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Category: Discourse

  • Atiku Abubakar, Panama Papers and Lagos-Calabar superhighway

    Atiku Abubakar, Panama Papers and Lagos-Calabar superhighway

    By Niyi Akinsiju Cifian

    In a criminal court in Panama, the trial of the first batch of 27 individuals accused of money laundering related to the global “Panama Papers” revelations began on Monday, the 8th of April, 2024.

    The owners of the Mossack-Fonseca legal business, which was central to the major document leak in 2016, are among those on trial.

    A compilation of 11 million confidential financial records from the Panama Papers shows how some of the wealthiest people on the planet conceal their wealth.

    The revelations had far-reaching effects, leading to the resignation of Iceland’s prime minister and heightened international scrutiny of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese legislators, and the governments of Argentina and Ukraine.

     At number 68 on the list of exposed former top government officials in the Panama Papers is Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria. Mossack Fonseca is accused by US federal prosecutors of plotting to break US laws to protect its clients’ riches and hide taxes that should have been paid to the IRS.

    They claimed that the plan, which began around 2000, featured shell corporations and fictitious foundations in the British Virgin Islands, Panama, and Hong Kong.

    Interestingly, while investigations are reportedly ongoing on the next batch of individuals listed in the Panama Papers which may include the Waziri Adamawa, the two-time presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is waging his own war of attrition, demanding transparency in the procurement process of the economically strategic Lagos-Calabar coastal road.

     We have observed the back and forth between Waziri Abubakar and the Federal Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, in this curious public activism initiated by the former Vice-President.

    Our concern, however, is the deliberate obfuscation that is unfortunately being clothed as grounds to traduce the economic and social basis of the commencement of the coastal road. 

    We consider this an unhealthy, diversionary, and deliberate manoeuvre to discredit the whole essence of the Lagos-Calabar coastal project. 

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    Without a doubt, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, as it is also called, is a grand project. It is designed to connect nine states and regions at both the national and international levels, serving as a vital link between South West, South East, South-South, and other regions of the country. It will also integrate with existing federal roads, promoting economic and social development across the country in addition to the integration at the national level for Southwest, Southeast, and South-South, including the Niger Delta region.

    It will connect with Federal Roads going from Badagry in Lagos to Sokoto. From Warri to Kaduna, from Port Harcourt to Kano/Maiduguri, and from Calabar to Maiduguri. Starting at Victoria Island near Eko Atlantic City, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will pass through the Lekki Coastal Road, Lekki Free Trade Zone, and the Dangote Refinery, connecting Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, and reaching Calabar.

    The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road is a 700km highway that would be constructed in phases, with the completed sections being opened for use and toll collection. The project, described as ambitious, will connect the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the Fourth Mainland Bridge, Lekki Deep Sea Port Road, and various points in Northern Nigeria through the Ogoja-Ikom axis.

    It is expected to stimulate tourism and include industrial clusters, such as hotels, factories, housing estates, and other amenities, including rail lines running in the middle of the main carriageways.

     According to Umahi, the road is to be built with 11 inch thick concrete and  20-millimetre reinforcement. The innovative use of concrete and steel reinforcement will improve local cement manufacturing and boost steel production from Ajaokuta. It will also take advantage of Nigeria’s abundant bitumen resources.  It is acknowledged that a combination of construction methods, including pile-supported decks, sand filling, and retaining walls, will be employed to overcome the challenges of such project since it will cut through mangroves, mashy land, flood plains, and various soil types.

    Indeed, we agree with analysts and pundits who had submitted that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a groundbreaking project and ranked as the first of its kind in Africa.

    However, Waziri Abubakar holds a huge grudge against this project in spite of immense benefits of the project. He has continued to express his grouses, taking advantage of the mass media through press statements.

    We have reviewed each of these statements and the various responses to them by the Minister of Works. Coming from this, we note that the statements are manifestations of errors of judgment, deliberate misrepresentation and a lack of contextual understanding of due processes. We clearly discern obvious confusion with issues pertaining to the eras of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari on the Coastal Rail, which was misrepresented as those of the Coastal Highway. There obviously has been a clear indication of not paying attention to details of the project as presently conceived.

    Be that as it may, because we subscribe to the totality of the social and economic essence of the Coastal Road and Rail projects, and desire to interrogate any form of obscuration by any of the parties involved in the public spat as it had turned out, with intent at resolving the contentious issues being bandied about, we decided to review real issues and sentiments around the project that is being controverted by Waziri Abubakar.

    Starting with the statements issued in the name of Waziri Abubakar Atiku, we distilled his expressed resentments into three broad spectra. First is that the award of the contract for the construction of the Coastal Road did not go through the required public procurement processes as outlined in the Public Procurement Act 2007 and, his insistence to the effect that the essence of a competitive bidding will ensure that Nigerians can get the best value for money.

    According to the Waziri: “It is so that you can compare prices and pick the company that can afford …the project.” The Waziri has a point here. But apparently, because of a lack of attention to details, he overlooked the implication of the preamble to Part IV of the Act in Section 16 (1) which asserts that: “Subject to any exemption allowed by this Act, all public procurement shall be conducted by open competitive bidding; in a manner which is transparent, timely, equitable for ensuring accountability and conformity with the Act and regulation deriving there from.” Waziri Abubakar decidedly ignored the implication of Section 16 (1) and determinedly made Section 16 (c) and (d) the substance of his argument to score his point. Undeniably, the Act provides for two broad exemptions, one as stated in Section 40 (1a) which notes that: “Subject to the approval by the Bureau, a procuring entity may for reasons of economy and efficiency engage in procurement by means of restricted tendering if: The goods, works or services are available only from a limited number of suppliers or contractors.     

    The Federal Ministry of Work, which is the procuring entity, depended on this sub section to award the contract to Hitech Construction Company, Nigeria. His attention must have been eventually directed to Section 40 (2a),  which states that: “Where a procurement entity engages in restricted tendering on the basis that the goods, works and services are available only from a limited number of suppliers of contractors, it shall invite tender from all the suppliers and contractors who can provide the goods, works, or service. If there was only one capable contractor to deliver on the work.”

    In averting his mind to it in a subsequent press release he issued in response to the Minister of Works reference to the section, he would, rather, the bid was opened to companies outside the country as he insists that: “It is wrong for him (Minister of Works) to have concluded that only Hitech could handle this project when such a project has been done by other reputable firms in the United States, China and South Africa.” To this extent, Waziri Abubakar did not also reckon with Section 34 (1) of the same Act which concludes that: “A procuring entity may grant a margin of preference in the evaluation of tender, when comparing tenders from domestic bidders with those from foreign bidders or when comparing tenders from domestic suppliers offering goods manufactured locally with those offering goods manufactured abroad.”

