The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Still on coups in the Sahel

    Still on coups in the Sahel

    • By Ademola ‘Bablow’ Babalola

    Sir: It’s now obvious that the hegemony of some foreign powers – which still rule over African countries by proxy after the nominal and supposed independence granted to Africans – are gradually coming to an end. The rebellions that took place in Mali, Burkina Faso and most especially the recent one in Niger show foreign powers’ quasi-empire in Africa is at the moment crumbling.

    It’s a pity that after decades of independence, many African countries still depend on their former colonizers to survive. They, the African countries, are yet to wean themselves off starvation; provide security against both internal and external attacks without any intervention from their erstwhile colonial masters. African regions have not yet the wherewithal to provide the food they consume, the clothes they wear and even roofs to cover their heads. They must depend on foreign countries for bare and basic necessities for human survival.

    In Niger, one of the reasons, stated by the junta that influenced the overthrow of the government of President Mahmoud Bazoum was the exploitation of Niger by France. France was Niger’s former colonizer. Niger depended, until the revolt, on France for economic and political stability, and this led to the France-Nigerien relations which gave France the opportunity to be the Niger’s top export partner. France depended on Niger’s Uranium which fuels France’s extensive nuclear power system. But while France benefited from Niger’s Uranium, the original owner of Uranium was left helpless.

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    Though undemocratic and unconstitutional, the coups that took place in the Sahel region were allegedly greeted with jubilations by majority of the masses. This evidently shows the extent at which people of Africa frown at neo-colonialism and the manipulation of Africa by western countries.

    One would want to believe that after an end to the age-long exploitation, Africans would begin to manage their affairs by themselves. But it seems Africans aren’t ready. They haven’t shown readiness to take the bull by the horn. The reason some of them are looking in the way of Russia to continue exploitation.

    The romance between the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the 43 African heads of state who attended the first Russia-Africa Summit in 2019 points to the fact that after an end to western power in African soil, Russia may likely be the beautiful bride that will continue to sustain imperialism in Africa. The sour relationship between the West and some African countries is gradually paving the way for Russia to penetrate. And this prompts the question: When will the black continent stop depending on foreign countries to survive?

    With all the resources, both human and material, deposited in African countries, the continent is expected to be among nations that rule the world. The resources in Africa, if managed well, are enough to give the continent total liberation from external control. But it’s unfortunate the resources in African countries are more beneficial to people of other continents while Africans suffer in the midst of abundance.

    Will African countries ever survive without external control? The answer may be yes unless the African leaders/people are ready to fend for themselves; provide what they consume; invest in technology with a view to embarking on self-production by using the abundant resources that are at their disposal to process what they consume. The jubilations over the usurpations of western powers may be short-lived except the Sahel region is ready for self-governance.

    •Ademola ‘Bablow’ Babalola,

    babalolaademola39@gmail.com

  • Four red flags of the Tinubu administration

    Four red flags of the Tinubu administration

    • by Aliyu Sulaiman

    Sir: When former President Muhammadu Buhari was rounding up his second term in May this year, a wide range of post-mortem appraisals were done by many analysts, with emphasis on how the president had not lived up to expectation and also in areas where he had gained some grounds. But then, in hindsight, the deed had been done and there was no way anything could be undone about these ‘failures’, obviously. They only go on to serve as lessons for President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his team.

    Be that as it may, though, President Tinubu has started off on a different note from his predecessor, and it’s not that great on all fronts. This is because there are red flags and uncomforting signs that have emerged, sadly. At this point, it is important to state, however, that these red flags or early warning signs are not a confirmation or prediction that the administration will fail. Rather, they are signals that in the event that there are actual future setbacks (God forbid) and Nigeria is not better off in four years’ time than when President Tinubu was handed the baton, no one should be surprised as to how these failures came about. Four events have for me, constitute these red flags.

    First, the use of data and statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to indicate pyrrhic progress in the country’s macro-economic indices may imply that the government is towing the path of fool’s paradise, whereby favourable parameters are being used to define progressive indices or to downplay the gravity of a problem. While data does not lie, the parameters used to define data may be altered as wished. The NBS reported recently that the country’s unemployment rate has dropped to 4.1% in the first quarter of 2023 from 5.3% in the fourth quarter of 2022.

