The Nation Newspaper

Category: Editorial

  • Alert Vs alarm

    Alert Vs alarm

    NIGERIA’s plummeting export of crude to the United States is bitter food for thought. According to newspaper reports, crude export to America nosedived from 810, 000 barrels a day in July 2011 to 361, 000 barrels as at July 2012 – a whopping 449, 000 barrels plummet! Even then, the 2011 figures were a decline from more than one million barrels a day in 2010.

    That should alert our economic managers to think of further diversifying the crude export market, aside from moving away from decades of near mono export driven by crude oil – hardly a novel call, for that has been the campaign for decades now.

    But not even that dying market should be turned into a potent scarecrow, in the executive-legislative war over the appropriate budget benchmark for receipts from exported crude. The executive has suggested US $75. While the Senate prefers US $78, the House of Representatives is insisting on US $80, as basis for computing the likely revenue inflow, on which Budget 2013 would be hinged.

    Not unexpectedly, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, finance minister and coordinating minister for the economy and chief strategic mind behind the executive budget estimates, has climbed on the moral high horse, playing the role of a hurt visionary, on why the benchmark must stay at US $75.

    “These are some of the reasons we went for a sensible US $75 benchmark price,” she told The Guardian, “in view of the changing nature of oil supplies in the world’s principal markets, and the possible impact on demand.”

    As a general principle, the minister may well be earnest. If the market is shrinking, it logically follows supply might just outstrip demand, leading to a glut. If that happens, price will come tumbling. That would mean that the lower the benchmark, the more secure the integrity of the budget, since it is based on expected, and not ready cash.

    Still, the minister’s attempt at stacking cards is apparent. Though crude export to the United States may have dropped and (no thanks to new technology which could turn the heaviest of crude into high-end refined fuel) Nigeria’s sweet Brent is progressively threatened globally, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) sources maintain the drop in the American market has been taken up by other buyers, thus further diversifying the market; and making more improbable the event of a market crash.

    If that is indeed so, then there is little basis for the minister’s subtle attempt to turn a just alert into a shrill alarm, just to push the executive’s case for US $75. For the 2013 budget to be well implemented, the unit of expected cash – the benchmark – must be right. But that would not be attained by each side getting fixated over its own proposals. They should rather dialogue for a reasoned middle path.

    Both sides are hobbled, though. The executive is fairly and legitimately charged with fixing arbitrary benchmarks to create artificial budget deficits, which actual export receipts could fund. But instead of presenting supplementary budgets for fresh appropriations, it resorts to borrowing, for which the public is punished with avoidable interests.

    Besides, the presidency is rather too cozy with the idea of free funds it can play around. This vexed issue has turned the states hopping mad at the Federal Government playing god over money that belongs to all. The legislature, on the other hand, is no less legitimately charged with being irredeemable spendthrift, particularly when the issue is securing own pork.

    Both sides should turn the patriotic leaf to lay a strong foundation for Budget 2013. But much more, the authorities should do more in the diversification of the economy beyond crude oil by taking special advantage of agriculture.

  • Privatisation controversy

    Privatisation controversy

    IT was expected that the privatisation of the power sector would be dogged by controversies. However, the threat by the quartet of Governors Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo to prevent winner of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (Disco) – Vigeo Power Limited – from operating has, no doubt, brought a dangerous dimension to the privatisation story.

    The governors’ angst stems from the failure of their consortium, the Southern Electricity Distribution Company to clinch the bid for the distribution company. The governors had alleged manipulation of the process in favour of the preferred bidder. Specifically, they charged the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) with using a set of criteria that had never been used before to create room for manipulation.

    There were other allegations about the figures said to have been put forward by the preferred bidder as being “shady”. The winning consortium was also described as lacking the technical know-how and the financial capability to handle the project.

    Indeed, Governor Oshiomhole passed off the entire exercise as “a racket that’s inconsistent with running a transparent government”. Rather ominously, he stated on behalf of the four that having invested taxpayers’ money in the electricity distribution projects, they would not sit idly by and watch the investment lie waste.

