The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Memo to the President on healthcare

    SIR: One of the responsibilities of government is to improve the health status of all citizens but past governments do not seem to view healthcare as a fundamental human right. This among other factors explains why there is yet no universal health coverage for citizens although health insurance insurance is available for a few.

    The NHIS which is a social health insurance programme established by Decree 35 of 1999 and was kick-started in September 2005 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to provide health services to the formal sector as well as complement sources of financing health and improving access has only provided coverage for less than 10 per cent of the population. Achieving universal health coverage and maintaining it once it has been achieved is no doubt a daunting task but the following are steps President Jonathan can take to provide access to healthcare for the over 90 per cent of Nigerians who are either uninsured or underinsured.

    First, increase spending on disease prevention services and public health and ensure that curative services do not suffer as a result of this. The health of the Nigerian people must be a national priority. Though, there are other issues that are begging for government’s attention but increasing budgetary allocation for the health sector to at least 12 per cent and at most 13 per cent of the GDP will go a long way in providing preventive services to the citizens.

    Secondly, scale-up community-based health insurance schemes across the federation. The federal government need to ensure that those in the informal sector are covered and provide safety nets for poor Nigerians who constitute about 65 per cent of our population in order to increase access to health care for the people. Most Nigerians are confronted with catastrophic expenses due to lack of social protection which makes them pay out-of-pocket. Besides, out-of-pocket payment for health care increases poverty.

    Thirdly, after several years of having the department of public health under the Federal Ministry of Health, there is a need to upgrade this department into an agency. The establishment of a National Public Health Agency will increase the capacity of Federal Ministry of Health to provide prompt and effective health interventions to Nigerians. This is necessary if government must reduce the incidence of diseases and disabilities.

    Finally, all Nigerian companies/employers should by law be mandated to pay for their employee’s healthcare insurance while the employees pay part of the cost of this insurance. There should also be a mandatory healthcare insurance for all Nigerian children. This will help reduce the rate of mortality among this vulnerable group in the society.

    • Bolaji Samson Aregbeshola,

    Lagos State.

     

  • Let NYSC drive agricultural sector

    SIR: I suggest that the federal government equip the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to feed the Nigerian masses. I know that some of my colleagues may not like the idea, but it is very necessary to stop hunger in Nigeria and feed the continent.

    The Federal Government should build farm settlements in each of the 774 Local Government Areas. Here, youths will be posted to take charge. I also suggest that the three weeks orientation period be extended to one month. Within this period, the youths will be taught about the unity of Nigeria and how to operate agricultural machines like tractors, harrowers and other important equipments. At the expiration of this, youths will be posted to the L.G.As for their primary assignments.

    May I suggest further that the 36 states chose friendly crops, fishery, poultry or any other agricultural activity depending on their climate and other vital factors. During harvest, the products will be transported to the three senatorial zones where the Federal Government must have built processing and storage facilities.

    After processing, the Youth Corps members will be responsible for the marketing of the products. For example, if Enugu State, where am serving produce garri as the final product from cassava, the Corps members can make arrangements with ministries and local government chairmen to sell the products to their staff, even on credit basis. The chairmen will help in the recovery of the money through deductions from the staff salaries at the end of the month.

    The product (garri) can be packaged in bags of 25kg or 50kg also, if the cassava production is combined with maize, the NYSC in Enugu for example, can sell the maize to any other state that chose, for example, poultry and feed production.

    With this idea, I believe Nigeria will rule the world with agricultural products. Whenever we have the production in excess, they could become exported goods which we can then export to other countries that may need them.

    I see the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) as the catalyst to agricultural revolution in Nigeria. The prices of food stuff in our markets are still very high, but if this idea is implemented, food stuff prices will crash down by 50%.

    The reason for this suggestion is that in most places Corps where members are sent for their Primary Assignments, they already have enough workforce for the jobs. For example, the secondary school where I teach as a corps member has 100 teachers according to the principal of the school and up to 40 Corps members serving in that same school. I suggest that the SURE-P fund be used to kick off this project.

