The Nation Newspaper

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What Bayelsans expect from Diri

By Braeyi Ekiye

SIR: One can say without equivocation that Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri’s push for developmental politics richly rewarded his second term bid.

The governor’s focused and prioritised projects performance during his first tenure in office, no doubt, gave him a clear lead and ultimate victory at the Saturday November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.

In addition to that, the season of high profile and other critical stakeholders and grassroots endorsement for the governor’s second term bid prior to the November election, signalled Governor Diri’s ultimate victory at the gubernatorial poll.

We recall that a former president and an illustrious son of Bayelsa State, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was among the many who endorsed Governor Diri’s second term bid based on his visionary leadership in managing the affairs of the state.

Jonathan had re-echoed reasons for endorsing Diri’s candidature during the recent yuletide visit of the governor and a high-powered delegation to his residence. According to the former president, Governor Diri deserved to be re-elected for his commendable developmental efforts, particularly for ensuring peace and stability in the state.

Jonathan spoke glowingly of Governor Diri’s efforts in reasonably reining the excesses of cult groups, and other societal ills inimical to peace, security and uninterrupted development.

It was for this and other enviable reasons, Dr. Jonathan reasoned, that he saw in the governor and his team, credibility and visionary leadership that needed to be encouraged to do another four-year term in office.

He therefore charged Governor Diri to do more to meet the expectations of the massive support base for his administration, adding that: “To whom much was given, much was expected”.

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Meanwhile, Governor Diri, in his New Year message, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment towards the overall development of the state.

Going forward, he said, his administration would actively engage communities irrespective of political affiliation in order to achieve the collective holistic developmental aspirations of the state.

The governor unfolded some mega projects captured in the state’s 2024 budget which include the construction of an ultra-modern stadium, a renal centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital at Okolobiri as well as administrative block for the Primary Healthcare Board.

Governor Diri said that his administration would also kick-start the state’s industrialisation through his recent assent to the Bayelsa State Electricity Law 2023, which he said, promises to be a game-changer for improved power supply in the state.

He stated that, under the new electricity law, licences would be issued to private investors while collaboration with existing franchises would be enhanced to expand electricity access in underserved areas.

Governor Diri therefore, called for collective effort and the unflinching support of citizens of the state for her accelerated progress in the New Year and in sustaining the achievements so far recorded.

There is no doubt that Governor Diri has a great task ahead of him. With the audacious on-going three senatorial roads project and other people-oriented socio-economic and infrastructural transformation schemes, together with the new additions in the state’s 2024 budget, the governor should hit the ground running. The commitment of his administration in salvaging a people deeply stressed and disoriented by the turn of global financial and economic downturn, and monumental crisis, notwithstanding, citizens of the state expect the governor to turn around their depleted fortunes.

It is our ardent hope, therefore, that Governor Diri would rise to the occasion and give the people of the state the much-needed holistic development leap, and a reason to reaffirm their trust in his leadership of the state, the next four years.

• Braeyi Ekiye, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

January 5, 2024
Still on the promises of 2024

By Chiedu Uche Okoye

SIR: The year, 2023, straddled between annus horribilis and annus mirabilis in that the troubles we encountered in the year did not consume us. And God, the Sovereign of our universe, spared our lives, which offered us the opportunity to continue striving to realize our goals both as individuals and as a country.

Today, Nigeria is hobbled by economic recession, infrastructural deficit, violent secessionist agitations, technological backwardness, dysfunctional educational system, and comatose healthcare delivery system. And the list of Nigeria’s problems has kept on burgeoning. The stark fact is that our past military rulers and successive political leaders had failed to leapfrog Nigeria to the acme of technological and economic advancement.

The implementation of the redesigning of the naira notes caused scarcity of naira notes, with its calamitous and devastating consequences for us. The change of the old naira notes, which was later stopped, increased the economic hardship of Nigerians. Nigerians survived that period of cash crunch, however.

As Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief, following the easing up of the scarcity of the old naira notes, the release of the 2023 presidential election result, which showed that Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election, raised political tension to some extent. Nonetheless, Bola Tinubu, who governed Lagos State for eight years and fought for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria, is well-acquainted with Nigeria’s multifarious and hydra-headed problems. So he is in a pole position to tackle our country’s many different problems.

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But has his withdrawal of oil subsidy shored up our economy? This is open to debate. Millions of unemployed university graduates still pound the pavement on a daily basis in search of the non-existent white and blue collar jobs. And millions of Nigerians, who live below the breadline, scavenge for leftovers.

And our security challenges have not abated. So it is imperative for the president to rejig our security architecture and think out new ways for tackling the prevailing monster of insecurity of lives and property in Nigeria. Recently, we’re treated to a macabre dance of death in Jos, Plateau State, which highlighted the recrudescence of violent killings in the state. And in the southeast, secessionist agitators still carry out homicidal deeds to strike fear into our minds.

But now, the year, 2023, with all its troubles has been relegated to the waste-bin of history. And the year, 2024, which had been chafing at the threshold of our cosmos, has poked its head in birth. The good thing about 2024 is that it is starting on a clean slate, hopefully without the baggage and negative influence of 2023.

So it behoves President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do the right thing in order that history will be kind to him. Our depressed economy should be diversified away from crude-oil so as to create job opportunities for millions of unemployed Nigerians. He should address urgently and holistically, too, our problems of epileptic electricity supply and infrastructural rot, which hinder the rapid industrialization of Nigeria.

And he should address the monster of insecurity of lives and property, revamp our educational system and boost our moribund health sector.

President Tinubu knows that achieving national unity in Nigeria is a sine qua non for the rapid development of Nigeria. A country that is embroiled in political turmoil cannot achieve great economic and technological feats. The ball is now in his court; so, he should make hay while the sun shines.

• Chiedu Uche Okoye, Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State.

