate connotation within the Nigerian Cabinet, has long been a subject of contentious debate. While proponents have strenuously argued that it enhances administrative efficiency and facilitates better coordination within ministries, the critics on the other hand aver that a closer examination reveals a spate of failures and inefficiencies that have since plagued this setup.

    The critics argue that the position of Minister of State as used in Nigeria is a substitutive term for junior minister, which is more or less equivalent to the rank of an under-secretary in some Western countries. Between 1979 to 1983 (under the leadership of President Shehu Shagari, GCFR) and from 1999 to the present, successive Nigerian presidents have created the positions of Minister of State to appease loyalists and satiate various political interests. Although the law provides for a Minister to be appointed from each State of the Federation – non “more equal than the other”, this error has persisted in glaring contradiction of constitutional dictates. Section 147 of the Nigerian Constitution establishes the offices of the Minister but does not recognize the existence of any such roles for the Ministers of State.

    Away from the pages of the Constitution and down to the reality on the ground, history has shown the consequences of this long-running anomaly. For one, the productivity of many so-called “junior” ministers have been marred by inadequate decision-making power; as a result, state ministers rarely get to effect substantial changes, as they stagnate in second-fiddle capacities with no clear-cut responsibilities. This limited power not only hampers their ability to implement policies effectively (as they often have to refer to the substantive minister), but often leads to discord in their discharge of duties which in turn creates unnecessary confusion, redundancies, and delays. Needless to say, this becomes a cog in the wheels of executive governance, for which the governed bear the full brunt..

    One personality who knows full well the extent of these frustrations is Chief Donald Omotayo Alasoadura, a former Minister of State for Niger Delta who served in that position from 2019 to 2022. At an event last year, he had described the position as a “condemnation” where the operational capacity of the junior ministers was limited, especially within the Federal Executive Council. It is also interesting to note that the former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, had argued that many state ministries were largely redundant, due to the fact that state ministers were going to the office solely for symbolic purposes and just to wile away their time. “Files are passed to them to treat only at the discretion of the other ministers and the permanent secretaries.” Yet, the ministers of state, tied inexorably to the apron strings of his superior minister, “will receive either praise or condemnation for the successes or failures of such ministries,” Keyamo revealed in a valedictory speech at the Presidential Villa, this year.

    Keyamo also frowned at the provision that ministers of state cannot present memos in council, except with the permission of the senior minister, describing it as another anomaly. While both ministers represent different states in the cabinet, Keyamo’s argument buttressed the salient point that the discretion of the minister of state is subsumed in the discretion of the senior minister. This also explains the difficulty in assessing the individual performances of the ministers of state since their discretion is more or less tied to the discretion of the senior ministers.

    Keyamo’s bravery in speaking out is worthy of high commendation because some ministers of state only remain silent in order not to be perceived as ingrates. Michel Foucault, a French philosopher who challenged traditional notions of power and authority, was apt when he said, “True independence is not the absence of authority, but the ability to question and challenge it.” In a nutshell, true freedom is possible only when power dynamics and systems of control are subjected to scrutiny.

    Yet another glaring instance borders on the matter of accountability. With the subjugated portfolio of the minister of state, the average Nigerian citizen is unable to figure out exactly who takes responsibility for work done, leading to the sort of conundrum that has played out with the Ministry of Power. While many people have wrongly attributed multiple instances of power outage and poor electricity supply to the minister of state in that sector, others believe that such shortcomings fall rightly under the purview of the senior minister. This ambiguity surrounding the division of duties and responsibilities between the minister and the minister of state contributes majorly to a distorted understanding of official authority. Consequently, it becomes challenging to hold certain individuals accountable for failures occurring within their respective ministries.

    Read Also: Imprints of former FCT Minister of State Aliyu

    The portfolio of the Minister of State in Nigeria has proven time and again to be a flawed administrative arrangement, hindering effective governance and muddling lines of accountability. The limited decision-making power, diffusion of responsibility, and duplication of roles have resulted in a large deficit of efficiency that is unfairly attributed to the state ministers.

    While we cannot run away from the expenditure of the portfolio, since the roles exist in real-time, it is now expedient that to foster efficiency and ensure clear lines of accountability, the current administration must initiate and execute reforms that would empower ministers of state with genuine authority. Such reforms would not only prove effective in enhancing transparency but would also streamline administrative structures, ultimately leading to improved governance in Nigeria. It is time for the government to critically evaluate the relevance and efficacy of this position, keeping in mind the overall goal of building a stronger and more accountable nation.

