The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Yusufu: Aristocratic rebel @ 82

    Alhaji Mohammed Dikko Yusufu, Nigeria’s third indigenous Inspector General of Police, former presidential aspirant and a blue blood from Kastina State was 82 on November 10. Born of an aristocratic ancestry, by the time he grew into adulthood, after completing Arabic education in Kano, MD (as he is widely known) had been infected with radical idealism, courtesy of Sa’adu Zungur and Mallam Aminu Kano who were both leading members of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU). He joined NEPU in earnest and rose through the ranks to become its secretary in Katsina provinces. This radical opposition to entrenched privileges was to define his early life. But he was saved from further radicalism when he was thrust into the Northern Nigerian civil service, where his left-wing leaning attracted suspicion.

    MD joined the police force in a dramatic manner; he eyed the foreign service of independent Nigeria but ended up in The Nigeria Police Force. He, however, distinguished himself in a career spanning 17 years (1962-1979). He was commissioner of police for Northern Nigeria, head of special branch and eventually the Inspector General of Police from 1975-1979. He retired honourably to his ancestral Katsina home, only to cause a stir by planting conspicuously the flag of the Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP) in front of his house! PRP was the radical and progressive party formed by the late Mallam Aminu Kano with whom he shared a revolutionary spirit. He later served as the chairman, board of directors, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and founded a political party, Movement for Democracy and Justice. Perhaps the most daring of his political activities was his presidential ambition which amounted to challenging the late General Sani Abacha. He was eventually sidelined in the scandalous adoption of Abacha as a consensus candidate by the existing parties. However, he gained tremendous goodwill from within and outside Nigeria for his doggedness against tyranny. In spite of his attainment in life, coupled with his aristocratic background, MD remains humble, accessible and respectful.

    Adedeji Nurudeen Badejo.

    Surulere, Lagos State.

    badejo.adedeji@gmail.com

  • Re: What is NNPC hiding?

    SIR: In last four weeks, The Nation has written five editorials, several commentaries, features and stories about the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, the latest of which is the editorial of Monday December 2, titled: “What Is NNPC Hiding?”

    In the editorial, The Nation made reference to the report of the Berne Declaration whose allegations are wild, baseless and completely unfounded. It will be recalled that upon the release of that report, NNPC had publicly denounced it and gave a detailed account of how government equity crude is sold. For the benefit of those who did not see that statement, the corporation had stated that it sells government equity crude to oil lifters on annual contract basis.

    The selection process is transparent and competitive and involves the publication of advertisements in both local and international media calling for Applications for Lifting of Nigerian Crude Oil on Contract Basis. That traders lift crude oil according to their contractual agreements applicable to all without exception on Free on Board (FOB) basis and all proceeds are paid directly into designated Central Bank of Nigeria Crude Oil Sales Account. Furthermore Nigerian crude oil is sold at published official selling price (OSP) which in not only benchmarked to the internationally recognized pricing institution – Platts – but is regularly subjected to critical analysis of market fundamentals and price determinants at global level. Since OSP differentials are crude stream determined, it stands to reason that they cannot be manipulated to favour an individual or group of traders as being insinuated. NNPC had also noted that at the moment there are 50 subsisting contracts none of which has a monopoly or exclusive right to lift any quantity of Nigerian crude oil.

    As the editorial noted, the House of Representatives has constituted an ad hoc committee to investigate the allegations in the Berne Report. What we expected The Nation to do was to wait for the outcome of the investigation before indicting the corporation if it is found culpable.

    In a failed attempt to make a case against the NNPC, the editorial claimed that the NNPC failed to remit “$13.9 billion representing the difference between $20.9 billion said to have been realized from oil sales between January and August 2013, as against the $7 billion actually remitted to the Federation Account during the period.’’

    The editorial also alleged that the NNPC routinely defies bodies like the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee. But this is not true! This is aimed at creating a negative public perception about the corporation. NNPC has honoured invitations by committees of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Where, due to prior commitments it is unable to go, it has always informed the committees in advance.

    On the alleged differentials in money paid into the Federation Account, what the editorial failed to say was that the figures quoted emanated from the NNPC and were given to members of the House Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) when they came to the NNPC on oversight duties. It might interest Nigerians to know that revenue from crude oil comes from various sources: crude oil sales proceeds, royalty and Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT). These are paid into various accounts of the federation with the Central Bank of Nigeria, by the various agencies responsible for handling oil matters. It is the sum total of all these monies that make up the $20.9 billion. NNPC had explained this process to members of the committee who were satisfied with the explanation.