January 5, 2024
Strategy for climate change adaptation and energy transition

By Adebayo Alonge

Climate change is a multifaceted threat that affects the economy, agriculture, water resources, health, and the overall well-being of our nation. However, it also presents immense opportunities for us to reimagine our energy system, enabling us to bring new forms of energy into the homes and businesses of every one of our people, wherever they may be. This transition provides the opportunity for Nigeria to become a global green superpower, exporting natural gas and clean energy commodities such as lithium, as well as green products like aluminum, steel, glass, and hydrogen that can be locally produced using our abundant renewable solar, wind, and hydropower resources. This shift will immediately improve the quality of life for the majority of our people, help create jobs, and unlock new opportunities to attract investments into our energy and manufacturing industries.

Climate change is a collective action problem and we need to mobilize our people to help solve it. The people are an important resource to co-generate solutions to this issue as they are the ones experiencing the problem first hand. Local government town halls should be organized to sensitize the population. Climate knowledge extension officers should be hired to go door to door to educate people. National media campaigns on television, radio, billboards and digital media should be conducted to educate the people about what climate change is, the risks posed and the opportunities available. Ideas should be solicited for local solutions to address climate change. Hackathons can be held at universities and polytechnics with funding made available by local banks and guaranteed by the government. This will help to finance local innovations into potential businesses that can then develop products and services that solve local climate change related problems while generating employment and potentially export dollars.

The national preparedness and response strategy that is developed as part of the risk assessment and ideas solicitation should be disseminated to every household so that people know how to identify climate related extreme weather events, what to do, where to go and whom to call when these events occur in their communities. The national emergency management agency should also have budgetary reserves mandated by law passed by the federal legislature so that they have enough funding to address all climate emergencies as they occur. This reserve fund should be financed directly from a share of government royalties earned from export of crude oil, natural gas and through direct grants from developed countries and multilateral institutions.

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Secondly, infrastructure must be built to be resilient and enforced through building codes passed by state legislatures. In flood prone areas, utility grid transformers and building electric switch boxes must be mandated to be hoisted several meters above ground. This will ensure that in the event of flooding that there are no widespread power outages and will also reduce negative health risks of electrocutions. Sewers should be enforced to be built as fully closed off so that sewage does not leak into ground water during floods.

In the Sahelian north, a tree fence should be planted to keep the soil in place and reverse the encroaching desert. This tree presence will provide cover reducing the evaporation of surface and underground water reserves. An ambitious plan can be put in place to pipe in ocean water from the Atlantic to the Lake Chad region and have it desalinated. The desalinated water can then be used to refill Lake Chad and reverse the 90% loss of water that the lake has faced over the last 30 years. This will help preserve the livelihoods of the communities who rely on the lake for food, transportation and commerce. In coastal cities, slums on the sea should begin to be moved to higher ground with sufficient awareness and alternatives provided to their inhabitants and a clearly defined timeline to complete the migration.

Coastal seawalls similar to the Eko Atlantic great wall should be constructed across the entire length of the southern coast of the country. Financing can be raised through public-private partnerships or by tapping the climate adaptation funds being put together by developed countries.

Thirdly, subsistence and commercial agriculture should be adapted for resilience. Farmlands can be mandated to have rain-water collection towers that run off rainwater into underground and above-ground storage tanks. This will ensure that there is water supply in the event of droughts. Research labs such as the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) should be mandated to develop new crop varieties that are purpose-bred to be resilient in drought and flood conditions. New techniques for farming that preserve biodiversity, soil fertility and climate resilience should be developed and disseminated by agriculture extension workers to all farmers. Encourage the implementation of AI tools working with satellites and drones to automate the checking of the health of crops and farmlands at scale with recommendations of solutions to apply such as irrigation, fertilizer, organic pesticides etc. This way technology can scale up farming, increasing the responsiveness of farmers to climate change effects and reducing losses.

Fourthly, prioritize water resource management. As the population continues to grow from its current 200million base and as agriculture and industry becomes more intensive, the demand for water will increase dramatically. Combined with climate change and encroaching desertification, Nigeria will need to develop and enforce policies and laws that treat water as a strategic resource. There needs to be a comprehensive update of all fresh water reserves in the country with every local government area assessed for water scarcity risk based on current and projected future population, agriculture and industrial growth. Strict measures need to be taken to protect access and ration access to underground aquifers. Households, agriculture and industry need to be trained and informed about water management techniques and a fair price should be placed on boring water holes, distributing and use of water so as to reduce wastage. Waste water should be treated and repurposed for use in the homes, farmlands and industry so as to save the freshwater resources. Desalination plants and pipelines should be built from the southern coast to areas facing water scarcity so as to make desalinated water available to these communities for their use.

Fifthly, public health systems should be equipped for resilience. Use digital tools to enable remote telecare so as to make up for shortages in healthcare personnel. Focus on preventive health campaigns including vaccination of young children, promotion of consumption of nutritional foods and encouragement of health lifestyles. This will help reduce the prevalence of lifestyle diseases and free up capacity for the health system to address climate related emergencies. Conduct public health campaigns that also use pharmacies and chemists as focal hubs to teach the population on how to prevent and treat heatwaves and vector-borne diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, elephantiasis, dengue fever, river blindness, schistosomiasis, sleeping sickness etc. This will ensure that households and pharmacies can prevent and treat less urgent climate induced diseases while helping the hospital system to have extra capacity for more acute conditions.

Lastly, aggressively implement the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan (NTEP) which aims for the country to no longer emit carbon (i.e. achieve carbon neutrality) by 2060. In order to achieve this goal, Nigeria must take stock of its current energy sources, how they are used and define the strategy to pursue towards carbon neutrality.

Nigeria Energy Sources currently consists of Petroleum (67%), Natural Gas (32%) and Renewable Energy (1%.) Its use of these energy by end-use sector is in Residential (78%), Industrial (9%), Transport (7%), Commercial (3%). Its electricity sector is powered using Coal (74%), Renewables (26%). Nigeria’s greenhouse gas emissions are mostly driven by agriculture, oil & gas i.e., from fugitive emissions transport, residential/commercial – consisting of buildings and industry. To achieve Net Zero by 2060 as per the Nigeria Federal Government stated goal, Nigeria must prioritize de-carbonization of its electricity, transport, cooking, industrial and oil & gas sectors.

