The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Fintiri’s first year of second term

    Fintiri’s first year of second term

    Sir: State governors who excelled in their first term always start their second term smoothly, easily formulating policies and executing projects. Those who built significant infrastructure and implemented developmental programs in their first term tend to continue these practices in their second term. Governors who managed resources wisely during their first term enter their second term with a clear vision for completion and the legacy they wish to leave. Furthermore, those who developed effective human capital programs in their first term demonstrate quality leadership in their second term, focusing on the future well-being of their people. And, have quality leadership that uses its ‘today’ for people’s tomorrow.

    Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State is fortunate to belong to the category of state governors who excelled in their first term and continued with vigour in their second term.

    In the first year of his second term, Governor Fintiri has not only maintained the momentum from his first term but has elevated his performance to a level that political-development pundits describe as exceptional and transformational leadership.

    Pundits assert that no leader achieves exceptional and transformational leadership without visionary thinking, flexibility, decisiveness, results-orientedness, and a focus on the future.”

    Read Also: Fintiri appoints DG for Adamawa poverty agency, constitutes boards for others

    While it’s customary to assess a governor’s performance by listing their accomplishments in projects, programmes, and policies during their first or second term, simply enumerating Governor Fintiri’s endeavours over his five-year tenure would merely state the obvious. His projects, programmes, and policies already speak for themselves. The crucial task lies in understanding how the governor managed to pioneer new initiatives and impact all socio-economic sectors of Adamawa State’s economy while navigating the complex socio-political-economic landscape. Adamawa is a microcosm of Nigeria, where politics is ever-present, whether in governance or during political cycles.

    Fintiri’s approach aligns with what operations research scientists refer to as systems thinking. He applies both a series and parallel systems approach, yielding excellent results. Fintiri’s development strategy is series-oriented, where all his projects and programmes are interconnected. The urban renewal projects are interconnected, all programmes are aligned with all projects, and together, they span across every sector. Additionally, Fintiri’s policies are carefully synchronized, complementing the projects and programmes.

    The construction of hundreds of kilometres of roads across the states, the construction of five flyovers and underpasses in the capital city, and the building of 1000 housing units for 5,000 families are just a few components of a comprehensive strategy. Additionally, initiatives such as construction of well-equipped 60-bed five cottages hospitals, rehabilitation and equipping of specialist and general hospitals, the establishing of 21 model nursery and primary schools, and constructing six mega secondary schools are all interconnected efforts.

    Moreover, the distribution of N50,000 through Fintiri wallets to 100,000 people, the clearance of all pension and gratuity backlogs, and the introduction of Fresh Air Metro buses and Blue Bird school buses contribute to the overarching goals. Furthermore, the agribusiness programme, the construction of the Jimeta Stadium, the state-wide rehabilitation of water supply facilities, the construction of new Jimeta Shopping Complex and Yola town markets and redevelopment of other old ones, the foreign and local scholarship programmes, the skills acquisitions centres are interconnected to play a crucial role in enhancing economic, healthcare, human capital development, and education, improving accessibility, facilitating the efficient delivery of services, contributions to broader goals.

    Governor Fintiri’s systems thinking in development and the interconnectedness of projects, programmes, and policies have unprecedentedly scaled up the socio-economic growth and development of Adamawa and its people in just five years.

    •Zayyad I. Muhammad,Abuja.

  • Rivers: Plea for restoration and unity

    Rivers: Plea for restoration and unity

    Sir: As a citizen of Rivers State, I have watched from afar with growing concern as my beloved home has descended into a state of disarray and division. It is with a heavy heart and a deep sense of urgency that I call upon the president to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State. This drastic measure is necessary to address the severe and persistent issues that have plagued the state since 2015, and to pave the way for a brighter and more unified future.

    Since 2015, Rivers State has been fractured into two highly toxic factions. This division has not only polarized the citizenry but has also severely hampered governance and equitable development. The once vibrant and progressive state is now mired in a climate of animosity and dysfunction, where unconstitutional actions have often dictated governance. This is a stark departure from the principles of democracy and the rule of law, which should be the bedrock of our society.

    Read Also: Shettima leads dignitaries as Lamorde is laid to rest

    The suspension of four lawmakers loyal to the governor during plenary, the subsequent arson and demolition of the House of Assembly chamber, and the defection of other assembly members loyal to the Minister of the FCT have set the state on a roller coaster of confusion. There is a clear breakdown in legislative order. These actions seem to have rendered the state without a functioning legislature, plunging it further into a state of anarchy. Without a legislative body to provide checks and balances, the state is effectively without the necessary framework to ensure accountable governance.

    The current trajectory of Rivers State is alarming. The state’s descent into lawlessness and instability not only threatens the well-being of its citizens but also undermines the potential for any meaningful development. The toxic political climate has created an environment where progress is stifled, and the needs of the people are overshadowed by the relentless power struggles.