    Again, since the editorial acknowledged that the House of Representatives has set up a committee to investigate the differentials, we expected The Nation to wait for the findings of the committee.

    Once again, we wish to stress that the NNPC has nothing to hide. The current management of the corporation has been working assiduously to change public misperception about the corporation. And no amount of blackmail would distract it from its objective of making NNPC a global national oil company.

     

    • Adamu Gwazuwang,

    Abuja

     

  • That diversion by LAMATA, CCECC in Ikorodu

    SIR: The extension of the BRT corridor from Mile 12 to Ikorodu by the present administration in Lagos State could not have come at a better time. I am more convinced that the Babatunde Raji Fashola led government in the state is truly planning for the future of Lagos as mega city.

    No one can contradict the fact that the future of Lagos lies not in the fully built-up Ikeja or Victoria Island or Yaba but in the interior and developing localities of Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry and others, and any government that is truly desirous of planning ahead must begin to expand and upgrade infrastructures around these places.

    Words may not be enough to convey our appreciation to the BRF government for this timely intervention in the road infrastructure and transportation system of Ikorodu. This project is truly timely.

    However, while residents of Ikorodu continue to bear the inconveniences that come with a project of such magnitude, it is pertinent to mention that the attitude of the major contractor, CCECC and the supervising agency, LAMATA, is making the whole project look like a waste of time and resources, financial and human.

    The road diversions and closures as well as the deplorable state of usable portion of the stretch are causing serious discomfort and unquantifiable waste of productive time to residents along that axis. On a bad day, people spend six hours driving to and from work on the road, arriving their various places of work already spent resulting in low productivity and dwindling economy on the long run.

    Agreed that the attitude of drivers, commercial and private alike, contribute to the problem we face but it is rather unfortunate that road traffic managers are helpless due to the nature of the diversions, which makes control and enforcement almost impossible!

    I must not fail to commend the efforts of LASTMA officials on this stretch. They are presently working in extreme conditions. Yes they are!

    The most worrying and disturbing part of the closures and diversions is the recent closure of the U-turn by Mallo Filling Station which leads into Fela Ahmed Street, the major entrance into Agric-Ishawo-Owutu. This closure is ill-conceived.

    The closure of this major U-turn can only be seen as a policy somersault on the part of LAMATA as a government agency and the supervising agency for this project.

    It is now a daily occurrence to spend an average of two hours between Ogolonto and the new U-turn some 800metres ahead at Haruna bus stop. It is totally a betrayal of common sense on the part of the initiators.

    God forbid a situation where an emergency occurs around Agric, and one must get to Ogolonto or Haruna bus stops to make a turn before getting to the Ikorodu General Hospital at Ota-ona, the only government hospital in the entire Ikorodu! Definitely, the victim would have reached heaven three times before getting any medical attention.

    The road is being done for the people to enjoy and they truly deserve to enjoy it when it is completed and the money expended will have come to waste if the people suffer for government’s commitment to their cause.

    While the governor and government has demonstrated and fulfilled its electoral promises to make life better for the people, agencies like LAMATA and its contractor, CCECC should not make mockery of government’s sincerity by not listening to the people and sharing their opinion on a facility they will be enjoying, after all, the people cannot not relocate to Beijing or Guangzhou or Shanghai even if their interest are not properly protected in the place of their birth!

     

    • Yomi Ajayi

    Ishawo Road, Agric-Ikorodu.

     

  • Who’s out to kill the auto policy?

    SIR; The general public has shown tremendous interest in the new auto policy since its announcement. Callers on national television and radio have expressed their support for the initiative, once they understood how the economic and national interest of the country will be served by the policy. They all expressed one sentiment: that the policy be diligently executed so that the nation and its citizens at large realize the objective of industrial development for which reason it has been formulated.

    The policy, if diligently implemented and supported with the development of auto components parks as proposed, will form the catalyst for growth of an industrial base that will extend beyond the production of auto components to other domestic and industrial appliances.

    Many international observers are shocked at the abject state of the Nigerian auto industry. They see a deep market, abundant natural resources, a creative and skilled workforce, but an undeveloped industrial base.

    On the flip side, they see a country inundated with all brands of imported vehicles, continuously gnawing at our foreign exchange reserve. As a matter of fact, Nigeria does not feature on a chart by the UN of over 100 auto and ancillary products manufacturers in 2012. Yet it continues to provide market for products of auto manufacturers’ world over.

    The question has been when would Nigeria step up and be counted?

    The Jonathan administration has accepted the challenge and boldly approved a pragmatic sector development blue print for the auto industry. The test is whether it will have the nerve to see it through.