    Read Also: Tinubu assumed office amidst economic crisis, says monarch in Obi’s town

    The most astonishing context to this is that the previous report had put the unemployment rate at a massive 33%. At 33%, some experts also believe a minimal figure was quoted. The NBS said it ‘enhanced’ its methodology of collecting labour market data through the Nigeria Labour Force Survey (NLFS). This survey defined employed people as people who work at least one hour a week for pay or profit. That is quite a way to define employment! If the NBS makes use of similar ridiculous parameters to define other macro-economic indices like, say, food sufficiency, there won’t be any hungry Nigerians to report! This is a bad sign.

    Second, if there ever is a relationship that is ‘overly cordial’, then the bromance between the executive arm and current leadership of the legislative arm would qualify as one. You have to wonder what will happen to true oversight and checks and balances as is expected in a democracy. There is a thin line between the cooperation, cordiality and appropriate oversight amongst the two arms on the one hand, and then a choreographed extension of the executive existing in the legislature on the other hand. It is an open secret that the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly emerged as a result of the endorsement of the executive arm, despite the leadership positions being elective. It is difficult to see how the National Assembly won’t dance to the tune of the executive. This is not a good sign.

    Third, the number of cheers and jubilations that have greeted the appointment and confirmation of the president’s new cabinet members makes one wonder. With the current challenges at hand, and the enormity of the tasks facing the new ministers, one would expect that the least that should be on the appointees’ menus are celebrations. Rather, there should be reflections on the burden of being part of the decision makers of the most populous black nation, in arguably one of the most difficult times in the nation’s history. Even as it is evident that some of the appointees are present as a result of the contributions they made to the emergence of the president after the February polls, being rewarded with a cabinet slot is still a red flag if that is the main reasons why they occupy a cabinet seat!

    Lastly, the protracted detention of the erstwhile chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the Department of State Services contains a familiar script used by previous administrations. I believe that one of the worst commissions anybody could aspire to head is the EFCC. It always does not end well for their chairmen. You cannot fight corruption without stepping on toes and attracting a few enemies while at it. The commission requires all the constitutional protection it can get. Moreover, the international community is watching this trend, which would have a ripple effect on the country’s corruption perception. Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa may be guilty of the reasons why he remains in captivity. But is the continuous detention legal?

    Aggregate the above red flags and you have what might potentially cause the current administration to nosedive if allowed to crystallize. As lovers of Nigeria, we cannot allow this to happen.

    •Aliyu Sulaiman,

    Katsina.

  • Agenda for Coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare

    Agenda for Coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare

    Sir: The appointment of Professor Muhammad Ali Pate as Minister of Health and Social Welfare can be likened to putting a square peg in a square hole.

    As a world-class public health specialist, Prof. Pate sacrificed a personal growth opportunity to answer a clarion call by his nation, while turning down an offer to serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI). The singular action shows patriotism and is an indicator he is fully aware of the daunting task needed to rejuvenate and reshape the health sector which perhaps only physicians of his calibre and expertise can undertake.

    Dear minister, it is germane that I highlight some issues affecting quality healthcare delivery and which the citizens will like you to tackle headlong.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Tinubu to ministers: Roll out policies that will revive Nigeria’s economy

    Health workers under different umbrellas have almost consistently withdrawn service in 2000, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022 and the recently suspended one by the NARD just over a week ago.

    These recurring strike actions by health workers result in avoidable fatalities. Hence, policies for better welfare of medical professionals, recruitment of more personnel to suit the country’s population, standard and fully equipped medical facilities will tackle the issue.

    Hon. Minister, on May 7, at the maiden International Maternal and Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC2023) held in Cape Town, South Africa, Nigeria was listed as part of the countries which contribute to 97 per cent preventable maternal and new-born mortality globally. Such statistics does not befit the giant of Africa. Investing in maternal healthcare and collaboration with local and international non-governmental organisation which will engage in sensitisation on the subject at the grassroots will work miracles.

    Many Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the federation have issues too. They are not a sight to behold and are additionally plagued by poor staffing, inadequate equipment and insufficient drug supply and other medical consumables. The PHCs are closest to the people, hence availing them adequate human and material resources would be a step in the right direction. 

    Furthermore, the numbers are not good for children who have not received any form of immunisation or zero dose immunisation as it is more appropriately referred to. With over two million children in this category, it would be timely to follow up on the construction of ‘standard vaccine hubs’ in Abuja, Lagos, and Kano states inaugurated by your predecessor. This will help fast track the process and when resources becomes available, more of such should be spread across the country.