    The Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) chaired by Atedo Peterside responded to the allegations last week. The body denied allegations of manipulation and lack of transparency just as it stopped short of describing the governors’ tales as a case of sour grapes. It insisted that the ground rules for the process were well circulated among the investors. The rules, the body also noted, were in accordance with the Request for Proposals (RFP) which all the bidders were given the opportunity to comment on and which were accepted before they submitted their technical and commercial proposals.

    Accusing the governors of bad faith, the chairman of the technical committee of NCP charged: “They never made any allegations of lack of transparency until after the race had been run via the commercial bid opening ceremony which was televised live”.

    As for the criteria used in picking the bid winners, the NCP insisted that it approved the privatisation strategy as far back as June 11, 2010 and that “the advertisement soliciting for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) emphasised that the BPE would use this strategy”.

    Is the NCP like Caesar’s wife – above reproach? Only if we accept that the governors’ consortium was actually privy to the rules as stated by the NCP. However, the idea that the exercise was not guided a priori, by a set of agreed rules, or that the consortium would undertake the exercise – blindfolded as it were – would seem ridiculous – hard to accept.

    We do not here suggest that the fears of the governors are unfounded. The point however is that they will better help the cause of the public and that of the privatisation process by supplying proof of the infractions observed beyond general statements. A possible option is for the governors to register their concerns with Vice President Namadi Sambo in his capacity as chairman of the privatisation process.

    In the alternative, they could seek redress in court. There is also a third option – pressing for higher stakes in the distribution companies through negotiations. Either of the three would seem a far better strategy than the threat to prevent the preferred bidder from operating. Of course, the idea that the governors’ consortium must win no matter what, is wrong.

  • A Dark Ages day in Italy

    A Dark Ages day in Italy

    Italy’s decision to convict six scientists and an ex-official for misinterpreting the quake risk before a 2009 temblor struck is a setback for science.

    Maybe the United States doesn’t need to worry about an impending shortage of scientists. The ones in Italy might be happy to move here after the preposterous conviction of six earthquake experts who inaccurately gauged the chances of a major temblor striking a quake-prone area in that country.

    In a decision more reminiscent of Dark Ages magical thinking than modern scientific understanding, a three-judge panel sentenced the experts, as well as a former government official, to six years in prison for concluding in 2009 that the risk of a catastrophic earthquake in L’Aquila was small. The region had been plagued by a series of tremors, and less than a week after the panel of scientists delivered its opinion, a 6.3-magnitude quake killed 300 people.

    The government had asked the scientists, members of the Major Risks Commission, for an assessment of the risk and they gave it — including a caveat that their prediction might prove incorrect. Tragically, the caveat came true. Maybe the scientists made mistakes in their calculations. Perhaps they could have been better at their jobs and reached a more accurate assessment, or this might have been the best any seismologist could do. But if the responsibility belongs anywhere, it’s with the government for treating earthquake prediction as if it were an exact science — it notably is not — and implying that the public could rely on such predictions.

    Meanwhile, if there was a blame-worthy action by the experts, it was committed by one man who made the rather condescending remark that people in the quake zone should relax, preferably with a glass of wine. But flippant comments aren’t, or at least shouldn’t be, criminal offenses.

    Had the commission come to a different conclusion and warned of impending peril, residents might have jammed the streets with cars in a frantic attempt to evacuate, which could have resulted in loss of life in collisions. And what if that prediction proved false? Would the scientists have been convicted of unnecessarily causing a panic that resulted in death?

    If the Italian government wanted absolute accuracy, it would have needed to find an all-knowing authority. Experts can give their educated opinion on whether geologic events fit a dangerous-looking pattern, but the only utterly true answer that current earthquake science can deliver is: We don’t know. And that’s the only answer Italy will be able to expect from scientists in the future unless an appeals court overturns this case and the government drops its Inquisition-like prosecution of imperfect experts.

