The Nation Newspaper

Category: Features

  • APC submits Shettima’s name as Tinubu’s running mate

    APC submits Shettima’s name as Tinubu’s running mate

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has submitted the name of Senator Kashim Shettima to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its vice presidential candidate.

    It was submitted on Thursday by the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, in accordance with the party’s constitution, and came 24 hours ahead of the expiration of the deadline issued by INEC for the parties to substitute their candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The submission of Shettima’s name was scheduled to be followed by the unveiling of the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s running mate at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

    The unveiling, which was to be attended by notable figures in the party, among them state governors, was however shelved till next week at the instance of Senator Adamu.

    The Nation learnt that the Chairman postponed the ceremony to enable the party fix some dilapidated parts of the complex.

    “The chairman felt a high profile event like that should hold in a befitting office under befitting conditions. That was why the event was postponed,” a highly reliable source said.

    Following Shettima’s choice as running mate, the APC has nominated a former Attorney General and Justice Commissioner in Borno State, Kaka Shehu Lawan as its senatorial candidate for Borno Central.

    Lawan polled 459 votes out of 480 during the party’s senatorial primaries supervised by a former deputy governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Uba Magari.

    In his acceptance speech, Kaka Lawan thanked the state governor and delegates for choosing him.

    He promised to give his constituency quality representation in the Senate and asked for prayers by the people for their leaders.

    Governor Babagana Zulum described Lawan’s emergence as a divine occurrence.

     

    Why we must stop politics of religious sentiments in Nigeria – Shettima

    Senator Shettima, speaking yesterday on his nomination, said it was time Nigerians stopped politics of religious sentiments.

    Receiving  members of the APC Professionals` Forum on a congratulatory visit in his Abuja residence, the former Borno State governor said Nigerians should direct their attention to  how to develop the country rather than focusing on religious sentiments.

    His words:  “The world is changing. The world has moved from the agricultural age to the industrial age, and now we are in the knowledge driven age.

    “In other climes, people are talking of nano technology, biotechnology and quick data and of artificial intelligence while we are busy here talking about herdsmen, farmers/herders clash, rural banditry, kidnapping and battling with Boko Haram and talking about religious mix.

    “The task before us is to transform this nation into a just and fair society where everyone will have a sense of belonging.

    “We should learn to accommodate and embrace each other.”

    The Tinubu/Shettima ticket, according to him, has more to do with the desire to provide quality leadership to Nigerians than any religious sentiment.

    Continuing, Shettima said: “Tinubu, they are accusing him of attempt to Islamise the country. Has he started with Islamising his own family?

    “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice-presidential running mate may be a Muslim, but his life mate of over 40 years is not only a Christian, but a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

    “He did not enforce his own Islamic faith on his own children. He was the first governor to hand over mission schools to the owners, and he has groomed people from all walks of life.

    “One of his commissioners while he was governor of Lagos State was from Katsina State and another one was from Delta. He also had a special adviser of Igbo extraction.”

    He said the party and its presidential candidate would reach out to all interest groups ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    Leader of delegation and former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the U.S, Mohammed Hassan, said the group was willing to work with Tinubu and Shettima.

    As a first step, he said the forum would organise a town hall meeting featuring the APC presidential candidate and his running mate to unveil their blueprint to Nigerians.

    He said: “The aim and objective of the town hall meeting, which has been fixed for September, is to provide a venue where all the professionals as represented will gather.

    “You and our presidential candidate will be there to enlighten and answer questions from the professionals and Nigeria as a whole on what your intentions and plans are for the country.”

     

    Presidency denies ‘DSS report’ on Muslim-Muslim ticket

    The Presidency yesterday denied the existence of a purported advisory by the Department of State Service (DSS) to President Muhammadu Buhari, warning of ‘consequnces’ of the choice of Senator Kashim Shettima as running mate to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, described the report as fake news and asked the public to stay safe by keeping their distance from the online news platform that carried the report.

    Shehu said the report was aimed at causing trouble.

    He advised well-meaning Nigerians to “ignore a laughably puerile report by an apparently pirate online newspaper, seeking to sow division and chaos on the choice of Governor Kashim Shettima as the running mate of our party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    “This so-called newspaper is like a deadly virus. Stay safe by keeping away from its toxic reports.”

     

    Nobody can Islamise Nigeria, APC founding member chides Lawal

    A founding member of the APC in Bayelsa State, Prince Preye Aganaba, yesterday expressed disappointment at the views expressed by a former Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF), Babachir Lawal, on the same faith presidential ticket of the APC.

    Aganaba told APC party faithful in Yenagoa that Lawal crossed the line of responsibility expected of him, promoting unfounded fears capable of further dividing the country.

    It was unimaginable, he said, that Lawal, who should have known better, toed the path of opposition political leaders who whipped similar religious sentiments against President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 and 2019 general elections.

    “This is the same Lawal, who as SGF couldn’t balance political appointments between contending political groups within the APC and between geopolitical zones that led to a lot of backlash on the President.

    “We recalled how the opposition continued with their narratives that Buhari was going to Islamise Nigeria despite having a Christian Vice-President.

    “Buhari has been the president for over seven years; has he Islamised Nigeria? The answer is no.

    “It is on record that the Boko Haram insurgents are the enemies of everyone. These terrorists have killed more Muslims than Christians,” he said.

    “The fact is that nobody can Islamise Nigeria. The presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has built a track record of tolerance, inclusiveness and liberalism.

    “In Tinubu’s years as a politician, he has never expressed extreme religious views on any issue.

    “His running mate and former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, has proved himself over the years as a fine gentleman, who as a governor of Borno, ran an all-inclusive government that accommodated all religions; a fact that had been attested to by the Christian community in that state.”

     

    Northern youths too

    Babachir Lawal’s comments also drew the ire of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF).

    The group labeled Lawal’s statement “narrow-minded, unguarded political sentimentalism and provocative.”

    The AYCF, rising from a meeting in Kaduna, said “no one should turn our democratic space into the home of religious extremism.”

    It asked those it called anti-Shettima campaign promoters to shut down before “they create bad blood along religious fault-lines and drag the nation into further insecurity”.

    INEC turns beehive of activities as deadline for candidates substitution closes

    It was a busy day in the office for key functionaries of INEC yesterday as the parties sought to confirm their candidates for next year’s presidential and national assembly elections.

    Traffic on the commission’s nomination portal was particularly heavy, The Nation learnt.

    Although INEC could not immediately release details of the changes made by the parties, it was learnt that the APC sent in the name of Kashim Shettima as its vice presidential candidate to replace Ibrahim Masari who had withdrawn, while Labour Party replaced Doyin Okupe’s name with that of Yusuf Dati Baba-Ahmed as vice presidential candidate.

    The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is also believed to have substituted Ladipo Johnson’s name with that of Bishop Isaac Idahosa.

    National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said it was premature to come up with a comprehensive list of parties that met the deadline.

    According to him, the deadline for the withdrawal and replacement of withdrawn candidates for Presidential and National Assembly elections coincided with that for the nomination of governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    He said: “You know the window closed today at 6pm, and because the window for the replacement of withdrawn candidates for Presidential and National Assembly elections and submission of list of Governorship and House of Assembly elections also closed today, our staff have been busy sorting the documents.

    “So there is no way I can tell anybody what has happened now because most of the parties waited for the last minute.”

    Speaking yesterday on AriseTV, Okoye said Section 33 of the Electoral Law is explicit on how parties can change their candidates.

    His words: “Section 33 of the Electoral Act provides for the substitution of a candidate on account of death or voluntary withdrawal by the candidate.

