The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Understanding the high cost of living

    Understanding the high cost of living

    Sir: Over time, Nigerians have experienced hike in basically all goods and services required to live and run their day to day activities. It goes without saying that the situation has been aggravated by the removal of subsidy on premium motor spirit (PMS) some three months ago.

    Nigeria has experienced persistent inflation over the years, with prices of goods and services continuously rising. The naira has faced fluctuations and depreciation in value against major foreign currencies like the US dollar. This has led to higher import costs, making imported goods more expensive for consumer. 

    Furthermore, dependence on imports for various products, including food, fuel, clothing, building materials and other consumer goods has resulted in higher prices due to transportation cost, tariffs, and exchange rate fluctuations.

    Again, infrastructural challenges are another force to reckon with. Inadequate infrastructures, such as power and transportation, have added to increase the cost of goods and services. Businesses often have to bear the burden of additional expenses since they are not provided by the authority and they eventually pass these expenses to consumers so as to make profit and keep their trade afloat.

    To cap it all, Nigeria has a significant income disparity, with a large portion of the population living in what in what is termed ‘multi-dimensional poverty’ due to the disparity. This poverty limits access to basic resources like education, healthcare, and housing, further exacerbating the cost of living for many individuals.

    To address this worrisome situation, it is firstly important for citizens to understand that the high cost of living in Nigeria is a complex issue influenced by various factors such as those aforementioned.

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    Efforts to address this challenge should involve measure to tackle inflation, improve infrastructure, diversifying the economy, and promoting policies that support income equality and affordability for citizens.

    Investing in infrastructural development, such as transportation power, road networks, water supply among others can help reduce production and other associated expenses often passed down to consumers.

    Promoting and supporting the agricultural sector can help reduce food prices and enhance food security. Improving farming techniques, access to quality irrigation systems are all strategies through which dependency can be reduced on imported goods.

    Control of inflation, implementation of effective monetary policies and fiscal measures to control inflation and ensuring that wages and salaries keep pace with inflation can help improve people’s purchasing power and reduce the burden of high costs.

    Developing effective social welfare programmes can also provide a safety net for vulnerable populations, by reducing the impact of high cost of living on those with limited financial resources.

    •Hauwa’u Abubakar,

    Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

  • Improving access to affordable housing

    Improving access to affordable housing

    Sir: Shelter is one of the basic needs of man, and the idea of affordable housing to cater to this need is both practical and viable. According to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN–Habitat), 30 per cent of the world’s urban population resides in slums, with deplorable conditions, where people suffer from several deficiencies, including lack of access to improved water, absence of sewage facilities, living in overcrowded conditions, and in buildings that are structurally unsound. There are conflicting figures about Nigeria’s housing deficit, but experts often quote between 17 and 21 million.

    Affordable housing refers to housing that addresses the needs of the low-income earners in the society. This is the section of the society whose income is below the medium household earnings, and the majority of masses of Nigeria belong to this category. 

    With over 170 million people, Nigeria, the most populous country in black Africa, has a population of over 70 million low-income people. Currently the minimum wage for the Nigerian worker is N30,000, while the disposable income of majority of the fresh graduates is less than N60, 000 per month.

    Affordable housing has remained elusive to the average Nigerian, in spite of numerous programmes to tackle affordable housing challenges in the country. The low and middle income earners especially are the most affected by this. Due to affordability, they live in densely populated or informal ‘slum’ areas. The high income earners, one per cent of the population, occupy a small percentage of the housing stock. Therefore, the majority of newly built homes in city centres are left unoccupied. Thus, the problem of affordable housing remains a critical issue in the socio-economic wellbeing of Nigeria.

    For example, in Lagos State, the price tags placed on the units of the Lagos HOMS Project cannot be classified as being for low-income earners, like those who earn the minimum wage of N30,000 monthly, especially when considered from the United Nations standpoint, where an adult is not expected to spend more than 30 per cent of his/her income on housing (by international standards a house should not cost more than three times the occupiers’ annual income.)

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    Let us even take for example someone who is earning N150, 000 per month. When he subtracts 30 per cent of his present accommodation need, subtracts expenses on other needs, including school fees and feeding, what would be left that would serve as disposable income that he can put into a housing programme? So, first and foremost, he cannot even afford a 30 per cent down payment from his salary. Thus it becomes a burden and one begins to wonder how long it would take to own a house in Lagos.