    • Obioha Kelechi

    Enugu State

     

  • Yuguda: Emperor without clothes

    SIR: Has governor Malam (Dr) Isa Yuguda heard about the tale of “The Emperor’s new clothes”. If he has not, I will tell him. The story is about a self-centred emperor who was deceived by two weavers (like some of the people around Bauchi State governor today) into believing that they have made a new set of clothes for him that is invisible only to those who are unfit, stupid or are incompetent to occupy the office they hold.

    While the clothes were being worked on, the emperor who can not see the clothes pretends he can for fear of being branded incompetent to occupy his office. His cabinet also buys into the game of pretence acting as though they can indeed see the clothes and that it is the most beautiful thing they have ever seen.

    After the two weavers reported to the emperor that they have finished working on the clothes, the vain emperor decided to hold a public procession to show his new clothes. The emperor parades in his new “clothes” while his cabinet and courtiers were careful not to point out to the emperor that he was actually walking naked lest they be called stupid and unfit for their positions! The townsfolk also pretend that they can see the “clothes” and praise the quality of work done until a little child put paid to the charade by shouting that the emperor was actually naked!

    Though this story was written over a hundred years ago, it is so true of the kind of government we have in Bauchi State today.

    Since his assumption of office as Governor of Bauchi State in 2007, Governor Yuguda has carried on like the emepror in the story, paraded around naked with everyone applauding him. His cabinet would tell anyone that cares that the emperor-governor has the midas touch, that he was the best thing that ever happened to Bauchi State.

    All the positive titles in the book were exhausted on him: ‘Gwamna Talakawas, Gwamna Gwamnoni, the action governor, the peoples governor to mention but few.

    Despite the generosity of the monthly federal allocation to the state, the state is still marching backward in terms of social infrastructure and human development.

    None of his political appointees has the courage to tell him that he has tragically lost touch with reality. Yuguda does not have the advantage of that little child who screamed that the ‘emperor has no clothes on at all’!

    I have been a critic of Yuguda’s government mainly for what I see as lack of focus, incompetence and insincerity with fervent hope that the naked governor will sit up.

    I believe that constructive criticism is one of the pillars of any promising democracy. All over the world, critics are regarded as the third eye of the community, state or nation.

    They are the watchdog and guardian angels that constructively put the government on the hot seat.

    What we have in Bauchi is an emperor with no clothes but which no one dares to point out that he is stark naked.

     

    • John Akevi,

    Bauchi.

  • New face of teaching hospital Awka

    SIR: Founded many years ago, Amaku General Hospital, (now Anambra State University Teaching Hospital, Awka), gained prominence due to the expertise of most of the doctors and nurses. Their selfless services contributed immensely to the successes achieved in the hospital. But that was in the past. At a point things began to turn upside town, perhaps, due to unfavourable government’s policies, or rather, politicization of human lives. The basic demands of the hospital were not met; dilapidated and decayed hospital equipment was never replaced; the quality and quantity of the drugs brought to the hospital became somehow questionable.

    Some nurses and doctors, as their own reaction to government’s apparently callous actions, began showing lackadaisical attitude towards the affairs of the patients. Even when a medical doctor was the governor of Anambra State, the doctors went on strike after so many years of tears to draw the government’s attention which fell on deaf ears. Of course, death rate increased and some patients who cannot afford private hospital services were left to their fate. Those who knew the hospital before now can attest to this.

    The hospital from 2007 or so downwards could not boast of at least one healthy structure or facility. Patients and indeed good Anambrarians let ‘wild’ their voices in plea to the government to no avail.

    To be honest, the current government of Mr. Peter Obi deserves commendation, at least, counting on what he has achieved at the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital, Awka. Igbo adage avers that when you commend someone for a job well done, he would be fortified with enough courage to do more! When I visited the hospital recently, I could not help but shrug in awe over what I saw. Yes! If one calls it one of the wonders of Anambra, it would certainly not be in error. Multibillion naira, gigantic buildings are on ground. There are over 15 of them that are completed and others springing up. The quality of drugs sent to the hospital is sound as captured in the words of some patients I interacted with.

    It is not that there are no few things which need to be attended to; but whoever sees the truth should ‘vomit’ it. As at the time I visited the area, there were series of work going on. The massive compound was being beautified and trees were being planted to check erosions and as windbreaks to preserve the new structures. More importantly, the teaching hospital secured accreditation through the relentless efforts of the same man who made it a teaching hospital, or rather, paved way for that. The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Ezeobi Ifeanyi has equally been praised. They said the man works hard as if it is his personal hospital. However, the patients and indeed, concerned Anambrarians are in tears, not of pain or anguish, but of joy. Honesty demands that he who did well should be commended.