    This should be taken together with Section 34 (2) which asserts that: “Where a procuring entity intends to allow domestic preferences, the biding documents shall clearly indicate any preference to be granted to domestic suppliers and contractors and the information required to establish the eligibility of a bid for such preference.” The implication of this subsection, speaks, ab-initio, to the Federal Government’s preference for awarding contracts to qualified domestic companies.

    Though Waziri Abubakar had raged in his press statements that the only reason Hitech got the job was because of its owner, Gilbert Chagoury’s relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, this, in our consideration, is rather pedestrian. Our checks show that Chagoury, who is a Nigerian by birth, has friends in very high places including Waziri Abubakar himself who was one of his guests on 7th of July, 2007, when he had a wedding organized in Monaco.

    The Chagoury wedding attracted former military Heads of State, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abubakar Abdulsalami, head of the interim government, and late Chief Ernest Shonekan

    Also in attendance were the then former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar  himself, who reportedly flew in from Dubai. Former Governor of Delta State James Ibori was also in attendance.

    With this array of friends, if the rule is not to award Federal Government contracts to an individual because of his link to people of influence, it will translate to Chagoury going hungry because of the nature of his coterie of friends.

    We do not think the Public Procurement Act harbours such intention.

    To establish Hitech’s fit into the capabilities to deliver on the coastal road contract, we made both discreet and open enquiries on the company’s credentials and contracts portfolio and records. We can assert, based on evidence garnered, that Hitech may pass as the only Nigerian company able to construct the coastal road as conceived. The only other company that may claim near capacity is the construction behemoth, Julius Berger Plc. But over the years, Hitech has shown a specialization in shoreline and coastal roads construction than Julius Berger. A typical reference in this regard was the Bar Beach shoreline contract awarded to the two companies at different times and how they performed therein.

    In June 2003, approval was given by President Olusegun Obasanjo for a permanent solution to the menace of the Atlantic Ocean, which threatened at that time to engulf major parts of Victoria Island, Lagos. Funds were released to Julius Berger and other contractors to put in place a permanent structure to stop the sea’s advance, which had  ebbed major portions of the Ahmadu Bello Way. Three years later, by April 2006, the evaluation of the work done by Julius Berger showed that nothing had changed at Bar Beach. Analysts, at that time, submitted that: “Unless the ongoing restoration of the shore line of the depleted Bar Beach in Victoria Island, Lagos is quickly completed, the likelihood of stopping what may be another Tsunami disaster, akin to the one that occurred in Asia in a not too long ago, is very slim.”

    In addition, the analysts averred that already, the ocean had claimed one lane of the ever busy Ahmadu Bello Way, forcing motorists from both sides to make do with the single lane, which was also not spared of threats by the ocean.

    In 2009, the contract for the Bar Beach beach line management was awarded to Hitech Construction Company. Construction experts have since submitted that handing over the project to Hitech became a strategic move for Nigeria because not only did the company stopped the flooding along the axis, it also reclaimed a lot of land and has turned the area into another Dubai in the name of our own, Atlantic City. Besides, Hitech has a strong presence in countries of the West African region. In Togo, the company is responsible for the rehabilitation of the National Route NR 14 – from Sokodé to the Benin border, that country’s 85 kilometres coastal road. In Benin Republic, Hitech is constructing the 12.5 kilometres Cotonou Fisheries Road Development Project, another coastal road.

    As to the accusation concerning how the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road is shrouded in secrecy, our independent investigation shows that before the contract was eventually awarded to Hitech by the Federal Ministry of Works, officials of the company met with the Ministry’s management team at various times. One of such meetings was held on 25th September, 2023, when Hitech engineers met with the Minister of Works and engineers in the Ministry to review designs. At another meeting in October 2023, the construction agreement was ratified.

    The second issue  that Waziri Abubakar had raged about, has to do with the cost of the project. The former Vice President, had variously controverted possible cost of constructing what the Minister of Works had insisted is a 10-lane express road which would start from Victoria Island near Eko Atlantic City and go through Lekki Coastal Road, Lekki Free Trade Zone, Dangote Refinery, and then link Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo states up to Calabar,Cross Rivers state.

    According to Umahi, the highway will be delivered at a cost of N4.329 billion per kilometre of standard gauge reinforced concrete across 10 lanes, with a lifespan of between 50 – 100 years. In response to the cost as announced by Umahi, Waziri Abubakar declared that the tentative total cost of N14trillion was the equivalent of the total budget of all the 36 states which is about N15.91 trillion and that it was outrageous.

    Waziri Abubakar, despite his apparent show of outrage over the cost as announced by Umahi, is yet to offer a possible real cost of the project which he has sensationally described as “highway to fraud and waste.” But is the costing truly a reflection of fraud? Our international comparative analysis of average road construction cost per kilometre shows otherwise.

    We are of the opinion that Waziri Abubakar merely desires to scapegoat the project and eventually discredit the positive public image accruable to President Tinubu from the implementation of the project.

    We note that there is no unified standard pricing template for the cost of building a kilometre of road anywhere in the world. The realities of road building have much to do with a number of variables: location, terrain, type of construction, number of lanes, lane width, surface durability, and the number of bridges, to name a few. Yet, for the purpose of engagement, we reviewed some cost estimates in some other countries to establish the context of fraud or otherwise that Waziri Abubakar is trying to throw up. To build a 2-lane road of 12 metres wide of each lane with no bridges in states of North Eastern United States of America is $3.34m per km (when converted to Naira using the N1200/$ adopted by Umahi, it comes to N4.08bn per km) while same 2-lane road in South Eastern USA with no bridges is $3.78m per km (N4.53bn per km).  According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the average cost of building a concrete road in rural areas is around $2.5m per mile, while in urban areas it can cost upwards of $5m per mile.

    In California, the estimated cost of building a concrete road ranges from $3m to $6m per mile, depending on location and other factors.

    In Australia, average road project costs were around $5.1m (N6.12bn) per lane kilometre in 2017. But in Bangladesh, according to the World Bank, the estimated cost of construction is $6.6m (N7.92bn) per kilometre for the Rangpur-Hatikumrul highway, $7m (N8.4bn) per kilometre for Dhaka-Sylhet highway, $11.9m (N14.28 bn) per kilometre for Dhaka-Mawa highway. This underscores cost differentials in road construction because of peculiarities in terrains.

    These figures are far higher than the N4.329bn per kilometre of 10 lanes of Coastal Road with very peculiar terrains that Umahi says Hitech has commenced construction of.

    For clarity, a technical analysis of the features of the road will suffice: The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road is designed to have 10 lanes with a total pavement of 59.2 metres with 100 metres corridor. Of this corridor, there will be five lanes on the right and five lanes on the left. This comes with a 25-metre train track. It is also commendable that the Works Minister prudently reduced the cost of the legacy design of the four-lane Lagos-Calabar highway of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from N8.52bn/km to N4.329bn/km.