Climate change is an existential crisis that disproportionately affects developing countries such as Nigeria. Although Nigeria has contributed a tiny amount of cumulative global CO2 emissions, it faces significant adverse impacts from the climate change brought about by the pollution done by others who have become rich in the process. It is important for the country to engage proactively with the rich world to tap the funding being made available to finance climate related losses, damages and to subsidize the uptake of clean technologies by the Nigerian people and their industries.

• Alonge is a student at Harvard University, United States.

January 5, 2024
Sanwo-Olu and ‘one-way’ riders

By Zayd Ibn Isah

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State asserted himself as its true number one law enforcer when he apprehended motorcyclists for riding in the wrong direction along the Lagos-Badagry expressway. In a short clip which went viral on social media, the governor, evidently incensed, directed his security aides to arrest and detain the defaulters who were caught plying the one-way route.

Although some of them attempted to flee on foot, security operatives were able to arrest a young man who claimed to be a soldier. “Put him inside the car; let your father come and rescue you,” the governor stated. “I am a soldier, sir,” the young man, dressed in civilian clothes, told the governor. “That is even more reason why I will lock you up,” the governor responded. If the young man had hoped that claiming to be a soldier would let him off the hook, the governor’s unwavering rebuttal proved otherwise, leaving the “soldier” with no choice but to apologize and plead for mercy.

The governor’s operation did not stop at arresting the offenders. In another video, apparently a continuation of the same story, the governor was heard talking to passers-by and chiding a lady who had boarded one of the motorcycles for allowing the motorcyclist to take her through the one-way route: “You people are the ones causing it. Maybe I should arrest two of you and put you in the guardroom. Then you will know—” he said to two young men passing by, at which point they tried to exonerate themselves, saying, “No o! No be me o!”

The governor then addressed a young lady standing by, possibly recording him as he moved around. “Madam, you are a graduate, abi? You are also taking Okada. And they are taking you one-way. And put it on Facebook, on the road that I have done. Is it good? And they would now hit you, and you would fall. You would say the government is not good. What a shame. And we are all praying that we have a better country. Post it and tell people. This is the kind of thing that you see. In 20 minutes, I am sure they would carry another person,” the governor lamented.

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What Governor Sanwo-Olu said accurately reflects the sad reality of our everyday lives in this country. An average Nigerian craves shortcuts and wants the quickest route to everything. The daily occurrence of accidents in Nigeria is not largely due to the state of roads but the conduct of motorists. This is because the average Nigerian hardly obeys traffic rules. And as a people, we often prefer to be forced or cajoled before we do the right thing. A senior friend of mine, whose family is based in South Africa, told me that you can hardly see traffic congestions in South Africa. He said there are no traffic lights and traffic wardens in highbrow areas over there, unlike what is obtainable in Maitama, Asokoro or even places like Wuse. He said that the way things are done over there ensures that whoever comes first always has the right of way.

But here in Nigeria, you would see congestion in the absence of traffic wardens, and even where there are traffic lights, as nobody wants to yield to anyone. Even the simple things like wearing a seatbelt while driving for safety purposes, we fail to do it until we spot officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps. This calls to mind the famous words of Joseph De Maistre who said, “In a democracy, the people end up with the government and leaders they deserve”. There is no statement that better describes the conundrum of this peculiar country.

The governor’s action is commendable, albeit heart-breaking. In the 21st century, we shouldn’t require a sitting governor or law enforcement agents to call to order those who contravene basic regulations that exist for the good of all. It will definitely take a lot to convince the rest of the world, as Sanwo-Olu barked orders at his security aides to arrest road defaulters, that we are truly the giant of Africa. Nay, such a grand title becomes harder to justify due to the depths which we have sunk to in years.

It is understandable that some people may feel the governor was making a mountain out of a molehill, questioning the direct or residual impact of his actions on the country’s GDP and citizens’ well-being. However, the truth is that even seemingly minor issues like traffic violations reflect broader challenges in societal conduct and adherence to rules.

As we pray and urge our leaders to take the right actions for improvement, a shift in mind-set and orientation is equally crucial. Progress is challenging to sustain within the boundaries of a society where lawlessness prevails.

I personally believe that Governor Sanwo-Olu was justified in reprimanding the young lady who boarded one of the motorcycles. If she insisted that the Okada rider take the right lane instead of the one-way lane, or she chose another Okada rider, the outcome would have been much more positive and encouraging. Unfortunately, we are accustomed to taking shortcuts, and the young lady opted for the one-way lane to reach her destination faster.

We can only actualize the Nigeria of our dreams by not only advocating for the right thing but also insisting that it be done. As we ask our leaders to lead by example, we, the ordinary citizens, should also follow suit.

• Isah writes via lawcadet1@gmail.com

January 5, 2024
Four-year-old bride!

Marriage made in the other world: that was purportedly the tie between a four-year-old baby and a 54-year-old man to whom she was married off recently in Bayelsa State. The ‘marriage’ held on December 26, last year, in Akeddei community, Sagbama council area of Bayelsa, reportedly at the instance of the child’s parents. And belief in reincarnation played a central role in the whole affair.

Agency reports cited community sources who said the girl-bride told her parents the 54-year-old man, identified as Elder Akpos, was her husband in their previous life who died mysteriously. She purportedly recounted how, over the years, she had been moving from place to place, to be given birth to by different parents – all in search for her former husband. A source was quoted saying: “The little bride said if she were not allowed to marry her husband, she would have no other business in the Akeddei community, and that she was going to die peacefully and go her way. To avoid losing the girl to death, the people of Akeddei decided to organise a glamorous wedding ceremony to mark the union of the two previous life lovers.”