    Despite this bleak picture, there is a silent majority in Rivers State that remains apolitical and committed to the state’s progress. These individuals, who strive for development and prosperity, are stymied by the pervasive toxicity that has gripped the state. Their voices are drowned out by the cacophony of political infighting, leaving them powerless to effect the change that Rivers State so desperately needs.

    In light of these circumstances, I implore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State. This intervention is critical to restore order, ensure the rule of law, and create an environment conducive to development and unity. A state of emergency would provide the framework to reset the state’s governance, allowing for the establishment of a functioning legislature and the implementation of constitutional actions.

     The people of Rivers State deserve a government that works for them, not against them. They deserve a state where development is spread equitably, and where governance is guided by the principles of democracy and the rule of law. By declaring a state of emergency, the president can help to restore sanity, promote development, and ultimately, heal the divisions that have torn Rivers State apart.

    It is time for bold and decisive action. The future of Rivers State hangs in the balance, and only through a concerted effort to address these deep-rooted issues can we hope to reclaim the state’s lost glory. Let us come together to support this call for a state of emergency, for the sake of our beloved Rivers State and its people.

    •Wabiye Dikio Idoniboyeobu (ANIPR)

    <fausty2006@gmail.com>

  • Drug trafficking: Web of deceit and destruction

    Drug trafficking: Web of deceit and destruction

    Sir: The recent arrest of a Paris-bound businessman who ingested 111 wraps of cocaine at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the busting of a drug trafficking syndicate at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos underscore the desperation and reach of drug cartels.

    As the efforts of the drug cartels once again ended in futility, we can’t help but acknowledge that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), is making significant strides in disrupting drug trafficking operations. However, such arrests are a reminder that Nigeria has to do more, and the effort to tame the illicit drug menace requires a sustained and coordinated effort to dismantle trafficking networks within and across our national borders.

    Drug trafficking is a transnational crime that weaves a web of deceit and destruction, exploiting loopholes in international travel and trade. Criminal organisations have adapted to law enforcement strategies, using innovative methods to smuggle drugs, including ingesting or concealing them in everyday items like paint buckets, motor engines, speakers, etc. The rise of online marketplaces and cryptocurrencies has also enabled drug traffickers to operate anonymously and launder profits with ease.

    Read Also: Lamorde a soldier of anti-corruption, says EFCC chairman

    Nonetheless, NDLEA’s efforts have demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to combating drug trafficking. All hands must be on deck to uproot the causes of this menace. The public needs to be aware that failure to act has negative ramifications because where trafficking goes unabated, there will be no end to drug abuse, which in turn leads to devastating consequences including health problems, family breakdown and social instability, among others. It also fuels criminal activities, corruption and violence, all undermining national security and economic development.

    To effectively dismantle illicit drug networks, governments, law enforcement agencies and international communities must collaborate and share intelligence to disrupt supply chains, extradite and prosecute drug traffickers and cut off financial lifelines by making sure all assets are forfeited to the government.

    Supporting demand reduction programmes like the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign launched by NDLEA in June 2021 and addressing social and economic factors that enable drug abuse are also crucial in the effort to stem the tide of the illicit drug menace.

    In conclusion, dismantling drug networks across borders requires a sustained and coordinated effort from the government, law enforcement agencies and international organisations. By adopting a comprehensive approach that addresses demand, improves border security and strengthens international partnerships, Nigeria can effectively curb the drug menace and ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens.

     •Olufemi Fadahunsi, Ado-Ekiti.

  • When politicians play chess with Kano Emirate

    When politicians play chess with Kano Emirate

    • By Ahmad Babangida Baba

    Sir: The recent political manoeuvres in the Kano Emirate have brought to light the troubling interplay between politics and traditional leadership in Nigeria. This situation has far-reaching negative impacts, destabilizing not only the emirate but also the broader socio-political landscape of Kano State.

    The Emirate of Kano, historically a bastion of cultural and traditional leadership, has increasingly become a pawn in political games. The initial deposition of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi by former governor, Abdullahi Ganduje in 2020, followed by the creation of four new emirates, was seen by many as a move to diminish the power and influence of the traditional emirate. Last week’s reinstatement of Sanusi further underscores how traditional institutions are being undermined by political interests.

    This erosion of traditional authority weakens the very fabric of the emirate, reducing the respect and legitimacy of the traditional rulers. The continuous political interference creates an environment where the emirs are seen as extensions of political parties rather than impartial custodians of culture and tradition.

    As it is, the manoeuvrings have not only destabilized the emirate but also sown discord among the people of Kano. It has created factions and divisions within the community that would be difficult to heal. Such divisions can lead to social unrest, as different groups feel marginalized or unfairly treated depending on which political faction they support.

    Read Also: Ondo 2024: Canvass for votes honourably, Aiyedatiwa tells opponents

    The current situation in the emirate undermines trust in both the traditional and governmental institutions. The people of Kano are likely to view these institutions as tools for political manipulation rather than bodies working for their welfare. This distrust can lead to apathy and disengagement from civic duties, weakening democratic processes and governance.