    Some steps to alleviating the problems of affordable housing delivery include concentrating on ways to provide the enabling environment for mass housing production. Basic building materials should be given tax and duty relief and government could develop incentives to encourage both the public and private sectors to use indigenous building materials. Other strategies may include granting tax holidays to developers and providing free land to them to reduce the cost of producing houses.

    Sites and service plots could be provided to private sectors, housing cooperatives, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) and individuals. Plots could be allocated at different rates per square metre for different uses. The low-income earners should have the lowest rate with the size of each plot not more than 150 square metres. The basis of allocation should strictly be one man one plot, members of (REDAN) should be encouraged and motivated with tax incentives, subsidised building materials and discounted rate per square metre.

    Plots allocated for affordable housing schemes must not be fraudulently used for medium or high income housing projects. There should be sanctions and strict penalties for violation of terms and conditions stipulated on the letter of allocation.

    For successful implementation of this scheme, it is imperative to study and assess the actual housing needs of the low income earners. It should be known that before low-income earners can afford to buy or rent houses the price or rent must be low or subsidised by the government.

    It is when housing units that artisans can afford are provided that the people can say that there is affordable housing for the common man! If that can be achieved, then low-income earners will be happy that they have some housing units targeted at them.

    •Daniel Ighakpe,

    FESTAC Town, Lagos.

  • Lessons from Emefiele, Diezani travails

    Lessons from Emefiele, Diezani travails

    Sir: Every administration since 1999 seems to have its own heroes and villains – depending on the leanings or dialectical disposition of the objurgator, disputant or interrogator. The classing of heroes and villains on disparate sides is in the conviction or view of the opinion-holder. One man’s hero is another’s villain; and the other’s villain is another’s hero.

    Diezani Alison-Madueke, former minister of petroleum resources under the Jonathan administration, is often held as a villain of that administration. But some people may not agree. In fact, there have been protests by some groups against her prosecution by the EFCC. Here, the voltage of outrage towards any alleged offence by a public officer is measured in ethnic and religious volts. Offences are ethnicised according to the bearings of the alleged offender.

    The EFCC alleged that the former minister of petroleum resources pilfered over $153 million; bought N14 billion worth of jewellery and acquired over 90 properties in Nigeria. The agency was able to successfully secure forfeiture orders against some of the properties but was not able to bring her to trial in Nigeria.

    On Tuesday, the UK National Crime Agency said it had charged Diezani to court for fraud. The NCA said Diezani is suspected to have accepted bribes during her time as minister for petroleum resources, in exchange for awarding multi-million pound oil and gas contracts. The NCA alleged she benefitted from at least £100,000 in cash, chauffeur driven cars, flights on private jets, luxury holidays for her family, and the use of multiple London properties.

    The charges also detail financial rewards including furniture, renovation work and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and gifts from high-end designer shops such as Cartier jewellery and Louis Vuitton goods.

    Andy Kelly, Head of the NCA’s International Corruption Unit (ICU), said: “We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million pound contracts. These charges are a milestone in what has been a thorough and complex international investigation. Bribery is a pervasive form of corruption, which enables serious criminality and can have devastating consequences for developing countries. We will continue to work with partners here and overseas to tackle the threat.”

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    It is, perhaps, Diezani’s long date with destiny.

    Abuse of power. This is the cardinal malfeasance of Diezani as alleged by the NCA. The ingredients for abuse of power are always abundantly available. Just one act of indiscretion or indiscipline, and a public officer plunges into the whirlpool of eternal opprobrium.

    But where are other former senior government officials accused of similar offences? There will always be the principal villain in any story. So, it is pertinent that public officers take heed lest they become the guilt-sponge of any administration.

    Godwin Emefiele, suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is accused of abusing his power as the head of the apex bank by veering into politics. Although Emefiele denied that he intended to contest for the 2023 presidential ticket, the undertow of his resolve was obvious.

    Emefiele’s ‘’naira-confiscation policy’’ in the build-up to the elections has been alleged to be a political gambit. Citizens and businesses endured untold hardship and suffering owing to that policy.