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A child rights advocacy group in Bayelsa, DO Foundation, was outraged over the purported ‘marriage’ and called for arrest and prosecution all adult persons complicit in the act. The group condemned child marriage as horrendous, despicable and a criminal activity, saying it violated both the Nigerian Constitution and the Child’s Right Act that Bayelsa State domesticated in 2016, which “criminalises child marriages and child betrothals, prescribing various terms of imprisonment and heavy fines.” A statement by the group’s chairperson, Elvis Mannie, urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the act with a view to protect the child from sexual exploitation. The Bayelsa government was subsequently reported to have summoned all parties involved for interrogation aimed at salvaging the girl-bride.

But there is indeed more than criminal intent to be interrogated in this mater, in Hardball’s view. There are psychiatric and psychoanalytic dimensions as well. For instance, how precocious could a four-year-old get to cognitively identify a person she purportedly claimed to be her husband in another world, and how intelligibly did she communicate that identification to convince adults including her parents? And was she the one who convinced the 54-year-old ‘husband’ of the connection, or did he for his part also entered into the supernatural realm of identification? Visuals from the ‘wedding’ showed the girl-bride being lapped by an adult, perhaps the mother. So, how and when did the ‘husband’ hope to consummate the union? Even the ‘bride’s’ parents operated on less than sane cognitive level. There’s need for all involved in the act to have their heads checked to ascertain their sanity.

January 5, 2024
Repositioning EFCC to tackle economic crimes

By Ayodeji Seriki

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was established by an Act of the National Assembly on December 12, 2002 by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, partly in response to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Money Laundering, also known by its French name, Grouped’actionfinancière (GAFI).

FATF had then ranked Nigeria as one of the 23 countries that were non-cooperative in the combined efforts to fight money laundering globally. Due to the identified inadequacies in the 2002 Establishment Act, the National Assembly repealed it and re-enacted the 2004 Establishment Act while the bill was signed into law on June 4, 2004 by President Obasanjo.

Within the first few months of his assumption of office in 2003, the pioneer executive chairman of the commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, hit the ground running and put the agency on a firm footing that was quick to enhance public confidence and earned it global recognition.

Within few years, Nigeria was able to command the respect it deserved as a country that was determined to nip corruption in the bud and make the country an ideal place to do business for local and foreign investors.

Sadly, Ribadu was sent packing unceremoniously by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in December 2007, after the commission arrested a powerful politician, who was known to be a close ally to the late president, following his alleged involvement in corrupt activities.

In a jiffy, the commission lost its relevance and respect as many members of the public began to see it, under successive chairmen as nothing but a witch-hunting tool used to oppress and suppress people considered enemies of the ruling party.

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With the emergence of AIG Ibrahim Mustafa Magu (rtd), who emerged EFCC chairman like a phoenix from the ashes, sanity didn’t only return to the commission but again brought the foremost anti-graft agency to the local and global reckoning.

One of his landmark achievements was his role in the celebrated P&ID case, which gave Nigeria a landmark victory at the Commercial Court of England and Wales. As Nigerians were heaving a sigh of relief that the commission had gotten its groove back, Magu was framed and removed after clashing with some political interests and heavyweights, who were close to power and saw the no-nonsense EFCC boss as a stumbling block.

Then came the immediate past chairman of the commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who was believed to have been brought in from the blue, against all odds by the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Bawa, the first person without either military or police background to lead the commission, was accused of lack of discretion in running the anti-graft agency and tackling the big elephant in the room.

Although he gave the commission a Strategic Plan Policy Document and implemented Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documents for the commission’s departments, his tenure witnessed mixed-feelings from the staff and the general public.

President Bola Tinubu later suspended Bawa from office and appointed Abdulkarim Chukkol as the acting chairman to stabilise the commission. Chukkol tried his best to restore sanity at the foremost anti-graft agency. He also put in place certain measures to reassure the staff of the commission and informed Nigerians that the commission would live up to expectations

Fast forward to October 12, 2023, when President Tinubu approved the appointment of Ola Olukoyede as the executive chairman of the commission and was subsequently confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, the commission appears to have opened a new chapter and ready to fulfil the purpose for which it was established.

In particular, the new Sheriff came with a clear-cut agenda of re-positioning and re-focusing the commission for optimal effectiveness.

Olukoyede, who had been a principal officer in the commission and served creditably well under Magu, is not only a tested hand but a disciplined man who has an unblemished record of performance.

The new EFCC chairman must have studied the mood of the public when he declared within a few days of his assumption of office that anti-corruption fights should be premised on initiatives and modalities capable of stimulating economic growth and development in the overall interests of Nigerians.

Speaking in Lagos on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, while addressing officers of the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC, Olukoyede said, “There is need to redirect our focus towards what we were set up to do in Nigeria, which is to drive economic development. We will tilt our focus towards that area. We will work to drive economic development, create wealth and employment”.

To me, if Olukoyede walks the talk and puts an end to the era of winding down businesses by way of investigation, the country will enter the good books of foreign investors.

His declaration that the commission would look into the mix-fund rules that separate proceeds of crimes from legitimate money so as to allow businesses to grow will rewrite the name of the commission in gold.

If all these are done, it is a matter of time that EFCC would have helped, in line with its mandate, to make conscious efforts to redeem the image of the country in the global community. This is one measure that will tell the whole world that the anti-graft agency is ready to do the needful and put Nigeria among the comity of nations.

His promise that the agency would collaborate with other stakeholders to re-write the country’s history will go a long way in boosting not only Nigeria’s image but will encourage foreign direct investments (FDI) to impact positively on our ailing economy.

As Olukoyede marches on in his determination to be the change agent, he should not forget his promise that the commission will uphold the core values of the EFCC which include integrity, courage, professionalism and collaboration in the discharge of its duties in order to justify its engagement.

Another thing that would interest the progressive-minded Nigerians and potential investors is the new helmsman promise that the anti-corruption drive must open up an atmosphere of accountability and transparency in the country.