    On appropriation, we note that the former Vice President referenced the N500m captured in the name of the project in the 2024 budget but finds fault with the approval of N1.06 trn by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the take-off of the project. Again, we believe that Waziri Abubakar deliberately chose to ignore the convention of anticipatory approval by which FEC can increase funds allocated to a budgetary item for exigency purpose with intent at submitting same to the legislative arm for consideration and approval.

    Our general submission is that Waziri Abubakar’s vaunted interrogation of the award process of the Coastal Road to Hitech Construction Company lacks substance and rational logic. It smacks of public exhibitionism to showcase his personal alternative reality.

    We commend President Tinubu and his Works Minister for their prudence in reducing the cost outlay for the construction of the Coastal Road.  We are also impressed with the speed and pace of construction since the Federal Government awarded the contract to Hitech Construction Company Limited, which has so far completed 1.3 kilometres of the required filling.

    • Cifian is chairman, Independent Media and Policy Initiative

  • Is Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) needed now?

    Is Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) needed now?

    By Michael Popoola Ajayi

    The discussion surrounding the implementation of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Nigeria has sparked significant debate and scrutiny in recent times. As the government pushes forward with plans to expand the SGR network, questions arise regarding its necessity, cost-effectiveness, and overall viability in the current Nigerian context. While the concept of SGR is endorsed by the African Union’s Agenda 2063, focusing on modernizing African infrastructure, it’s imperative to assess whether the urgency and investment in SGR align with Nigeria’s immediate needs and financial realities.

    Nigeria boasts an extensive railway network predominantly in narrow gauge spanning 3,500km, which has been operational and receiving funding for maintenance and upgrades over the years. The current SGR expansion especially the Port Harcourt-Calabar- Enugu-Abuja comes at a significant cost, estimated at around 15 billion USD for infrastructure alone, with additional expenses for rolling stock and other operational needs. The estimated cost was derived from Chinese and Portuguese contractors building Nigerian Railways at about 4.2 million USD per kilometer. Yes, the efforts to modernize and expand the SGR should be a welcome development but primary concern that emerges is whether such a substantial investment is warranted, especially when considering the existing narrow gauge infrastructure’s functionality and the current economic realities in the country more so when African Union Agenda 2063 is still about 39 years ahead.

    The argument for SGR often revolves around its technical advantages over narrow gauge, particularly in terms of speed and capacity. However, when evaluating the transportation needs of Nigeria, particularly in freight logistics, it becomes evident that the narrow gauge system is capable of meeting current demands. The country already possesses a functional network that facilitates the movement of goods and passengers, albeit with certain limitations. Given the significant investment required to transition to SGR, it begs the question: Is the marginal improvement in speed and capacity worth the exorbitant cost?

    An analysis of freight logistics reveals that both narrow gauge and SGR can effectively transport goods across Nigeria. The existing narrow gauge infrastructure, when optimized and properly managed, can handle substantial cargo volumes and alleviate pressure on road transportation. While SGR may offer slightly faster transit times, the difference in speed, particularly over long distances, is negligible in the context of freight transport. Therefore, the argument for SGR based solely on speed becomes increasingly untenable when weighed against the immense financial outlay required for its implementation.

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    Furthermore, the economic feasibility of SGR in Nigeria comes under scrutiny, especially considering the country’s borrowing practices to fund infrastructure projects. With limited financial resources and competing priorities, allocating funds to projects that may not yield significant returns or address immediate needs raises concerns about fiscal responsibility. While SGR is touted as a social and economic infrastructure project, the projected revenue generation from its operations remains uncertain, casting doubt on its long-term sustainability.

    The decision to pursue SGR should be guided by a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis conducted by independent consultants. This analysis should evaluate the projected demand for railway services, potential revenue streams, and alternative investments that could achieve similar objectives at a lower cost. Additionally, the unit cost of SGR construction, currently estimated at 4.2-4.5 million USD per kilometer, warrants further examination to ensure transparency and efficiency in project spending.

    In conclusion, the urgency and necessity of implementing Standard Gauge Railway in Nigeria demand closer scrutiny and deliberation. While the vision of modernizing Africa’s rail infrastructure is commendable, it must be balanced against the country’s immediate needs and financial constraints. Nigeria must prioritize investments that deliver tangible benefits to its citizens and economy while ensuring prudent use of public funds. As the nation navigates its infrastructure development journey, a critical assessment of SGR’s viability and alternatives is essential to make informed decisions that serve the best interests of the Nigerian people.

    • Popoola is a Lagos-based public affairs analyst

  • Making the CBN work again under Cardoso

    Making the CBN work again under Cardoso

    By Mariam Mohammed

    Nigeria is in the middle of a very important shift in its economic structure. One man, amongst others, at the heart of this is the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso.

    A truly traditional symbol of what a CBN Governor should be: urbane, measured, focused and averse to political showmanship.

    Over the years, there was a steady decline of corporate governance at the country’s apex bank.

    Since the presidency of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, those entrusted with the country’s monetary policy were more giving to showboating than steadying the inherent economic turbulence leading to runaway inflation, bloated backlog of foreign exchange obligations, and outright sleaze at the CBN.

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    It is gratifying to note that there is a bright spot on the horizon owing to the unprecedented putrid flowing from the apex bank and the first in history of the arraignment of a former top gun of the CBN.

    It is no longer news that the CBN under the former helmsman, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, neglected the key functions of the bank to regulate money institutions, insulate it from the vagaries of politics and stablise the markets. Rather, the bank became a soapbox for political chicanery so much so that an incumbent governor will throw his hat into the political ring to run for presidency and flaunt it without let.

    However, there is a measure of confidence building and the markets are responding favorably to it. First, the settling of $7 billion forex arrears particularly to foreign airlines demonstrates that the Nigerian government is committed to its contractual obligations.

    Also, the naira rebound against the dollar and other major currencies even when it seemed all hope was lost speaks to the vision and strategic policies of Cardoso.

    Only a few weeks ago, the naira was trading at almost N2, 000 to the Greenback, but by this weekend, currency speculators are counting their losses as the Naira was exchanging for N1, 350 to the dollar.

    Complementing this economic progress, there is the remarkable boost in the country’s external reserves, which increased by $993 million to $34.11 billion as of March 7, 2024, reaching an eight-month high.

    This could not have been possible without the apex bank governor strengthening processes for the Diaspora to make remittances and be guaranteed of getting value for them. This is coupled with heightened interest from foreign investors in local assets, including government debt securities.

    To give context to this, in early March, foreign investors oversubscribed by 79 per cent the FG’s N500 Billion at the Open Market Operations (OMO) auction.