    Interestingly, foreign healthcare-related services spent by Nigeria in the first quarter of 2023, amounted to a whopping $1.04m. In this case, putting up state-of-the-art medical infrastructure and equipment, public and private sector partnership, foreign training of medics to equip them with working knowledge and trends in the profession are strategies that can work wonders in curtailing medical tourism. 

    Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are generally underestimated in country as a result, 100 million Nigerians are at risk of at least one of 20 NTDs in the country. Almost absent from the global health agenda, enjoying little funding, and associated with stigma and social exclusion, channelling funds for treatment alongside sensitisation since ignorance of the diseases is a major contributory factor for the figures mention will cut the Gordian knot.

    Mental health though has been around for a long time, discussion round prevention and treatment is only recently gaining traction globally. Potentially six in 10 Nigerians suffer from mental illness compelling former President Muhammadu Buhari to assent the Mental Health Act in January. The transition has distorted some activities all over thus, it becomes critical to revisit the act and make certain its adequate implementation.

    The health sector lacks accurate data on even the most common diseases which should come handy in formulating policies for disease prevention and control. Utilising technology to create a database is essential for disease tracking, monitoring and surveillance shall produce good outcome.

    Issues surrounding family planning, overall family health, out-of-pocket spending, and investment in local production of pharmaceuticals require your expert attention.

    The inclusion of social welfare in your portfolio would allow for a more integrated and holistic approach to improving Nigerian lives as it gives you the chance to develop policies that bridge the gap between health and social services. For example, addressing issues such as poverty, malnutrition, portable drinking water and education could lead to improved health outcomes.

    On a final note, a blueprint should be drawn and timeline pegged on every feat you hope to achieve. This will keep actors on their heels to produce results on time whilst simultaneously keeping you abreast of whether or policies and implementation are getting to intended targets.

    • Lawal Dahiru Mamman, Abuja.

  • Drug abuse: How to protect Nigeria’s future

    Drug abuse: How to protect Nigeria’s future

    By Adekunbi Lawal

    Sir: The recent concerns about inclusivity for youths in Nigerian politics and other endeavours speak volumes about a country that cares for its future. More than 60 per cent of Nigeria’s mammoth population of over 200 million is in the youth range. Therefore, policies and politics should include this critical group to prepare them to take over the leadership of the country.

    However, attention ought to be paid to other factors in our country’s social developments that could truncate the bright future of Nigerian youths. Right now, the government needs to clamp down on vices that young people freely indulge in. Among those vices that can “assassinate” the future of youths is the abuse of illicit substances, which unfortunately has become rampant in the country presently. 

    Read Also: JUST IN: Tinubu to ministers: Roll out policies that will revive Nigeria’s economy

    It has been proven beyond doubt that the abuse of these psychoactive substances and psychotropic drugs is not harmless. Academic failure, juvenile delinquency, and mental health instability are some of the consequences of young people’s indulgence in illicit substances. Usually, the burden is passed to families and relatives, and ultimately to the society. 

    In the past 30 months or thereabouts, NDLEA and other relevant organisations have been up and running. 

    The NDLEA recently declared recreational use of nitrous oxide popularly called laughing gas as a menace that must be stopped in the country. This step is highly commendable because Nitrous oxide is mostly abused by partygoers, mostly youths. They even advertise the substance on social media, in balloons and containers. Our memory is still fresh of how the abuse of methamphetamine, popularly known as “Mkpuru mmiri,” rocked southeast Nigeria in 2022. And we are still grappling with widespread abuse of cannabis, a substance smoked with impunity by young people and their role models in urban and rural areas. 

    There was also the widespread abuse of tramadol and codeine, which in 2022 was on a dreadful scale before the NDLEA, NAFDAC, and Customs crackdown on the pharmaceutical opioids.

    However, it needs to be emphasised that the family, which is the first agent of socialisation, should be at the forefront of the effort to ensure that young people are not derailed. 

    Parents and guardians have first contact with teenagers and therefore should put more effort into ensuring that their futures are not destroyed by the abuse of illicit substances. 

    The onus is therefore on parents and guardians who are aware that their young ones are abusing these drugs and substances or even have the faintest idea that they might have been experimenting with them to raise the alarm and help get them the appropriate help. 