    It is worthwhile to consider historical parallels and alternative systems such as that of the South African and United States governments. In the South African system of governance, the cabinet consists of the president, who is the constitutionally recognised head. The President has the legal authority to appoint a Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, and also assign them with powers and functions. However, the functional capacity of deputy ministers in this cabinet system is strictly limited to that of assistance only. This means that there is never a situation where the roles of ministers and their deputies are conflated or interchanged; the distinction is absolute.

    On the other hand, the United States does not have the recognition of the Cabinet established within its constitution. Still, the formation of a cabinet (with the appointment of departmental heads) is sometimes instrumental to the success or failure of government policies, since the President relies on his cabinet as a principal advisory body. However, the President is not a member of the cabinet itself, even though he often chairs their meetings, and the cabinet in question lacks the authority to act on its own. The powers of each cabinet member is clearly defined in accordance with the function of their respective departments, and there is never a reason for role divisions to blur and blend. This is because the limits of administrative jurisdiction are highly respected in the United States, and overstepping such boundaries can lead to severe consequences.

    Interestingly, most U.S. presidents would promise to hold frequent cabinet meetings at the onset of their tenures, before gradually becoming tired of such meetings. Richard Nixon famously despised his own cabinet! However, the importance of the cabinet often manifested on occasions where the exchange of ideas was necessary before a new policy could be undertaken. It is also noteworthy that over the course of United States government history, changes to the structure of the cabinet, including the additions of new departments, were effected on the grounds of utmost necessity. A potent example is the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, which was exigent following the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks on US national security.

    In considering all of the above, it should be clear that necessary reforms to the structure of government in Nigeria must not only take historical precedents into consideration but also be executed as a way of potentially setting new standards that would not only align with constitutional dictates but strongly reflect the progressive thrust of this administration. Seeing that ministers are firstly citizens before their ministerial mandates, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, must consider the stand of Thomas Jefferson, one of the Founding Fathers and third president of the United States, who said, “The greatest strength of a nation lies in the independent thinking and decision-making abilities of its citizens.”

    President Tinubu should establish his uniqueness from his predecessors by jettisoning the old order of appointing state ministers solely to compensate certain groups, individuals and interests without recourse to the cognate value they bring to their respective portfolios. By doing so, he would succeed on a front where his predecessors have not, which is to cut down the cost of governance and eliminate the conflict of interest and unfair scrutiny sure to arise from having two uneven heads in a ministry. This audacious move would not only be welcomed by Nigerians who have long decried the increasing cost of governance but also signify the seriousness this administration has promised to deliver in bringing a fresh breath of hope to Nigeria.

    • Read the concluding part on https://thenationonlineng.net/

    •Zaidu and Godfrey are diversity analysts and write from Abuja

    ·        

  • Councils partner LASU on subsidy removal awareness

    Councils partner LASU on subsidy removal awareness

    Ojo Local Government, Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Otto-Awori LCDA, in collaboration with the Lagos State University (LASU) Department of Theatre Arts and Music, will hold a workshop on removal of fuel subsidy.

    Tagged: “Theatre for Development (TfD) Workshop,” the organisers said it would enlighten the grassroots on the removal of subsidy.

    The workshop with the theme: “The Effects of Fuel Subsidy Removal on Nigerians and Her Economy” is scheduled to hold between today and Friday at the three councils.

    It is expected to be live streamed on various platforms.

    Chairman of Iba Local Council Development Area, Yisa Jubril stated that the workshop is a welcome idea because it deals with issues that concern the grassroots.

    Jubril said: “The people in the grassroots need to get a better understanding of the subsidy removal, coping strategies and suggest means of solving identified problems and ensure a better society.

    “It is good that the workshop is focused on creating social awareness with the view to harnessing available opportunities, tapping from their rich potential, and awakening citizens’ consciousness to global issues that will enable them to maximize the potential for personal economic, and communal growth.”

    A Professor of Theatre, Film and Cultural Studies in LASU, Tunji Azeez stated that TFD uses theatre as a tool to bring development to communities.

    Read Also: Subsidy Removal: Fuel queues resurface in Lagos as NNPCL increases pump price

    He said: “The course was designed in 2021 at the inception of the department with the sole purpose of making theatre contribute to national, state, and local development. We are one of the very few universities offering the course in the southwest.