    – Los Angeles Times

  • Today, they shout Hosanna…

    Today, they shout Hosanna…

    The declared re-election of Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko does not mean peoples’ pragmatic rejection of the declared losers. After all, when Dr. Olusegun Agagu was declared winner of the 2007 Ondo governorship election, a set of fake jubilants hailed him and his party for being victorious over Mimiko and others. But when the election tribunal sitting in Benin-City eventually reversed INEC’s wrong declaration, the same set of jubilants turned around to hail Iroko as the truly ordained winner.

    Such is the tale of our people, akin to the Scriptural story where those who were shouting “Hosanna” when Jesus Christ triumphantly rode on donkey into Jerusalem became the same group that screamed “crucify Him” few days later.

    Let Mimiko know that those hailing him today are not doing so because they love him. Rather, it is because they hope to receive something back from whosoever is on the throne beyond good performance. And of course, since he is skilful at ditching, the reward of disloyalty is awaiting the disingenuous hearts. Or why is the Peoples Democratic Party leadership at the national and state levels divided over him instead of supporting their own candidate in unity?

    In any contest, there is bound to be a winner and a loser. If Mimiko’s victory which a newspaper unprofessionally hollered as “Mimiko landslide” is so much overwhelming as hailers are deceitfully declaring, that means the larger percentage of Ondo’s voters who did not vote for him are being reduced to nothing.

    The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) in a release last week claimed there was voters’ apathy as less than one sixth of the voting population in the state voted for Mimiko who secured only 260,199 out of the 1,638950 registered voters – meaning Mimiko is sitting on a thin mandate.

    In the word of the group, “the number of persons who actually participated in determination of who should manage the affairs of the state was only slightly above a third of the registered voters; in the final event, the declared winner of the election, incumbent Governor Olusegun Mimiko secured victory on the basis of just 260,199 votes, 41.67% of valid votes, and less than one sixth of the registered voters.”

    A so-called Afenifere’s prediction of death of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in South-west because its candidate was declared a loser shows dearth of wisdom and love for the people. In the regional group’s congratulatory letter to Mimiko, it averred that the poll’s outcome in Ondo State illustrated that Yoruba people were tired of the ACN. Yet, this is a party which had never been in power in that state.

    The rejoicing group stated: “We need to remind you (Mimiko) that this victory, among other things, is victory over god-fatherism, a rejection of political imposition and slavery from outside the state and the people’s hope of a better deal to come.”

    Yes, it is comprehensible some of the expired politicians are fighting ACN leadership; but they are wrongly focused. A purposeful struggle would not have been on hegemonic interest, but rather on what could truly work for the good of the people. If indeed the elders still say they are Awoists, then they are denouncing the god-fatherism model of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Or have they forgotten the underpinning of 1983 political battle between Chief Adekunle Ajasin and Chief Segun Omoboriowo in that same Akure? If they are now functioning against ACN because they do not want the party to take total control of the South-west – which they see as the interest of its leadership, that means they were only pretending to be supporters of Awolowo’s political ideals and philosophies.

    Let anyone criticize or abuse Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. That is the sacrifice a true leader must be ready to absorb. Though he might not be in perfection, his political leadership is undeniable. After all, Awolowo with all his legendary feats that lifted the region to developmental front burner had political conflicts with regional challengers and adversaries. Late Chief Ladoke Akintola fought him till the very end. The likes of Chief Richard Akinjide became the twelve-two-third tool used to frustrate his political fulfilment. Yet, Awolowo was not put to shame even when he was declared loser at presidential elections to the advantage of the erroneous elements that ended dragging the nation down the valley. Today, many years after, Papa Awo remains glorified.

    Thinking deeper, the Lord Jesus Christ was hated by his enemies just because they never wanted him to fulfil his purpose of leaving the throne of Heaven and coming into the world for Divine reconciliation. He was vilified, denied, betrayed, tortured and eventually crucified on the cross of Calvary. He died and went down, only to come up on the third day victoriously with the key of life. Forever He has remained glorified, given a name that is above all names – a reward greater than the sacrifice. If indeed so, must a loser today then be seen as an everlasting failure?