    “A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute whose name has been submitted pursuant to Section 32 of this Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate.

    “In the case of senatorial elections, it is mandatory to hold fresh elections. But in the case of presidential and governorship, the parties are the ones who nominate the candidates.”

    Masari and Okupe, whose names were initially submitted by their parties as vice presidential candidates, had voluntarily written and sworn to affidavits withdrawing from the race.

     

    Why I chose Idahosa as running mate -Kwankwaso

    The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, said yesterday he chose Bishop Isaac Idahosa as his running mate because of his impeccable integrity.

    Kwankwaso said that his choice of Bishop Idahosa was made after careful considerations and meticulous screening of more than 20 prospective candidates, all of whom were eminently qualified to run with him.

    ”Idahosa was also selected because of his outstanding record, impeccable integrity, broad understanding of the Nigerian state and its contemporary challenges,” he said.

    Kwankwaso said that Idahosa has undiluted commitment to improving the conditions of Nigerians and his sincere belief that “a New and Better Nigeria is possible if we work together with sincerity, tolerance, competence, and faith.

    “A self-made achiever and a credible Nigerian, Bishop Idahosa is also selected because he represents the definition of a true role model for the Nigerian Youth,” he said.

    Idahosa is the Presiding Bishop and Senior Pastor of the God First Ministry, Lekki Light Centre, Ajah, and hails from Edo State.

    The 57-year-old archbishop-designate is a trained Automobile Engineer from Kaduna Polytechnic.

    Idahosa will be publicly and officially unveiled to Nigerians on Monday, July 18 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

     

    Story By

    Dare Odufowokan/Banji Ogundele/Jide Orintunsin, Abuja/Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt/AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna/Okodili Ndidi

  • Fixing Nasarawa’s insecurity quagmire

    Fixing Nasarawa’s insecurity quagmire

    Despite being superbly blessed by nature with abundant minerals, Nasarawa State was bedevilled by crime and insecurity. In this report, LINUS OOTA writes on how huge investments in security and other critical sectors are beginning to bear desired results

    Nasarawa State, created on 1st October 1996 out of present Plateau State, is widely regarded as home of solid minerals. It is also known for the bustling energy of its industrious people spread across agriculture and other related commercial activities. In short, it is a state that holds the promise of a prosperous young state for all.

    However, attaining its full potential has been difficult, with the state having been laid prostrate by criminal acts and armed conflicts. Before the current administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule came on board, Nasarawa State witnessed some of the most devastating conflicts, resulting in vicious attacks on indigent farmers. These attacks were characterised by the nefarious activities of organised criminal groups, resulting in incidents such as kidnapping for ransom, armed bandits, communal clashes, farmers/pastoralists clashes, which claimed lives and destroyed farmlands and assets worth billions and more.

    Between 2017/2018, no fewer than 600 farmers lost their lives to herdsmen/pastoralists crisis. The conflict evolved from spontaneous reactions to provocations at a point to deadlier planned attacks, particularly in Nasarawa south senatorial district (Keana, Awe, Lafia, Doma and Obi LGAs). As the killings persisted then, the farmers in the state were weaving destructive conspiracy theories to explain the conflict, with charges and counter charges of ethnic cleansing and even genocide by both farmers and herders flying in the air. Then, there was widespread disenchantment with the Umaru Tanko Al-Makura administration in the state who was viewed to be soft on the herders.

    The sparks for herder-farmer clashes in the state tended to be disagreements over the use of land and water, livestock theft or the obstruction of traditional migration routes. Throughout history, men of audacity and immense courage are often sought after when societies are at a delicate juncture, and Nasarawa as at 2018/2019, without doubt, was having a test of its statehood due to the number of farmers that were killed by herders and communities displaced.

    At that time, many residents believed that the state required a man of immense courage, dexterity and candour to wriggle the state out. Governor Abdullahi Sule was handy to take up the challenge. In his inaugural speech, Governor Sule vowed to tackle insecurity in the state head-on. “As a matter of priority, my administration will place special emphasis on security of the people. Over the years, there have been general security issues in some parts of the state and the situation has undermined development. Development would only occur if there is any atmosphere of peace and security of lives and properties,” he said.

    To win the war, his administration has evolved bold reforms since its inception in 2019 – aimed at addressing some of the socio-economic challenges, which were responsible for triggering the state’s insecurity crisis. For example, he deployed more security men to the affected areas, ensured that they were better equipped, improved local ties to gather better intelligence, and respond speedily to early warnings and distress calls. The state has begun to disarm armed groups, including ethnic militias and vigilantes in the affected parts of the state, and closely watch land borders to curb the inflow of firearms.

    The administration has also started implementing the national livestock transformation plan, besides fostering dialogue between herders and farmers by strengthening mechanisms that support peace initiatives at the local level. The focus in the state now is to ensure that human lives and properties of the people of the state are wholly guaranteed. This approach to security situations in the state has helped to calm frayed nerves, and ensured the return to normalcy. In the last three years, Nasarawa has witnessed a breath of fresh air blowing across the length and breadth of the state, from security to education to health to infrastructure development to sports to agriculture to economy and investment, among others.

    Governor Sule reiterated that, for his administration, security is not too expensive, “unless the state lacks resources. If we have the resources, we will put in all to ensure that we protect the lives and properties of our people,” he said.

     

    Security strategies verging on collaboration

     

    On assumption of office in 2019, Governor Sule, as part of strategy in tackling the security concerns in Nasarawa State, met with his Benue State counterpart, Governor Samuel Ortom, to proffer workable solutions to the lingering crisis involving ethnic nationalities and herdsmen/farmers along border communities between the two states. The joint security meeting was held at Yelwa, in Guma LGA of Benue State at the instance of Governor Sule. He had told his Benue State counterpart that the meeting became necessary following renewed conflicts along border communities in Nasarawa State, involving on one hand, Alagos and Tivs, over boundary demarcation and on the other, Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers.

    That maiden meeting was attended by the Governor Ortom, traditional rulers of the two states, local government chairmen of the two states, various community leaders of the two states, which has put to rest the incessant herdsmen/farmers clashes in Nasarawa State and the border communities in Benue State. Another milestone recorded by the administration in tackling security challenges in the state is working in collaboration with the federal government through the Inspector General of Police, Alkhali Baba, to site the Police Mobile Training College at Ende Hill in Nasarawa Eggon LGA of the state as well as the Air Force Base in Lafia, the state capital. The essence is to tackle the activities of the Islamic sects Darul- Salam and Hakka in Toto and Awe LGAs of the state, among other crimed such as banditry and kidnappings.

    Furthermore, another critical step taken by Governor Sule administration towards checking the menace of criminality in the state was offering the Lafia cargo airport an operational base for the NAF 22 Quick Response Special Forces. The deployed NAF force are now working in collaboration with operation whirl stroke with a view to boosting security in the state as well as the entire North-central geo-political zone.

    There is no doubt that the state is operating with the administrative truism that peace and security are essential factors of human life and, as such, a peaceful and secured environment is critical to  every society since it affects all aspects of economic and social development. The strategic approach to addressing the security challenges hinged on the determination to free the state of crime, and this effort has led to the bustling return of commercial activities in all sectors of the state economy and the growing investors, confidence in making Nasarawa State an economic hub of the north central zone.

    Another effort to improve the security of the people of the state is the quick assent to a bill, which prescribed death penalty for anyone found indulging in kidnapping in the state. “I need to state that the Nasarawa State kidnapping act prohibition law was extensively deliberated and passed by the state House of Assembly. The law spelt out various offences relating to kidnapping and prescribed stringent punishment for perpetrators, such as life imprisonment and death penalty,” Governor Sule said.