    “We go to communities and look for issues affecting society, do research, analyze our findings and turn it into a play and perform it for the community to sensitize the community and create awareness to the government.

    “Over the past 21 years, we have gone to many communities such as Badagry, Surulere, Ikorodu and addressed different issues such as democracy and governance, girl-child education, and drug abuse.

    “This year, we are looking at how the issue of the removal of fuel subsidy is affecting Nigerians and the reactions generated. We felt that what we should do is to go into the communities and ask the people if they understand what the removal entails, the gains or effects how they feel that the government can ease its burden on the people.

    “We seek to help the society ask the questions and get answers from the government. This year, we indulged traditional rulers and council chairmen because we believe they have roles to play especially at the grassroots and local governments being the closest arm of government to the people.” 

    Prof Azeez stated that the purpose of the play is to make the government feel the pulse of the people, hear their views, and act accordingly.

    “The people will relay the solutions they want and we expect the government to act on the needs of the people. In TFD, we don’t preempt; we let the solution to an issue come from the people themselves,” he stated.

  • EFCC disowns lawyer prosecuting Stella Odua in fresh suit

    EFCC disowns lawyer prosecuting Stella Odua in fresh suit

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday disowned a lawyer, Ibrahim Mohammed, who filed a fresh charge bordering on perjury and document falsification against former Aviation Minister, Senator Stella Oduah, in the name of the anti-graft agency.

     EFCC’s counsel, H. A. Okonofua, told Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court in Abuja that the commission did not send Mohammed to prosecute Oduah, the sole defendant in the matter.

     Upon resumed hearing, though Mohammed and Oduah were not in court, Okonofua said the report of the investigation carried out by the anti-corruption agency was out.

     Informing the court about the outcome of the investigation, she said: “The counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed, was de-seconded back to Nigeria police on November 14, 2022, and he was not sent to represent the EFCC to prosecute the defendant,” in the charge he filed in June.

     Justice Omotosho drew Okonofua’s attention to the fact that the report was not before the court.

     The lawyer admitted that the report was filed late.  The judge adjourned the matter till October 4 for the investigation report to be made available before the court.

    Read Also: EFCC to arraign Stella Oduah for alleged perjury, documents falsification

     The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had, on July 10, reported that the EFCC was expected to arraign Oduah before Justice Omotosho the next day (Tuesday) over alleged perjury and document falsification.

     The ex-lawmaker, who represented Anambra North in the Ninth National Assembly, is being accused of misrepresenting facts about whether or not she participated in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and was issued a certificate to that effect.

     She was alleged to have falsified documents with which she got into public offices, including being a minister and a senator – in the fresh charge.

     But on July 11, when the matter was called for arraignment, Mohammed, a police officer, who appeared for EFCC, admitted committing error in filing the charge in the name of the anti-graft agency.

    He told the court that though he was seconded to the EFCC, he had been redeployed back to the Force Headquarters last November.

     The police officer said it was in error he signed the charge in the name of EFCC Office in Benin, the Edo State capital.

     The judge had ordered the EFCC to arrest and investigate Mohammed over the matter.

  • Nigerians’ right to be informed should not be denied

    Nigerians’ right to be informed should not be denied

    • By Andrew A. Erakhrumen

    “…..If I had to choose between a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter…..”

    On May 10, a Federal High Court in Abuja gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from imposing fines henceforth on broadcast stations in the country. According to ThisDay newspaper, Justice James Omotosho held that the NBC, not being a court of law, had no power to impose sanctions as punishment on broadcast stations. Justice Omotosho also held that the NBC code, which gives the commission the power to impose sanction, is in conflict with Section 6 of the constitution that vested judicial power in the court of law.

     This judgement is, understandably, applaudable from the perspective of those in the broadcasting industry. The euphoria is explicable; a free press has roles in ensuring the sustenance of democracy and keeping the government power in check. Unfortunately, what we have been experiencing in Nigeria – under a veiled autocracy misnamed democracy – since 1999 (keeping the preceding similarly-notorious military era out of discussion) is that ‘democratically-elected’ (or selected?) governments have been gravely intolerant of criticisms from those who rightfully disagree with them. Instead of engaging the citizens, they are comfortable with autocracy; quick at using the instrumentality of the state to muzzle dissenting voices.

    Like the military era, they easily clamp down on print and electronic media outfits; there was recourse to atavism by governments in this regard, recently, under ‘civilians’ in a good number of states and at the federal level.