     

    • Odogwu Obinna

    Awka

     

  • This government doesn’t just care!

    SIR: This is simply incredible! That the federal government bluntly told striking university lecturers that it cannot afford to meet their financial demands? The same government that doled out millions of naira from public till to organise a stage-managed Women Peace Rally in Abuja, and brought top class artists like Iyanya, Onyeka Onwenu, Danja, Kcee and some notable Nollywood stars as part of the ‘rented’, but heavily paid crowd at the event?

    Are we really a serious nation at all? Our leaders are not bothered that the nation’s youths who should be in school are wasting away at home. Instead, they are busy making plans and seriously strategising ahead of an election that is two solid years ahead of us. Do they really care about the future of this country at all?

    I sincerely doubt it!

    Any sane mind, better still, anyone who truly wants the best for Nigeria cannot afford to pretend over these strange occurrences. I’m very sure that even among those conspiring to send this nation to early grave exist a few who are worried about the state of things. Like humans that they are, I don’t expect them to openly bite’ the finger that provides them their share of the cake; no, not in this part of the world where people kill in their quest for power and relevance.

    Check this out; a few years back, trillions of naira, from our collective patrimony was used as bailout funds for commercial banks ran aground by friends and associates of those in power. The entertainment industry, popularly called Nollywood equally enjoyed similar largesse when this same government released the sum of N3 billion as bailout funds for its smooth operations. Even after discovering that some government-backed oil contractors collected trillions of naira for not supplying a drop of fuel, this same government still kept its cool and shielded the big boys from paying for their crimes. Instead, it resorted to removing fuel subsidy as if to choke the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

    The same government that has earned for itself the sobriquet of being the most generous administration has suddenly realised the need to be prudent now that it’s the turn of university lecturers? What is sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander. So, let the spending spree continue. After all, it is oil money. Oil can never dry up in Nigeria. Our gods will never allow that to happen, not now that a son of the soil is in the saddle.

    • Abdullahi Yunusa,

    Minna, Niger State,

     

  • When Boko Haram’s Shekau is found

    The United States Acting Assistant Director of Diplomatic Security Threat Investigations and Analysis Directorate, Ambassador Kurt Rice, has said that wanted Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, could be tried for terrorism in the United States or in Nigeria where he hails from if caught. To this end, the U.S. on Monday placed $23m bounties on five leaders of terrorist groups in West Africa, including Shekau. The Boko Haram leader alone attracted a highly tempting seven million dollars bounty. News reports pointed out that the U.S. action coincided with the Nigerian government finally determining, after endless waffling and prevarication, that Boko Haram is indeed a terrorist organisation, and its leaders and members liable to be tried for terrorism.

    Nigeria, which is increasingly finding it difficult to define and guard its independence and national pride, has not protested against any suggestion that its homegrown terrorists cannot be dealt with at home and under home rules. Boko Haram has not just attacked home targets; indeed foreigners have also been among its victims. However, except for a brief foray into Cameroun, and perhaps a base and launch pad in Mali, the sect’s attacks have been limited to Nigeria. As Britain showed in the case of Michael Adebolajo, the British terror suspect who was coaxed from feeble Kenyan hands in 2010 in order to be investigated under British rules, nations recognise that their sovereignty is infinitely much more nuanced than first view and ordinary definitions suggest. Nigeria needs all the help it can get to curb terrorism and bring Nigerian terrorists, or any other terrorist who commits crime on Nigerian soil, to trial. But it must be understood very clearly that Shekau is our problem, and except he goes to another country to carry out terror-related activities, he remains strictly our problem, no matter how far-reaching the consequences of his actions.