    The Alliance for Democracy (AD) that was supposed to be the Afenifere’s political platform was in full control of the South-west region following 1999 general elections. But at the same time was a made-up Yoruba man craftily enthroned as Nigeria’s President by powers that were – and are still, against the progress of the hitherto forefront region. The same Afenifere group that backed up its own Chief Olu Falae was made to fail woefully and could only cry foul without push.

    Of course the Afenifere leadership was alive to see how much the Yoruba nation was frustrated under the eight-year unproductive reign of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who swept their party out of power and enforced those he thought were his own faithful – the god-father way. Since history remains there for record, it was only Lagos State under Tinubu that survived Obasanjo’s political annihilation – because of his refusal to align with his disparaging manoeuvrings and intrigues.

    Had the Afenifere elders not become expired politicians, they could have managed their damaged AD party and restore it as AG/UPN’s regional model. But where is the party today? If they do not want ACN as a platform just because of one person and not for the functionality of the party, then what is their alternative? Could it be PDP where there are still an OBJ and the Akinjides who failed the region all over? Or a President Goodluck Jonathan whose administration hardly has space for the best of the Yorubas? Or the Labour Party that could not win half of Ondo State in spite of its candidate’s acclaimed popularity?

    PDP reigned in South-west for several years with nothing tangible on the ground to show today. Across the nation, it has entrenched corruption such that most Nigerians are today living in penury in the midst of evidently viable abundance. At least, the latest news from the Nuhu Ribadu panel’s report has it that about N86.65 billion oil money earned through NNPC in 10 years is missing, likely to some private pockets. That is just a small bit of the wide fraud now afflicting the nation. Going by the tradition of PDP governance, the panel’s recommendation that NNPC should be reorganized or scrapped would eventually be swept under the corruption-ridden carpet.

    The truth is that ACN governors inherited decayed states from PDP. States like Osun, Oyo and Ogun were on the verge of collapse such that promised turn-around could not be expected to come up in a jiffy. There are non-contentious challenges in fixing fundamental errors of the past. It is easier to pull down than to rebuild. The regional-based tagged ACN that did well in Akwa Ibom, Benue and Adamawa states in the last gubernatorial elections is seen as threat to the poorly-functioning ruling party whose priority is more on tenureship and zoning of political posts than in actualization of the peoples’ meaningful desires.

    Rather than waste efforts fighting Asiwaju Tinubu, let the opposition wrestle issues that would be of benefit to the people. If indeed people are sincere in motive and crave for progress and vital development, it is work that should speak for leadership instead of party affiliation.

    Governors Babatunde Fashola and Adams Oshiomhole’s overwhelming re-election victory in Lagos and Edo states were on the basis of their remarkable state-wide tangible performances. To succeed means keying in into the same wisdom in action, notwithstanding the contrary schemes of political foes. When people on ground in states and localities see practical evidences of performance, opposition would only come to contend and lie just for the sake of antagonism.

    Hence, unless a group like Afenifere begins to live up to its name, we can ever be sure that those shouting “Hossana” today would be the same to turn around to shout “crucify Him” when they begin to see reality.

  • White elephant projects

    White elephant projects

    We cannot progress if projects are abandoned for either criminal neglect or politics

    The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) admonition to Nigeria to put a stop to execution of grandiose projects is well-noted. Such projects have led the country nowhere. The global financial institution, through Ms. Antoinette Sayeh, its director for Africa, urged Nigeria and other African oil and gas producing nations to direct their huge revenue from oil exports to beneficial infrastructure and provision of quality education that would serve the larger interest of their peoples.

    Ms. Sayeh was apt in her observation that the oil and gas sector creates little jobs compared with other sectors of the economy. For this reason, she wants governments to deploy revenues derivable from oil in the direction of, most especially, education and transport links that are conventionally job-creating sectors. She bemoaned a situation where governments maximise revenues from oil and gas but later expend them on what she calls ‘white elephant’ projects.