    Beyond ensuring legitimate flow of foreign investments, the Governor has not let his eyes off the activities of illicit flows which some have been traced to terror financing. To stem the scourge, the CBN moved against one such entity, Binance, the multi-trading forex and crypto platform.

    Speaking on the matter, Cardoso was spot on when he said, “We are concerned that certain practices go on that indicate illicit flows, going through a number of these entities and suspicious flows. In the case of Binance, in the last year, $26 billion has passed through Binance Nigeria from sources and users who we cannot adequately identify.”

    This is a move every responsible and patriotic Nigerian ought to commend taking into cognizance the destruction and unimaginable loss of lives linked to terrorism and its financing. Besides, this is expected from every government that pays fidelity to its citizens’ welfare and security.

    Some Nigerians who have kicked against the move to sanction the crypto firm should note that in late November 2023, Binance was sanctioned by US authorities and made to pay one of the largest fines in corporate history. The firm agreed to pay $4.3 billion to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Department of Justice and other U.S. government agencies over money laundering and other charges.

    Nigeria cannot be an exception at a time of global forex crisis, financial instability and efforts to stem terror financing. Rather the applause for Cardoso and his management team at the CBN should be resounding and high.

    While it is noted that the Governor is on track, the warning needs to be served that the manufacturing numbers have to be worked on to ensure that there is an upward swing to increase productivity and shore up the employment numbers. This will require working with those at the Ministry of Finance and other segments of the economy in the fiscal side. It is already showing as the CBN has demonstrated greater synergy building with the NNPC Ltd, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security amongst others.

    Granted that the economic shift will not happen overnight, Nigerians need to know regularly what measures are being undertaken so as their buy-in can be guaranteed.

    Cardoso and his team need to unpack their short to long term strategy to retool the economy and offer a clear roadmap as it balances out a manufacturing-led economy and one that’s service-oriented.

    With the benefit of hindsight, it is significant that Cardoso should beware of palace courtiers and the intoxicants of early achievement in order not to suffer the fate of the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan.

    Greenspan, who spent nearly two decades at the US Federal Reserve, was once hailed as the omnipotent “maestro” of the U.S. economy, but his reputation suffered in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.

    Sebastian Mallaby, winner of the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award in 2016, argues that most histories of the 2008 crisis have ascribed blame to Greenspan’s excessive faith in the self-policing efficiency of markets. So, Governor Cardoso has to create stability in the market, and should resist the temptation when all is majorly “settled” to limit himself to containing fluctuations in inflation, while failing to limit leverage and bubbles. The end goal should not just be price stability, rather financial stability.

    But for now, it is worthwhile to commend President Bola Tinubu for a strategic pick in the person of Cardoso who is truly the star boy of the moment after a season of anomie at the CBN.

    • Mariam is an Abuja-based public affairs analyst  

  • Umeh: Tribute to a quint essential lawmaker

    Umeh: Tribute to a quint essential lawmaker

    • By Chekwube Nzomiwu

    The recent election of Senator Victor Umeh OFR, representing Anambra Central as the Deputy Chairman of the Southern Senators Forum (SSF) would obviously not surprise anyone familiar with Nigeria’s political trajectory in this Fourth Republic. From being a foundation member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999, he joined forces with other progressives in 2003 to form the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). They nurtured and built APGA to  become the third largest party in the country.

    During the heydays of APGA, Umeh served the party at different times as the National Treasurer and National Chairman. Under his Chairmanship, APGA enlarged its coast from Anambra State to neighbouring Imo State. It controlled power in the two biggest states of Eastern Nigeria until the then Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party in charge at the federal level.

    After serving as the National Chairman of APGA, Umeh contested his first election into the Senate on the same platform in 2015. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Uche Ekwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election. Convinced that he won the election, Umeh went to the tribunal and recovered his mandate from Ekwunife.

    Although he eventually had a short stay at the Senate the first time, he gave a good account of himself. His achievements included the empowerment of over 150 constituents through the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), issuing of scholarships to indigent students and initiation of several bills, bordering on youth development and empowerment.       

    In spite of the antics of intruders who did not see APGA beyond a vehicle for riding to power, the party maintained its position in Nigeria’s political landscape until the 2023 general elections, when it was displaced by the third force tsunami of the Labour Party (LP). Being a dynamic Politician, Umeh left APGA to contest for Senate on LP platform and secured a landslide victory. 

    As a ranking Senator, he was appointed Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, and Vice Chairman, Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development. His insightful contributions during plenary and executive sessions, earned him appointment into some important ad-hoc committees of the Senate.

    During his campaign, he promised to speak for the South East like his former leader, the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, under whose cover he fought many battles to ensure APGA’s survival.  He remains unwavering in his resolve to speak for Igbos. In his capacity as Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, he personally visited the office of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) in Abuja  in November last year to intervene in the demolition of Igbo property in Lagos.

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    He equally supported the bill for the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), which he believed, would aid infrastructure development in the region since the end of the civil war in Nigeria. The Senate passed the bill last month after it was read a third time, with the endorsement of majority of Senators.

    It is important to point out that his struggle for the protection of rights of Ndigbo in Nigeria predated his first election into the Senate. As the National Chairman of APGA, he prioritised the interest of the South East region. He spoke against the political marginalisation of Ndigbo in Nigeria, the poor state of eastern road network, insecurity and erosion menace ravaging the region.

    Umeh promoted a united Nigeria, anchored on the principles of equality, justice and fairness.  As a delegate to the 2014 National Conference convened by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Umeh raised a “Point of Order” during the debate seeking for five percent of the national budget for the reconstruction of insurgency ravaged North East region. He demanded that the reconstruction should start from  Igboland, since there was no reconstruction of Igbo property destroyed during the civil war in spite of the declaration by the then Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon of “No Victor, No Vanquished.”

    Consequently, the conference agreed that the reconstruction must take place everywhere insurgency occurred in Nigeria, including Igboland, the main theatre of the bloody Nigerian-Biafra civil war, which lasted for about 30 months.

    At the current Senate, Umeh has once more proved his mettle as a seasoned and experienced politician, and a quintessential lawmaker.

    • Nzomiwu writes from Awka, Anambra State.
  • Path to economic growth, quality living standard, by Adesina

    Path to economic growth, quality living standard, by Adesina

    For Nigeria to rise from its current challenges, people-focused and public-centric policies as well as private sector wealth creation are vital.

    This was the position of President of the African Development Bank and winner of the 2023 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, in his lecture at the award prize ceremony on March 6 in Lagos. The lecture was entitled: “Making a new Nigeria: Welfarist policies and people-centered development.”

    Adesina  highlighted five vital  areas of focus, rural economic transformation and food security; health care security; education for all, access to affordable housing and government accountability and fiscal decentralisation for a true federalism,which he said were crucial to the transformation of the nation.