    The involvement of prominent political figures like Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the conflicting statements from different political actors exacerbate this distrust. When political leaders treat the emirate as a battlefield for their power struggles, it sends a message that the needs and voices of the people are secondary to political ambitions.

    The emirate should be a symbol of unity and cultural heritage, not a chess piece in political games. For Kano to thrive, both its political and traditional leaders must work towards fostering respect, stability, and genuine development for its entire people.

    •Ahmad Babangida Baba,

    Atapoly, Bauchi.

  • Nigeria’s crumbling prisons

    Nigeria’s crumbling prisons

    • By Ike Willie-Nwobu

    Sir: A tour through Nigerian prison shows where the country is in its dream of being a decent and dignified society.

    Dilapidated buildings, squalid conditions, overcrowding, non-existent hygiene, and everything else that can make one regret the day of their birth. When the nightmarish conditions of Nigerian prisons are factored into the fact that its extremely porous justice system ensures that many people go in for crimes they did not commit, the problem becomes a national emergency, a disaster waiting to happen. Disaster did happen on April 24 when the Suleja Correctional Facility collapsed under a rush of riotous rainfall, setting about 118 prisoners suddenly free, churning out an answer to their prayers in the process.

    For those looking out from prisons and those looking in from the outside, nothing has changed in the conditions of prisons and prisoners save for a name change- a correction that is anything but correctional, rather meant to castrate the fury of campaigners. Dignity does not condone half measures. Historically, anytime human dignity has been constrained to drops like bracken water from rusty old pipes, it has often died.

    Justice is necessarily the foundation on which any durable democracy must be built. However, for those who have to go to prison because justice dictates that they should, it does not have to be a death sentence in the literal sense of the phrase or the end to their dreams and humanity. The conditions in the prisons do not have to be such as to shock already weary prisoners into despair.

     One of man’s greatest attributes is the ability to surprise. The reason the human story is often brimming with warmth and wonder is that people have always shown that they can change. This has typically justified giving people a second chance, an opportunity to pick up the pieces, even if they hardly deserve the same. Prisons should be places where people are not only supported to reform and rehabilitate their lives but are encouraged to pick up the pieces, no matter how badly broken.

    Read Also: FG to establish 24 skills, innovation hubs, entrepreneurship centres – Tinubu

    This means that the buildings and basics have to change. Like many other things in Nigeria, the prisons have suffered from the malaise of a poor maintenance culture. Many of the buildings are in poor and desperate conditions. Like the electricity infrastructure that crumble and call on darkness under the barest whiff of pressure from nature, many of the prisons are just waiting for the slightest pressure to crumble. Now that the rains are coming, the Nigerian authorities may want to look into the durability of the physical structures of the prisons.

    Then, it also bears asking: what usually becomes of those who go to prison in Nigeria? Do they become better or worse behind bars?

    Crime can be a bit cyclical in that once it works itself into a vicious cycle, as it so often does, it is almost impossible to curtail. Prisons where conditions are historically poor have been known to provide fertile breeding grounds for crime and the vices that become crime, ensuring that no one really changes for the better then.

    The less said about a country that cannot even properly contain and change its criminals the better, but the danger posed by prisoners let loose by the elemental forces of nature should be enough to jolt a slumbering country awake.

    •Ike Willie-Nwobu,

    Ikewilly9@gmail.com

  • E-Government and public sector responsiveness

    E-Government and public sector responsiveness

    By Ekpa, Stanley Ekpa

    Sir: The idea of public service delivery becomes defected, when citizens cannot have easy access to information and systems that enable them to communicate their needs, opinions, and suggestions to governments and their agents. Given the efficiency challenges faced by the Nigerian Postal Service, the primary agency that should have provided a cost-effective correspondence service for state-owned institutions, digital responses via email correspondence becomes a sustainable and cost-effective alternative, yet, most MDAs hardly maintain digital correspondence desks. 

    In a rapidly evolving digital era, where citizens transact through swift and automated technologies, citizens want governments to deliver more responsive, affordable and innovative public service to the people. When you consider this emerging reality, you will no doubt know that the future which started yesterday, needs a different model of public service delivery and responsiveness to social demands – an efficient public service delivery that runs 24 hours to meet the needs of human life at a speed of light.

    Those responsible to providing public goods and services must respond to citizens’ needs in good time and such response should be consistent with citizens requests and demands.

    In order to achieve the purpose of which the state and governments exist, the next generation government must be reliable, responsive, fast and closer to the people, in providing their needs through a flow of ease of citizens-public officials’ interactions. To create such future public service efficiency, emerging civil servants and public officials must appreciate the role of government in a different way from what we know our government to be today.

    The next generation of public sector leaders must understand that government must be available, innovative and digital, to satisfy public demands. Since almost every human transaction are now successfully switched to smart systems, the services of governments and their agents must swiftly switch to digital too, in order to be available to everyone, everywhere. Public services must be connected, integrated and made convenient for citizens to follow through without long hours of physical presence, necessitating long hours of trips and waiting on ques.