    Her observation captures the right situation of the mismanagement of oil and gas revenues on white elephant projects in the country. The IMF chief quite expressed the frustration of many Nigerians regarding the menace of not only white elephant projects but also abandoned projects that spread across the country.

    The Presidential Projects Assessment Committee (PPAC) set up by President Goodluck Jonathan in March, 2011 to look into cases of abandoned Federal Government projects at the submission of its findings stated in its report that 11,886 abandoned projects that will cost the nation an estimated N7.78 trillion to complete litter several parts of the country.

    These scary figures ought to have compelled the government to hasten completion of all ongoing projects, and to place special focus on high priority ones. Incredibly, the reverse has been the case, with the Federal Government awarding new or re-awarding old contracts at higher costs during its weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings. Most of the new or even re-awarded contracts do not have anything to do with contemporary national vision and policy.

    We consider as baffling, for instance, that the President Jonathan administration has not commissioned any major road project since it came to power some years ago. This is despite the fact that his administration is a continuation of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s. The current president was Yar’Adua’s deputy. Apparently, there is no continuity in governance.

    It is bad that major highways in the country are in very decrepit state. Indeed, we can count a number of these roads, including the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Port Harcourt/Enugu Express Road, Ota/Abeokuta Express Road and also Oshodi/Apapa Express Road as some of the major highways that are begging for attention. These are all federal roads. Yet, no effective response has come the way of the roads despite the fact that they have become death traps for motorists plying them. The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) seems not to be doing enough in maintaining or even reconstructing these roads where necessary.

    The debilitating infrastructural situation does not apply to the Federal Government alone, as many state governments also avoidably jettison their predecessors’ projects once they get to power. The era of Development Plan spanning some years has gone because each administration now comes up with its own action plan that is drastically different from that of its predecessor. It is sad that successive administrations show no understanding for how much was spent on such projects that are met on ground or more significantly, the importance of such to the wellbeing of the people as a whole.

    In the face of all these shortcomings in infrastructural provision in the country, it would not be out of place to predict that other foreign institutions, sooner than later, might shamefully follow the IMF in showing us the right path to toe. If things were to be working normally, the nation does not need the IMF to remind her of the futility of embarking on white elephant projects or even tacitly encouraging abandonment of projects in any part of her territory.

    The sincerity of the IMF regarding the advice being given to developing countries is suspect, but when appropriate authorities in those countries refuse to perform their statutory duties effectively, their laxity turns institutions like IMF into erroneously perceived superstar by the public, seen more to have the interest of their countries at heart. This is the country’s current predicament.

  • Trial and error

    An Italian court’s conviction of six scientists and an ex-official for giving inadequate information to the city of L’Aquila just before it was devastated by an earthquake has been compared with the papal condemnation of Galileo in 1633. The judge stands accused of ignoring the scientific truth that earthquakes cannot be predicted, and of seeking scapegoats to appease the embittered population.

    To be fair to the court, this is a misrepresentation of its verdict. The magistrate acknowledged that earthquakes cannot be predicted. However, he found the defendants had painted an overly reassuring picture to calm a panicking population. This position was taken after an official meeting held only a few days before the earthquake, and following months of tremors in the region.

    The defendants could have been more cautious in their message. One of them stated on TV that there was “no danger” and explained that the tremors were a “favourable situation, that is to say a continuous discharge of energy”. This was scientifically incorrect. While a series of tremors is not normally followed by a disastrous quake, most scientists agree that a seismic sequence increases rather than reduces the probability of one.

    There is clearly a case for the Italian authorities to review how the commission handled the situation. Whether politicians leaned on the scientists in order to influence their decision should also be investigated. But convicting the scientists of manslaughter was the wrong decision. In the case of an earthquake, failing to communicate the risks appropriately to the population does not mean that the scientists are responsible for the deaths.

    The court’s decision sets a dangerous precedent. On Tuesday, the head of Italy’s disaster body resigned in protest. In future, scientists could be reluctant to advise the government on how to deal with earthquakes and other natural disasters. When they do, they may be inclined to issue alarmist warnings just to cover their backs. This would be expensive and could fuel unnecessary panic.

