Category: Letters

Sir: Out of all the security agencies in Nigeria, the personnel of the paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior are the poorest paid. The Nigerian Police Inspector (Level 8) earns far above the Superintendent Officer (Level 11) of the Nigeria Correctional Service. This disparity in salary creates significant hardship for officers who cannot meet their family responsibilities, especially in a country with such high levels of inflation.

Furthermore, the poor supervision and monitoring of the management staff of this service has given them leeway to abuse the privileged positions they hold at the detriment of national security and their subordinate staff. On a daily basis, officers are tempted by inmates who stole millions or billions of naira, offering them ten times their 35-year salary and pension just to be allowed to escape but this crop of dedicated officers don’t want to eat illegal fruits. This situation is unacceptable, and we need to ensure that corruption does not seep its way into correctional facilities.

Another critical issue that requires attention is the shortage of staff in custodial centres in the country, which has been exacerbated by retirements and resignations. This shortage has led to overstressed officers, and in some cases, they are overused, leading to burnout and apathy.

Additionally, housing provisions for the staff of the Nigeria Correctional Service are grossly inadequate, and over 80% of custodial facilities do not have barracks, while the ones that do cannot accommodate even 20% of staff working in the specific custodial centre. This is unacceptable, and we need to work towards providing decent housing for our correctional officers.

The transportation of inmates to and from courts is another significant issue that requires attention. The vehicles at the disposal of custodial centres are grossly inadequate and old, with staff and inmates cramping themselves in these old buses to and from courts. We need to improve transportation, including providing staff buses or vehicles for staff on court duties.

 Finally, the exclusion of the heads of paramilitary agencies in national security meetings is a poor idea. They should be included and allowed to contribute to security matters. The president should get briefings directly from the heads of paramilitary agencies and address their challenges, keeping them responsive and responsible.

Your Excellency, I urge you to address the issues facing the Nigerian Correctional Service. The staff welfare must be prioritized to ensure that our correctional officers are well equipped and motivated to carry out their duties effectively and efficiently.

•  A Concerned Citizen

SIR: Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s call to Anambra State indigenes in Lagos and beyond to come back to the state to invest could not have come at a more auspicious time. This appeal was made at a town hall meeting with Anambra State indigenes on June 23.

A culmination of events in our polity has made it imperative for Anambrarians, and in extension the Igbo’s to activate the ‘Aku luo uno’ philosophy. The philosophy that encourages investment in the homeland.

 The recent constitutional review that moved railways and power to the concurrent list is more than enough reason to get Anambrarians onboard the ‘Think home’ philosophy promoted by the governor. With this review, state governments can now, to a large extent actually control the developmental narrative of their respective states. The possibilities are enormous, and it will require a concerted and well heeled investment drive to bring these developmental initiatives to fruition.

Ndi Anambra are renowned for their commercial and trading prowess. They can be found doing business in every nook and cranny of Nigeria and beyond in their quest for accomplishments. They settle nicely, pay taxes and make immense contribution to the development of their host communities. They have proven over and over again as development catalysts wherever they find themselves.

As much as these are admirable attributes; it leads me to what I term as the ‘hubris’ of this noble and industrious people; which is the development of their host communities to the utter neglect of their homeland. This attitude is ingrained in the belief of Ndi Igbo that ‘wherever one live is home and should made livable and prosperous’. Investing at home does not necessary mean that Anambra will cut economic ties with Nigeria. Last time I checked Anambra is still a state within Nigeria. The push is for Ndi Anambra to have greater investment presence in order actualize the much needed development befitting of a 21st century modern state.

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The Nigerian economic and socio-political landscape is undergoing a lot of changes. We are entering the era where the sub nationals will be more assertive and assume primacy in their developmental priorities. Governor Soludo aka Charlie Nwamgbafor, should be given all the support required to make Anambra State a livable and prosperous space. On the governor’s part, he must engender and earn the trust, respect and love of his people. If there is no buy-in by the people on this project, it is as good as dead on arrival. This, he must do by avoiding unnecessary controversies that might pitch him against Anambrarians. His not too palatable run in with Mr. Peter Obi is a pointer to this advice.