    The AfDB boss noted that Nigeria must completely transform its rural economies  to ensure food security for all.

    “A  better Nigeria and Africa must start with the transformation of rural economies. That is because some 70 per cent of the population live there. Rural poverty is extremely high. At the  heart of transforming rural economies is agriculture, the main source of livelihoods.

    When agriculture moves away from being a way of life to a business everything changes. Higher incomes and wages from agribusinesses will support education and health, and spur even greater job creation for millions of youths,” he said.

    He hailed the decision of the late  Chief  Obafemi Awolowo in the 60s to start with the transformation of the rural economy as  a very sound policy.

    He noted that establishment of farm estates, and the expansion of rural roads, supported by professionally run marketing boards helped stabilise the prices of farm produce.

    Adesina said: “It  is worth noting that the prudent fiscal management of the cocoa revenues powered the economies of the states that then constituted the Western Region. These revenues allowed the government to embark on an unprecedented

    idea – free education and free basic health care services. It was common then to hear the phrase “Agbe lo ba” (farmers are kings), uttered with great pride. We must give new life to our rural areas.”

    He bemoaned the abandonment of rural economies and their immersion in extreme poverty, adding that they have become zones of economic misery. The former minister of agriculture and rural development, said the  pauperisation of rural economies is what is causing the implosion of many countries across Africa.

    “When rural economies (the fulcrum of the African society) falter, nations falter. This leads to the spread of anarchy, banditry, and terrorism. This troika of social disruption takes advantage of the economic misery to entrench themselves,” he added.

    Adesina called for the transformation of rural economies which must be structural, systemic, strategic and comprehensive. Doing this, according to him, means agriculture must be turned into a wealth creating sector.

    He recalled how he pursued the philosophy and the witnessed an unprecedented transformation of the agricultural sector.

    He said  over the last seven years, the AfDB had invested over $8.5 billion in agriculture, which has impacted 250 million people.

    “At the core of the Africa-wide strategy to revamp rural economies and turn them into zones of economic prosperity is the development of special agro- industrial processing zones across the continent.

    These zones are being provided with critical supportive infrastructure, including water, roads, processing infrastructure and logistics. The African Development Bank and its partners are providing $1.4 billion for the development of 25 of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones in eleven countries.

    Right here in Nigeria, we are developing these zones in 8 states with $518 million. The second phase of the programme in Nigeria, which will cover 23 more states, will be financed with $1 billion. The Bank and partners recently launched a $3 billion Alliance for Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones,” he said.

    Adesina stressed the significance of a sound health care system, saying smart governments provide universal basic health coverage for their citizens.

    He said Africa loses $2.6 trillion annually in productivity, adding that a nation without a sound health care system  is defenseless against the invasion of all forms of disease or epidemics.

    “Covid-19 exposed the weakness of Africa’s health systems. While developed economies spent $19 trillion in fiscal stimulus programmes, approximately 19 per cent of the world’s GDP, Africa spent only $89 billion. Africa’s urgent need for basic vaccines was pushed to the bottom of global vaccines supply chains. At a time when Africa was unable to provide one basic shot of vaccine, developed countries were providing second, third and more booster shots.

    “It  was alarming watching an unprotected Africa grapple with this insidious virus. Some even projected that as many as 3 million Africans would die from the pandemic. Africa had just two testing centers, no medical gloves, no face masks, no medications, no vaccines. The African Development Bank immediately put in place a $10 billion facility to support African countries in their fight against the pandemic,” he said.

    The Awolowo Prize Leadership Award winner noted that it is imperative that Nigeria secures the health of all its population. This, he said, will require ensuring that no citizen travels more than a few kilometers to find a health care centre.

    Adesina added that the widespread use of mobile health centres, e-health facilities, the

    digitalisation of health systems, especially in all primary health care centres, health insurance policies for all, including innovative micro-health insurance pay-

    as-you-go systems, will capture the bulk of the population that is in the informal sector.

    “What is not acceptable or sustainable is an Africa that imports 70-80 per cent of its medicines and produces just 1% of its vaccines.. The health security of Africa’s 1.4  billion people cannot be subjugated to global supply chains or the generosity of others.

    That’s why the African Development Bank also launched a $3 billion programme to revamp Africa’s pharmaceutical industries and why it established the

    African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation to support access to proprietary technologies from global pharmaceutical companies.

    The Bank also launched another $3 billion programme to develop quality health infrastructure across the continent, with special emphasis on primary health care

    systems, which if well fixed can assure basic health care for hundreds of millions of people.

    We will continue to invest heavily in Nigeria to support its pharmaceutical industry and develop better health infrastructure,” he said.

    While underscoring the   significance of education to national development, the AfDB boss lamented that only 1 per cent of the nation’s population is enrolled in the university.

    “With only 1% of the population enrolled, Nigeria is currently not educating enough of its people at the university level. The poor funding of universities, a lack of basic infrastructure, poor incentives for faculty and staff, and incessant strikes due to wage disputes, have almost crippled the university system.

    “Urgent public policies, coupled with community sensitisation and incentives for schooling are needed, if this trend is to be reversed. Public incentives such as free and  compulsory primary and secondary education should be put in place, along with massive investments in training and better salaries for teachers, building quality and safe classrooms, and school feeding programmes,” he said.

    He decried the  mass exodus of students which he said could not be   compared to those of skilled professionals.

    Adesina said Nigeria is witnessing a massive depletion of its human capital which  will slow down economic growth, performance and overall development and competitiveness of the economy.

    He said  developed nations  do all they can to keep their best human capital at home, and additionally source skills from elsewhere with flexible immigration and

    labour policies. He noted that Nigeria must be made a viable place for people to stay, and not a place to run away from.

    Read Also: Tinubu congratulates AfDB president, Adesina for winning Awolowo prize for leadership

    On addressing housing deficit, the former minister of agriculture and rural development said: “Nigeria needs housing for all.

    A better quality of life requires access to decent and affordable housing for all. In  Africa, several governments stand and watch undeterred and unflinching as millions of their citizens  live in slums. Today over 65% of people in sub-Saharan Africa live in slums. 

    In Nigeria, 49 per cent of the population live in slums, according to data by UN- Habitat. That is a staggering 102 million people. These trends need to change, rapidly.

    “Welfarist policies are urgently needed to ensure that 100 per cent  of citizens have access to basic and affordable housing. The opprobrious policies that seek to  upgrade slums should be jettisoned. There is nothing like a 5-Star Slum: a slum is a

    slum. Urgent actions are needed to support mortgage financing and re-financing and use of innovative financing structures to raise long-term capital for closing the housing deficits.”

    On government accountability and  fiscal decentralisation for a true federalism, Adesina said there is a greater need for e-governance systems to

    enhance transparency and accountability of governments in service of the people.