    The law stipulates forfeiture to the state of any property used by kidnappers; while owners of such property would be liable to 20 years jail term. As it stands today in Northern Nigeria, it is easier to list the number of the companies yet to be in Nasarawa State than attempt to count the number of multi-billion naira industries that berthed in the state in just three years of the administration of Governor Sule. In other words, many have said that the huge investments by the Sule administration in security, roads construction, Karu and Lafia bus terminus, power, ease of doing business environment, agriculture, health, education and other sectors of the state economy have clearly yielded salutary results.

    Speaking on the administration’s efforts to protect the Tiv farmers in Nasarawa from herdsmen attacks, President Tiv Development Association (TIDA) Nasarawa State, Comrade Peter Ahemba, said Governor Sule has always dealt decisively with security issue affecting the Tiv farmers in Nasarawa since he assume office. He said that while farmers have returned to farms, the Tiv people who used to be targets of herdsmen attacks remained grateful to the administration’s relentless efforts in securing the Tiv people of Nasarawa State as they enjoy relative peace.

     

     

  • Nigeria, Cuba explore prospects of local vaccine production

    Nigeria, Cuba explore prospects of local vaccine production

    The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the poor state of medical infrastructure in the country. However, in a bid to prepare for the next pandemic by putting in place the requisite facilities and developing the needed manpower, Nigeria has sealed a partnership with Cuba with the possibility of producing vaccines locally, MOSES EMORINKEN reports

     

    The COVID-19 pandemic revealed several shortcomings in the country’s health system, especially in disease surveillance, diagnostic capacity, infrastructure and equipment, available manpower and health workers’ welfare.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha acknowledged these gaps in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    However, a very critical lesson the country has learnt is that it cannot perpetually depend on more developed and rich countries for the protection of its citizens, especially with respect to the availability and accessibility of life-saving vaccines. Vaccine hoarding and nationalism by rich countries during the thick of the pandemic was a challenge even for the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    The federal and state governments are, therefore, in agreement that there is an urgent need to ramp up investments and domestic funding for public health security. Also, the place of quality partnerships with countries that have the technical know-how and the biotechnology for the manufacture of vaccines cannot be over-emphasised.

    The good news is that the Federal Government has shown considerable interest in developing local capacities to be able to produce vaccines, not only for COVID-19.

    In February this year, the WHO listed Nigeria and five other countries- Egypt, South Africa, Senegal, Kenya and Tunisia, as beneficiaries of its support with the technology and technical guidance to be able to produce mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

    Recently, Nigeria sent a delegation made up of scientists, government officials, and businessmen to Cuba to further solidify a bilateral relationship with it, especially on vaccine production and biopharmaceutical products on the basis of Cuba’s experience, track records and capacity in these areas.

    During a chat with reporters in Abuja early this month on boosting local vaccine production capacity, the Minister of Health Dr Osagie Ehanire said: “The urgency to have the technology to know how to produce vaccines is what is best. So, we are bringing together all our experts, including the producers of vaccines and manufacturers to find the way to have a technology in case of any future new outbreaks to produce vaccines to join in the research, development and innovation.”

     

    Exploring the possibility of technology transfer

     

    On June 29, 2022, the Cuban Embassy in Nigeria convened a meeting with a diverse group of Nigerian delegates to Cuba on their return. The meeting provided a forum for them to report on their findings in Cuba in relation to vaccine and biopharmaceutical production, technology transfer, and other business relationships.

    Chief among the feedbacks from the Nigerian delegates to Cuba was the primal interest of the Nigerian Government to, not just import vaccines, and medicines, among others from Cuba, but also to have the technology and technical skills to be able to produce vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria and for Nigerians. This led to the signing of the document of interest with the Cuban Government.

    Giving his account of the trip to Cuba, the Director of the Medical Biotechnology Department of the National Biotechnology Development Agency under the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Barth Ibeh, said there were four strategic engagements with the country, namely contract manufacturing, technical assistance, technology acquisition and collaboration/partnerships.

    He said: “A striking experience we had was the COVID-19 vaccine. We also learnt that the childhood vaccine is also available in Cuba, which can be administered to children less than 18 years. We saw the commitment of the Cuban Government to see that biotechnology, research and medical areas of the country are developed to what we witness today.

    “The Nigeria Ambassador to Cuba was present in all discussions and made it possible for an Expression of Interest to be signed. We hope that the outcome of that will be taken up and from there we will hold further discussions in streamlining specific entities that actually were the content of that meeting.”

    Another delegate to Cuba, Dr Andrew Iloh, who is the Deputy Director of Research at the Biotechnology Advance Research Centre, Sheda Science and Technology Complex said: “We have already started having meetings to go beyond the expression of interest through the collaboration for research, capacity building and exchange of ideas. We are in talks with the institutions.”

    Like Nigeria, Cuba also has its regulatory agency that makes sure that all its medical products are effective and safe. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had two of its officers attend the conference in Cuba to see areas of collaboration between it and the Cuban Government.

    On the agency’s findings from the visit, the Director of Registration and Regulatory Affairs at NAFDAC, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, who represented the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said: “We all recognise the role Cuba has played in the biotechnology sector and the capacity inherent in that sector. We are impressed with its input in the biotechnology sector, as well as areas that also support effective regulation and efforts in quality control and safety.

    From the Federal Ministry of Health, the Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr Ngozi Azodoh, added: “Cuba vaccine prowess is something we are curious about. Vaccine security is critical. We want to see how that knowledge in Cuba can be translated to action in Nigeria.”

    The Chief Consultant Gynaecologist, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder of Nisa Premier Hospitals in Abuja, Dr Ibrahim Wada, said: “I know a bit more than many people feel about the medical side of Cuba. There was a time I was coming to work and meningitis was killing everybody. I appealed to the Director-General of NAFDAC to give me emergency authorisation to bring in anti-meningitis vaccines from Cuba to help the people. NAFDAC graciously gave the authorisation.

    Of course, we are talking about manufacturing it in Nigeria, but we are not there yet. So, we have to depend on bringing the medications. I was given special permission to bring Oxytocin from Cuba. The pharmacovigilance was 100 per cent in terms of the medications. We have never had issues with medications that NAFDAC has graciously allowed us to bring from Cuba on special permits.”

    Prince Kayode Akiolu of the Lagos Island National Constituency 2, and President of the Group of Friends of Nigeria-Cuba Friendship Group at the House of Representatives, added: “Most agencies that come to us don’t propose bills but only come to defend their budgets. I want a system where the Directors-General of Government Agencies can come to talk to lawmakers on policies that can transform the country.”

    On behalf of the delegates from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Head of America and Caribbean Affairs, Dr Jane Abanulo said: “I am so impressed with information from our delegates from Cuba and the level of coordination between Nigeria and Cuba, especially what is happening in our medical fields and the pharmaceuticals.”

     

    Cuban willing to partner with Nigeria

     

    The Ambassador of Cuba to Nigeria, Clara Pulido-Escandell, said the Cuban Government is more than willing to strengthen the bilateral relationship between it and Nigeria, particularly in areas of medical research and technology transfer. She also provided further information about the Nigerian delegation to Cuba.

    “The delegation included officials from the Ministry of Health, as well as a visitation from NAFDAC. In the area of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Abdullahi is the person named by the Ministry to lead the team in the area of bilateral relations with Cuba. There was also a representative from the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD).

    “This is a very important point because he not only represented the country but also a Nigerian institution was chosen to represent entire West Africa in that meeting. There was also a Professor and Lecturer from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Also, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Cuba, Benaoyagha Okoyen, played a crucial role to see that the programme succeeded.