To demonstrate his seriousness, Olukoyede, who promised to use the instrumentality of the law to preside over the affairs of the agency, enjoined the EFCC staff in a recent event that, “You must be professional in all you do. Our image should reflect our core values. I have been part of this system. I was out for three years and I know the way things are”.

In line with the popular proverb that charity begins at home, the new EFCC chair won the hearts of many Nigerians when he tasked officers and men of the commission to be above board and insisted that asset declaration is compulsory for every staff.

It is instructive to note that while giving the directives, Olukoyede informed Nigerians that he had declared that his asset, stressing that all staff should declare theirs too.

As promised by Olukoyede, the job will be half done if he can keep his promise on the three focal areas already identified and raises three posers as important thrusts of plying his new job. The three focal areas are: focus on the mandate of the EFCC, pursuit of transparency and accountability and building the image of Nigeria. To achieve these, he has dwelt on the need for collective responsibility, greater emphasis on preventive frameworks against graft and premium attention on transactional credits.

Looking at the task ahead and the need for total commitment from all, Olukoyede also stated recently that, “We must come together and believe that, with the way financial crimes have overwhelmed our structures and systems in Nigeria, we can’t move forward and if we move forward, it will be at a snail speed…The time has come for us to show commitment”

• Seriki, a public affairs analyst and commentator, contributes this piece from Lagos.

January 5, 2024
Some critical issues on Foreign Direct Investment

“If people cannot trust their Government to do the job for which it exists – to protect them and promote their welfare – all else is lost” … Barrack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been consistent that he will continue to use Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) as the key pillars of economic development if his administration. Mr. President has also made FDI a key component of the 2024 budget driver.

However, unless key factors are considered and addressed, I worry that the good intentions of Mr. President will not yield the desired outcomes.

FDI Trends and Outlook

According to Statista:

•In 2011, a peak of 8.84 billion U.S. dollars was achieved. Moreover, in 2018, a considerable drop was registered, as FDI in the country amounted to 780 million U.S. dollars.

•Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in Nigeria registered a decrease of around 190 million U.S. dollars in 2022, compared to a surplus of 3.31 billion U.S. dollars in the preceding year.

New data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that FDI in the country fell by 33 percent in 2022. This is more worrisome due to the fact that the trajectory has been dwindling since 2015, as foreign direct investment (FDI) to Nigeria has plunged to $468.91 million, the lowest in at least nine years, according to official data. This has been having dire consequences on socio-economic growth.

According to the United Nations

•UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2023 reveals a widening annual investment deficit that developing countries face as they work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

•Africa’s FDI fell by 45% in 2022

•After a strong rebound in 2021, global FDI fell by 12% in 2022 to $1.3 trillion, due mainly to overlapping global crises – the war in Ukraine, high food and energy prices, and soaring public debt.

•On a positive note, greenfield investment project announcements were up 15% in 2022, growing in most regions and sectors.

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Some points to Note

•The lack of a purpose-driven foreign exchange management framework has further weakened investors’ confidence over the past 9 to 10 years and is one of the key de-motivations for investors. For example;

•Over $ 800 million of foreign airline funds are trapped in Nigeria, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

•In addition, in the past 4 years major investors have left Nigeria due to the aforementioned challenges. Examples of such investors include Shoprite, one of the major oil and gas ‘companies Exxon Mobil is moving to Egypt, and recently GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and lately Procter and Gamble (P&G) announced plans to discontinue operations in Nigeria,

•The way forward for Nigeria, is to as a matter of priority improve and upscale our competitiveness in terms of our critical infrastructure i.e., intermodal transportation network; power; logistics and supply chain platforms i.e. the airports and the entire aviation value chain; seaports and the entire maritime value chain, land borders; products value addition and processing.  Therefore, our preparedness domestically is very critical. There should be a holistic approach in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to formulate an overarching strategy to achieve the key objectives and importantly reining in the benefits for Nigeria and consequently for Africa. To improve our trade volumes and increase incomes, we need to improve the state of our not-so-competitive manufacturing and industrial sectors that are struggling under multiple global socio-economic variables, it is a major red flag. Multiple taxation and leakages; and tax policy incoherence are other major barriers to success.

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

I posit that there are 6 critical success factors that should be considered thoroughly in reining in FDIs. I am not saying that they are not currently considered but I am of the view that more attention should be focused on them so that we learn from past experiences. For example,  the recent assertion the by Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development is a confirmation of the concerns and reflags that my humble self and other stakeholders have severally raised during the immediate past dispensation with regards to concession of the Nigeria Airports Concession, and the Air Nigeria imbroglio as cases of instance.

1.     Integrity and Transparency of The Process

The opaqueness of running FDIs and PPPs should be removed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There should be transparency and accountability in the entire process and operations of the FDIs/PPPs so as to avoid further complications to Nigeria’s economy in addition to the burgeoning debt issues that are dealing brutal blows to our economy. Because defective FDIs/PPPs could transmute into another form of debt which will further subjugate our Country for vested interests.  Therefore, I expect the wealth of experience of President Bola Tinubu’s Strategy, Finance, Audit, Consulting, business, and track record of successful delivery of major FDIs and PPPS to come into play as he champions the FDIs as he has already been doing and most importantly in ensuring the successes and socio-economic impacts of FDIs and PPPs at national and subnational levels during this administration.

A robust stakeholder engagement with a transparent dashboard to show all concerned and indeed Nigerians the progress of the investments/ project on a need-to-know basis.

2.     Investment, Business and Operational Modelling

We need to be sure that the FDI/PPP models we are adopting are the correct models for the overall socio-economic interests of Nigeria. For example, from the snippets of what we have heard with regards to Air Nigeria as an example; you will note that issues started from the modeling of how Ethiopian Airlines was given a chunk of stake, the distorted local content value, etc.