    We also need to broaden the drug abuse discussion in the country. In doing so, young people should be brought to the roundtable. It will not be out of place to have drug abuse-related subjects (with emphasis on the dangers to human wellbeing) in the country’s education curriculum, especially in secondary school and as general courses in tertiary institutions. This will afford young people the requisite knowledge about illicit substances as they grow and advance in their academic endeavours.

    Adekunbi Lawal,  Jabi, Abuja.

  • Achieving pump price relief through ethanol mandate

    Achieving pump price relief through ethanol mandate

    By Nosa Osaikhuiwu

    Sir: The appropriateness of the subsidy removal or better still deregulation of the petroleum pricing is not in question, but the steps we take to mitigate the impact on society, especially the vulnerable amongst us, is where the disagreement lies and where the focus should be.

    It is my considered opinion that the most economically prudent way to provide relief to the public without increasing inflation is for the federal government to immediately provide resources to states to increase their fleets of mass transit buses, the use of compressed or liquefied natural gas-powered buses and vehicles, and to incentivize local transporters and individuals to convert CNG or LNG powered vehicles in the short to medium term while the president introduces a bill to the National Assembly to pass into law a 20 per cent ethanol blend mandate for petrol across the nation as a long term strategy.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Tinubu to ministers: Roll out policies that will revive Nigeria’s economy

    This legislation could reduce the price at the pump by up to 25 per cent and more when fully implemented. Furthermore, since this does not include awarding salary increases there will be no further inflation and the exchange rate will stabilize instead of the further depreciation that will occur if we increase salaries across the board because of the resulting excess liquidity.

    However, the most beneficial and rewarding part of the ethanol mandate is the job creation it will unleash across the country because ethanol is extracted from sugarcane, corn or cassava; many Nigerians will be compelled to go into farming of sugarcane, corn and cassava to feed the soo-to-emerge ethanol industries throughout the nation. The economic boom this will create in our rural and farming communities could in the long run engineer a reverse migration from the major cities to the rural areas; as this sugarcane, corn and cassava farmers will almost operate like mini oil companies because they are the ones producing the feeds for the ethanol processing plants needed to meet the 20 per cent methanol fuel mandate per litre petrol. It is estimated that a policy such as this could create as much as five million jobs across the spectrum.

    Also as part of reforming our economy, the federal government should immediately sell the existing refineries and take the government wholly or partially out of running these businesses by selling outright or retaining minority stakes for the nation. It is hoped that policies like this will help reactivate our refineries and promote the local refining of petroleum products thereby reducing fuel cost in the long run.

    Nosa Osaikhuiwu, United States of America.

  • Ending modern slavery

    Ending modern slavery

    Sir: On August 23 annually, the United Nations marks the International Day for Remembrance of Slave Trade and its abolition.

    The slave trade always invokes the strongest feelings in those connected to its direct victims, in many ways. The reasons are not far-fetched.

    Humanity has a long and painful history of being scarred and scared. Scarred by self-inflicted wounds which would not just heal, and then scared to death by the thought of further inflicting wounds on itself. It is at once a treacherous and torturous trajectory.

    The transatlantic slave trade raged like a storm for decades. In those years which  have gone down as some of the darkest and ugliest chapters in the history of humanity, entire families and generations were sundered as human beings were snatched away from their homes and countries, commoditized and taken to Europe where they were sold to be subjected to the most harrowing atrocities.

    Read Also: 1.6m Nigerians live in modern slavery – NAPTIP

    The painful history of the slave trade is the chief reason race relations are so fraught today, stretched to breaking point by a history marked by pain and inequality.

     Recently, strenuous efforts have been made by those who would rewrite history to argue that the slave trade was beneficial to its victims. The State of Florida in the United States recently attempted to introduce this kind of warped teaching into its school curriculum.

     There is certainly a limit to how far this kind of lies can stretch. But there is no telling how far just yet.

    The slave trade may have been abolished more than a century ago, but rather than go away completely, it has evolved, taking on new forms.

    One of these forms is human trafficking which in many ways eerily invokes the slave trade in its worst forms.

    A transnational crime that speaks to the worst forms of the slave trade, human trafficking has emerged as a global challenge and a global threat packed into one. It dovetails nicely with drug trafficking, which feeds unimaginably cruel forms of exploitation and violence against people, especially women and children.

    There is also the spectre of forced labour and other very exploitative forms of labour which propagates the exploitation of people, especially women.