    “At the end of the day, a document of intention was signed between Ambassador Benaoyagha Okoyen and the President of the Group of Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical Industries (BIOCUBAFARMA), who represented the Republic of Cuba. BIOCUBAFARMA is Cuba’s most astounding institution in the area of biotechnology. They signed the document to express the willingness of both governments to continue bilateral relationships.

    “We are extremely convinced in Cuba about what we have done and researched, and the achievements that we have made are not only for Cubans but for people all over the world. Particularly, we have a very special relationship with Africa and inside of Africa – Nigeria.”

    The excitement generated during the meeting by the Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria and the Nigerian delegation to Cuba indicates that a positive outcome should be expected from the partnership between the two countries on technology transfer and local production of vaccines and other biopharmaceutical products.

  • Lagos traffic radio and the audacity of dream

    Lagos traffic radio and the audacity of dream

    The management of the Lagos Traffic Radio celebrated the 10th year anniversary of the novel radio station on Thursday last week, with attention paid to how the state use the radio station to maximise full integration of its transport initiatives, ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE writes.

    At the 10th year anniversary colloquium of the Lagos Traffic Radio (LTR), which was held at D’Podium International Event Centre, Ikeja, many could hardly hide their nostalgia about what life was like on Lagos roads prior to 2012. Many recalled their pain before the coming of the station, saying traffic was hellish, as motorists practically slept on the wheels and woke up at the same spot for hours.

    One of those filled with nostalgic feelings is the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr Shina Thorpe. He gave a picturesque narrative of what commuting on Lagos roads was like before LTR was born in 2012. “Many would take a nap for 30-45 minutes, and wake up, stuck at the same spot, without knowing what lay ahead and what caused the traffic or when they would leave the spot.”

    Many others had heartrending stories to tell: those whose loved ones died in the vehicles as they got stuck in total gridlock on the roads, while they were being evacuated for urgent medical attention. Many practically lived on the roads, eating their breakfast and dinner on the roads, which also practically became mobile markets for all manner of wares. The joke then was that there was nothing you can’t buy in Lagos traffic – from groceries to electronics. Some even joked that a certain woman was stuck in the traffic and stayed in the car and prepared her soup ingredients!

    Then, Lagos traffic, which was one of the indices of measuring the state’s economic/commercial success, became a life-threatening monster, with the state government almost at its wit’s end on how to tackle it. Those were days when the office of statistics would grimly claim that Lagos lost over two billion man-hours annually to traffic and businesses were cringing at unproductivity as active man-hours were lost daily to perennial traffic gridlocks.

    Then came the creative solution. Then Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration established the Lagos Traffic Radio, first transmitting within the metropolis and solely dedicated to traffic advisory. Men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) are, apart from their traffic management duties, are to feed the station with road reports to serve as an advisory for road users, especially motorists to guide them to alternative roads they could ply to avoid traffic and inform on the nature of impediments on the roads and efforts being made to remedy it.

    The feeling from one of the members of the foundation staff of the station, Victor Oteri, summed up the general thoughts 10 years ago. “When they told us we were to berth a station that would be exclusively dedicated to traffic management, the first question I asked myself was how? I did not see a future in it, but when I saw the feedback even on the first day of broadcast, I knew it was the birth of a great dream and here we are, still waxing stronger and getting better.”

    Oteri, now Deputy Director of Programmes, who anchors Your Side Mirror, among other programmes, said the station, right from its inception, has impacted lives profoundly. Within the broadcast industry, many radio stations, since the coming of the Lagos Traffic Radio, have devoted more airtime to traffic reporting – though none gives time to traffic advisory with the same depth as LTR. With a reach initially conceived only within Lagos when it took off on May 29, 2012, LTR is now being received in neighbouring states, especially Ogun, while the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Ogun State Traffic Agency (TRACE) regularly provide content on shared corridors to aid in traffic advisory for motorists.

    All these were amply celebrated during the anniversary celebrations last week. The theme of the colloquium is “Integrated Transport System as a Lifeline for Economic Growth.” Thorpe said the station is a worthy agency/partner, especially with the present administration in coalescing the gains of intermodal transportation investments in rail, road and waterways in line with its T.H.E.M.E.S agenda that makes transportation the first of its core relief focus.

    Fashola, now the Minister of Works and Housing, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Hakeem Bello, commended members of staff of LTR for keeping the dream of the station alive. He described the station as a go-to station anytime the Federal Ministry of Works has any remediation work on Lagos roads or bridges. Besides singling out the members of staff, Fashola urged the state government to do more in re-orientating citizens to issues of traffic management and to see how they are contributing to the menace that traffic has evolved into in the state.

    To achieve a new generation of road users, Fashola recommended the introduction of traffic education in the academic curriculum of Lagos schools. “By so doing, Lagos will catch them young, by creating a new generation of citizens who are aware of their rights as well as the rights of others. It will also create a new culture of road users,” he said.

    He urged the state government to enlist specialists to create new contents that would make primary and secondary school students be more aware of expectations on the road, and, perhaps, be able to influence their parents, but largely assist them by internalising these virtues, so that growing up, they become more responsible users of the roads. Besides recommending the deliberate growth of a new generation of users, Fashola commended the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration for its commitment to connect the remaining dots in public sector transportation with efforts being made to complete the remaining initiatives that would make mass transportation a must for the people.

    The former Commissioner for Transportation and pioneer Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (LAMATA), Dr Dayo Mobereola, said if the government can provide a safe, reliable, comfortable and affordable alternative means of transportation, six per cent of vehicles that are owner-occupiers who constitute bottlenecks on the roads as well as okada, which equally constitutes about 30 per cent on the road, would be taken off, making the roads free. “We need civic education to continue to do the right thing. All the laws are there, but enforcement of those regulations is crucial. Forget your social status; we all must be concerned to make Lagos a better place, which needs to grow beyond our expectations. Let us all resolve to make Lagos work for us and for Africa.”

    The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, noted that seamless integration of transportation would lead the state’s transportation sector out of the woods. Quoting available statistics, he said Lagos, despite its small land size, accounts for about 240 vehicles per km, making the state rank way ahead of the national average in road mode. It will lay the foundation for the government to do more in providing alternative modes as means of resolving the challenges of meeting the huge demand for moving people, goods and services in the state.

    “Since we cannot build our way out of traffic congestion, we are focusing on integrating transport modes in such a way as to attract more people to leave their cars and patronise public sector transportation, thereby leading to a reduction in cars on the roads and more activity on public-sector alternatives.

    He said the waterways are receiving an equal measure of attention just as the road element, which is seeing massive investment: injection of the High Capacity Buses (HCB) for arterial roads, the Medium Capacity Buses (MCB) for intra-city roads, and the Small Capacity Buses (SCB) for the first and last mile, taking commuters from their homes to the bus stations from where they could connect the MCBs or the HCBs. This, he said, is complemented with the ongoing investment in the rail system with the Blue and Red Rail Line, which would be ready for commercial operation by the first quarter of 2023.

    Oladeinde, however, added that the government would be looking to integrate its services along these five lines: location integration, which would make the government plan the siting of stations where they would be most advantageous for users, looking at areas where people live and/or work; information integration, which is to let the people know of all available modes; where, when and how they could use them as well as the complementing with travel advisory currently being deployed by the traffic radio, and payment integration, where all payments must be synchronised to make transportation cheaper and attractive to users.

    The other two integrations are timetable integration that ensures that people need not wait for more than five minutes to connect from one option of movement to the other in a seamless land use planning which must be reformed to ensure that nobody needs to more than five minutes distance to approach a station, whether a waterway ferry, a bus or a train station.