    In February, the DSS filed charges bordering on terrorism financing against him. In June, he was taken into custody and charged to court in July. Fresh charges have now been brought against him. The charges border largely on abuse of office.

    But was Emefiele working alone? Was he pulling the strings all by himself? Where are those whose bidding he was doing? Where are those he was working with? Where are those he was working for? Emefiele’s torment should be a cautionary example for everyone.

    It is important for public officers to be wary and maintain the highest level of discipline and integrity, recognising the fact that they could become the principal villain or the repository of the sins of any administration. Any wrongdoing could culminate into becoming the cynosure for the misdeeds or perceived transgressions of any administration.

    The rise and fall of public officers should be a piercing lesson to other public officers and to those intending. Today, it is Emefiele in Bastille; tomorrow, it could be anyone.

    •Fredrick Nwabufo,

    <fredricknwabufo@yahoo.com>

  • Humanitarian work in a heartless world

    Humanitarian work in a heartless world

    By Ike Willie-Nwobu

    Sir: On August 19 annually, the United Nations celebrates World Humanitarian Day. It is an opportunity to celebrate humanity and especially reflect on those who need humanitarian aid and how to help them.

    Crucially, it is also a day to celebrate and support humanitarian aid workers in the critical but dangerous work they do.

    Across the world, almost daily, humanitarian situations break out like open sores. Whether it is conflict or natural disasters, there is always enough to go round and compound human misery.

    When tragedy strikes, man knows to respond as a matter of instinct and as part of common humanity.

    As the world has increasingly become a global village, what affects one has increasingly come to affect others. This has ensured that people get to share in the pain and suffering of others.

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    This has proven supremely important because experience has shown that unless people can share in the suffering of others, they are unlikely to do anything about it.

    The hardest part of a heartless world is that there would always be conflict. An equally hard part is that aid workers will continue to be caught in the crossfires of these senseless conflicts as they do their best to help victims make sense of what is happening to them.a

    There is a sense in which most of the world is one big conflict zone. Wherever one looks, there is a tendency to see and absorb the grim. The war in Ukraine, the strife in Syria, the chaos in Haiti and vicious internecine conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

    In countries like Pakistan, Mali and Burkina Faso, there is no outright conflict, but terrorism appears determined to death that the situation will be short-lived.

    There is a saying that goes: It takes a village to raise a child. Similarly, it takes a village to support a person in a humanitarian crisis. With record-high humanitarian needs around the world, this year’s World Humanitarian Day (WHD) builds on this metaphor of collective endeavour to grow global appreciation of humanitarian work.

    Whenever and wherever people are in need, there are others who help them. They are the affected people themselves – always first to respond when disaster strikes – and a global community that supports them as they recover. Far from the spotlight and out of the headlines, they come together to ease suffering and bring hope.

    Around the world, humanitarian aid workers have continued to die, falling victims of the situations they are trying to ameliorate.

    Of the aid workers who died, 98% were national staff and 2% were international (expatriate) staff – more than half (53%) were staff of national NGOs.

    As things stand now, one in every 23 people presently requires humanitarian assistance. In 2023, a record 339 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection – a significant increase from 274 million people at the beginning of 2022. The UN and partner organizations aim to assist 230 million people most in need across 68 countries, which will require $51.5 billion.

    East and Southern Africa has the largest need with 76.8 million people.

    Ukraine, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Mozambique, Myanmar, Yemen remain in serious need of humanitarian assistance.

    The world very much remains a giant canvass of suffering and misery. Because the need for conflicts is insatiable in some parts of the world which defy all manner of peace efforts to conjure up war after war, there would always be those who stand in grave need of humanitarian assistance.

    It is especially important for non-state actors to recognize that humanitarian workers are not part of conflicts but play critical roles to save lives and soften the blows of war.

    They should never be targeted or become targets.

    • Ike Willie-Nwobu, Ikewilly9@gmail.com

  • LASG: Don’t neglect Ajah-Addo-Langbasa-Badore axis

    LASG: Don’t neglect Ajah-Addo-Langbasa-Badore axis

    By Eniola Uthman & Esther Owolabi

    Sir: Since the return of democratic rule 24 years ago, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has become the first and only governor to spend his entire first term without visiting the Ajah-Ado-Langbasa-Badore axis of Eti-Osa LGA. Eti-Osa leaders have in the last two weeks been speaking in public about how there are none of our indigenes in his regime. He needs to do something about how he is perceived here. The optics are not good.