    We agree that no political system is perfect, anywhere. This is mainly because these systems are human institutions prone to human imperfections, idiosyncrasies and manipulations. Human beings are known to exploit situations to their benefit. Nevertheless, some human groups have been able to establish systems that support creative destruction in the processes of bringing up some of their best as leaders; so, why is Nigeria still being run by individuals that do not communicate with the citizens?

    Yes, many of these citizens can be ignoramuses! Thus, to their leaders (who are lords) common people are serfs! In fact, these lawbreakers see themselves as laws that must be obeyed! They utilise traditional and social media during electioneering campaigns but once they get to power and are criticised, they transmute into enemies of media platforms! Fake democrats! Dictators! They merely listen to themselves and love praise singers’ sycophantic “Your Excellency”!

    Regrettably, we have ‘seasoned’ broadcasters and journalists among these people with strong penchant for anti-free speech; a case of dog-eat-dog! Nigeria is blessed with an abundance of misleaders who only pay lip service to the idea of enhancing free press. They will not acknowledge the above-quoted statement by Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826); an American politician.

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    Jefferson was a governor of Virginia (1779), member of Congress, minister to France, Secretary of State under President George Washington (1732–1799), and president of the United States (1800). History has it that he was a polymath who was knowledgeable about and wrote on science, architecture, music, agriculture, law, education, geography, and music. Compare this politician (and his political ‘successes’) with the massive shameless mediocrities parading and deceiving themselves as Nigerian political leaders; many of whom are unpatriotic opportunistic foreigners that are without the country’s developmental interest at heart! These dark-skinned colonialists are complete counterfeits fighting against being exposed by hiding ‘open’ secrets in public offices! Hence, why will they not be at loggerheads with the media the same way they do with the intellectual community?

    They want to continue shrouding everything in public offices in secrecy! The world has moved far but they want us to remain static for their benefit of ‘self-first’ and ‘self-alone’. They always explain nonsense away by claiming that Nigeria is still developing but board aeroplanes instead of quietly mounting camels’ or donkeys’ backs as means of transportation! What is really being expected from NBC with written regulatory functions that are interpreted and implemented through politicians’ whims and caprices? A commission run by politicians in the ministry of information!

    Like other regulatory agencies of Nigerian government, NBC is not independent (and cannot be, yet) considering the loopholes in its current enabling laws and the way appointments are made into the management cadre of the commission. Certainly, NBC’s enabling laws need to be amended to correct this lacuna being exploited by rogue politicians. Of course, to be fair, there are times when oppressive decisions are taken by NBC’s management without any “order from above” owing to overzealousness and pandering to body language of the “oga-at-the-top”. When they (in NBC) are eventually instructed to jump, the response will be “how high”? Most times, these media houses are not given opportunity to give their side of the story, when accused, because of the regulator’s biased position skewed towards the protection of government-of-the-day’s interests. Witch-hunting cannot be equated to media regulation!

    Regulating broadcasting in the 21st century should not be the way a typical Nigerian motor park is being managed! For instance, why will NBC indiscriminately slam a fine on a television station because a guest, on a live transmission, expressed his/her opinion irrespective of the moderating effort by the host? How do you know what a guest has in mind before coming on air? These are questions requiring answers!

    Wait a minute; is the argument, here, that media regulation be discountenanced in Nigeria? No! There are possibilities of persons and organisations “crossing the line” like the negative experiences in the social media space! That part of one’s freedom that will negatively impact on those of others is not expected to be allowed for unjust exploitation; as someone’s rights end where those of others start! While there is the need for media self-regulation, there should also be unambiguous and transparent laws, including well spelt-out procedure, for handling erring broadcasting stations in ways that do not support self-help by public officials. Sanctioning media organisation without due process will be against the tenets of natural justice. Abusing the NBC code has allowed the (political) commission to be an accuser, prosecutor and judge – simultaneously! An outcome from these abuses led to the litigation that made the court to make the pronouncement earlier-highlighted; although, NBC may still explore the option of appealing the judgement. The press and other news outlets should be allowed to perform their role as the Fourth Estate of the Realm. Again, there is the need for collective media regulation that is devoid of witch-hunting and meddlesomeness by state actors. We believe that more of this kind of court judgement will assist Nigeria in the efforts at building lasting working institutions that must be organically supported.

    •Prof Erakhrumen writes from University of Benin.