    Three discussants dissected Fashola’s paper: former Commissioner for Transportation, Prof. Bamidele Badejo, (currently of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye), Ogun State; LAMATA’s Managing Director, Mrs Abimbola Akinajo; and President Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Mrs Ufom Usoro. They all agreed with Fashola that Lagos needs to build a new generation of road users by introducing transportation education in schools as a strategy to catch them young. They urged the state government to work at developing curriculum-based learnings that expose pupils in the state to road etiquettes early in life.

    They equally agreed the state has done well in mass transportation initiatives, which would make the activities of the traffic radio richer as more content would be provided to listeners on alternative modes to connect them to their destinations. Akinajo, whose agency coordinates all mass transit and public sector mass transit initiatives of the government, said while the Red Line, when completed, will take a million passengers off the road daily from Agbado to Oyingbo (in the first phase), the Blue Line, (which will be run on electric mode), will take 700,000 passengers off the road daily from Mile 2 to Marina (in the first phase).

    Governor Sanwo-Olu, who commended the management and members of staff of the station for keeping pace with development and making the station retain its vantage position as a station of choice for Lagosians to make informed decisions on road use, reeled out what stands out the novel radio station. Represented by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, the governor praised the resilience of the station, noting that over 2 million listenership daily is complemented by 40,000 followership on Facebook and 50,000 followers on Twitter. All this has made the station a leader in its genre, not only in the country but also in the African continent.

    He said the government would continue to support the station because it has become a darling of listeners in Lagos, who cannot do without it daily going out to work or returning to their homes. The Lagos Traffic radio has simply become a major part of the lives of many Lagosians, especially in educating them about traffic management and on traffic diversion, when the government is working on road infrastructure, he said.

    Governor Sanwo-Olu commended Fashola for birthing the idea, wondering what the state would have been had the audacious step was not taken to give the state such a major transforming station. He said it would continue to be handy when all his administration’s transformative initiatives fully come on stream, adding that the station has earned his confidence as a worthy agency of the government.

    The General Manager of the traffic radio, Mr Eyitayo Akanle, said the station has continued to be innovative in expanding its listenership base by deploying technology to maximising effective and robust real-time engagement with its listeners. He said under him the station has not only expanded its Facebook and Twitter engagement, but has introduced real-time reporting by introducing motorcyclists who will go to choke points to bring live onsite reporting to listeners.

    The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to deserving personalities who have shaped the cause of the station. Among the recipients of the award were Fashola, who was awarded Visioner and Award of Excellence, while an award of Excellence and Appreciation went to Governor Sanwo-Olu and the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.

    Awarded for their contributions to the establishment of the radio: Prof. Badejo, the pioneer MD of LAMATA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, former Commissioners for Information and Strategy, Opeyemi Bamidele, and Lateef Ibirogba, former Transportation Commissioner, Dr Kayode Opeifa. Others equally awarded are former Permanent Secretaries, Mrs Ranti Odutola, Mr Lekan Ognbanwo, and former General Manager Radio Lagos/Eko FM, Mrs Tinu Aina Badejo; while award of excellence was also given to the Commissioner for Information and Strategy Omotoso, and Chairperson of the Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Mrs Olubunmi Fabanwo.

     

     

  • How Gombe is expanding healthcare access to residents

    How Gombe is expanding healthcare access to residents

    Accessing quality and affordable health services by all Nigerians is one of the major challenges facing the federal and state governments in the country. However, some states are employing innovative means towards attaining universal healthcare coverage. In this report, SOLA SHITTU examines how Gombe State is bringing the poor and vulnerable into its health insurance scheme

    Ramatu Aliyu is a 45-year old house wife living in Tumu, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State. She has been battling with complicated health issues of fibroid, hernia and ovarian cyst for years, with little or no help even from her husband who is an ambulance driver at Kachere General Hospital, earning less than N40,000 salary per month. Her complicated health issue, though a huge of concern for Ramatu’s husband, Muhammad Abdulahi, the huge hospital bill of N300,000 is almost an impossibility for him, even as Ramatu is fighting for her life on the hospital bed.

    Her case is similar to that of Hauwa Abubakar living in Tongo at Funakaye Local Government Area. She has been scheduled for Caesarean Section as the last option to deliver her unborn child, but her family could not afford the huge bill for it.

    On Thursday, May 19, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the recently passed National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2022, with the aim of expanding health insurance coverage for vulnerable citizens unable to afford the costs of health care in Africa’s most populous country. According to reports, about 8 out of 10 Nigerians do not have a health insurance cover, with the majority of them paying cash if they have to visit a health care facility when sick. The law is expected to cover about 83 million poor Nigerians who cannot afford to pay health insurance premium.

    In Gombe State, prior to the signing into law of the new NHIA Act by President Buhari, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya had, on February 2021, established Gombe State Health Care Contributory Management Agency (also known as Gohealth), following the signing into law of the Act establishing the agency on 30th of December 2019. However, due to the advent of COVID-19, the agency was not able to take off formally until February 2021.

    The sole aim of establishing Gohealth, according to Governor Yahaya, is to ensure that every resident of Gombe State, irrespective of social, economic or educational status, has access to quality healthcare services at an affordable rate without incurring financial hardship. “Available data shows that in the North-East region of Nigeria, more than 60% of this kind of out-of-pocket expenditure for health services pushes individuals and families into poverty. That is why we worked tirelessly with the Gombe State House of Assembly to enact the enabling law that establishes the Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Scheme following the decentralisation of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

    “GoHealth is established with the sole aim of ensuring that all residents of Gombe State have access to quality health service at an affordable cost without suffering financial hardship. We have also constituted the governing board and posted appropriate and competent staff to the agency to ensure a successful implementation of the scheme in our state. We have also earmarked not less than one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund of the state and LGAs to finance the cost of healthcare for the poor and vulnerable persons in our communities. So far, over 25,000 poor and vulnerable individuals across all the 114 wards have been enrolled to enjoy free access to basic health services in the state as first phase,” Governor Yahaya said.

    The state government had also reached an agreement with the labour unions to contribute 3.5 per cent of workers’ salaries; while the government will also contribute another 3.5 per cent to cover the healthcare needs of each worker and five other dependents as part of the healthcare scheme.

    “Today, Ramatu Aliyu, the wife of an ambulance driver with General Hospital in Kachere whose hospital bill was around N300,000 was a beneficiary of the Gohealth scheme. So also is Hauwa Abubakar in Tongo, Funakaye Local Government area who had CS operation for her baby delivery and Umaru Abudi who was diagnosed with hernia. All of them were treated under Gohealth scheme among several others,” said Dr. Abubakar Musa, the Executive Secretary of Gohealth.

    Musa said the main objective of the scheme is to ensure that every resident of the state has a form of health insurance coverage and to achieve this, the Gohealth has designed three programs namely: formal sector programme, informal sector programme and equity programme. “All the three programmes have been launched in Gombe State and we have beneficiaries who have registered just within one year of establishing this agency.”

    He said the scheme has started with the state civil servants and is still in negotiation with the local government workers unions regarding the commencement of payroll deduction. The programme was launched for the state civil servants in October 2021 and they have started accessing free and qualitative health care services. “As at today, we have nearly 50,000 people who have been enrolled under the formal sector programme. This comprises about 20,000 principals, that is the main workers and about 30,000 dependents. The enrolment is still ongoing because people are still coming forward to enrol under that scheme.”