    “That is what people-centred governance is all about.

    That is why the African Development Bank is developing a public service delivery index that will rate governments on the quality-of-service delivery for citizens.

    Development clearly requires a significant amount of financing, which governments need to raise. A primary tool for doing so is through taxation. The

    rationale for raising taxes in Nigeria is that the nation’s tax-to-GDP ratio is low compared to other African or non-African countries. However, taxation in the

    absence of a social contract between governments and citizens is simply fiscal extortion.

    “Nigerians pay one of the highest implicit tax rates in the world. Most of the citizens provide electricity for themselves via generators; they repair roads in their neighbourhoods if they can afford to. They provide boreholes for drinking water with their own monies. In the 21 Century, this is incredulous as

    every household should have pipe borne water.

    “Sadly, the abnormal has been normalized.

    If people pay taxes, governments must deliver services to citizens and be held accountable for their ability to do so or not. Governments should not transfer

    their responsibility to citizens.

    “Governments must show concrete and transparent evidence of fiscal responsibility. Governments without citizen accountability become synonyms for democratic dictatorship.

    “Citizen accountability forums are needed in order to have a say in how their nation’s resources are being used and how their governments are performing.

    “When governments or institutions fail to provide basic services, the people bear the burden of a heavy implicit tax. To succeed with much needed welfarist and people-centered policies across Nigeria, it is necessary to change the governance system and decentralise

    governance to states in order to provide greater autonomy,” he said.

  • NSITF and the bulwark of social inclusion

    NSITF and the bulwark of social inclusion

    By Nwachukwu Godson  

    Recent developments indicate that the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has reclaimed its purity and re-positioned as the nation’s foremost vehicle of social inclusion and poverty reduction. While it is true that the Employees’ Compensation Act of 2010 which aligns with the ILO Convention 102 spelt out  social inclusion standards for the agency, it will be difficult before now to vouch the extent it has succeeded with this mandate over the years. Not anymore! There is a new climate of change in the fund and its salutary effects in the world of work are eliciting reactions from its stakeholders. With credible performance rating on the ascendant, the old appears to have “passed away” for this agency.

    It was therefore not surprising when in December 2023,  the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) conferred  its prestigious Best Service Delivery Award  on the NSITF.  NECA,  the  body of private sector employers and one leg of the tripartite ownership of the NSITF  is an institution that rarely acts in vain. Its prize is not for bidders. Besides the transparent voting process conducted online, a broad spectrum of voters come from the business constituency which is the primary target of the fund’s  services, hence in the best position for critical appraisal. 

    The emergence of the NSITF at the NECA awards is quite significant. It is a big vote of confidence on the delivery of the Employees’ Compensation as well as thumbs-up for the slew of measures the current management has taken  to change the course of the organisation.  The NSITF is the custodian of the ECA 2010 under which it is charged to provide a comprehensive compensation and rehabilitation to employees and their registered beneficiaries in case of workplace injuries, disabilities, occupational diseases, or fatalities by maintaining a solvent compensation fund for both employees and employers, while instituting efficient procedures for enforcing occupational safety and health standards to prevent workplace accidents.

    Read Also; Reinvigorating anti-terror war (1)

     That award no doubt is an eloquent affirmation of the fidelity of the agency to the implementation of the above provisions. In practical terms, it means that more and more employers and their workers are  being brought under the social security net. It entails that additional Nigerians at different workplaces benefit from free occupational safety and accident prevention sessions which the NSITF conducts in line with Convention 155 of the ILO.  Inversely, it signifies  that occupational accidents are being reduced in workplaces covered by the NSITF. The corollary is  that where accidents or death occurs in the course of work, the fund is alive to its responsibilities in terms of claims and compensations. Stretched further, the award shows that the Fund is pushing the bracket of social inclusion among the social partners. It denotes  further that under the current management of the fund, the turnaround time of services  has drastically improved, connoting equally  that where the fund had lagged behind hitherto, it has  tied the loose ends. 

    To drive the facts home,  it is important to further break down the indices leading to the triumph at NECA 2023 awards. First, there is a recalibration of the agency’s  strategic objectives to  align with  the Eight Point Agenda of the Tinubu Administration on Poverty Reduction by carefully laying a groundwork for operational expansion  into the untapped  areas of the ILO Convention 102 . The fund also upscaled its reach on employment injuries and invalidity benefits to 670 dependent beneficiaries and 852 disability beneficiaries. But  this,  does not include   a number of deceased dependents who are also under its care, pending the attainment  of 21years of age  or graduation from tertiary institution by the last child of the family.

     Then, the NSITF quietly but strategically drove an upswing  in the  enrollees sensitization, taking the number to  over 145,000 employers and 7.4 million employees while extending  claims and compensations by the end  of 2023, to over 103,000 beneficiaries, including 111 persons placed on  artificial limbs.   11 other workers who had  severe injuries  had to be flown abroad for further treatment. And in all, the Fund has spent about N6.6 billion in this social re-engineering.

    But what does the future look like for the NSITF? The Managing Director, Maureen Allagoa in her new year message painted a brighter future when she said  she will consolidate her achievements in 2023 while creating new branches and service centres in 2024  to expand social services to all Nigerians. She promised to exert an impactful influence on the social security ecosystem. “ We are embarking on an expansion policy, adopting the branch-in-branch strategy with Lagos Region as a pilot while  also creating Service Delivery Centers across the country to further bring our services to  all Nigerians using Bonny Service Delivery Center as a pilot.”   She added, “we will expand our operations and coverage into the informal sector and other unreached areas in dire need of social security services. In addition to reaching more clients, this will reduce commuting distance for staff on compliance drive.”  She therefore sought the support of the fund’s stakeholders to forge ahead in the New Year, stating that the agency will witness significant changes that will transform it into a world class social security institution, capable of setting the agenda for social change and poverty alleviation in Nigeria.

    • Nwachukwu a social security journalist writes from Abuja.

  • How sustainable is the coming of hydrogen-powered vessels?

    How sustainable is the coming of hydrogen-powered vessels?

    By Olasupo Baiyewunmi

    The maritime industry, a pulsating artery of the global economy, propels the trade of goods across continents. While its vital role in world commerce is undeniable, it also carries a weighty burden: a significant contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for roughly 3% of the total. As the world charts a course towards a net-zero future, the shipping industry faces a critical crossroads – a path towards decarbonization is paramount.

    This journey demands new fuels, stepping stones on the way to cleaner seas and skies. Among these potential fuel sources, hydrogen shines brightly, exuding the promise of zero emissions at the tailpipe, a beacon of hope amidst the urgency of climate action.