    President Bola Tinubu began the process of turning this critical axis into a middle-class environment when he was the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 by building a standard eight-kilometre road there, complete with excellent drainage. His successor, Babatunde Fashola, not only completed the road but also built the main road of First Unity Estate, an important residential area of Badore, as well as two roads in Langbasa. 

    What is more, Fashola built the Badore Mini-Water Works and the Badore Jetty to enable people to get to Ikoyi and Lagos Island without having to go through Lekki Phase One and Victoria Island. Fashola’s successor, Akinwunmi Ambode, built the Jubilee Flyover at the Ajah Roundabout which has gone a long way to ameliorate the traffic gridlock there.

    It would seem, however, that the Ajah-Addo-Langbasa-Badore axis has now been allowed to turn into a massive ghetto. Last Sunday, August 20, for instance, motorists, including tri-cyclists, spent at least one hour on one spot, specifically at the Anglican Church of Ascension and the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Church junction in Badore because of the potholes in front of these churches, which have now developed into a crater. Since then, people have been spending more than one hour on this spot. More potholes on the Ajah-Addo-Langbasa-Badore Road are expanding rapidly and new ones are created almost daily as the rains continue to fall.

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    To be able to get to the office punctually and return home early enough to prepare for work the next day, residents of the Ajah-Addo-Langbasa-Badore axis have been leaving for other parts of the Lekki Peninsula in droves. This development means massive depreciation of properties and other assets in the area. Some have their properties at less than the market value. Frankly, very few things can be depressing to a person to be a landlord for decades only to become a tenant in another part of the same place.

    To worsen life in the Ajah-Addo-Langbasa-Badore axis, all the amenities provided during the Tinubu and Fashola days are in a decrepit state. Take the Catholic Mission Street in Badore which Tinubu tarred after building a settlement for fishermen around the Tarzan Jetty in Badore – It is probably the worst road in the whole of Eti-Osa LGA not just because of the utter mess the road has become but also because it has been overtaken by all manner of illegal structures and shacks. It is now a mini shanty town.

    All the street lights provided in this axis are gone! And this was the first time since the restoration of democracy in 1999 that we had an election and celebrated Christmas and New Year without streetlights being switched on.

    Needless to state, the Badore Jetty built under Fashola has become one of the abandoned projects. The result? Undue congestion and pressure on the Lekki-Epe Highway, with all the grave economic, political, and social consequences. Yet, the Lagos State government speaks endlessly of its commitment to water transportation development. And again, the Badore Mini Water Works built by Fashola has fallen into great disuse due to non-maintenance—in fact, outright abandonment.

    Sanwo-Olu is not alone in the neglect of the Ajah-Addo-Langbasa-Badore part of Eti-Osa. We don’t even know the name of our National Assembly members, including the senator who has been there for years. The House of Assembly member is not known to us. The same goes for the chairman of Eti-Osa LCDA. The health centre in Badore and the roads constructed by Alhaji Owolabi Yisa, a former LCDA chairman, in Ajah, Addo and other places are still there. Governor Sanwo-Olu can direct the Eti-Osa LCDA chair to do something about the infrastructure and shacks in these parts.

    The Lagos State government has a duty not to allow the Ajah-Addo-Langbasa-Badore axis to become another huge ghetto. The place has deteriorated enough on his watch.

    • Eniola Uthman & Esther Owolabi, Badore-Ajah,Lekki Peninsula, Lagos State.

  • Ìsèse Day: Kudos to southwest governors

    Ìsèse Day: Kudos to southwest governors

    By Ademola ‘Bablow’ Babalola

    Sir: The governors of the states in southwest – Lagos, Oyo, Ogun and Osun – last week declared August 20 as holiday to commemorate ‘Isèse’ to give the traditional religionists in the states a sense of belonging like it’s usually done to their counterparts in other two popular religions.

    The governors, in the circulars released through their spokespersons, made it known that they did this to create and maintain harmony and tolerance among people of different religious faiths as the governors believe that a society without cooperation among people of diverse religions sits on a keg of gunpowder.