    The appeal court would be wise to reverse this week’s decision. The courts should then concentrate on the many outstanding trials against those builders and engineers who failed to abide by building codes. The conduct of local politicians, so far untouched by the investigations, should also be scrutinised. This would be a much better way to respond to the grievances of the citizens of L’Aquila.

     

    – Financial Times

     

  • Dollars at the airport

    Dollars at the airport

    It is alarming that within three weeks the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seized over $10.2m (N1.6bn) in Lagos alone, according to its Head of Operations, Mr Iliyasu Kwarbai. The most publicised of these seizures involved 24-year-old Abubakar Sheriff who was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with $7m (N1.1bn) as he boarded his flight en route Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and more recently Akinyele Adetule, a security official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who was caught with $1.4m (N218m) at the same airport after beating security checks.

    Although Sheriff was actually scheduled to fly, he had falsely declared that he had $4.5m on him, rather than $7,049,444, which was discovered after a search. He claimed that he was acting as a courier for 20 people who hired him to convey the money to Dubai. Adetule, on the other hand, was not an intending passenger, but used his official position as a FAAN worker to evade security points at the airport, with the aim of handing over the money to the yet-to be- identified owner at the boarding area. He said he was promised N10, 000 for the shady job.

    “He was neither on duty nor on an official assignment,” his employers stated. Kwarbai said of him: “He wore his tag and was thus able to move freely in the airport without drawing suspicion. He was carrying a bag and it went through the scanner. It is curious that such a huge sum went through the scanner undetected. Or was it a case of conspiracy and collusion?”

    This question raised by the EFCC official is significant as the arrest seems to have confirmed suspicion that there are insiders who are members of syndicates operating at the airport. But there are other equally important posers. What is the source of such huge cash? Why would people choose to move such bulk cash out of the country without using the banking system? How come so much money is in the possession of some people in a society where poverty is so widespread? Travellers leaving the country are statutorily required to declare cash in excess of $10,000 (N1.56m). However, under the provisions of the Money Laundering Act, it is not sufficient to declare excess cash; the onus is on the person making the declaration to explain the source of the excess cash and the reason for the export. Against this background, it is worth mentioning that a Federal High Court in Lagos has ruled that Sheriff should forfeit 25 percent of the undeclared $2m to the Federal Government. But this judgment does little to uncover the origin of the cash and why the banking system was ignored.

    The EFCC has noted that globally, bulk cash smuggling is usually associated with proceeds of crime and money laundering, and that legitimately earned funds are usually processed through the banking system. According to the agency, “Our experience in the last few years indicates an emerging trend of bulk cash smuggling to Europe, Middle East and North America with the attendant consequence for capital flight. Some Nigerian citizens are routinely arrested at airports in Europe and North America for currency smuggling, though no such arrests have been recorded in the Middle East. But in all cases, the money is lost as they are never repatriated back to the country.”

    These incidents call for greater vigilance at our airports by the security operatives charged with the responsibility of tackling such wrongdoings. In addition, the authorities must ensure that all security personnel at the airports have the correct orientation to appreciate the lofty demands of their work, and shun the temptation to make fast money by aiding and abetting crime.

  • Celebration of faith

    Celebration of faith

    MUSLIMS worldwide celebrate today their greatest festivity of Eld-El-Kabir. The festival is the most essential in the Islamic Calendar. It falls on the 10th Dhul-Hyjah that equally coincides with the climbing of Mount Arafat during the annual holy pilgrimage to Mecca. This feast of sacrifice is unique for its spiritual implication and underlying divine commandment.

    Muslims observe this age-long perennial ritual as a mark of absolute faith in almighty Allah, as exemplified in the slaughtering of animals, including cows, rams, goats and even camels. The feast is celebrated in commemoration of Abraham’s near use, as sacrifice, of his only son, Ismael, in total submission to Allah, consequent upon the pledge made to Him during Abraham’s needy days.