    The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN’s regulatory body for shipping, has set ambitious targets to slash emissions from this behemoth industry. These targets, however, stand as formidable mountains unless innovation climbs alongside them. Enter hydrogen, a versatile energy source harboring the potential to rewrite the industry’s carbon footprint.

    Burning hydrogen releases nothing but water vapor, a stark contrast to the cocktail of pollutants spewed by conventional fossil fuels. This translates to ships gliding across the waves without contributing to climate change or befouling the air with smog. Its high energy density packs a punch, allowing hydrogen-powered vessels to traverse vast distances on a single “tank,” a crucial attribute for an industry where ports often dot far-flung corners of the globe. Furthermore, hydrogen’s adaptability is commendable – it can fuel diverse vessel types, from colossal container ships to nimble tankers and majestic cruise liners.

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    Despite its seemingly pristine credentials, hydrogen presents challenges that require intrepid sailors to chart their course carefully. Currently, the cost of producing and transporting hydrogen remains a formidable obstacle. However, this is not an insurmountable wave. As technology evolves and economies of scale kick in, the cost is anticipated to plummet, making hydrogen a more attractive and viable option.

    Then there is the challenge of storage. Hydrogen, a notoriously tricky gas, demands ample space and extreme caution due to its flammability. This necessitates the development of innovative new technologies to ensure safe and efficient onboard storage, allowing these seafaring vessels to become mobile hydrogen carriers without compromising safety.

    Despite these hurdles, the tide is turning towards hydrogen. A growing wave of optimism washes over the industry, with increasing recognition of hydrogen’s pivotal role in the decarbonization race. Leading shipping companies are already charting their course with hydrogen-powered vessels. In 2023, Norway’s Yara launched the world’s first hydrogen-powered container ship, while China showcased its maiden hydrogen-powered boat with Yangtze Power Co.’s pioneering vessel. Even landlocked giants like Nike are setting sail with hydrogen, with the launch of the first hydrogen-powered inland container ship.

    Governments are also joining this maritime crusade. The European Union, aiming for a zero-emission fleet by 2050, is actively investing in research and development of hydrogen shipping technologies. These collective efforts are fueling the engines of progress, propelling us towards a future where hydrogen-powered ships become a common sight on the ocean’s canvas.

    In the coming years, expect to see an armada of hydrogen-powered vessels dotting the horizon. With its potential to revolutionize the shipping industry and usher in a new era of sustainable maritime trade, hydrogen holds the key to unlocking a cleaner, greener ocean future. While challenges remain, the wind of innovation fills the sails, propelling us towards a future where the shipping industry navigates not just the physical currents, but also the tide of environmental responsibility, powered by the clean fuel of hydrogen.

    • Baiyewunmi is a Cryogenic Engineer at NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited (NSML)

  • Amb. Ossai Ifeanyi: A new force in the Bretton Woods Committee

    Amb. Ossai Ifeanyi: A new force in the Bretton Woods Committee

    HRH Ambassador Ossai Ifeanyi has been inducted into the Bretton Woods Committee, an influential coalition committed to fostering international financial cooperation.

    This prestigious membership is in alignment with HRH Ambassador Ossai’s extensive work in international diplomacy, healthcare innovation, and sustainable development, marking a new chapter in his remarkable career dedicated to impactful global change.

    The Bretton Woods Committee, established to uphold and enhance the principles of the historic Bretton Woods Agreement, plays a crucial role in supporting the work of the Bretton Woods Institutions – the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

    These institutions are pillars in the global financial architecture, focusing on monetary cooperation and financial stability.

    HRH Ambassador Ossai’s involvement signifies his commitment to these global economic goals and is a reflection of his profound understanding of the complexities of global economics. His expertise and insights are expected to contribute significantly to the Committee’s mission of promoting dialogue on the stability and development of the international monetary system.

    Forging a Path Towards Sustainable Economic Development

    With this new role, HRH Ambassador Ossai is poised to engage with global financial leaders, policymakers, and academicians. His dedication to building resilient economies and advocating for equitable financial practices underscore his role as a key figure in shaping a sustainable and prosperous global future.

    About HRH Ambassador Ossai Ifeanyi

    HRH Ambassador Ossai Ifeanyi is a distinguished leader known for his strategic influence across multiple sectors. With his roots in Delta State, Nigeria, HRH Ambassador Ossai has established himself as a vanguard in international diplomacy and a catalyst for transformative initiatives. His contributions to healthcare through CribMD and sustainable construction via Indigeneex, combined with his technological prowess, showcase his multifaceted approach to driving progress and innovation.

  • Phytogenic Feed Additives: A practical path to reduce antibiotic dependence in Nigeria’s livestock sector

    Phytogenic Feed Additives: A practical path to reduce antibiotic dependence in Nigeria’s livestock sector

    By Gabriella Chimuanya Iheanacho

    In a production climate where heat stress, disease strain, and rising feed costs are everyday realities, poultry and livestock producers throughout Nigeria are working extremely hard to keep animals healthy, growing, and profitable. Antibiotics are frequently employed as the standard “insurance policy” in that setting, both to treat illness and to stop losses before they occur. The issue is that this practice, which is repeated on thousands of farms, silently contributes to antibiotic resistance and jeopardizes consumer confidence, public health, and market competitiveness.

    Working at the intersection of livestock performance and health, Gabriella C. Iheanacho, an animal and veterinary scientist and animal nutrition researcher, is proposing a practical shift away from routine, preventive antibiotic dependence toward scaling up nutrition-based alternatives, particularly phytogenic compounds, supported by quality standards and field validation.

    The circumstances in which farmers feel compelled to “dose first and ask questions later” can be decreased when phytogenic chemicals are appropriately standardized and employed to enhance gut integrity, immunological resilience, and performance stability.

    Additionally, Nigeria’s regulators have been making progress. A significant indication that the nation is taking antimicrobial stewardship more seriously was given in September 2023 when the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control released a regulatory directive addressing antimicrobials as growth promoters. Additionally, the necessity of coordinated action across human health, the animal industry, and the environment was already acknowledged in Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2017–2022).

    A farmer adopts a new feed additive because it reduces risk, not because it sounds contemporary. Three specific ways that well-designed phytogenic supplements can accomplish this are by safeguarding performance consistency, promoting immune resilience and recovery, and stabilizing gastrointestinal health and lowering “background sickness.”

    Iheanacho stressed that standardization is necessary for phytogenics to function as true substitutes. A mixture that varies in potency from batch to batch is a risk, not a solution. Chemical profiling, extraction consistency, and quality-control systems that farmers and regulators can validate are therefore essential components of the future Practice.

    Nigeria doesn’t need another little experiment that vanishes when funding runs out. It requires an organized, long-lasting, and accountable strategy, such as a public-private collaboration that may transform promising phytogenic alternatives into practical applications. “Let’s be clear!” laments Iheanacho. This is by no means a defense of “antibiotic-free” branding. Animals who are ill need to be treated. Stewardship is the use of antibiotics when necessary, not by default. It is not withholding care.