     Tackling modern-day slavery is a question of justice. Since it has become apparent that the slave trade yet resonates in modern and sophisticated ways, breaking the chain is an urgent task which requires urgency and immediacy.

    Global successes have been recorded in tackling organized crime, but there is a need for more action. What is required is not as much legislation as is the political will to tackle what is a growing menace.

    Addressing the root causes of modern slavery will go a long way. The factors that predispose people to modern slavery are neither secret nor mysterious. There is poverty, there is conflict, and there is weak law enforcement.

    Many people who are poor usually have no qualms whatsoever about picking up what is left of their miserable lives and trying their hands and fate elsewhere. The grass is always greener on the other side until it is not and for this people, anywhere but where they are, typically does it until they actually find themselves there.

     When they find themselves exposed to all manner of backbreaking conditions, they are often torn between going back to their countries and remaining in their new places and grinding it out. However, it is always a matter of being torn between two hells.

    There is also the question of conflict. The reason conflict is so insidious is that is spawning all kinds of situations for people, some of them more dangerous than others.

    Conflict often forces people to flee their homes. Once in flight and away from the place they have felt more secure all their lives, they are then exposed to all manner of possibilities.

    Then, there is weak law enforcement. When law enforcement lacks efficacy and, more importantly, compassion, people groan under it. The reason modern slavery thrives in many places is that law enforcement is weak and indulgent.

    Improving law enforcement can well break the cycle of modern slavery. It can only be a good thing that a day like this is remembered. Until it is not, calling to mind the horrors of the slave trade would help efforts to combat all forms of modern slavery.

     A world pivoting towards justice and equality for all can never be seen to condone any form of exploitation against people.

    • Ike Willie-Nwobu, Ikewilly9@gmail.com
  • Bringing creativity into learning

    Bringing creativity into learning

    Sir: It is quite amusing that we see creativity everywhere, but outside of the educational system in Nigeria. How can schools even afford to be creative, when they don’t have learning materials and the classrooms are too small to accommodate the number of students admitted yearly?

    How often do we hear such statement as: “However you want to do it, just make sure you finish the syllabus?” This statement is a major reason students do not remember some things they were taught after leaving secondary school. They are being taken through a system where finishing the syllabus is more important than the assessment of what they have learnt. Now when I talk about assessment, I am speaking beyond the realms of the terminal examinations. Interestingly, some students can define the parts of speech but cannot identify these elements in their everyday usage.

    Have we ever wondered what we are doing wrong or probably what we are not doing at all when it comes to teaching and learning? How realistic are our teaching aids to the everyday scenarios these students encounter outside of the school walls? In the quest to ‘finish the syllabus’, how do we bring in creativity into the classroom to aid teaching and learning?

    Read Also: Lagos govt supports digital learning tool for schools, pupils

    Incorporating creativity can be achieved with the introduction of a project-based learning system. Get the students in groups and make them work on a particular project although it is bewildering that students – I am not talking about those at the tertiary level but secondary school– pay people to do their assignments or project for them these days.

    One way to engage the students in these projects is to make them work on the projects while in school. Give them deadlines, tell them to go home daily, read about the projects and bring in the knowledge of what they have learnt to finish up their projects in the school. Students retain more when they can feel or see than when they hear abstract things.

    Someone teaching a language will ask: how do I give my students a project that they can relate with? Then, I will ask you a question in return; have you ever used their best songs to teach a topic in your class? They know the lyrics of these songs than they can identify an independent clause from a dependent clause. Use these songs to teach these topics, start from the place of interest and from there, teach them to listen to the news or tell them to pick out a subject matter from a news item. If they listen to entertainment news more, start from there before moving to the business news. I like when students provide me with sentences or much more I like to use their names, acts or utterances as my examples.

    Avoid being rigid with your lesson plans or the examples in your lesson notes. You might see an attitude displayed in class and that is your cue to take up your topic, going back to previous lesson might be in form of a question during the course of the lesson and not necessarily at the beginning of the lesson. We know so much about student-based learning programme, but what happens most of the time in the classroom is that the teacher talks for 80% of the time and allocates the remaining 20% for questions and this is where the students are allowed to talk. This will not make for “student-based learning”.

     I will end this piece with a quote from John Dewey: “If what interests the child is not in the child’s best interest, then make what is in the child’s best interest interesting.”

    • Olayibowale Mary Sonuga, Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos.
  • Will President Tinubu break Mambilla Power jinx?