    Nigeria has never presumptuously attempted to intercept foreign terrorists on foreign soils. Therefore, this generation of Nigerians must never be seen as condoning foreign governments extending their laws creatively or collaterally for the purpose of apprehending and prosecuting Nigerian criminals. It is of course evident that Nigerian governments have been slothful in dealing with their criminals, either because of plain juristic inefficiency or because certain individuals in government connive at crime and criminals. This is, however, not enough reason for other countries to invade our sovereignty under any guise. In fact, it must be emphasized that even if Shekau were to be apprehended in, say, Mali by U.S. forces, it is important that he should be handed over to us for prosecution. Thankfully, Ambassador Rice has herself left a window open for the wanted terrorists to be tried in their home countries. Nigeria must emphasise its unequivocal preference for this option.

    But if Ambassador Rice contemplates the option of subjecting Shekau to the U.S. justice system, it is simply because Nigeria has consistently and enduringly projected a weakness of national character that has made it possible, for example, for Diepreye Alamieyeseigha to be ‘handed’ over remorselessly to British authorities for prosecution, and for our country to quite puzzlingly rejoice that a James Ibori foolishly preferred to wash his dirty linen abroad. If our laws are weak, by all means let us strengthen them. If our courts are inefficient, let us make them more efficient. And if our justice system is too convoluted to competently dispense justice speedily, let us remedy the problem. Let us do anything but display a weakness of national character that makes Nigerians prey to foreigners. Surely we are smart enough to know that prosecuting Shekau abroad, if he is apprehended, would define the country as a people of weak resolve and slow thinking. But if, failing everything, our courts let us down, then let us at least have the common sense and essential practicality to live with our faults.

     

  • University of Ibadan at 65

    In technical terms, a university is an institution of higher education which grants undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for research and studies. Yet, we need to dig deeper for the insight that brought the university into existence in the first place. It has become common wisdom that the university derives its first sense from the word “universe”. This implies two thoughts. First, there is a concern about the oneness of the universe which constitutes the focus of a university. Second, there is a reference to a community of intellectuals and students dedicated to unraveling what the universe implies for human existence. Hence, the Latin: Universitas magistrorum etscholarium, or “a community of teachers and scholars.” The idea of the university evolved around the gathering of men who are united around the critical processes of sharing and challenging ideas and thoughts about the universe and its various dynamics.

    The African university, on the other hand, is caught in a different intellectual dynamics that goes beyond the mere joy of following the scent of wonder. On the contrary, it is caught in the crisis of social change and development. In other words, the university in this postcolonial context is required as the critical and progressive engine of transformation in all its ramifications. By its global research framework, it was to take the frontline in the search for national development in all the newly independent states. It is within this postcolonial birth pang of social transformation that the University of Ibadan (first known as the University College, Ibadan) came into existence in 1948. At its founding, the University of Ibadan was conceived as a centre of academic learning and research that is geared towards providing the human resources required to jumpstart Nigeria’s socio-economic and physical growth. It was to do this by producing graduates who are worthy in learning and character, and hence fit to take their place on the field of national unity and development.

    In spite of this clarion call of recte sapere fons, UI has not been spared from the accelerating crisis that had attended most universities today: at the local level, a numbing legacy of statism and military encroachment that has infused its valuelessness on the university; at the external level, a global onslaught of market and rationality that undermine the essential functions of the university and reduces everything to the worth of its cash value. The result is a pedagogical underperformance that undermines the essence of the university vis-à-vis the objective of national development.

    Yet, UI has weathered the storms. In close to 65 years of its existence, the University of Ibadan has remained the torchbearer in higher education in Nigeria. There are several indicators of this preeminence beyond the obvious politics of the university webometrics. First, UI is not just the premier university, it long ago became the spring that has fed almost every facet of the Nigerian socio-economic, cultural, political and professional life. Second, the University of Ibadan possesses a unique intellectual tradition that connects a globally rich and differentiated array of research, innovation and enterprise with a local and contextual necessity situated within Nigeria’s post-colonial and post-independence needs. I should know what I’m saying since the University fed my first wondering impulse to probe not only the world through the many scholars I have come into contact with—Plato, Aristotle, Laski, Kenneth Dike, Soyinka, Dudley, Aboyade; Mabogunje, Omolayole, Bolanle Awe, Claude Ake, Emeka Anyaoku, Onosode, Jibril Aminu, Peter Ekeh, but also forced on me the necessity of confronting the legacies of colonialism especially in my chosen sphere of intervention—public administration, institutional analysis and their complex reform dynamics.