    The next generation civil servants and public officials are required to provide premium service to the general public. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum set the goal, that “we want to our government to welcome customers more professionally than hotels; we want our government to manage processes better than banks”. This requires that public institutions have to hire citizens who are public and people-oriented, excellence driven and ready to provide them with the convenience and economic dignity that will enable them to do their work professionally.

    Read Also: Ondo 2024: Canvass for votes honourably, Aiyedatiwa tells opponents

    If almost all sectors of private enterprises are open for 24 hours, the next generation governments and their agents must deliver efficient and effective public services for 24 hours. Our government cannot afford to go on 5pm closure, knowing that the function of the government is to secure the life and social wellbeing of every citizen, irrespective what time of the day or night the “wellbeing” is needed. Human needs require round the cloth solutions; and so does the role of government.

    Perhaps, the more important route to achieving public sector responsiveness is public sector openness and transparency. We can start with questions on how accessible are agencies and states audit reports? How open and up to date are audit legal framework, and effectiveness of state assemblies and local government legislative arms to review reports of governance at the subnational and local government levels?

    Again, and every now, our collective attention seems to be fixed on the activities of the federal government alone, thereby leaving the subnational and local governments unaccountable. The next generation civil servants and public officials have a duty to know that the beginning of openness in governance is a culture that recognizes that there is no shame or foolishness in openness and transparency, even when it is inconvenient.  It does not matter if it is at the lowest level, we need responsiveness and accountability from every level of leadership.

    If smaller organizations can send regular newsletters to people on their mail list, government agencies have no excuse not to use digital channels to reach citizens on government policies, strategies, programmes, activities and resources utilization. This requires a Nigerian bureaucratic system that is truly responsive, sensitive, sympathetic and able to relate to the needs of citizens within a reasonable time. This will be the easiest way to building public trust, confidence and public participation in government processes.

    •Ekpa, Stanley Ekpa,

     via ekpastanleyekpa@gmail.com

  • Abba and the Gang – 2 

    Abba and the Gang – 2 

    Abba and the Gang (2 August 2023) first made a landing here when Abba Yusuf, new Kano governor, went on a demolition spree: Daula Boutique Hotel (worth N100 bn); and Kano’s Golden Monument (worth N160 million), erected to mark 50 years of Kano State’s creation in 1967. 

    The Abba Yusuf typhoon must tear through Kano because Governor Yusuf and his gang must settle political scores.

    Now, Tyhoon Abba just struck again: setting fire to his own roof but throatily blaming others!  It’s all the politics of Emir enthronement and dethronement. 

    Gone — at least by the Kano executive-legislative fiat of May 23 — are the Emirs of Kano, Rano, Karaye, Bichi and Gaya, all created from the sole Kano Emirate, by the Abdullahi Ganduje ancien regime.

    Back is the old sole emirate, with Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, the volcanic Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, back as the 16th Kano emir, after his Ganduje deposition as 14th emir in 2019.

    Whatever the Kano government does in its territory is no business of Hardball.  Our business is the dire consequences of governors and legislators acting before thinking.  Here, Governor Yusuf and the Kano Assembly take the cake.

    If you must remove an emir, you must have thought hard; and planned ever harder to manage the bumpy aftermath.  The case here is clearly the opposite.

    The moment the deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero called the governor’s bluff and landed in Kano to press his rights — referencing a reported court injunction — Governor Yusuf panicked. 

    He ordered the police to arrest him — what for?   So, because Bayero is an emir, he had lost his right as a citizen under the law?  Imagine if Kano had its own state police!  It’s governors like Yusuf that give state police a bad name!

    Then, Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo latched on to a chain of reckless allegations:  Ganduje and National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, conspired to ferry the deposed emir into Kano!  The Army Headquarters (read the Federal Government) was in on the plot too: to browbeat Kano for a “popular” dethronement! 

    Read Also: Ondo 2024: Canvass for votes honourably, Aiyedatiwa tells opponents

    On the NSA, Gwarzo has already eaten crow, claiming the Kano administration was misled.  If the NSA allegation is false, how can the Ganduje one be true, by basic logical thinking, since both are linked?

    The governor himself first flew off the handle: the judge that granted the instruction was abroad.  Even if he was, was the governor himself right by resorting to self-help, instead of going back to that same court to vacate the injunction?

    Then, the state Attorney-General claimed the injunction came after the entire process had been concluded.  Are these all stacking of cards?  Shouldn’t the government have taken that cast-iron evidence to court?

    However this case is resolved — and the judiciary should take its rightful place — it is clear, by two glaring examples now, that Abba Yusuf and his gang lack the emotional intelligence to govern a local government, talk less of an entire state. 

    You don’t set your house on fire and passionately start to blame others.  That’s exact,y what the Kano government is doing. 

    The courts should fasten the judicial processes before things get out of hand. An emirate with two emirs holding court is a recipe for disaster.

  • Tinubu on the Ecowas rostrum

    Tinubu on the Ecowas rostrum

    By Emma Okondo

    Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will soon be one year in office as the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the regional body comprising  Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.