    In schools, both elementary and secondary levels, students are taught and are made to believe that unless a society allows religious tolerance to thrive, peace and tranquillity may elude that particular society. Of course the only way to demonstrate this tolerance is by practice and experience, the one the governors have publicly given a practical exhibition.

    The young ones ought to be shown how tolerance works in society, and I believe the declaration of Ìsèse Day will undoubtedly achieve this. Giving people of different religious beliefs equal opportunity is a necessary and useful tool to achieve oneness among Nigerians, most especially during the time that our leaders need all people of miscellaneous opinions, political ideologies, religions and others to see one another as a people of one nation.

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    Apart from their fundamental human rights – rights to associate and to belong to any religion of their choices, traditionalists are also part of society. They pay taxes; obey laws; vote during elections and contribute to the development of the country. I do not see the reason they shouldn’t be recognized and accorded their dues. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

    Perhaps many do not know that celebrating ‘Ìsèse’ is tantamount and synonymous to preserving Yoruba culture/heritage. What is the essence of being a tribesman without knowledge about the history of one’s source? The most guaranteed way of remaining independent and being free from external control is to preserve one’s culture and make sure that the culture is not lost. The moment a race allows its culture to be relegated to the background, slavery is inevitable.

    Once people are emptied of their language, mode of dressing, way of worship, native intelligence (the way they reason) – a nation/race is already annihilated and subjugated.

    It is necessary for other constituted authorities to emulate the initiatives of the four governors with a view to creating an identity for Nigeria among the nations of the world.

    • Ademola ‘Bablow’ Babalola, babalolaademola39@gmail.com

  • Jigawa: Merging anti-corruption with risk management

    Jigawa: Merging anti-corruption with risk management

    By Aliyu Sulaiman Hadejia

    Sir: In a newspaper interview a few weeks ago, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State intimated that he had set up a committee to probe the activities surrounding some missing funds in the state which ran into ‘hundreds of millions of naira’. These points to the suspicion that these funds were misappropriated, mismanaged, diverted or blatantly stolen, and the committee would investigate and forward recommendations for his approval for onward implementation. Even before the interview, the governor was recently captured on camera, in what turned out to be a viral video on social media platforms, where he was obviously livid and scolding someone who seemed to be a state government official for ‘inflating a contract’. The governor was adamant that the inflated funds must be returned.

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    It is safe to say that the governor is well aware of the level of mismanagement of state funds. In all of these, the common theme is loss of public funds. And perhaps now more than ever, Jigawa State needs to save as much funds as it can for the challenges ahead. For all the agricultural potentials of the state, there is still a huge infrastructure and funding gap to boost the state’s economy into self-sufficiency.

    There is no surprise too, when the bill for the establishment of the state’s Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission passed its third reading in 2022. Kano and Bauchi states already have this type of agency and it is expected that a similar blueprint will be applied for Jigawa State.

    It is against the backdrop of loss of funds (for any reason) that Jigawa needs to create an independent anti-corruption and risk management agency, which would proactively and smartly identify, measure and mitigate risks associated with leakages, stealing, misappropriation and mismanagement of the state’s funds. This risk management agency could also handle all public complaints against the state’s public servants bordering around their ethics, which have the ripple effects of crystallizing into loss of funds, or dovetailing into corrupt/nepotistic practices.

    It is clear that this agency is similar to the ones operated in other states like our neighbours, Kano. However, the key factor here is that Jigawa State would have some different and proactive modus operandi, which is why and where enterprise risk management comes in, as against a reactive ‘investigate and then prosecute’ conventional anti-corruption agency.

    The state should look to create an all-encompassing and robust agency, which not only investigates petitions and attempts to run after corrupt people, but also smartly assesses the systems of funds allocation (budgets), disbursement and utilization, to block all avenues for possible fraud and/or wastages. This agency would be smart, lean and data-driven, so much so that objectivity would be sacrosanct and difficult to circumvent.

    All the necessary composition of legal, financial (audit), law enforcement and technology building blocks would be harmonized to work in synergy to achieve the mandate spelt out by the governor. The main functions of the commission will include but not limited to vetting of cost allocations in projects and supervising them through to their completion, and reviewing and investigating petitions within stipulated service level agreements and turnaround time. The commission would also sensitize public servants on the CBN Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Financing of Terrorism Act (2022) among other fraud detection and prevention trainings.