    The Almighty was satisfied and convinced about Abraham’s unalloyed faith in Him. He sent Angel Jibril at the nick of time to replace Ismael with a white ram, that was slaughtered in his stead. With this act, Allah foreclosed the use of human being for any sacrifice, and such contemplation has been considered as barbaric in the spiritual and physical realms.

    Abraham’s venerable decision to sacrifice his only son even at an old age, with little hope of having another remained the profundity of his faithful act. In Islam, submission to Allah is unqualified as typified by Abraham who did not compromise his faith during the several decades of his childlessness.

    Today is the commemoration of that day when Allah tested Abraham’s faith in Him. The day remains so dear to true Muslims across the world. They will eat and merry with friends and well wishers. More important to this great feast is our living together as brothers, with mutual benefits of harmony, peace and stability, and for the corporate too.

    Islam as an all-encompassing religion embraces development, growth and progress. It spreads the gospel of love; it teaches peace; preaches tolerance; so does Christianity.

    The unalloyed display of unity and love with no religious impediments, witnessed today, should go beyond the moment. Such fraternity should not be for this festive season alone; it should be for all times so that our nation could grow from strength to strength: Also, on a broader scale, for the world to be a better place for all to live in, irrespective of race or colour of the skin. Father Abraham was a recipient of immense blessings because in obedience to Allah’s commandment, he obliged to use his only son as a sacrifice to Him before Allah stopped him.

    In anticipation of such blessings, the people and the government should also be prepared to make inevitable sacrifices for the well-being of the country, during this occasion and beyond.

    The country is still bogged down by unbridled insecurity arising from the activities of the Boko Haram sect. Lives and property are being wantonly destroyed, all in the name of politics and or religion. Fuel scarcity and subsidy removal remain avoidable front-burner issues. These are all consequences of official hypocrisy which Islam absolutely abhors in domestic and public affairs.

    Why should all these be taking place if we are all truthful to our pledge in the spirit of what Abraham did to almighty Allah? Those that are ingrained in destabilising the nation should disengage forthwith in the spirit of Sallah that is being celebrated today.

    We seize today’s occasion of Eid-el-Kabir to call on all Muslims and non-Muslims to reflect on the tests of Abraham and also emulate his virtues so as to ensure the growth of our society and that of the entire world. Barka da Sallah.

  • National shame

    National shame

    • Federal Government should not leave our ambassadors stranded in foreign lands

    Officially, Nigeria may not be broke, but its foreign missions in Europe and the Americas are. Right now, they are insolvent and therefore cannot pick their electricity, water and telephone bills and pay for sundry expenses. Salaries have been unpaid for about two months. Countries most affected are Switzerland, Italy, Geneva, Canada, the United States and Germany.

    This is saddening because, in a sense, it is washing the country’s dirty linen not just in public, but abroad. Amidst this maddening development, it is instructive to note that the embassies and missions dare not fail to pay their non-Nigerian staff. This speaks volumes of the respect these countries have for the dignity of labour, compared to the situation in Nigeria where workers can go without salaries for months. So, even as the Nigerian staff seem helpless in spite of the humiliation that non-payment of salaries attracts, they are compelled to pay the salaries and allowances of their local members of staff from proceeds from visa applications which ordinarily, they should not have tampered with.

    A report describes the situation succinctly: “We have lost the chance of enjoying credit facility of any kind in Geneva because they know that as a Nigerian, you will definitely default in payment. What Nigerian Embassy officials do is to use Ghanaians as go-between to access credit facility and rent apartments. That person is usually the front otherwise, if you present yourself as a Nigerian, you’ve failed from the outset.” It is so bad that long-standing staff resort to use their credit cards to do what should ordinarily be done from embassy funds.