    As the multilateral institution closest to Nigeria, and to which the country is a formidable member for many reasons, Nigerians tend to be quite interested in developments within the community, and West Africans have come to expect more whenever this regional body is headed by a Nigerian.

    Looking back to its founding in 1975, a number of Nigerian leaders have at various times been called upon to chart the same course as President Tinubu, leading the community  through calm and turbulent times. Each of these leaders had left behind formidable records of their efforts to cement the unity of member states and advance the economic progress of the community.

    When President Tinubu joined this club of leaders of member countries of ECOWAS at their 63rd Ordinary Session in Bissau, capital of Guinea Bissau in early July 2023 to present himself as the leader of the sub-regional body, it marked his first step on the African continental platform.

    Read Also: Humanitarian ministry reels out Tinubu’s four months’ achievements for the vulnerable

    When the leaders chose him to lead the bloc at  the union’s 48th anniversary, it was a massive vote of confidence in the new president who was inaugurated less than two months earlier. As he took over from the host country’s President Umaro Embalo, President Tinubu effectively mounted the rostrum, and placed himself on a pedestal, assuming the proverbial head that wears the crown. Once again, I am reminded of President Tinubu’s theory on the mechanics of leadership.

    In the Guardian newspaper of Nigeria issue of Friday, March 29, 2024, he reportedly said: “In politics you can’t be a spectator and hope to succeed. It is like a football game. In the course of playing, you sustain injuries and have bruises. You nurse your injuries and bruises and continue to play. That’s the only way you can win.”

    So there is no doubt that when President Tinubu saw himself in the West African pitch he was upbeat, eager to introduce new approaches to doing things. He was immediately concerned with the threat to peace in West Africa and the menace of totalitarian regimes. “We must stand firm on democracy…. We will not allow coup after coup in West Africa,” he said.

    Apparently, as a dye in the wool democrat, he understood instinctively that the struggle for political stability in individual nations is inherently proportional to the level of cooperation and regional integration that ECOWAS can hope to achieve. He was a leader spreading the same message of renewed hope and progress that he preached throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria in the period leading to the February 2023 elections.

    President Tinubu has since proved how steadfast he was on the necessity for peace, security and well-being of all the member countries and their people.

    If the ECOWAS Chairman was infuriated with the coup d’etat in the Republic of Niger that dislodged President Mohamed Bazoum on 26th July, 2024, it was because he had a natural abhorrence for military regimes, and because the ECOWAS leader had earlier warned against such acts of brinkmanship by military and civilian adventurists. It was also because like every right thinking democrat, it was the last thing to expect   from Niger, Nigeria’s closest neighbour to the north, which shares common interests and even common ancestry with many Notherners.

    So, between the ECOWAS leaders’ first Extraordinary Summit in Abuja on 30th July, 2023 and the second of 10th August, 2023, the anger over the defiant posture by the military authorities in Niger led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani rose astronomically. What followed was a number of heated debates over sovereignty, the correct way to take over power in a civilized society, the merits of democracy over militarism the unintended sufferings of innocent citizens across the two borders as a result of the sanctions, and soon after, the ill advised decision of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to withdraw their membership of the regional institution.

    According to the ECOWAS leader, the mandatory sanctions on Niger, the one-week ultimatum for restoration of constitutional order and the threat to raise a standby force may be tough resolutions but it was within the rights of the member states to take them, and they attested to the “power of collaboration and unity among member states” especially as “all diplomatic efforts were … rejected (by the junta) at various intervals.”

    However, to the relief of many, especially the suffering people of Niger republic, Chairperson Tinubu in the Extraordinary Summit in Abuja on February 2024 held to discuss Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger’s purported withdrawal from the regional group, demonstrated high leadership acumen by rescinding the debilitating sanctions. He told his colleagues that they “must re-examine our current approach to our quest for constitutional order in four (Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger) of our member states,” as the situation in the sub region “demand difficult but courageous decisions” that required them to put the plight of the people at the centre of their deliberations. Thus began the healing process that has since lowered the political temperature of the region. As Tinubu noted,

    “Democracy is nothing more than the political framework and the path to addressing the basic needs and aspirations of the people.”

    That statement clearly showed how progressive and how bold his leadership was, because while the regional body fought a rearguard battle with the juntas, valuable time was being wasted and energies dissipated as security challenges persisted and the lives of the people of West Africa remain poor, and endangered.

    Softening his earlier hard-line tone particularly with respect to Niger, President Tinubu certainly took into consideration the aggregate of public opinion, and the impassioned plea of the only surviving founding father of ECOWAS, Nigeria’s General Yakubu Gowon who urged the lifting of sanctions and the return of the three defiant countries to the fold.

    As President Tinubu constantly explained, he had no personal agenda in the matter and he urged junta leaders not see him and his colleagues as enemies but as allies on the path to ensure that their citizens partake in all the “benefits of regional integration initiative” like other citizens across the region.