One of the most critical thing the governor must do towards achieving success in the think home project is to ensure the security of lives and property. Without security, not much can be achieved in this direction. It is obvious that the security issue is beyond him in spite of his laudable effort. It is in this regard that it is pertinent that the federal government extends to him the required support to arrest the security situation in Anambra specifically and the Southeast in general. The security situation in the state is the elephant in the room.

On paper, Nigeria is a federation, but, with a suffocating centre that has a choke hold on the federating states. It won’t be out of place to qualify Nigeria as practicing a unitary system of government. But recent constitutional reforms seem to be addressing some of the anomalies that run contrary to the practice of federalism. In the light of the above, there seem to be a new vigor and heightened drive by some of the states/regions to seize the new opportunities provided by these reforms to re-align, accelerate and extend the frontiers of development in their respective domains.

Anambra State should not be found wanting in the above regard. The state has both the human and material resources to rise up to the occasion and do the needful. The Anambra State government must be accorded all the necessary support to realize this laudable objective.

•Enukorah-Ekokah,

Adazi-Nnukwu, Anambra State.

SIR: All eyes are now on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reveal his ministerial nominees. Nigerians await with keen interest the personalities to be tapped from across the country to form the next Federal Executive Council (FEC). The emergence of ministers will enable the people gauge the intent and direction of Mr. President towards tackling myriads of development challenges facing the country.

During this waiting period, indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja have a course to renew their perennial agitation to be considered for ministerial appointment. Just like other Nigerians, irrespective of where they may reside on the globe are interested in the affairs of their ancestral home and constantly stay in tune with ongoing developments in their states, indigenes of FCT likewise yearn for such representation, justice, equity and fairness within the Nigeria project.

Since the advent of the present democratic dispensation in 1999, indigenes of FCT have been treated as second class citizens in the country. No president has considered it appropriate to appoint from the pool of brilliant personalities of the indigenes of the FCT as Minister of the FCT.

 Aside representation, ministerial appointment is a balancing act that guarantees sense of belonging to all the federating units of the country. Indigenous people of the FCT have been denied these two fundamental rights over the years. Out of the nine ethnic groups in the FCT, none has been regarded for appointment or considered as having the rights to be represented. The opportunity to correct this anomaly soonest rather than later, presently beckons on President Tinubu.

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The FCT is by no means bereft of indigenes politically and academically qualified to efficiently perform the duties of ministers. In the past and present dispensations, several citizens from amongst the FCT aboriginals have distinguished themselves in various capacities of national assignments.

The people of Abuja should not be reduced to a lost people in the wilderness of history. Where they come from is not lost on them. These beautiful people of Amwamwa, Bassa, Egbira, Gade, Ganagana, Gbagyi, Gbari, Gwandara and Koro ethnicity have not had a feel of what representation at the highest level of Nigeria’s political echelon feels like since 1999. They have also not benefitted from other cabinet appointments in the past. This has left many of the indigenes in states of dejection and a feel of political marginalization.

A decision by President Tinubu to appoint an indigene of the FCT as minister as well as giving due consideration for appointment in other ministerial positions, will demonstrate the spirit of federal character and his slogan of renewed hope will automatically resonate across the length and breadth of the FCT and beyond.

•Deborah Yusuf,

Abuja. 

SIR: Jigawa State, aptly termed “The New World” is endowed with tremendous natural and human resources. However, harnessing the resources had been an issue until recently. It was amidst a strong yearning for a leader who would appropriately harness the resources that the people of Jigawa State on May 29, elected Mallam Umar A Namadi, FCA as it 5th civilian governor.

For the people of Jigawa State, it has been in tandem with the ancient Italian saying that “the right man comes at the right season”. Governor Namadi came into office with a clear vision to develop the state based on his development blueprint tagged “Development Agenda for Greater Jigawa. The blueprint is premised on speedy development through prudent management of human and material resources. Taking deliberate steps to ensure realization of the stated objectives, the governor has been working assiduously towards a leaner, efficient, prudent, and responsive and above all, competent bureaucracy.