    Let me further illustrate this link between global relevance and local/national exigency with the interesting contributions of the Institute of African Studies at Ibadan. The significance of African studies becomes all the more acute against the background of the relegation of History in the curricula of the various educational institutions in Nigeria. This is because it stands at a critical intellectual juncture that enables a nation to interrogate its past in order to be better able to withstand the dynamics of the present and thus prepare for the glories of tomorrow. The African studies programme provides students with an access to an inter- and multi-disciplinary framework of the African experience across the social sciences and humanities with a unique advantage and sharpened knowledge about African issues within historical and contemporary contexts. This makes it possible, for instance, that certain methodological approaches in the natural sciences are currently being applied to traditional areas of studies in ethno-medicine or belief system. This particularly underscores the urgency the Institute of African Studies is placing on scientific growth as a dimension of a nation’s quest for sustainable growth and development.

    African Studies at UI commenced in 1962 under its first Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kenneth Dike. This commencement was significant because Dike was at the forefront of an indigenous pan-African and pan-Nigerian historical scholarship reform that would ensure that the methodologies for revisiting historical knowledge would ensure its relevance for national development. This came to pass under the auspices of the famous Ibadan School of History. It was the same original endogenous paradigm for research that came to define the curricula of African studies. The institute went on to become the hotspot for tested scholars and professionals/Fellows who understand what it means to subordinate learning to the socio-economic development of a nation: J. P. Clark, Wande Abimbola, Saburi Biobaku, Duro Ladipo, Tekena Tamuno, Mabel Segun, and many others. These scholars put the University of Ibadan on the global scene, especially in relation to seminal ideas on the nature of socio-political processes in Nigeria, as well as the culture and history of Africans, whether past or present.

    African Studies at UI has thereby insinuated itself into the dynamic interface of the Nigerian national project not only through its core programmes—Peace and Conflict Studies, Gender Studies, and so on—but also significantly through the many strategic partnership which it has forged with critical sectors of the Nigerian state like security, policy and administration. Many administrators and policy-makers in many of the country’s security agencies, who are alumni of the Institute of African Studies, collaborate with the Institute in the training of their security personnel. With the Peace and Conflict Studies Programme of the institute, more security operatives in Nigeria are being trained for effectiveness and for more efficiency in the protection of lives and property.There are also ongoing researches into the operational and cultural dynamics of conflicts which is imperative within the plural context of Nigeria.

    For Evelyn Waugh, British novelist, there are four grades of universities; schools which by their founding principles and performances records have the capacity for transformation. These are the “Leading School, First-rate School, Good School, and School.” No one can possibly doubt that the University of Ibadan is a leading school which has, against all odds, withstood several forces bent on undermining the significance of higher education in Nigeria. For many years since its founding, the University has been at the frontier of relevant research and a critical scholarship that a nation can tap into, in constructive collaboration, for the task of making Nigeria work. With its Institute of African Studies, and other such critical programmes, the university becomes a crucial fulcrum in Nigeria’s search for a human capital paradigm that would catalyse Nigeria’s national development profile through the dogged determination of those forged in the pedagogical cauldron of learning and sound judgment.

    • Dr. Olaopa is Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Abuja.

  • Power: And the sky brightens

    Friday, August 2, Biola Sodeinde (not real name), was in her office in Abuja, when she heard a beep on her telephone. It was actually a bank alert, welcoming her into the club of millionaires. Although she confirmed that the account where the alert came in was actually hers, she was still not convinced about the reality of the figures before her eyes. Not with the numerous scam messages informing GSM users of billions of dollars they had “won” in strange promos they had no idea about.

    Fidgeting, she went to contemplate, then came back and picked her bag, went into her boss’ office to ask for permission to attend to an urgent business and immediately rushed to a branch of her bank a few streets away, barely pausing to acknowledge any form of greetings. She had to double-check her information directly from the source. Of course, she did a few minutes later. Since then, she has not only become a new person, but the real import of one of the popular verses in the holy book “old things have passed away, behold, everything is new,” has come into a sharp focus.

    Sodeinde’s story underscores the new gale sweeping across the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), since real cash started dropping into the accounts of some of its workers a few days ago. It is a phenomenon that is not only swelling their accounts but their confidence as well because a new window where opportunities meet realities has since opened.