    Indeed, for the ECOWAS leaders to have swiftly approved President Tinubu’s persuasive memo presented by the ECOWAS Commission lifting all manner of sanctions and restrictions placed on Niger, Mali and Guinea was an outstanding vote of confidence on the leadership of the Nigerian leader. He continued to consolidate his support by expanding the pool of opinion available for his consideration and taking contributions from all relevant stakeholders.

    At the inauguration of the first session of the sixth legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja on the 4th of April, 2024 he spoke within the context of the need for wider consultations with the people’s representatives, for expanded citizen participation.

    One of the brighter implications of Tinubu’s one year at the helm of ECOWAS is his savvy interventions that no doubt contributed to resolving the political impasse in Senegal where President Macky Sall gave in to popular desire to berth a credible presidential election that gave birth to a successor, Bassirou Diomaye Faye in March 2024. That success story of democracy no doubt has a benevolent effect on the sustainable growth of democractic governance in the region and may yet propel the people living under dictatorial regimes to push for civil elections in their countries. 

    There is also the less known story of how his intervention in Sierra Leone stopped former Presidents John Bai Koroma and his immediate successor Julius Maada Bio from re-enacting the events that led to a gruesome civil war in that country. Now Koroma has been resettled in Nigeria and there is peace once more in Sierra Leone.

    In conclusion I am reminded of U.S. President Harry Truman who said after Adolf Hitler’s surrender in World War 11 that, “it is easier to remove tyrants… than it is to kill the ideas which gave them birth”. In a number of his speeches, President Tinubu has insisted that unless democracy provides the dividends it promised, unless people see that civilian governments take care of their well-being and reduce poverty in their lands, the threat of coups will not go away.

    History  is replete with leaders experiencing challenges and difficulties as they strived to steer the ship of state, therefore President Tinubu’s path on the rostrum will meet some rough patches. What is however not in doubt is that as leader of the regional body, President Tinubu has been able to take decisive measures to discourage impunity, to encourage dialogue and to bring more peace to the region.

    •Okondo is former deputy director News, NTA Headquarters

  • President Tinubu’s unsung achievements

    President Tinubu’s unsung achievements

    By May 29, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR will clock one year in office. There is no doubt that if many Nigerians are asked to assess his government, they will start the assessment with the economic hardship in the country, believed to be induced by his twin policies of removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of our long struggling Naira currency.

    I am pretty sure that none of us would remember that funding of fuel subsidy had already become unsustainable by the time Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023. We would also not remember that few months before President Muhammadu Buhari left office, his Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed announced that the country was funding subsidy through borrowing. We were told that from June 2022 to June 2023 alone, the Buhari government budgeted N3 trillion to cover petrol subsidy costs. This subsidy had long been known by all of us as a cesspit of corruption, worse than the Ajaokuta Steel Company.

    Like the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu said in his book “Because I am involved,” we conveniently forget certain facts about our journey through life as a polity.” If not, we would have remembered that Nigerians in the corridors of power were enriched by the dual exchange rate policy, which according to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Muhammad Sanusi II, encouraged similar rent seeking and corruption, like the subsidy regime under the immediate past administration.

    Read Also: NAF @60: My govt will procure more aircrafts, equipment to combat insecurity – Tinubu

    However, my intention here is not to argue in favour of President Tinubu’s economic policies because as one equally feeling the pinch, I know how herculean it is to convince a man who does not have food on his table today that an economic policy is meant to secure his tomorrow. What I intend to do here is to share with my countrymen some unsung achievements of the President, which I see as foundational building blocks for a united, peace and prosperous Nigeria of our dream.

    One, is the appointment of Supreme Court judges to fill the vacancies in the bench of the apex court. Prior to this appointment, the Supreme Court had only 10 Justices as opposed to the 21 constitutionally recommended. The fact that the 10 justices came from four out of the six geo-political zones of the country, made the situation a matter of public concern. While the South-West and North-East had three justices each, the South-South and North-West had two each. The South East and North Central had none. With the appointment of the 11 justices by President Tinubu, all the geo-political zones in the country are now equitably represented in the Supreme Court bench.

    The President went further to approve the increment of monthly salary package for judges, comprising basic salaries and regular allowances, estacodes and leave allowances. Prior to this increment, Nigerian judges were among the poorest when it comes to remuneration of judges in Africa. For instance, judges in Nigeria were earning far less than their counterparts in Ghana and South Africa. The poor remuneration of judges in Nigeria was largely seen as responsible for the corruption that bedeviled the justice system in Nigeria. Prior to the increment, a retired Supreme Court Justice, Dattijo Muhammad, while speaking at his valedictory ceremony, lamented the poor salary structure of justices in Nigeria.  Many lawyers believed that the increment would grant judges the security and freedom they need to operate, hence enhancing our legal system and deepening our democracy.