    This submission is therefore appealing to the governor to make this agency or commission among the priorities for his first few months in office, while incorporating the aforementioned additions to a conventional PCACC.

    Perhaps most important among the need to have a robust PCACC and risk management agency is that in a globalized, constantly evolving and smarter world, risk management will help the state government and its agencies to be more reactive to change, which will in turn help them make better decisions and operate with more internal efficiency. Data would also be readily available for non-apparent risks, which would aid in making the executive make better decisions – exposure to financial loss will be minimal, and the number of cases for the PCACC to investigate and prosecute will be brought down to the barest minimum.

    Aliyu Sulaiman Hadejia, Jigawa State.

  • The road to COP 28

    The road to COP 28

    By Tosin Samuel Afeniforo

    Sir: The planet is standing at a crossroads, and as the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Climate Change (COP 28), which will take place at the Expo City Dubai from November 30 to December 12, approaches, it is worryingly clear that the climate crisis continues to defy global efforts aimed at mitigation and adaptation. The global community is still having difficulty making real headway in the fight against the looming calamity of the climate crisis, despite many pledges, agreements, and promises.

    It is impossible to overemphasise how urgent the situation is; rising global temperatures, frequent and severe natural disasters, drought, wildfires, the melting of the ice caps and ocean acidification are all signs of a planet in trouble. The overwhelming body of scientific evidence indicates that human activities, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels, are what are causing these grave changes in the earth’s climate.

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    The worldwide community has experienced periods of optimism and aspiration in the run-up to previous COP conferences, with pledges for less carbon emissions, increased investments in renewable energy, and plans to safeguard vulnerable areas. However, it is painfully clear when we reflect on the years that have passed since the start of these conferences that words and vows alone will not be enough to keep us from the brink of environmental catastrophe.

    The absence of legally binding agreements and enforceable mechanisms is one of the most obvious obstacles to effective global action. While international agreements like the Paris Agreement have gotten countries to the negotiating table, many of these pledges are toothless because there are no severe penalties for breaking them. These agreements are voluntary, which enables nations to give short-term economic gains precedence over long-term environmental stability.

    In addition, the disproportionate burden of responsibility continues to be a significant roadblock to our collective efforts. The industrialized world has historically been the main source of greenhouse gas emissions, thus developing countries legitimately argue that they should shoulder a larger portion of the financial and technological burden. But because of the slow pace of resource sharing and technology transfer, vulnerable nations are left to deal with the effects of a crisis they played a lesser role in creating.

    The situation is made more difficult by vested interests and national politics. Despite the rising scientific consensus and an informed public, some people still use climate change denial and delay strategies. The transition to a low-carbon economy is being slowed down by influential lobbying groups and sectors with a stake in maintaining the status quo.

    Given these challenges, COP 28 must mark a critical turning point. Beyond empty rhetoric, the international community must take concrete steps to reduce carbon emissions, invest in infrastructure for renewable energy, and give priority to actions that will help humanity adapt to the effects of climate change. We require a comprehensive and equitable structure that holds nations accountable for their commitments and supports the most vulnerable populations.

    A crucial part is also played by individual activities. Governments, businesses, and people all need to incorporate sustainable practices into their daily lives. Every step contributes to the fight against climate change, from reducing individual carbon footprints to encouraging businesses to prioritize environmental responsibility.

    The world must face the reality that climate catastrophe is not a problem that can be solved in the future as we prepare for COP 28. It is an urgent matter that demands a prompt and determined response. The time for half-measures and hollow promises is over because the future of our planet is on the line. The path to COP 28 needs to be built with sincere commitment, cooperation, and a common resolve to overcome the enormous obstacles the climate catastrophe offers.

    Tosin Samuel Afeniforo, IUSS Pavia, Italy.

  • Wike and the task ahead in FCT

    Wike and the task ahead in FCT

    By Sotonye Toby Fulton

    Sir: The immediate past River State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, is a leader with a vast array of accomplishments. He is a leader whose courage, dedication, passion, and relentless pursuit of progress stand as testaments to his commitment to transforming the state. 