    According to the Gohealth boss, one of the key successes recorded is the fact that within one year of the establishment of the agency, it was able to conclude negotiation with the organised labour, commence deduction and enrol almost ninety per cent of the workers as well as their dependents who have started accessing the health care services. “This is significant because in other states, it takes two or three years to negotiate with labour and accessing the service is another thing, but in Gombe State, we are able to achieve all these within one year,” said Dr Musa.

    He added that this was possible because of the political will and support of Governor Yahaya who was able to stand as the father figure of Gohealth and rally support for the scheme from all stakeholders. “He has the people Gombe State at heart and he wants to see that the people of the state do not incur financial hardship when they or their loved ones fall sick,” he said.

    Since the informal sector was launched in January this year, over 1000 people have been registered; while the scheme has been able to enrol 25,000 people under the equity programme, which is mainly for the poor and vulnerable. For people in the equity programme, the state government paid the cost of their enrolment hundred per cent. “These are people who are poor and vulnerable and they cannot afford the cost or contribute to the pool of the scheme and, as such, the government takes care of the burden. Through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, we are able to enrol 25,565 people who have started accessing health care services on the 1st of July 2021 and are due to expire by 30th of June 2022.

    “As it is, preparations have reached advanced stage to revalidate and roll over those that are still eligible to benefiting as well as enrol additional 15,000 people. So this year alone, we have a target of enrolling at least 40,000 poor and vulnerable to the scheme and all these we are able to do within 16 or 18 months period. We have covered nearly 100,000 lives in Gombe State under these programmes,” Musa said.

    However, the informal sector is under a special arrangement because they are not under a formal paid system. As such, they post pay or prepaid the sum of N60,000 for a family of six or a group of six. “Meaning, friends, group or cooperative society can come together and pay the sum of N60,000 and all the six people will enjoy the same range of services as those in the formal sector,” he said.

    On the issue of availability of drugs for the scheme, Musa said the scheme has registered community pharmacists such that when an enrolee gets to a hospital and the hospital does not have certain medication that he requires, the hospital can send him to the community pharmacists who are private pharmaceutical vendors. He added that the community pharmacist will then send the bill to Gohealth at the end of the month for settlement.

    According to him, nearly 40 community pharmacists across the state have been licensed by Gohealth for this role. Similarly, a 24 hours call contact is at the back of every enrolee for any emergency. He said the operation of the scheme has been digitised in such a way that a provider can request for an authorisation to refer a client to receive surgery or any secondary services within 15 minutes.

    “This was done through the development of a local software, which has really made life very easy to the extent that a high–level delegation of NHOS on Abuja was sent to come and understudy Gohealth.”

    The chairman of GoHealth governing council, Mohammed Isa-Umar, commended Governor Yahaya for exhibiting a rare courage and political will towards the establishment of the scheme. He said within six months of its establishment, the scheme had rolled out two important programmes to include basic health care programme for 25,000 Poor and Vulnerable Households PVHHs in the state. He assured the government and people of the state that the scheme will continue to provide quality health care services to the citizens of the state.

     

     

  • Taming petrol scarcity menace

    Taming petrol scarcity menace

    With two Premium Motor Spirit or petrol scarcity hitting the nation in a space of three months, stakeholders are concerned that there is the urgent need to tackle frontally this menace, which has continued to cause pains to the citizens and an embarrassment to the government. Should an oil producing country experience scarcity of petrol? How did the country find itself in this situation? MUYIWA LUCAS examines these issues.

    Nigerians and petrol scarcity are no longer strange bed fellows. Last week, after over three weeks of unavailability of the commodity in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and its environs had a dose of the Abuja situation. The situation was yet to clear as at the weekend. This came barely three months after the last scarcity.

    While the scarcity in late February was caused by the importation of contaminated fuel, last week’s scarcity was attributed to dwindling supply by the sole importer of the product – the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

    Figures released by the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) last week showed that in April, fuel supply delivered at the Apapa port was 438,800MT. This volume was to later drop in May to 213,000MT while in June, only 140,000MT was recorded, with another 64,000MT last Tuesday. No reason has been given by the Federal Government-owned NNPC for the drop in supply. The daily consumption of petrol has remained hazy as no operator or regulator, including NNPC, has been able to give the exact volume. However, it is estimated that it ranges from 50 million to 75 million litres daily – figures that have remained highly contestable.

    The development has led to calls for the liberalisation of the import process to enable more operators go into the businses to have a more robust supply system. However, with a battered Naira against the dollar and the non-availability of foreign exchange (forex) at government official rate, most oil marketers have been crippled from participating in the import regime, thereby hanging their supply hopes on the NNPC.

    Stakeholders and experts have for long kicked against the sole importation by NNPC. Their position is that for the size of the Nigerian market, it is not ideal to have only one importer of such an essential commodity.

    Fuel importation

    Until January 2017, the import of PMS was liberalised. For instance, in 2006, as many as 116 oil firms were involved in petrol import. In fact, major oil marketers mostly from downstream outlets like Mobil, NIPCO, Total, MRS, Conoil, and Forte Oil, imported about 50 per cent of the petroleum products, leaving NNPC to supply the balance required through imports and little volume from the local refineries.

    But given the rising cost of the Naira against the dollar, and the fact that the other importers could not get forex to buy at the official rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the NNPC became the only importer of the commodity. The private importers lament that it is impossible to buy and sell the product at the regulated price of N165 per litre at the going rate of the dollar against the Naira.

    Subsidy brouhaha

    However, years after the report of the Presidential Committee on the fuel subsidy scheme in 2011, things began to change. The Committee, set up by the former President Goodluck Jonathan and headed by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, to review the report of a Technical Committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Finance to probe the same matter indicted 21 firms for making fraudulent claims for petrol subsidy payment, asking them to refund N382 billion wrongly collected as payment for subsidy payment in 2011. The Imoukhuede Committee recommended the complete deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector to avoid a reoccurrence of subsidy payment scam.

    Earlier data obtained from the NNPC indicate that subsidy payments grew by 349.42 per cent from N350 billion in 2019 to N1.573 trillion last year. This rise has been aided by the rising price of crude oil in the international market and the falling value of the Naira. In 2020, subsidy payment was N450 billion, just as the government said it had spent N10.413 trillion on fuel subsidies between 2006 and 2019.

    The former Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), in a publication shows that in 2011, the government incurred N2.1 trillion as subsidy, representing an increase of N1.4 trillion from the 2010 payment, while in 2012, it paid N1.35 trillion; in 2013 it was N 1. 316 trillion; in 2014 it recorded N1.217 trillion and in 2015, N653.51 billion was paid as subsidy claims.

    Stakeholders in the industry have lamented the burden subsidy payment is causing the country. Such argument may not be faulted given that by year end, it is expected that over N6 trillion would have been spent paying for subsidy.

    The figures speak for itself. Between January and April, this year, N947.51 billion was said to have been paid by NNPC on subsidy, while for this month, the figure is estimated to hit about N874 billion. NNPC calls this payment under-cover recovery/value shortfall.

    The Executive Secretary, MOMAN, Clement Isong, warned that subsidy might hit N6 trillion this year. “It is a function of how our exchange rate goes. It is a function of how the price of oil goes. If we are lucky and if things are on our side, then subsidy might be less. But if things are not on our side, if you do the calculation, based on the numbers, if things do not improve, it can easily reach N6 trillion,’’ he said.

    According to Isong, three factors – the rise in the international price of crude oil, foreign exchange rate and high rate of petrol smuggling across Nigerias borders are the major reasons for the rising cost of subsidy incurred.