    The second achievement of President Tinubu is ensuring that every geo-political zone is represented in the National Security Council (NSC). Under his predecessor, Buhari, nobody from the South East was found worthy of appointment as a service chief and into the Security Council. Under Tinubu, Rear Admiral Emmanuel A, Ogalla from Igbo-Eze North Local Government, Enugu State, became the Chief of Naval Staff. The last time a South Easterner served in that capacity was in 1993-1994 in the person of Real Admiral Allison Madueke, from the same Enugu State.

    Thirdly, the President has shown huge commitment to cutting the cost of governance, which experts have associated with the inability of the country to achieve meaningful development over the years. Sequel to the public outcry that greeted Nigeria’s very large delegation to COP 28 climate change conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, he went the whole hog to slash by 60 percent the number of those accompanying public officials on any given trip, whether foreign or local. To further confront the massive cost of governance, in February this year, Tinubu ordered the full implementation of the 2012 Oronsanye report, which will reduce the number of government departments and agencies through merger, relocation and scrapping of some departments and agencies. A month after, he imposed three-month ban on foreign travels for Nigerian officials under the employment of the federal government.

    Nevertheless, I have heard some people complain that Tinubu appointed 48 ministers, the highest number appointed by any president so far. According to the calculation of one of the national newspapers, the 48 ministers will gulp N8.6 billion in four years. Ironically, I am aware that my people in the South East are even clamouring for more ministerial slots to bring them at par with other regions in the federal cabinet. My take here is that if a country like Ghana with a population of 36 million people is currently running with 40 ministers, 48 ministers for the most populous black nation on earth with an estimated population of 230 million people, may not be over bloated as widely insinuated, once there is moderation in the cost of maintaining them.

    President Tinubu promised to renew the hope of Nigerians. He knows his plan, including the personnel he needed to fulfill the promise he made to Nigerians. For me, whether he appointed 42 or 48 ministers should not be our headache. Our interest is to see a Nigeria that cares for everybody irrespective of tribe or creed or class. 

    Fourthly, the current administration has renewed the commitment of the Federal Government to quality education for human capital development. There is global consensus that education is the bedrock of development. Examples abound in the success stories of the Asian Tigers like Singapore and South Korea and the Scandinavian Countries, such as Denmark, Norway and Sweden. In the 2024 budget of Nigeria, education got N2.16 trillion, representing 6.39 percent of the total budget. Although this allocation fell below the 15 percent recommended by UNESCO, it is an improved allocation to education, compared to previous budgets.

    In addition to funding, Tinubu administration has been interfacing with critical stakeholders in the education sector, including the education sector unions and the students themselves. It is important to point out that this administration paid the eight months’ salary arrears of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) withheld by the immediate past administration during the prolonged strike of the union. Nonetheless, the other unions in the university system are clamouring for the payment of their own withheld salaries. Another achievement of the administration is the introduction of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which will enhance access to tertiary education in the country. 

  • Appraising Tinubu’s one year in office

    Appraising Tinubu’s one year in office

    By Abu Ibrahim

    As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marks one year in office this week, Nigerians are evaluating his performance in the various sectors so far. His election marked a critical moment in Nigeria’s political history, evoking expectations and scrutiny. This is often the case. In doing this, however, most of the analyses on Tinubu’s performance do not do justice to the dire economic challenges that confronted Nigeria before his swearing-in. An analysis of the president’s performance in the last year must be put in proper context. Some of the “little things” the president needs to do, especially for the downtrodden, will also be highlighted.

    The Tinubu administration inherited sluggish economic growth, record debt and shrinking oil output. He also had zero budget for fuel subsidy. These challenges have made life tough for Nigerians. Nigeria’s debt ballooned by nearly 60 per cent since 2015, hitting $103 billion in early 2023, according to figures released by the Debt Management Office. Considering the off-book loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the country’s indebtedness appears higher, at $167 billion. This was why finance experts asserted that as much as 90 per cent of the revenue would be needed to service the debt.

    In January 2023, ratings agency, Moody’s downgraded Nigeria, citing those figures. According to some calculations, debt servicing costs surpassed revenue last year. Nigeria’s shockingly low levels of government revenue also raised questions about its ability to spend to boost growth. The debt pressures are symptomatic of that lack of government revenue.

    The shortfall in revenue stems from rampant, industrial-scale theft which pressed oil output in 2023 to its lowest in more than 30 years. Oil and gas typically fund half of Nigeria’s budget and 90 per cent of our foreign exchange. Continued theft, underinvestment and industrial disputes hinder output. On top of this, crippling fuel subsidies drain what is left of oil sales. Fitch Ratings estimated that the implicit petrol subsidy must have cost the government approximately 2.4 per cent of GDP in foregone revenue. Experts say taming the subsidy and boosting oil output, is the path away from an economic conundrum.

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    The previous administration created a complicated web of official and parallel exchange rates to support the embattled naira. It also created a long list of items banned from using central bank foreign exchange. This policy, businesses say, resulted in widespread dollar shortages that impacted negatively on growth, while investors say the difficulty in getting money out of the country has strangled investment. The Tinubu administration began tackling this through its monetary and fiscal policies especially as inflation hit a nearly two-decade high, eating into savings and salaries.