    For those still at sea, the implication of this landmark development, signposts the beginning of the end of a journey, which started exactly 13 years ago, when the axiomatic first step of a thousand miles was taken to meet the power needs of Nigerians.

    Though it has been a journey through a thorny, winding and crooked road, strewn with landmines, broken bottles and other sharp objects that inflicted deep and enduring wounds and pains on many stakeholders that walked through it, some of which they are still nursing till date, the promises of its ending appear to be worth the wait.

    That is the underpinning outcome of the privatisation initiative, conceived as the panacea to steady power supply for Nigeria, an idea that was began to take effect with the development in the year 2000 of the National Electric Power Policy (NEPP), approved by then Federal Executive Council (FEC) under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The development, which was hinged on making fundamental changes in the structure of ownership, control and regulation of the power sector, provided the framework for the eventual promulgation of the Electric Power Reform Act (EPRA), in 2005 that gave way to the transmutation of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), to PHCN. By this metamorphosis, the new entity assumed the legal teeth to warehouse the assets and liabilities of the decades-old NEPA, including the staff.

    However the concerns of workers as to their fate in the new formation, which began to manifest at this point added to other factors in stalling the process. The attempt by their leaders to cut out the fairest deal and the insistence of government stakeholders to grant only what was practical, realistic and legal, drove a wedge into what ordinarily was considered in certain quarters as a done-deal. The effect was a monstrous set of crises that burgeoned over time.

    Recall the situation in the power sector by this time a year ago. Surely, nobody would have forgotten that era of long knives when the devil himself practically took over and held the entire sector and Nigeria at large by the jugular, threatening to snuff out life from the vortex of the privatisation engine, cause a crack in it and bring it to an abrupt and unedifying death. Recall the lockouts, the confrontation between workers and the security force; the vigils and prayer sessions and deafening din; the gradual push towards the edge of the precipice; the apparent fear of that final push to tip the entire process and bring the dream cascading down to the bottom of jagged rocks and eventually crashing to an inevitable death.

    Compare the sharp difference of that era of despondency among the PHCN staff and now with the experiences of the likes of Biola. That is when the import of the new reality becomes evident.

    At the centre of it all is the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Ositadinma Nebo. A few days ago, the minister gave the nod for the commencement of actual payment of the severance benefits of the PHCN workers. This was hinged on the completion of the paper works, including forensic assessment and documentation of the records of beneficiaries.

    According to media reports quoting the Chairman of the Implementation Committee, for the exercise and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, N118billion has been approved for the first tranche of the payment of about 20,304 staff who have been cleared for the Generation (GENCOs) and Distribution (DISCOs) companies whose names were sent to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), the outcome of which has already registered in the accounts of the beneficiaries.

    What could be more demonstrable evidence of his ability and potency for exorcising the demons and witches in the power sector, which Nebo had promised the nation even before assuming his seat than this feat of taming this particular devil in the labour conflict? Of course other demons had fallen before now, one which also gave way for the enthusiastic payment of 25 per cent of the cost of the GENCOs and DISCOs by their new owners in April.

    With the apparent demise of the “labour devil” and the expected burial by the time each of the PHCN workers smiles home with his pay cheques, the coast would have been clear for the handover of the facilities to private hands, signalling the safe berth of the privatisation ship.

    That is when another phase will begin. Nebo enthusiastically calls it “Awakening the Nigerian Giant.” This is an era which he envisages will become a child’s play to the transformation experienced in the country’s telecommunications industry; where Nigerians, enjoying uninterrupted power supply will go back to work again, unleashing in the process, in their own country the full potentials and resilience through which they not only became indispensable elsewhere in the globe but practically squeezed water out of stones to eke out a living at home; where industrialists will no longer suffer huge costs of production as a result of generating their own power, the wielders, hairdressers, cold room operators and other artisans, who are actually seen by economists as the real engine of economic growth will be fully engaged and earn an honest living; where by so doing, few would have little time for the devil to use them as a workshop by leading them into unimaginable vices including crimes; where the gory stories of deaths by carbon monoxide from generators would be told in the past tense and where the revving engine of growth will continuously propel the nation to achieving its fullest potentials as one of God’s most endowed nations of the world.