Over the last 30 days, Governor Namadi has become a metaphor of administrative excellence with the appointment of key officials and establishment of Jigawa State Empowerment/Employment Agency. The pace of development in the state has underlined the administration’s determination to transform Jigawa into an enviable state beyond the expectations of the people.

Mallam has demonstrated an uncommon spirit in his revolutionary drive of transforming the entire institutional framework of governance, employing in its wake, the reports of various transition committees whose articulated roadmap and blueprint have accounted for the phenomenal developments landmarks widely acclaimed by political pundits.

With his performance in just a few days on the saddle, Mallam Umar A Namadi has earned the trust and confidence of many people. He is charting a new course of state and his work simply speaks for him. There is a general consensus that the government is working for the good people of Jigawa.

Read Also: Supreme Court affirms Namadi as APC’s Gov candidate in Jigawa

His administration’s vision is “to build a broad-based, dynamic and competitive economy that ensures the prosperity and well-being of its citizens and secures its children, given its varied natural resources, tourism endowment and demonstrable political will, its potential for real and sustained growth is not in doubt”.

In Jigawa today, he has secured an orientation shift that promotes “business unusual” policy as a veritable platform to build the state.

There is no doubt that many aspects of development by individuals and nations have been fired and propelled by vision which is regarded as an indispensable ingredient and catalyst in the dynamics of human existence. This is why Woodrow Wilson once emphasized that “no one that does not see vision will ever realize any high hope or undertake any high enterprise”, a pragmatic statement reinforced by that of Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, “Where there is no vision, a people perish”.

Namadi is transforming the state into a hub of activities within the shortest possible time. He has given the Jigawa person a new sense of identity –one that is based on the “can do” spirit and a deep appreciation of his place in the Nigerian scheme of things. He has shown that government can indeed be a force for good and that a peoples’ spirit can be lifted and the wings of their dreams can soar above and beyond conventional thought and beliefs. He is working totally impervious to the challenges of the moment: seeing the bigger picture of how his state would benefit from his relentless contribution.

•Ahmad Muhammad Danyaro,

Wuse 2, Abuja.

Sir: A sojourner, who had been used to how things work and how easy life is relatively in his second home, will surely feel disappointed, or even disgusted about the way things run in his country. I am certainly not that sojourner, but if you’ve been around some, you will still know something is wrong with the way we handle things here.

My worries actually started on disembarking at the Gnasingbe Eyadema International Airport on transit to Nigeria. On the Jetway/loading bridge, I noticed a mammoth crowd almost way back into the entrance of the plane and one wondered what went down. I soon learned that we had to queue up for another round of checks before entering in to Togo. Seriously, I did not have anything against the scrutiny. That is what every country should do. You never can tell, someone may want to stowaway in Togo. After all, it is abroad too!

The story is that, in that narrow cocoon of a jet-way, there were three lanes, as arranged by the airport officials. I was on the forever stagnant lane populated by Nigerians; the middle lane was for privileged people who were actually brought from the rear to an unhindered passage; the third line consisted mainly of Ghanaians and other nationals. It was also faster than ours.  Nigerians clearly stood out in my lane. And of course, we all were discussing why the segregation.

Again, we noticed something strange on the wall, almost simultaneously. There were large banners pasted on the walls of the jet-way, depicting all countries in Africa or at most, countries surrounding Togo. Nigeria was conspicuously absent.  We all wondered. Yours sincerely and others said it aloud that the treatment was unfair. A fellow Nigerian on the queue said, turning to me, “we are no longer the giant of Africa”. I disagreed and said, “Definitely not in competition with Togo”. I think Togo’s action should be investigated by Nigerian Embassy there or our Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We ended up being checked about three times at other posts within the airport.

Getting back home at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, I noticed another bottleneck. You had few counters checking your passport and eventually sending you to immigration. Both of these involved very long queues and then the customs people requesting that you open your bags for a search. These bottle necks should be minimised, at least, to give a good impression to a first time visitor to Africa. Some of these routines can be digitalised.