    Will President Tinubu break Mambilla Power jinx?

    Sir: As events unfold in the Renewed Hope regime of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is quite clear that he is a dogged fighter who takes firm and decisive decisions without bothering about whose ox are gored. The Mambilla hydro project however has undergone such funny twists as to require the attention of the president if only to ensure that nation’s development aspirations remains its topmost priority.

    The core issue in the Mambilla project devolves around funding, expertise and execution. With very challenging economic times, external funding can be most useful especially for a very critical project of this magnitude and its economic benefits to this great nation.

    The Chinese are apparently prepared or ready to provide funding and expertise to the tune of $4.5billion but only on the condition that the federal government settles the local content partner of the project, Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL).

     Whilst a settlement was reached under the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, initiated by the late Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, both the minister of justice and minister of power were said to have gone into a legally binding settlement with Sunrise and its chairperson Leno Adesanya.

    Read Also: ‘Tinubu’s economic reforms are in overall interest of Nigerians’

    Unfortunately the federal government failed to fulfil the terms of the agreement as a result of paucity of funds as conveyed in a memo from the then president to his minister of justice.

    Till date, chairman Sunrise has reached a second resolution to either get settled directly by the federal government or have the statutory 15% contribution by the federal government made to the Chinese to enable them settle sunrise directly and move on with the project execution.

    Unfortunately, some elements in the department of justice have taken it upon themselves with a foreign legal firm to fight Sunrise with the sole aim of discrediting the company and indicting its chairman for perceived inducement of government officials. 

    Would the Chinese who are coming to fund the project overlook Sunrise Power Company whom they have given condition for settlement? The answer is obviously in the negative! This is why it is incumbent on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to secure the nation’s development interest by issuing necessary directives on the relevant agencies to settle the matter out of court.

    Proceeding with this viable project will guarantee 50,000 jobs, economic spill over and long term renewable energy for the Northeast and the country at large.

    • Ibrahim Mustapha,Pambegua, Kaduna State.
  • Dangers of conversion of HND to degrees

    Dangers of conversion of HND to degrees

    • By Shehu Gaji

    Sir: The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), as the body responsible for technical education in Nigeria, should focus on promoting and enhancing skills rather than introducing a degree programme to generate income. Vocational skills are essential for driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and self-employment critically for a sustainable future. By prioritizing the conversion of HND to degree, NBTE risks diverting attention and resources from improving technical education and strengthening existing polytechnic programmes for the following reasons:

    The specialization offered by polytechnics has allowed graduates to excel in specific industries, filling key positions and meeting the demands of the workforce and only polytechnic graduates can meet the target.

    Converting Higher National Diploma to degree means converting technologies to degree holders and there is a possibility of a mismatch between the skills possessed by graduates and the requirements of industries. This could lead to unemployment or underemployment for polytechnic graduates and for already employed technologies it means change of work cadre from technologist to lecturer and if done, it totally means a forfeiture of employment opportunity. It needs carefully examination and administrative guidelines.

    One of the main concerns about conversion of HND to degree is the potential saturation of the job market. With the current high rate of unemployment in Nigeria, the conversion of all polytechnic graduates’ HND to degree may exacerbate the already dire situation. This influx of degree holders may lead to increased competition and limited job for fresh graduates. Additionally, it may devalue the significance and demand for vocational skills, which are good for the country’s economic development.

    Read Also: Understanding the high cost of living

    To address the issue of converting HND to degree, a balanced approach is necessary. Instead of completely converting HND to degree, a complementary framework that recognizes and values vocational skills should be adopted. This could involve revising the curriculum to incorporate industry-relevant courses, providing internship and apprenticeship opportunities, and fostering collaboration between polytechnics and industries. By doing so, polytechnic graduates can acquire specialized skills while also having a pathway to further academic pursuits if desired.

    The conversion of HND to degree has both advantages and drawbacks. While it may offer opportunities for polytechnic graduates to enhance their career prospects and contribute to economic growth, it also bears the risk of oversaturation, devaluing vocational skills, and diverting resources from technical education improvement. Therefore, a balanced approach that recognizes the value of vocational skills while providing pathways for academic advancement should be adopted. This will ensure that Nigeria’s education system meets the diverse needs of its youth and fosters a sustainable and prosperous future. By converting HND to degree, there are concerns that the emphasis on practical skills may be overshadowed, leading to a less specialized and industry-focused education.