    As with any attempt at change, vested interests in the status quo are already at work; they have vowed to do everything possible to truncate the auto policy. Indeed we understand intense lobbying has started to abort the policy by delaying its implementation. Opponents of the policy believe this is the first step in eventually laying it to rest permanently.

    Already small business owners who have invested in the components industry have started retooling to increasing the local content of cars produced in Nigeria. Nigerian engineering graduates see bright light on the horizon, as they may finally practice their trade and no longer look up to the banking

    industry for employment. Genuine auto assembly plants have entered into production agreements with global OEMs to operate in partnership within Nigeria. Irreversible activities have been set in motion.

    Still, they all watch with bated breath as the lobbyists go to work. They believe this government can be counted upon to complete what it has started. No amount of lobbying should be allowed to truncate the auto policy.

     

    •Esther Ogala,

    Jabi, Abuja.

  • FG bungled chance to end ASUU strike

    SIR;The Holy writ says that “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls” (Prov. 25:28). It continues “And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath” Eph. 6:4.

    It is disheartening that when the university teachers were at the verge of calling off the strike, the minister mismanaged the whole matter. In saner climes where leaders respect agreements, ASUU would not have insisted that federal government put in writing what it had promised to do. I expected the President to understand that ASUU leadership cannot spite the office of the President. What ASUU leadership wanted was to vouchsafe the agreement because once beaten twice shy. What the minister would have done was to use wisdom and reassure ASUU leadership that the President will not renege on his promise. Frayed nerves would have been calmed. But the military style of ordering lecturers and Professors to go back to their lectures or be sacked is like pouring fuel on a flickering fire that is about to die. Lecturers are Nigerians and should not be threatened with sack as if they are strangers.

    We have already noted with satisfaction the position of the Senate President that this is not the time to use force but the time to consolidate on the gains of the strike for the overall good of the education sector. We call on the Senate President to mediate once again to bring ASUU leadership and the Federal Government to seek a more humane, conciliatory and agreeable way of ending the strike. Threat to lecturers after the demise of Prof. Iyayi, is not a good way of pacifying anguishing souls of ASUU members. The President as the father of the nation should bend over backwards and still call ASUU leadership and chart an amicable solution to this almost ended strike. This new “ego” eruption on both sides will not do Nigerians, our students, parents, lecturers any good.

    To show goodwill, the outstanding salaries of lecturers should be paid and after that I am sure ASUU members will reciprocate by calling off the strike. Let us not cause more brain drain by prolonging this strike through unguarded utterances. The Holy writs says “A soft answer turneth away wrath but grievous words stir up anger” Prov. 15:1. May reason prevail as we await the Federal Government to finish up the good work it has already taken very far.

    • Prof G. O. Ozumba,

    University of Calabar

  • Nigeria’s in our hands to make or mar

    SIR: Nigeria would be better if the leaders and the led change their attitudes, love one another, and turn to God, for Him to heal our land. We all need to turn around and sow in righteousness, so that Nigeria would see better days.

    We should not lose hope in the country, despite the socio-political and economic challenges, but should always be in fervent prayers, repent of our sins, look unto God, have faith in God, for God will shower His blessings and favour on the faithful-believers.

    Our economic management team should adopt policies that have human face and ensure effective utilization of the nation’s resources for the development of the country.

    The leaders and the led should shun selfishness as unbridled capitalism is returning Nigeria to the era of slavery. The antidote is to eschew greed and antagonistic competition in our economic relations.

    The federal government should find the political will to tackle the seemingly insurmountable power problems in the country to fast-track socio-economic and infrastructural development.

    The continued unity of Nigeria is in our hands to determine, Nigeria will be great if we do the right things, by embracing righteousness and Godliesss

    I want to plead that all of us should work seriously to ensure that Nigeria remains one united nation. By 2014 Nigeria will be 100 years old and we just have to make it work, as there is power in number as in China, India, USA and Indonesia.

    We cannot fold our hands and see our unity shattered. Let us all join hands to make Nigeria work. Also, we must all be concerned about the security of our nation that is under threat.