    His achievements in infrastructural development and other sectors, including education, healthcare, security, the judiciary and the social services have left an indelible mark on the landscape of Rivers State and beyond.

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    The hallmark of Wike’s tenure as governor was his transformation of Rivers State’s infrastructure. Intent on easing the serious traffic congestions and bottlenecks that had long plagued the city of Port Harcourt, he constructed 12 flyovers that interconnected and modernised the city. Alleviating the people’s suffering, his audacious vision has reshaped the urban landscape and created an environment that fosters efficiency and progress.

    Cognizant of the fact that the future of Rivers State rests in the hands of the youths, his investment in education attested to his belief in the power of knowledge and the transformative potential it holds. Through the enhancement of educational facilities that included the renovation of old schools, the construction of new ones and the provision of scholarships, he paved the way for countless young minds to attain quality education and reach for the stars. His legacy will forever be attached to the aspirations and successes of the students whose lives he touched.

    Wike’s focus on healthcare and social services reflected a true leader who understands the importance of a healthy populace and has a deep compassion for his fellow citizens. His efforts in revitalising healthcare infrastructure, providing access to quality medical care, and addressing social welfare needs underscored his commitment to ensuring the well-being of every resident of Rivers State. His legacy will not only be etched on structures, buildings and projects but in the lives that were positively touched and improved through his proactive policies.

    His commitment to the rule of law and security was evident in his support for the judiciary and law enforcement agencies. Conscious that a just society is a secure society, he provided the necessary resources and infrastructure for the judiciary, thus strengthening the pillars of justice. His resolve to protect and uphold the rights of all citizens and his dedication to security contributed to making Rivers State safer.

    As he steps onto the national stage as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the nation can envisage a continuation of his exceptional leadership. Just as he revolutionised Rivers State, the FCT now has the privilege of benefiting from his courageous vision for progress. His unwavering dedication to pertinent issues, his proven ability to transform communities and his track record of accomplishments serve as beacons of hope for the FCT.

    As he embarks on this new chapter, his legacy of bold, innovative, and dedicated service will undoubtedly forge a new path of development, prosperity, and hope in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Sotonye Toby Fulton, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

  • Thumbs up for Abiodun on Ogun’s rural roads

    Thumbs up for Abiodun on Ogun’s rural roads

    By Elijah Udofia

    SIR: For the people of Imasayi, Iboro-Igan Okoto down to Ayetoro in Yewa North of Ogun State, Wednesday, August 16, will remain evergreen in their lives. It was the day their many years of prayers was finally answered when Governor Dapo Abiodun commissioned the first phase of the 21 kilometres road that transverses their towns.

    And again for the people that live in communities along this axis, the reconstruction of the road may still be like a dream to them. This is because the road which was constructed by the government of the old Western Region had been in a state of disrepair for a very long time without any attention paid to it by previous administrations in the state.

     The residents of towns, villages and even hamlet’s along the road most have long resigned to fate after making many representations to previous administrations on the need to repair the road. Like their brothers and sisters from other parts of Ogun West Senatorial District, who often see themselves as the most depraved and marginalized in Ogun State, the failure of successive governments to listen to their cry was not a total surprise to them.

    But for a man who acknowledged that well-constructed roads form the backbone of any development, Abiodun administration’s endeavours extend far beyond political divides as exemplified by his inclusive policy, where all segments of the state is carried along on policy formulation and implementation.

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    Having constantly reminded himself of his promise not to develop any part of the state to the detriment of others, the Ogun State number one man has ensured that dividends of democracy, be it in that area of road, health, educational, sports facilities as well as housing, are evenly spread across the three senatorial districts of the state.

    Unlike what obtained in the past, where developmental projects were concentrated in a particular section of the state, the present administration has brought about paradigm shift that ensured that projects that engendered development are taken to all parts of the state, even to hard-to-reach areas, that have lost hope of getting government attention.

    For the people who are mainly farmers, the era of losing money because their farm produce could not be moved to markets in towns due to the deplorable condition of the road is gone for good. Now that the Iboro-Igan Okoto-Ayeroro road has been fixed, it is hoped that commercial activities, which was in comatose in these communities, would swing back to life for the people to enjoy a better life.

    • Elijah Udofia, Laderin, Abeokuta.