The model is very important in all economic sectors because the model will determine factors like ownership structure, shareholding, Return on Investment (ROI), socio-economic benefits, etc. We should be thorough in considering and deciding which model to adopt depending on the investment portfolio and the sector, i.e. the model of the transaction, operational model, and model of the entire framework of the project; and in doing so we need to involve all the critical stakeholders to ensure that we think through the options over and above parochial interests. Therefore, going forward there should be new deal-making models to ensure responsible critical national asset management.

3.     Legal Framework

I know that Mr. President has a track record of successful FDIs and PPPs at the subnational level when he was the Governor of Lagos State, but suffice it to say that at the national level, it is a different ball game because we don’t handle our FDIs/PPPs well. About two months ago, it was all over the mainstream media that one Mr. Pramod Mitta, the younger brother of the Billionaire Concessionaire that is behind the Ajaokuta Steel project, Mr. Lakshmi Mittal was able to leverage the legal loophole in the legal framework of the PPP and is able to a critical national asset access $500million to service a debt that he incurred in another country. This is a good example of How the lack of proper planning and efficient legal framework support system for our strategic and operational engagements with our foreign partners is costing us. Therefore, going forward, I advocate for the full involvement of subject matter experts and all relevant government agencies to x-ray the agreements to ensure that all the provisions in the legal framework save all the interests of Nigeria before we proceed, in essence, the outcome of the legal framework should be a win-win for Nigeria and for the investors and ensure that in the long run, Nigerians are not subjugated to foreign investors/ nations with no value to Nigerians. The situation whereby in some cases some MDAs operate in silos should no longer be acceptable in this administration.

I hope that Mr. President will mandate the “dos” and “don’ts” of the FDIs and PPPs going forward.

4.     Project management and Execution Quotient

From a project management perspective, the project management framework and execution quotient of operating the FDIs/PPPs must be high with zero tolerance for laxity or slippages. This is So that the terms and conditions and deliverables of operationalizing the PPP, especially the EPCC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning) module is delivered timely and qualitatively with full value for money and impacts. This will ensure that people will not come under the guise of investing in our critical infrastructure and end up enslaving us. This will also safeguard our FDI projects and PPPs from becoming white elephant projects, an example is the Ajaokuta project that has been comatose albeit billions, if not trillions of Naira have been lost or wasted in the project to no avail.

5.     SECURITY

The insecurity situation in Nigeria needs to be dealt with as a matter of priority so as to engender more confidence and trust in FDIs and domestic investments. The insecurity issue must be addressed for the productivity of the country in terms of increased crude oil throughput, agriculture, and other non-oil sectors.

6.     Corruption

Zero tolerance corruption and all forms of economic sabotage, otherwise, the FDI initiatives and the national development strategy will not be successful.

January 5, 2024
Togolese school assures students of high academic standards

President of Centre de Perfectionnement aux Techniques Economiques et Commerciales (CPTEC), Togo, Prof Tunde Adeyemi, has assured students and stakeholders the institution has full accreditation for its courses and maintain high standards of academic quality.

Against the background of reports and suspension of evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Benin and Togo, Adeyemi said CPTEC is not under probe by Federal Ministry of Education or other countries and the case mentioned in the investigation did not involve the school or any member of the community.

He said CPTEC is a fully accredited private university since 2003 in Lome, Togo.

“CPTEC and its courses has been accredited and has a valid accreditation with the Federal Ministry of Higher Learning in Togo.

“CPTEC has a high academic and quality control in its programmes towards award of relevant qualifications offered on campus and online.

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“We wish to assure students, affiliates and community that there is no cause for alarm as our institution is structured in its academics and award of relevant qualifications. Also, we do not have any records of violation of any offences in the host country in Togo or other nations,” Adeyemi said.

He hoped the investigation of the institutions purportedly milling certificates by Nigeria will not affect CPTEC, especially its International students from Nigeria.

He said necessary international institutions in the affected countries will address the diplomatic relationship relating to the matter.

January 5, 2024
Ogunlana Drive gets first Mosque

For years, the popular Ogunlana Drive in the heart of Surulere, Lagos, was without a Mosque where Muslim could congregate to offer five daily prayers.

But an Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Al Mukhtar, promised to break the jinx. He commenced the Mosque project on January 2, 2023,

On Wednesday, January 3, Sheikh Al Mukhtar gathered cream in the society to open the multi-million ultra-modern mosque.

The ever busy highbrow Ogunlana Drive received dignitaries from all walks of life. They came to witness the inauguration of the mosque named Masjid Rosullulah Islamic Centre.

The personalities were led by the Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Sulaimon Abou-Nolla; Sheikh Sulaiman Onikijipa; Sheik Adam Abdullah Al Illory; Sheikh Yahyah Agboola; Sheikh Abdul Qadr Bukhari; Ojora of Ijora, Oba Fatai Aremu Aromire; Oniru of Iru Kingdom, Oba Abdul Wasiu Lawal; Oloworo of Oworo, Oba Babatunde Saliu, Adimula of Awori Kingdom, Oba Sulaiman Adekunle, among others.

The initiator of the project, Sheikh Al Muktar, Mosques usually play an active role in the guidance of the Muslim community.

He said its absence in some major areas in Lagos state is worrisome.

He added that in Lagos, Islam is not a strange religion, saying it was accepted wholeheartedly by Lagosians and has played prominent roles during elections.

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He said: “Lagosians embrace Islam out of love for the religion. Traditional religion is the major practice of the people but when Islam came, they embraced it. Eighty percent of members of the royal families in Lagos State identify with Islam. That is the reason most of the monarchs have Muslim names alongside their traditional names. Also, they always reserve space for Mosque and Eid Prayer Ground whenever they are selling their lands in their domains.”

He said the project was a collective effort and was successfully built through generous support from traditional rulers and Muslim philanthropists.

“So many travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah due to how neat and beautiful the place is. Why can’t we have such beautiful mosques in our state? I broke the jinx and built an ultra-modern mosque along Ogulana Drive.

“I was able to achieve the milestone through contribution from Muslim philanthropists who donated towards the project,” he said.