• Tunji Oyelade, <tunjioyelade2010@oauife.edu.ng>

Sir: I write to bring to the attention of the vice president, Senator Kashim Shettima, the deplorable state of Government Science Technical College, Potiskum, which happens to be his alma mater. It is disheartening to see the current condition under which the students are forced to live and study.

Many of the hostels within the school premises have deteriorated to such an extent that students are compelled to endure pitiful living conditions. It is an alarming situation that deserves immediate attention and remedial action.

It is also disappointing to note that not only the hostels but also some of the classrooms at GSTC, Potiskum, are in a ramshackle condition, despite the efforts made by the Yobe State government to renovate schools.

The current state of these classrooms poses a significant obstacle to students’ learning experience. The dilapidated roofs, crumbling walls, and inadequate furniture create an environment that is far from conducive to effective learning. It is distressing to witness the struggles these young minds face as they strive to acquire knowledge and shape their future.

As an alumnus of the school and someone who has risen to the number two position of our great nation, Shettima should know that his intervention in this matter would be greatly appreciated. The dire state of the hostels not only compromises the students’ physical well-being but also impedes their academic progress and overall development.

By addressing the pressing issue at hand, he has the opportunity to make a profound role on the lives of the students and restore their faith in the education system. Investing in their living conditions will undoubtedly create an environment conducive to learning and enable them to reach their full potential.

I implore you, as a leader with a strong commitment to education and youth empowerment, to take immediate action to rehabilitate the hostels at Government Science Technical College, Potiskum. By allocating resources towards infrastructure renovation and maintenance, you can provide a safe and conducive living space for the students.

• Kasim Isa Muhammad, Potiskum, Yobe State.

Sir: According to the Policy Advisory Council set up by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria has lost about $14 billion to crude oil theft. The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), in its 2023 report revealed that crude oil worth about $46 billion was stolen between 2009 and 2020. These figures give cause for alarm. It signals the imperative for a forensic audit to determine the perpetrators of such crimes and the imposition of appropriate punishment.

Oil theft has deprived Nigeria of the much needed revenue to invest in infrastructure, social services, and other critical sectors of the economy. It has compromised our national security and sovereignty. In 2017, the Atlantic Council, a think tank, confirmed a nexus between oil theft, terrorism, and international crime networks in a study that it commissioned. Considering the current security challenges that bedevil our nation, it wouldn’t be out of place to suggest that curbing oil theft would lead to improved security of lives and properties as funding for rogue non-state actors would be eliminated. Aside from financial losses to the nation’s treasury, and insecurity, pipeline vandals who steal refined petroleum products damage the environment by polluting the waters and land.

Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, a Niger Delta militant leader, recently stirred the hornet’s nest when in a press conference after a meeting with President Tinubu in the presidential villa, claimed that 99% of oil theft is undertaken by military personnel. In January 2022, former governor of River State, Barrister Nyesom Wike publicly accused security officials in the state of engaging in oil theft and owning illegal refineries. In October 2022, another militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo accused personnel of the army and navy of protecting oil thieves. From the foregoing, it is safe to conclude that an amalgam of industry players and security officials are largely responsible for the rising spate of oil theft in Nigeria.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) cannot be absolved of blame. There is a need to cleanse the Augean stable to purge it of the rot that has become pervasive in the oil sector. Investigations, audits, and a new management in NNPC have become a necessity. Government needs to muster the political will to tackle entrenched interests and cabals who have held the nation by the jugular. President Tinubu needs to engage external audit firms to ascertain accurate production output, leakages, and put in place high-level technology that would promptly detect sabotage. 

Finally, the entire security architecture in the Niger Delta needs to be overhauled. Military officers engaged in oil theft should be exposed and made to face the music. The host communities need to be involved in the war against crude heist. Thankfully, the Tinubu administration seems to be thinking along such lines in view of its rapprochement with influential militant leaders.

• Peter Ovie Akus, New Jersey, USA.