    Nigeria can simultaneously safeguard public health and animal welfare, but only if farmers are given practical options that work under actual circumstances. Nigerian livestock do not have the greatest future if farmers are solely responsible for antibiotic resistance. It is one in which producers obtain instruments that lower risk without compromising performance, the industry contributes scale and quality control, researchers verify what works, and the government establishes standards. I’m working toward that goal in my plan, and Gabriella Iheanacho is pushing Nigeria in the same direction: a national transition away from routine antibiotic dependence toward validated, standardized, nutrition-based alternatives backed by reliable science, enforceable standards, and practical adoption.

    If we approach phytogenic substances as serious remedies rather than temporary trends, they may contribute to that future.

  • Eno meets Tinubu

    Eno meets Tinubu

    By Francis Ukot

    In Nigeria, some state governors have been accused of neglecting their states and choosing to spend the majority of their time visiting Abuja, the federal capital, for what many perceive as irrelevant reasons. But this is not the case for every governor. 

    According to news reports, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno recently visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja. His mission was not only to wish him a Happy New Year but also to present requests on behalf of his state. Two of his requests bordered around the actualisation of the Ibom Deep Sea Port and exportation of oil palm. Speaking after the visit, Eno told reporters that he got a positive response from the president.

     “We’ve talked and requested him to support us with our Ibom Deep Sea Port, and agricultural programme on the oil palm,” Eno told reporters after he met Tinubu.

     “Akwa Ibom is an oil palm zone. And we have started the process of revamping the moribund industry that has laid there for 28 years. It is being revamped right now. We need the support of the federal government to be able to have a full value chain and then bring people to work and be able to help Nigeria. We can even get to exporting palm oil, because right now, we’re still importing a lot of it. So that’s why I came and it was a good visit.”

     Anyone familiar with Akwa Ibom would know the requests would be sine qua non to the economic growth of the state and consequently the country. Thankfully, the progressive Tinubu administration is poised to support the laudable ventures.

     Ibom Deep Sea Port which is sited in Mbo and Ibeno local government areas in Akwa Ibom is designated as Free Trade Zone. To be built on 2,565 hectares of land, the port is also designed to have a 20km channel approval with 450m design to provide for two-way vessel traffic. It also has a deep wharf with 18m in the channel, making it safe for big ships to berth there. Hence, investing in constructing the port would increase trade and boost the economy of the state, the surrounding regions and the country. It should be noted that the Ibom Deep Sea project has been on the burner of the state government for about 25 years – an issue that has passed through three different administrations till date. 

     After some back and forth between Akwa Ibom and the federal government, the construction of the Ibom Deep Sea Port was slated to begin in 2019 during the administration of Udom Emmanuel after the Federal Executive Council approved the project in 2018. The project was awarded to a consortium of Bolloré Ports and PowerChina International Group in November 2018 with a mandate to operate the port for 50 years. And in December 2020, the federal government approved $2bn for the construction of the first phase of the port. The total cost of the port was put at $4.5bn. However, by 2022, work had stalled on the port as the major contractors had pulled out. It is nice that after the reign of Victor Attah, Godswill Akpabio and Udom Emmanuel as governors, there seems to be hope of Ibom Deep Sea Port becoming a reality.

    Read Also: We’ll embark on massive education effort to combat insecurity – Tinubu 

     But why the need for another port aside Lagos, Eno was asked. He responded: “Again, Lagos is there. But you also know Lagos is congested. Of course, that is no story. So you need a deep seaport that will take care of the south-east, south-south, if you like, the Niger Delta region.”

     Surely, a deep sea port in Akwa Ibom would not only relieve stress from the Apapa and recently constructed Lekki ports it would as well serve the eastern and southern parts of the country efficiently..

     As per the state’s incursion into oil palm, Governor Eno lamented that the state’s oil palm plantation drive had been moribound for the past 28 years. This sad situation is what Eno plans to address by reviving the industry. It is sad that Akwa Ibom ever neglected the oil palm cultivation given the fact that palm oil is now courted in many industries. In the international market, palm oil is gold. It is no longer that oil for cooking Ogbono soup alone. 

    “Worldwide production of palm oil has been climbing steadily for five decades,” according to a report by The Guardian.

     “Between 1995 and 2015, annual production quadrupled, from 15.2m tonnes to 62.6m tonnes. By 2050, it is expected to quadruple again, reaching 240m tonnes.”

     According to experts, Nigeria produces between 900,000 and 1.3 million MT of palm oil annually. Whereas, it consumes about 2.1 million MT of palm oil annually, meaning it has to import around 800,000 MT annually. According to a 2023 Punch newspaper report, between January 2023 and September 2023, Nigeria increased its import of palm oil from Malaysia to 234, 324 metric tons from 141, 786 MT in the corresponding period of 2022. It is shameful that like crude oil to petroleum products, there was a time Nigeria produced all the palm oil it needed. But a way forward?

     Investing in exportation of oil palm would definitely reverse the current importation figures. And just like crude oil, if a product or service can be produced locally, good. If it can be then profitably exported, all the better. Akwa Ibom’s topography suits the cultivation of the plant. The state is on the right path by taking advantage of that comparative advantage. With the aim of joining the likes of Presco, Okomu Oil and others, the move by the Eno-led administration will culminate in the twin effect of creating jobs, increasing export and earning forex via export. A win for Akwa Ibom.

     Other things Governor Eno also said that he discussed with Tinubu included the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the Victor Attah International Airport and expansion of Ibom Air operations.

     But beyond Governor Eno’s requests on behalf of his state, it is warming to note the close working relationship between the governor and Mr President. It would be recalled that Eno was one of the six governors that accompanied Tinubu to the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2023. He was also in Tinubu’s entourage when Nigeria went to the COP 28 in Dubai in December 2023. Unlike what has been usual in the past, there exists mutual cooperation between both men despite their different political parties. For both men, clearly, what drives them is clearly a resolve to deliver good governance. Such a relationship is worthy of emulation by other Nigerian leaders.

     In just about seven months, Governor Eno constructed 17 roads in different parts of the state among other achievements. He also recently flagged off the Ibom Model Farm in Ikot Edibon, Nsit Ubium local government area, in collaboration with the world-renowned Songhai Farms of Porto Novo, Benin Republic. In his New Year address, Eno described the profits of farm thus: ““It will not only guarantee food security but will also create jobs for thousands of people and stimulate tourism.”

     Eno did this while still challenging a suit against his governorship. But now that the Supreme Court has affirmed him as governor, Akwa Ibom can look forward to the growth and development pedal of the state being pressed down at full throttle.