    The conversion should not undermine the foundations of polytechnic education but rather enhance it. This can be achieved through curriculum revision that ensures a strong focus on practical skills, internships, and industry collaborations. By maintaining the specialization and industry relevance of polytechnic education, graduates can continue to make valuable contributions to the workforce, both locally and globally.

    •Shehu Gaji, Federal Polytechnic, Mubi.

  • Pump price of petrol: What Tinubu should do

    Pump price of petrol: What Tinubu should do

    • By Zayyad I. Muhammad

    Sir: The importation of petroleum products was initially a temporary measure to tackle the inadequate supply of petroleum products from Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries. However, inefficiency and corruption have turned this temporary measure into a permanent thing; thus, the ‘monster’ subsidy found its way into the system.

    The prices of refined petroleum products in Nigeria are solely dependent on import factors. To mitigate the high prices of petroleum products due to subsidy removal, there are two ways: a temporary one and a permanent one.

    The temporary way concerns looking at the over 10 components that make up the landing cost of petrol in Nigeria: Recent analysis showed that for every litre of petrol, freight is around N10.37K; port charges N7.37; NMDPRA 1%, levy: N4.47K, storage cost: N2.58K, marine insurance: N 0.47K, Fendering cost: N0.36K, NMDPRA: COQ & NOA, Q&Q analysis: N 0.06K, Letter of Credit fees: N 10.78K, while total interest stood at N 17.26K.

    Excluding the cost of high exchange rate, loading depot expenses, and haulage expenses, these components make up nearly 10% of the price of imported petrol. 

    Some of these components are under government control, while others are not. For example, the government can control the exchange rate, port charges, NMDPRA’s 1% levy, COQ and NOA, and Q&Q analysis.

    President Tinubu should set up a presidential team to look at these components and devise feasible ways to knock them off the landing cost template. For those under the government’s control, the government should eliminate them from the template since the importation of petroleum was supposed to be a temporary thing. For the components outside the control of the government, tax cuts and other incentives can be offered to the private firms in charge of these components in exchange for cutting down their charges. The biggest culprit in the high price of imported petroleum products is the high exchange rate; some petroleum marketers find it difficult to source for dollars from the Central Bank of Nigeria I&E FX window. President Tinubu should mandate the CBN to make a special reservation of dollars for petroleum marketers willing to import petroleum. The next thing that President Tinubu should do is critically look at the restoration of the Petroleum Bridging Equalization Fund. Since it is like a contributory fund, the source of the fund is principally the net surplus revenue recovered from oil marketing companies. The bridging claims paid to the petroleum marketers automatically equalize petroleum prices throughout Nigeria. Aquila, an innovative electronic business solution, has completely eliminated any irregularities in the distribution and claims on bridged regulated petroleum products.

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    The permanent solution lies in how Nigeria’s four local refineries are managed. The refineries are caught in the crossfire of corruption and persistent attacks on pipelines by oil thieves. As their rehabilitation is ongoing, when the refineries come online, Nigeria has three options.

    The government can retain one of the refineries, grant it full autonomy to cater for itself, pay its bills, and remit dividends to the government. The government can also lease one of the refineries to any oil company or group of investors with an interest in petroleum product refining. And the government can fully privatize one of the refineries, with the federal government, host communities, and the 36 states having some shares. This approach will take care of all the interests in how to manage the four refineries.

    However, we cannot talk about Nigeria’s refineries without mentioning the effective management of the country’s 5,120-kilometre oil pipeline network. The engagement of locals by the NNPC is yielding some results. The biggest problems facing the oil pipelines are incessant illegal tapping by oil thieves, sabotage, right-of-way incursions, slow detection of leaks, and in-line equipment failure due to inaccessible sites, including the old-fashioned method of managing the pipelines. There are advanced technologies that can provide advanced warning in real-time, which helps pipeline companies take quick action to protect the long stretch of their pipeline network, even if it is located in inaccessible areas where visual inspection might be difficult.

    Petrol is the oxygen of any nation. The social problem emanating from the aftermath of petroleum subsidy removal is purely a local problem that requires both ‘book’ and practical solutions. Sometimes, the government purely relies on experts who understand the problem from the ‘book’ perspective, forgetting the real players in the petroleum industry who understand the problem from all its angles: importation, depot loading, haulage, retailing, and manpower management

    •Zayyad I. Muhammad,

     Abuja.