Sheikh Abou-Nolla congratulated the initiator of the project.

“If you look at the environment, you will see that there is no Mosque, most especially on Ogunlana Drive. Alhamdulillah! we are having one that the Muslims in the vicinity can pray in. Religion is important to our lives and the Islamic Centre is a major factor in Islam that we need to reckon with,” he said.

The Chief Imam of Lagos appealed to the Muslims to collaborate and support the organisation to maintain the mosque.

Oba Lawal, who is the chief host, thanked Allah for making the project seen the light of the day.

“I remember vividly the project started on January 2, 2023, and exactly a year after, we have a befitting Mosque facility. I must commend the foundation, group and community for coming together to achieve this,” he said.

He urged Muslim philanthropists to collaborate and do more of this project.

“It is a challenge; this project has inspired us, a lot of us have to do more to ensure we have this kind of mosque across our various kingdoms,” he noted.

January 5, 2024
Dreaming the past

Monologue

When responsibility is entrusted to an incompetent person expect the end of time”. Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

The above quoted Hadith was particularly in reference to leadership in any given society. When the Prophet was to send Mu‘az Bn Jabal to Yemen as Governor, he asked him a pointed question as a way of confirming that his choice was right. He said asking Mu‘az: ‘how will you govern the people in that country?. The latter said he would use the laws of Allah as contained in the Qur‘an. Then the Prophet asked: ‘and if you cannot find a relevant solution in the Qur‘an? Mu‘az said he would use the Prophetic tradition (Sunnah). Then the Prophet further asked: ‘and if relevant solution is not found in Sunnah? Mu‘az said he would adopt the consensus of opinions of learned scholars‘‘. Then, the Prophet asked: ‘and if you cannot get a consensus? Mu‘az said he would use analogical deduction based on the three sources of law mentioned above. Thus, with Mu‘az‘s satisfactory responses, the Prophet technically confirmed the four sources of Islamic law by which any leader in an Islamic society should govern. The summary here is that governance should be by law and not by whim. And that is how the four laws of Islam started.

The Prophet’s Conclusion

Thereafter, the Prophet counselled him as follows: ‘when you get there, my dear Mu‘az, endear yourself to the people and do not be hostile. Be kind to them and do not be wicked. Be lenient with them and do not be harsh. Be considerate with them and do not be dictatorial. Be compassionate to them and do not be sadistic. Be sensitive to their plight and do not be indifferent. Be transparent and do not be seen as corrupt. Be a man of your words and do not be seen as a liar. Fulfil your promises to them and do not renege on such promises. Be trustworthy in utterances and actions and not be seen as a betrayer of trust. There are three signs by which a hypocrite is known. When he talks he lies; when he promises he reneges and when he is trusted he betrays. Remember that a leader is like a shepherd who cannot claim to be successful in a day until he has coasted home the last sheep in his flock. And every shepherd shall be asked by the Almighty Allah about what he does with the flock in his care’.

Thus, the historic conversation between the Prophet and Mu‘az confirms that good leadership is the bedrock of peace, decency and progress in any society.

In contemporary time

Today, many countries including Nigeria are dangerously restive because of deviation from that yardstick by irresponsible leaderships. A nation without a responsible leadership is like a body without head. Such a nation is likely to wander aimlessly and indefinitely in the wilderness of life just like the Egyptian gypsies of yore even as her citizens wallow helplessly in abject penury.

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Man ordinarily takes food for granted until he faces hunger where food is not available. He takes sound health for granted until he falls sick. He takes freedom for granted until he becomes a prisoner and he takes peace for granted until he faces war. One of the signs of living in a bad time is to keep remembering the good old days with nostalgia. Such is a confirmation that the past is better than the present. This is the situation in which overwhelming majority of Nigerians find themselves today in a country naturally and abundantly enriched with milk and honey.

Ghana for instance

Who could have believed some years back that this same country called Nigeria might become a beggars’ own country one day? When political calamity engendered by economic mismanagement struck Ghana in the 1980s, Nigeria was the only rescue haven in Africa for hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians who trooped into this country for all sorts of jobs including menial ones. Thus, from that experience, one would have thought that a lesson had been learnt by Nigerian leaders never to subject the citizens of this country to a similar misfortune. But alas, the situation in the past 40 years or there about has proved otherwise. Ironically, the reality today, is that the citizens of this sixth largest oil exporting country in the Africa have become beggars being deported from a onetime calamitous Ghana that sought and got economic rescue in Nigeria. The same Ghana is today a model for Nigeria virtually in all things that is decent and civilized.

God, in His infinite mercy does not create any living thing without adequate provisions for its existence. He endows individuals and nations with wealth in time and space as a trust. But He does not physically come down to manage such wealth for anybody. Neither does He give anybody the authority to redistribute it. But in the end, the managers of such wealth will be asked to render account on how they manage it. Individuals and nations become humanly and materially rich only by Allah‘s will at the place and time divinely earmarked for it. Any manipulation of such wealth by certain greedy cabal can only pave way for an untold calamity.

Fly in a botttle

Like a fly in a bottle of wine which drinks and drinks till it dies in there, today‘s Nigerian rulers see their position as an opportunity to suck Nigeria‘s oil wells dry at the expense of the masses to whom those oil wells rightly and legitimately belong. These rulers have forgotten that if the oil reserve had not been divinely meant for this generation it could have been discovered and consumed by many generations long before ours.

Nigerians of today have found themselves in a dream land. They are not only dreaming of what they ought to be as against what they are. They are also dreaming of the good old days in this same country that once gave them the confidence to build hope in their future as well as that of their children. That hope has practically become forlorn. Without necessarily sounding pessimistic, if there is any expectation for an ordinary Nigerian today, it is for death as despair is currently the song of destiny.

Telling the history of Nigerian oil cannot end with the present generation. It surely extends to the future. Where are the founding fathers of Nigeria especially those who strove for the discovery of oil? Was the current situation their dream? Even as Prime Minister and Premier respectively, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto borrowed money from banks to purchase their cars and build their houses. They never possessed more than those even when their political contemporaries were accumulating empires. It is easier to be a legatee than to be a legator. The greatest spendthrifts are those who do not know the source of money in their possession.