    •Prophet Oladipupo Funmilade-Joel

    Lagos

  • To Rasheed Gbadamosi @ 70

    SIR: Based on my association with Chief Rasheed Abiodun Gbadamosi over the past three decades, writing a concise tribute can be quite challenging.  During this period, he has meant quite a lot to me in many ways. From being a highly authoritative and distinguished resource person while I was Head of the Economy Desk at the Network News of the Nigerian Television Authority in the mid-80s, to becoming a highly respected boss at the erstwhile Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB), which is the Bank of Industry’s (BOI) precursor, where he served as its longest serving chairman between 1986 and 1994. Within that period, he also served as chairman of the National Committee on Industrial Development (NCID) charged with the responsibility of drawing up Nigeria’s Industrial Master Plan in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). I was similarly privileged to work with him on that epochal national assignment. He has since his post-NIDB days remained a big uncle and mentor. Shortly after witnessing his being sworn in as Minister of National Planning in 1998 at the State House in Abuja, I was given the honour of making input into the appointment of his ministerial aides. The mentoring has continued till date.

    I remain grateful to Chief Gbadamosi and Mallam Ibrahim Aliyu, the Managing Director and CEO of NIDB between 1989 and 1991 for jointly head hunting me from NTA News into joining NIDB in 1990.  Their inspiring and precious support for me then as a Senior Manager along with those of their colleagues on NIDB’s board, notably Victor Odozie, then Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria and Chief (Mrs) Nike Akande   who later became Minister of Industry and Alhaji Saidu Kasimu, who served up till August 2001 as the last Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIDB prior to the emergence of BOI in October 2001, prepared me for higher responsibilities. Based on the initial capacity building and the solid foundation that they provided, their successors in the post-NIDB era found me relevant and I was able to rise, over a period of 23 years, from middle and senior management grades to being appointed Company Secretary and eventually an Executive Director on the Board of the Bank of Industry.

    In the course of interacting with, attending official, social and family events with him as well as undertaking local and foreign trips with him, especially study tours and development focused fora, I have had the privilege of broadening my exposure within and outside Nigeria and tapping into his deep knowledge, wealth of experience and extensive network of domestic and foreign contacts. My maiden flight on board the Concord, with him, between London and Bangkok for the World Bank Annual Meeting in 1991 would remain unforgettable. Most of his sterling qualities that include insatiable quest for knowledge, hard work, drive, enterprise, philanthropy, penchant for excellence and perfection as well as values, ethics and beliefs have rubbed off on me considerably and have continued to propel and guide my career and family priorities particularly investing heavily in human capital development and paying considerable attention to the upbringing and education of ones children.

    As we join you and our dear aunty Tinu – your darling wife, Kunbi and her siblings as well as the entire SOG family led by its strong and charming matriarch, aunty Wonu Folami, in celebrating your 70 years of your very successful life, in the course of which you have continued to make phenomenal positive impact on nation building, humanity, different spheres of our society including the arts and music, private sector development and governance at state and national levels, may the Almighty Allah continue to prosper you and all yours as well as endow you all with long life, good health and happiness.

    • Waheed Abiodun Olagunju,

    Bank of Industry, Lagos

     

  • ASUU strike: Whose interest really?

    ASUU strike: Whose interest really?

    SIR: They say when two elephants fight the grass suffers. On July 3, academic life in Nigerian public universities was interrupted as ASUU commenced their indefinite strike. It’s the fifth month now and we’ve observed daily as ASUU and our government play hardball over who’s right or wrong, while students – the grass in this case – languish at home, hoping that the two elephants will have mercy on them.

    For those who do not know, ASUU is on strike again because Federal Government has not yet implemented all the terms of the agreement it ‘willingly’ entered with ASUU in January 2009 and subsequently re-negotiated in 2012.

    Well, as a product of the university system, I fully understand ASUU’s plight. Over 2000 engineering students squeezed into a 750 capacity lecture theatre, listening to a single lecturer and still expected to assimilate and pass is a sham. Having obsolete equipment in a technical workshop, or teaching a technology student to make a hoe and write computer programs using FORTRAN 1977 in the year 2013 is simply iniquitous.

    So in essence ASUU seems to be saying: Our schools are underfunded; our allowances must be paid; our union must be respected and our demands met.

    The Federal Government on the other hand has said neither it nor ASUU knew the exact cost implications of their agreement before signing. Yet 66 capable hands from both sides worked on that agreement!

    As this catfight goes on, the third and the most important party in this university business, the students have been conveniently forgotten! They’re not in the negotiation committee; they’re not involved in the debate!

    In chapter 2 of the 2009 agreement, the issues for renegotiation were clearly stated by ASUU as Conditions of Service, Funding, University Autonomy/Academic Freedom and then Other matters. Under conditions of service they stipulated their salary and listed lots of fringe benefits by way of welfare packages and earned allowances (e.g. graduate supervision allowance, field trip allowance, etc); allowances that represent payment for rendering the very service that makes them lecturers! There wasn’t much about the students and their welfare demands. My question is; is ASUU really fighting because students are having a substandard education or is this all about ‘unionism’ and monetary benefits? In any case, their salaries will still be paid for the months they did not work, unless the government is keen on implementing the no-work-no-pay policy which ASUU will definitely reject. Theirs is sweet vacation.