    Things got to a head last week such that Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe, the high commissioner to Canada, had to run home cap in hand, to discuss the matter with President Goodluck Jonathan who, in turn, reportedly referred him to the Minister of finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

    But why would the country put itself in this avoidable embarrassment? It is unpardonable even for any Nigerian to bring such shame upon himself, not to talk of the country. Could this be an extension of our inability as a nation to plan? Are we not overreaching ourselves in terms of the number of embassies and high commissions we maintain (or cannot maintain) worldwide? Is the country not aware of the age-long maxim: ‘cut your coat according to your size’?

    The Federal Government should move swiftly to save the country’s image. It is in Nigeria that government agencies use all kinds of facilities and refuse to pay; abroad, you either pay for the services rendered or you are cut off. It would be disgraceful to shut down any of our embassies or high commissions on account of their inability to pay their bills. So, the government should, in the short run, collate whatever arrears we are having on all these foreign missions with a view to clearing them immediately.

    In the long run, however, we should start thinking of ways to reduce the number of such missions. There is no basis to have them in some of the countries we presently do. What the government should do is to evaluate the missions vis-a-vis our foreign policy objectives and prune them accordingly.

    What this implies is that the pork from ambassadorial postings may have to be reduced to reflect the economic realities. But that is the sensible way to go because some things may be politically expedient but economically foolish. Ambassadorial posting is one of such things. We don’t have to expose our ambassadors to temptations in foreign lands.

  • A traumatic idea

    A traumatic idea

    What the country needs is integrated emergency response, not new trauma centres

    IT cannot be a bad idea if, to better cope with future emergencies, the federal authorities are initiating moves to put in place “six more first-class trauma centres”, in the geo-political zones in the country. That is at least some positive reaction to the crippling floods that just sacked the nation.

    But it is moot point if that is the smartest way to react to the country’s emergency challenges – investing in brand new trauma centres, instead of improving upon the quality of the present ones; and better integrating the various subsets of emergency response and control.

    Speaking at a health management delivery workshop in Jos, Plateau State, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, health minister, said the envisaged trauma centres, to be in place before this year runs out, were part of a comprehensive supply of state-of-the-art equipment for emergency health services.

    The minister decried the present near-uncoordinated situation which, in his opinion – and rightly so – should give way to a fully integrated emergency management, spanning all the six components: anticipation, risk assessment, prevention, preparation, response and recovery.

    Speaking through Dr. Michael Arene, director of special projects at the Federal Ministry of Health, the minister pledged to “put in place structures, processes and procedures that would address health emergencies from household, community, local government, states to the national levels.”

    This bottom-up approach, with a special eye on prevention, which in any case is better than cure, is laudable and welcome. But it is strange how this laudable step necessarily translates into building six brand new trauma centres, even if the minister, to be fair, also stressed the compelling need to improve the quality or adequacy of the present trauma centres.

    Inasmuch as new trauma centres are no anathema, a more pressing need should be working on the integration of the present ones; as well as on every part of the emergency response chain. That would be cheaper, more responsive and more effective. If after all these had been attained, and there is still the need for investment in new trauma centres, then the government can go ahead.

    These points are made with the best of intentions and with every sense of responsibility, given the penchant of the ruling elite to conjure fresh (and most times, needless) expenses in reaction to disasters, most of which are avoidable in the first place. On the face of it, it would appear a reasoned response. But really, it is another cynical show of throwing money at a public problem for private profit. It is the classical Nigerian way of splashing cash just to put up a show that a problem is being solved. In most cases, it ends up as empty grandstanding which achieves the double jeopardy of emptying the till for a dubious cause, while genuine and pressing problems stay unattended to.

    Indeed, the minister himself alluded to the burning need for close integration when he talked about the Integrated National Emergency Ambulance Service (INEAS) under which all ambulances in the country, for emergency relief, are coordinated under one roof for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. That is a good idea. But it does not mean the government needs to buy new ambulances to make coordination possible.

    Let the minister therefore concentrate on the integration question. That itself, if successfully done, would serve as scientific audit to recommend what areas of the country need new trauma centres.

    That would appear a reasonable path to tread in managing scarce national resources, except of course it is golden way to crooked means, which is quite a possibility.