    “The first is  that the international cost of crude oil and the derivative products like Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) has gone up significantly as a result of the Russian war in Ukraine. So, the price of crude itself, and the price of petrol, diesel and  other products that come from petroleum have gone higher than they normally would be because of the war and the sanctions imposed on Russia, which is a major exporter of crude.

    “Secondly, the rate of foreign exchange is exceedingly high right. That is the exchange rate for the Naira, which is at its highest level. I’m not talking of the black market which is even higher. I’m talking about the Central Bank of Nigeria rate, which is between N411 and N414 to the dollar. It is higher than it has ever been historically.

    “Finally, and this is the most important reason because you have capped the price at one third or one quarter of the price that it is across the borders, the propensity for the product to move across the borders is at the highest,’’ he said.

    Refineries

    The parlous state of the country’s refineries is also a major contributor to the petrol problem in the country, leading to the high cost of subsidy. None of the three government-owned refineries is operational, despite huge investments in their Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) by the government.

    More worrisome is that last year, the NNPC said it spent N100 billion to rehabilitate refineries, yet the refineries are yet to be functional to bridge the gap on refined petroleum products.

    Isong regrets that the refineries are not yet working despite several promises by the government that the plants will start production. He explained that since Nigeria depend solely on petrol import and the value of the Naira depreciating daily against international currencies, it is a long walk to Godot.

    For the National Operations Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mike Osatuyi, remedying the situation would require that the refineries were fixed. Doing this, he further explained, would impact positively on the economy and the country as a whole because it would save the forex being used in importing petrol.

    Read Also: ‘Nigeria’s oil output can’t cover petrol import cost’

    To be or not to be

    The subsidy matter has caused strong division among sections in the economy. While some are  advocates of its removal, others are against it. The protagonists argue that such action would take off the strain on the country’s revenue and financial health, thereby freeing up cash for other critical sectors in dire need of funding.

    For instance, the payment of very high under recovery (subsidy) on petrol has provided an excuse for NNPC’s inability to be remitting oil revenue to the Federation Account, especially at this time that oil price has maintained a steady high in the international market. The implication of this is that the three layers of government are being deprived of getting huge revenue allocation as their share from the centre. So, far this year, NNPC has failed to remit any money into the Federation Account four times because of subsidy payment.

    The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has been a long time advocate of this, contending that the removal of fuel subsidy would free the economy from bondage, benefit the majority poor and possibly may hurt the few affluent rich involved in the subsidy transactions. Similarly, MOMAN and IPMAN hold the view that its removal would enhance a more robust industry operations and prevent the recurring scarcity being experienced.

    Buttressing his position on subsidy removal, Isong explained that Nigerians might not really be consuming the volume of imported fuel locally, but because of the subsidy on the product, smugglers have cashed in on the price differential of petrol in the country and its neighbouring countries to make more money. In this instance, he further said, higher volume of petrol might find its way illegally to the neighbouring countries.

    “The position of the industry as a whole is this: the industry is against the subsidy. We have always been against it, we will always be against it. We are against the concept of price regulations which is what brings the subsidy. Removing subsidies is in the best interest of the country,’’ he stated this.

    “Even the World Bank has not failed to caution the country on its subsidy regime. In its report on Nigeria Development Update (NDU) released a forthnight ago, it noted that N5 trillion is urgently needed to cushion ordinary Nigerians from the crushing effect of double-digit increases in the cost of basic commodities, invest in Nigeria’s children and youths and in the infrastructure needed for private businesses small and large to flourish, grow and create jobs. When we launched our previous NDU last November, we estimated that Nigeria could stand to lose more than N3 trillion in revenue in 2022 because the proceeds from crude oil sales, instead of going to the Federation Account, would be used to cover the rising cost of gasoline subsidies that mostly benefit the rich,” the report read.

    World Bank Country Director for Nigeria Shubham Chaudhuri, however, noted: “Sadly, that projection turned out to be optimistic. With oil prices going up significantly, and with it, the price of imported gasoline, we estimate that the foregone revenue as a result of gasoline (petrol) subsidies will be closer to N5 trillion in 2022.”

    The NDU highlighted three policy priorities, chiefly among which was addressing mounting fiscal pressures at the federal and sub-national levels by phasing out the petrol subsidy (estimated to cost up to N5 trillion in 2022) and redirecting fiscal resources to investments in infrastructure, education, and health services; increasing pro-health taxes, and improving tax compliance.

    Yet, other stakeholders are of the view that retaining subsidy payment will have consequences on the industry, especially in the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, considering that the decision on pricing is about market forces being at play to allow investment decisions to be made. By extension, they contended that this would have negative impact on investment in the sector, especially on private investment flow to the downstream sector.

    On the contrary, subsidy removal, according to President Muhammadu Buhari, is not an option for now. Though himself in support of the option previously, doing so at this time is not in the nation’s best interest.

    The President, in an interview last week with Bloomberg, noted that while removing subsidy looks good on paper, the human consequences could not be ignored. He based his new position on input from industry experts and other economic factors.

    “Most western countries are implementing fuel subsidies. Why would we remove ours now? What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. What our western allies are learning the hard way is what looks good on paper and the human consequences are two different things. My government set in motion plans to remove the subsidy late last year. After further consultation with stakeholders, and as events unfolded this year, such a move became increasingly untenable,’’ Buhari argued, adding that the exchange rate is still susceptible to external shocks that can suddenly and severely affect Nigerians.

    According to an expert, issues around petrol subsidy would be resolved through efforts at boosting refining, especially through private sector involvement, including by inceasing internal production for refined products.

    Capacity is due to step up markedly later this year and next, as private players and modular refineries (Dangote Refinery, BUA Group Refinery, Waltersmith Refinery) come on board. As we step up domestic production  both in fuel (enabled by PIA) and food (agricultural policies)  the inflationary threat shall diminish, and we can move toward unification,” the exprt explained.

    However, the Managing Director, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Muda Yusuf, said the issue of subsidy removal is a double-edged sword. If you remove subsidy, petrol could sell for as high as N600 per litre, but this will cause a lot of shocks in the economy. We can see what is happening to diesel now since it was deregulated. So is such an option possible at this time?’’ he asked rhetorically, warning that such move will create social unrest.

    He advised that if the burden of subsidy payment is getting too much for the government, a phased or gradual incremental pricing could be considered. This should come with palliatives like subsidising fares.

    “Maybe the government can do something incremental but not to completely removal because the shock will be too much at this time. It is not just talking economics because there are so many dimensions to this issue; economics or policy decision is also about the context in which you want to take a decision. So, in this context now social and political context. We have to just do some adjustments but not complete removal at this time it will not be possible, Yusuf admonished.

    Way forward

    Aside bringing refineries to life, an option of eliminating petrol scarcity, according to stakeholders, is to return to the era of liberalised import of the product, as against the present situation of NNPC being the sole importer of the product for several years. Isong and Osatuyi agree.

    The duo argued that this option, if implemented, would enable higher volume of the petrol coming into the country and also serve as filler for any shortfall that may arise as a result of delays or bureaucracy, which may be caused by NNPC’s suppliers of the product. It will also help to prevent situations like importing contaminated fuel as experienced earlier this year, which led to a protracted scarcity and damage to several automobiles.

  • EKOEXCEL to the rescue

    EKOEXCEL to the rescue

    To revamp the education sector in Lagos State, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu evolved the Excellence in Child Education and Learning (EKOEXCEL) in 2019. The intervention, which is being managed by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), is improving the quality of teaching and learning as well as infrastructural standards, reports CHINAKA OKORO

    Teachers, among other significant stakeholders, are pivotal to any societal development because they have been entrusted with the responsibility of training other contributors to the advancement of any country. As essential stakeholders in the education sector, teachers also try to monitor the progress in this all-important sector to ensure that all is well.