    What is in it for the students? How come students pay huge fees and still register courses manually, pay ICT dues, health insurance etc. A pre-degree student pays roughly N50,000 as school fees, and another N25,000 as acceptance fee in a federal university. My alma mater takes N10,000 to send a transcript to an institution abroad, and N5000 within Nigeria. Where are all the post UME fees and the IGR, the TET fund, PTDF fund, ETF, alumni dues, private sector contribution; what are they used for? And with all the injustices listed above, students have not shut down their schools. Their union has not held ASUU and federal government by the jugular to demand better education. Should ASUU not learn from the students? Now who is ASUU really fighting for?

    • Anyiam Nnaemeka,

    Abuja.

  • Oshiomhole: Lessons in leadership

    Oshiomhole: Lessons in leadership

    SIR: After the video went viral last week, the Comrade Governor must have had a rethink on his words and action three weeks ago. The infamous phrase made to a widow during his inspection tour didn’t go down well with the public especially netizens.

    It would just have been fool hardy not to heed to calls for an unreserved apology to the widow. Mixing these calls with the political game from the opposition in Edo State, it would have been a political gaffe by the comrade governor.

    With an apology backed up with the promise of scholarship to the widow’s son, inclusion in the campaign against street trading and a rare opportunity to share a cup of God knows what with the governor all standing on the shoulders of a cheque of two million is all the comrade governor, former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) needed to quell the viral situation.

    Lessons to learn: One, a public officer must be careful with his words. Citizens are neither slaves nor subjects. They are the reason for your bring in power. Watch what you say and you avoid unnecessary spending.

    Two, as citizens and law abiding Nigerians, street trading is unsightly. Conditions are averse. Economy is tight yet avoid go against rules and regulations of the land to avoid unnecessary embarrassment and venomous verdicts.

    Finally, forcing a change through the online arena need not stop on this case. We all as Nigerians can make the change we dream of seeing by speaking out on all platforms available.

    • Kelechi Amakoh

    University of Lagos

     

  • The other side of ASUU strike

    SIR: In the words of a South African living Legend and an enigma of democracy, Nelson Mandela, “the only powerful weapon which you can use to change the world is education”. To Mandela, education is the major weapon needed to wage war against all forms ignorance, illiteracy, arrogance, economic oppression and maladministration. With education, change, the most sacrosanct thing in the world, is achievable with marvellous ease.

    To affirm that public education in Nigeria is at the moment in shambles is an understatement. Public education has gone awry. Sub-standard private schools have submerged the public owned ones while public secondary schools are in a state of disrepair as parents across all social status have discarded them for private ones.

    Polytechnics have been relegated to dustbin while most of the public universities are blot on the landscape. The most heart-breaking part is that no one is willing to accept blames.

    In Nigeria today, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is popular not because it’s the beautiful bride of the educational system, but because it is an association that government at all levels and universities students dread.

    It is disheartening that the union is demanding from the federal government, salaries and allowances for the months they were out of work. The Nigerian Labour Act 2004 is unambiguous. It states that unions can go on strike but no payment for the time outside work. Why is ASUU now demanding for salaries for the work not done? Who will the pay for the house rents of the students for the period ASUU members were out of work? Who will compensate our needy and poor parents for the impending double money they will be paying when ASUU finally resumes? Who will compensate those whose mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) ought to have been perfected since July?

    And the thousands of students that missed the Batch C Mobilisation as a result of ASUU strike? Who will pay for the wasted time, delayed destinies and ruined future of students?

    The statement issued on November 1, by the national executive councils of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) in respect of the ongoing strike embarked on by ASUU vindicated my position that ASUU is greedy and selfish.

    I reproduced the statement for the records: “The three Non-Teaching Staff Unions of NAAT, SSANU and NASU are opposed to any extraneous demands by either ASUU or any group in the university which are prejudicial to the welfare of our members. Our stand is that government should jettison the so called ASUU’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU being referred to by ASUU is for their selfish end and it is bound to generate more crises in the university sub-sector. The Non-Teaching Staff Unions in the universities will stoutly resist any attempt to sell the universities to ASUU”.

    Now, assuming without conceding that the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS– given their opposition to the strike – had been bribed by the federal government as some ASUU activists had been alleging without evidence, are SSANU and NASU also bribed?

     

    • Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye,

    Magodo, Lagos.