    That’s what is in the offing at the moment. Already, Anambra State, especially Awka, the state capital and environs now report almost a 24-hour power supply. In a few months time Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of government would start experiencing 24-hour power supply while strategic industrial cities like Lagos would get a minimum of 22 hours.

    It may yet be early to roll out the drums and call the party right now. But who would blame Nebo if he takes a drink now as the nation awaits this great end?

    • Igboanugo, a journalist wrote from Abuja.

  • The Nation is right on Akpabio

    SIR: The truth is very bitter. That is why Governor Godswill Akpabio is furious about the editorial carried by The Nation newspaper. The majority of Akwa Ibom people would agree that the editorial aptly captured the disposition of Mr. Akpabio. Ever since he became the state chief executive, he has displayed a complete lack of tact in his speeches and actions. It is public knowledge that he is ruthless in dealing with his opponents, real and imagined. This is a man who does not tolerate critics and opposition in what is supposed to be a democracy. He runs a miniature tyranny where opponents and critics have been hounded into exile out of fear for their lives. His victims are endless.

    They include Amb. Edem, Prof. Wilson, Nsima Ekere, Chief Ononokpono and lately, Senator Etok. His serial denial only smacks of hysteria and hypersensitivity typical of tyrants. No sympathy for Mr. Umana though. For six years he rode on the tiger’s back, now he has ended up in the tiger’s belly. He is complicit in the atrocities of the Akpabio administration.

     

    • Ubong Essien,

    Uyo

  • Behold, the bench-warming senators

    It was a brilliant piece of enterprise journalism, the kind of scoop creative and thinking reporters would in a manner of speaking, manufacture. And mind you, there are dozens of such reports out there especially in an environment like ours where our public office has become an amusement park and office holders are sight-seers and revellers. We refer though belatedly, to the mid-term assessment report of the Senate as reported by Daily Trust of July 31, 2013. The paper showcased a front page lead story of 34 senators who did not table a single bill in two years. The newspaper also made a splash of the names and photographs of the bench-snuggling lawmakers.

    Regardless of the defenses some of them may have put up, Hardball insists that being bill-blank after two years as a senator is a veritable testimony that such a fellow is not fit to occupy a seat in the hallowed chambers of Nigeria’s elite legislative conclave. The cases of the laggards become the more inexcusable when in the same number of years and under the same circumstance, some other senators have turned in as many as 24 bills. How could Senator Ndoma Egba have managed to table 24 bills during the same period, Senator Benedict Ayade, 18, Senator Ita Enang, 12 while three others (Smart Adeyemi, Domingo Obenbe and Ifeanyi Okowa) tabled 11 bills each.

    During the period under review, a total of 342 bills were introduced and out of a total of 109 senators, 74 sponsored at least one bill. Of the 342 bills, 191 emanated from senators from the South, 85 were sponsored by northern senators while 42 were executive bills. The remaining 23 were bills originating from the House of Representatives requiring concurrence. Though the senators from the North are more in number being 57 out of the 109, they could only muster less than half of the total bills compared to their southern counterparts.

    Of particular note is the fact that most of the senators who were former state governors all had zero bills in two years. Consider their roll call: Ahmed Makarfi who held sway in Kaduna for eight years, Ahmed Sani Yerima governed Zamfara for eight years while George Akume also led Benue State for two terms of eight years before retiring to the senate. Others are Bukar Abba Ibrahim who was the overlord in Yobe State; Danjuma Goje was in Gombe State, Chris Ngige ruled Anambra State and Kabiru Gaya was in Kano. One would think that with their experience in managing their various states and participating in national affairs at a very high level, they would understand some regional and national issues that would require legislation. But apparently, they either do not understand or they pay no mind to such issues. Indeed, the Senate may well have been a retirement home for these former governors who have not capitalised on the unctuous platform provided by the Senate to make some impact in national affairs.

    The non-performance or dormancy, if you like becomes irksome if you know that these 34 senators would have taken home a total of about N1 billion in pay in the two years in review. While it may be argued that tabling bills is not the only duty of the lawmakers, it is a major plank and not being able to think through one bill in two years says something not too savoury about any senator. Beyond bills, most of the laggard senators have not proven to be active in various other ways like championing the causes of their constituencies or being upfront on national issues. The Senate is the place where great politicians make their marks. But not so these bench-warmers.