    There are also multifaceted security challenges. The country’s six geopolitical zones are faced with one or more forms of insecurity from banditry, kidnapping, separatist agitations, assassinations, farmer-herder clashes, and communal clashes, coupled with over a decade-long fight against Boko Haram terrorists.

    These were the challenges Tinubu inherited last year. To forge ahead, he needed to take tough economic decisions. He removed the crippling fuel subsidy regime which all the presidential candidates in the 2023 election said they would do too. He liberalised the foreign exchange market and constituted a high-powered committee to reform the tax policy. These steps – which are painful, no doubt – are necessary because Nigeria’s many problems need to be addressed urgently for various reasons. The population is growing and based on projections, it is expected to be the third most populated country in the world by 2050. Also, it is witnessing a brain drain due to citizens leaving the country in droves for socioeconomic reasons.

    So, how do I appraise the president’s performance in the last year?

    Given the prevailing circumstances highlighted above, the president has done well in the last year. He has laid a solid foundation for economic growth. President Tinubu is resolutely focused on policies and actions that will attract long-term local and foreign investments to Nigeria, knowing that every naira and dollar of new investment means new jobs, increased productivity for local consumption and export, and much-needed economic growth. For these investments to happen, the business environment must be conducive. This explains the ongoing effort to rebuild the capacity of the Central Bank of Nigeria. It also accounts for tax and fiscal reforms in the country, to reduce the burden on businesses.

    The establishment of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund (RHIDF) is worth mentioning at this stage. The RHIDF is geared toward mobilising billions of dollars for critical infrastructure projects like roads and highways, airports and seaports, and power plants, among other things. Since he assumed office, the president has undertaken several foreign trips engaging with local and foreign investors with remarkable success. This economic diplomacy has seen investment commitments of more than $30 billion across various sectors.

    Equally important is the repositioning of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP). The NSIP is the signature project of the APC in reaching vulnerable Nigerians. The repositioning aims to deliver maximum value to the intended beneficiaries, without the distortion by middlemen. This vision of targeted economic relief has also led to the launch, in recent weeks, of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CrediCorp), and a Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative to provide a cheaper alternative to petrol and diesel for transporters.

    In the last year, the government has also provided direct and targeted economic relief and benefits to boost the livelihoods of Nigerians. The reliefs include grants, education loans, food and fertilizer distribution, cash transfers, health insurance, and consumer credit. Disbursement has since commenced of the nano-grants of fifty thousand Naira each intended for one million Nigerians, part of a larger 200 billion Naira MSMEs credit programme. Understanding the desirability of these grants, the president recently spoke at the World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he said, “Concerning the question of subsidy removal, there is no doubt that it was a necessary action for my country not to go bankrupt and to reset the economy and the pathway to growth. It was going to be difficult, but the hallmark of leadership is making difficult decisions when they need to be made.”

    The liberalisation of the forex market was one of the measures the Tinubu administration took in its early days. On this the president said, “The currency management was necessary, equally to remove the artificial element of value in our currency. Hence, our local currency finds its level and competes with the rest of the world’s currencies as we remove corrupt arbitrage and opaqueness.” President Tinubu wants to reposition the country to become competitive on the global stage. Because of this, we can no longer afford certain ways of doing things. We must push past the false comfort of certain ingrained habits and practices, and endure inevitable but temporary discomfort because we are certain that ahead of us lies lasting reward.

    President Tinubu also campaigned on providing a student loan which he did with the setting up of the Students Loan Act. When issues were raised regarding some aspects of the Act, the president promptly ordered adjustments. He later sent the Act back to the National Assembly, where it was revised in record time and returned for presidential assent. Today we have a much-improved Act that will deliver even greater value to the young Nigerians for whom it is intended.

    I am confident that as the implementation of the first full-year budget of the Tinubu administration gathers momentum, Nigerians will increasingly see, across all sectors of the economy, concrete manifestations of the renewed hope they ushered in a year ago. While Nigeria is facing economic challenges, it is essential to view these challenges as opportunities for positive transformation. By embracing comprehensive economic reforms, prioritising social welfare, creating job opportunities, accelerating infrastructure development, and fostering inclusive governance, Nigeria can move faster on a path of sustainable growth and development. The collective effort of government, private sector, and citizens is paramount in shaping a future where economic policies are not just markers of change but catalysts for progress and prosperity for all.

    President Bola Tinubu is advised to continue his high-powered engagement with the 36 state governors and the National Assembly, especially in fast-tracking local government autonomy. I am passionate about local governments because they are established to ensure effective governance at the grassroots. The essence is to give them specific powers to perform a range of functions assigned to it by law and to perform an array of functions, plan, formulate and execute its policies, programmes and projects, and its own rules and regulations as deemed for its local needs. One of these policies should centre on security and employment generation. If this is done, the security challenges and the high unemployment the country is grappling with can be nipped in the bud. 

    • Senator Ibrahim was a member of the 6th, 7th and 8th National Assembly