Oil wealth

It is rather ironic that oil wealth which serves as the source of fortune for many countries is the main source of Nigeria‘s misfortune. At least this country was economically steady and progressive before the so-called oil boom. At least there was no oil money when Nigeria went through a civil war for 30 months without borrowing one kobo. Why has oil boom become oil doom?

In his nine years in office as Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon took the price of PMS from 6k to 9.5k per litre. After him was General Murtala Muhammed an obvious man of the people who never tampered with the price of oil till his death in 1976. It was General Olusegun Obasanjo who first took oil price by a leap moving it from 9.5k to 15.3k in his three and a half year reign from February 1976 to October 1979. In his own four years and three months in office, President Usman Shehu Shagari never tampered with the price of oil. And General Muhammadu Buhari who succeeded him maintained the status quo as he never increased fuel price even by one kobo during his 20 month rule. Thus, between 1979 when Obasanjo left office and 1985 when Buhari was overthrown, the oil price remained same and Nigeria did not fail as a nation.

When the self-styled Military President Ibrahim Babangida took over in 1985, his first focus was on oil. It was he who moved the price of PMS from 15k to 70k in his eight years of governance. But by far the greatest leap of oil price in Nigeria was introduced by Chief Earnest Shonekan the then interim Head of State who took the price from 70k to N5 within the 87 days of his illegal rule.

Then General Sani Abacha the maximum despot who forcefully hijacked power in October 1993 moved the price of PMS from N5 to N11 within his five years in office. That was an average of N1 increase per year. When Abacha died in 1998, General Abdul Salami Abubakar became the Head of State and virtually concentrated on oil. He can be called Nigeria‘s Head of oil fields. It was he who took the price of PMS from N11 to N20 within the ten months he ruled Nigeria. When General Obasanjo returned to office as elected President in 1999, his first port of call was oil. Capitalizing on the precedent laid by General Abdul Salami Abubakar, he went ahead to raise the price of PMS from N20 to N70 within eight years he spent in office.

Ebele Jonathan

Now, to prove that the removal of the so-called oil subsidy by previous rulers in Nigeria was a child‘s play, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan decided to surpass them all even if all Nigerians would go to the gallows. After consultations with various stake holders and interest groups including traditional rulers, religious leaders, Labour Unions, ASUU and NANS, all of whom objected to any removal of subsidy at this precarious time, Mr. President decided to go ahead with his plan not minding any contrary opinion. His argument was that facilities like roads, hospitals, schools, refineries and rail system must be provided even if at the expense of the lives of Nigerians. And such removal must be done at a time when the feeding allowance of his family and that of his deputy was unilaterally fixed at about one N1billion per year then. Mr. President was calling on Nigerians to sacrifice while the cost of his medical services in the Presidential clinic was then about N1.2 billion even as another N300 million was earmarked for replacement of his kitchen utensils. For his trips abroad in 2012 alone about N10 billion was earmarked.

But to show a good example of sacrifice for the nation, he and his Ministers have resolved to cut their salaries by 25% though we are not told the amount of each cabinet Minister‘s salary. And nothing is said about their undisclosed allowances.

That is exhibition of power for you.

Thus by the signature of one man appended to an obnoxious policy imposed on the populace, it is certain that many lives would be lost, many marriages would collapse, many children would drop out of school and many agreements would crumble causing irreconcilable rifts. These did not happen in the time of Yar‘Adua because there was no cause for such.

Yar’adua as President

With Yar’adua as President, Nigerians did not see their newly rekindled hope ending up in a paroxysm of despair as the case of Goodluck Jonathan’s time. Until he came on board as President, every other person that ruled Nigeria except Shagari and Buhari had claimed that there was subsidy on oil.

Due to his short time in office, Yar‘Adua might not have been perceived as a great achiever but the few achievements he recorded were quite remarkable.

If those achievements had been sincerely inherited and maintained, Nigeria would not have been plunged into such a quagmire as Goodluck Jonathan’s time.

At least with his few achievements, many ‘FIRSTS’ can be attributed to him in the history of Nigeria. For instance, he was the first Nigerian President to publicly declare his assets and those of his wife on assuming office. He was the first Nigerian President to publicly admit that the election which brought him into office was flawed thereby promising to reform the electoral process the machinery for which he sincerely put in place before his demise. And he congratulated the Labour gubernatorial candidate, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State who won a court case against a PDP Governor Olusegun Agagu in the spirit of political sportsmanship. Yar‘Adua was also the first Nigerian President to confess that there was no subsidy on petroleum products and therefore reduced the price of PMS (petrol) from N70 to N65 per litre. Not only these, he was also the first Nigerian President to declare amnesty in a warless situation to ventilate a conducive atmosphere for permanent peace. If he was alive and remained in the saddle the situation of uncertainties would not have arisen. Perhaps that was why he called himself a servant leader.

Yar‘Adua as a mortal being might have his own weaknesses, nevertheless, his short period as President wrought a remarkable foundation for this country.

If he had not displayed the ingenuous tactics of declaring amnesty at the time he did, the story of Nigeria would have been quite different today.

Nigerians continue to remember the good days of Yar‘Adua today because the foundation he laid for a new beginning in those days has begun to crumble so soon in the hands of his successors. Just two years before her centenary celebration as a country, the President iwa telling Nigerians that the security problem in the country was bigger than a civil war and he could hardly handle it.

In such a situation, who will save Nigeria from the prediction of the West?

Borno

Meanwhile, the federal government has agreed in concert with Borno State government to pay a compensation of N100 million to the family of Muhammad Yusuf, the leader of Boko Haram who was killed by the police in their cell in 2009. The big question is WHY NOW? And who will compensate the families of several scores of many other Nigerians who were killed subsequently?

January 5, 2024