    In Lagos State, for instance, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) is important in the public primary education sector, because it has continued to proffer suggestions on how to improve the horrid situation that the sector has become. To save the sector, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu evolved an education intervention known as Excellence in Child Education and Learning (EKOEXCEL), which was launched in the latter part of 2019 to provide quality education. The initiative is managed by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) with New Globe as the technical partner.

    This resulted in the massive construction and renovation of existing educational infrastructure: completion of more than 1,097 school projects, upgrade and rehabilitation of 322 dilapidated public schools and furnishing of primary schools with 87,000 dual composite units of chairs and desks.

    As a result of the tremendous transformation in the sector, the Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has commended LASUBEB for repositioning of the education sector in the state. Appraising the transformation in the sector since the launch of the EKOEXCEL initiative in 2019, the Chairman of Lagos State NUT, Comrade Akintoye Hassan, said Governor Sanwo-Olu had a clear goal toward reviving the sector.

    Before the initiative was launched, the state’s primary school education system was grossly inadequate, and Governor Sanwo-Olu knew it wouldn’t help his vision of making Lagos a 21st-century economy; with quality education as one of the critical drivers.

    Previous studies highlighted the deplorable state of public primary schools and why parents were shunning them for private schools, even with ill-trained teachers and poor pedagogy. So, EKOEXCEL came to transform public primary education by introducing modern pedagogical and technical skills to manage school systems, improve learning outcomes, and develop professional competencies.

    “We will ensure technology is integrated into our school curriculum and empower our youths with the much-needed skills for the jobs of tomorrow,” Sanwo-Olu had promised before assuming office.

    The transformational initiative has since recorded many strides. Over 18,000 head teachers and teachers have been moved from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and updated curricula. Over 14,000 primary school teachers from 1,011 public primary schools have been captured under the scheme. The education reform programme has also recorded remarkable gains in enhancing the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning) in primary schools. The intervention has also aided uniformity and strict adherence to the curriculum.

    Teachers’ tablets are preloaded with lessons and contents that can be effectively monitored for standardisation across public primary schools. The EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation also showed that EKOEXCEL pupils being taught with New Globe’s methods are making remarkable progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their last performance before the initiative’s commencement.

    All these achievements wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of teachers, a vital cog in EKOEXCEL’s wheels. Initially resistant to the idea as humans tend to do when innovative change is introduced, the teachers and their labour body, the NUT, have since become converts and apostles of EKOEXCEL – thanks to its efficacy and visible impacts on students and teachers.

    The Lagos NUT Chair, Comrade Hassan attested to these positive developments in a recent interview. Hassan highlighted the clear difference by critically examining Lagos public primary schools pre and post-EKOEXCEL’s introduction. He said: “Before the intervention, teaching was analogue. It was based on the competence of individual teachers manning the classroom, but the level of competence varies from one individual to another. Because of the analogue method, you couldn’t thoroughly ascertain the performance standard, but with the introduction of the highly digitalised EKOEXCEL, we now have that standard. The teachers have a standardised digital instrument that leads them in the performance of their duties.”

    Then, teaching before the intervention was more teacher-centred. The teacher determines how they go about the teaching, but they sometimes unconsciously forget that their teaching is about pupils in the classroom because a framework is absent. But with EKOEXCEL, there is a standardised instrument guiding a teacher in Alimosho and another in Ibeju-Lekki or even teachers within the same local government, but at different schools.

    “EKOEXCEL has brought about change as teaching and learning have become more pupil-centred. As you are teaching, you are also learning. The innovative technology has also enabled the teacher to learn because there is guidance,” he said.

    A Nobel Prize-winning economist, Prof. Michael Kremer, recently hailed the methodology of New Globe, EKOEXCEL’s technical partner, for promoting equitable learning. The seminal study of New Globe’s methods in Kenya has since been adopted in Lagos, Edo and recently Kwara states, where the organisation has entered into strategic partnerships with the state governments and produced more equitable learning outcomes among students.

    The methods ensure that slow learners are not left behind while boosting fast learners, as was the case in the past when there were no scientific methods of ascertaining learning outcomes. The Lagos NUT boss confirmed that they are seeing this same development in schools with EKOEXCEL. “Before the intervention, teaching was more about the slow learners. When you finish teaching, you ask questions. When you realise that most of the pupils did not comprehend, you repeat, not minding that there is a time limit. But invariably, you cannot sustain doing that.

    “But with EKOEXCEL, slow learners are now in a more advantageous position because there are supplementary classes in Mathematics and English that are held daily. They help slow learners to catch up on the things they missed in their early years,” he said.

    Like most teachers, he was initially sceptical when Governor Sanwo-Olu unveiled the initiative. “People tend to prefer an old order, maybe for fear of two things. They are not sure of the benefits the new order will bring, and because of that, they wouldn’t want to lose the benefit of the old order they already enjoy.

    “So, at that time, we were all sceptical, but it faded off with the introduction of the training. People began to change, and the pre-introduction training organised by EKOEXCEL assisted in reducing the level of scepticism.”

    Continuing, he disclosed that his initial fears about the introduction of EKOEXCEL leading to a loss of jobs, have since been allayed. “Through Education International, we attended a seminar and we were made to understand that interventions of such nature may likely affect the interests of poor children in society. It probably might lead to job loss on the teachers’ side too, so that was the expectation. But the training organised by EKOEXCEL before the implementation addressed some of these fears.

    “Till today, none of such has happened. Rather, on the side of SUBEB, you can see the very vigorous attempt to make sure that no child is left behind. They use different strategies to advocate for the enrolment of children in public schools. And rather than losing any of the teachers, we have witnessed more employment. In terms of our false expectation, we have been disappointed.”

    He added that the feedback the NUT has been receiving from members has been positive. “It has been a pleasant story. Initially, we had issues with how the tablets operate, but our members have become used to it over time. Hardly can you hear any complaint about the utilisation of that tablet,” he said.

    Their feedback about slow learners has also been addressed with supplementary classes and modules. Overall, the complaints we now get are not as serious as they used to be when the intervention was newly introduced. The entire system has adapted to the new system.

    “The introduction of the EKOEXCEL programme has dramatically improved the teacher-pupil interaction experience as witnessed with an internet sensation, Mrs Fauziyah Shade Adegeye, also known as Teacher Shade, who was observed in a viral video, motivating primary five pupils of Ebenezer Primary School to preserve, work hard and be resilient on the road to success using her newly acquired skills from EKOEXCELs’ pedagogy.”

    Comrade Hassan is also joyous about EKOEXCEL and the collaborative nature of its operations. “There is proper coordination and synergy among the stakeholders; the EKOEXCEL Team, SUBEB, and NUT give time for evaluation of the process. The interactions allow for joint operations evaluation, and the key learning is being adopted,” he said.

    The union leader is so confident of EKOEXCEL’s impressive strides, which were also acknowledged at the just-concluded 2022 Education World Forum (EWF) in Britain, the United Kingdom, that he doesn’t foresee a work stoppage in its operations even if a new government comes on board in Lagos.

    He described the pre-intervention era as a period no stakeholder, the government, teachers, parents and pupils wanted to return to. “The world is a global village through innovative technology, and virtually all human activities are evolving. It’s either you move along or get yourself out of the track. Even if there is a leadership change, the situation has compelled us to embrace the new order, which has to do with the application of technology.

    “So, we can’t afford to go back. Rather, what we are likely to witness is improving what is now. I am not even imagining going back; I don’t foresee it,” he said.

    In the future, the NUT Chair wants more collaboration with EKOEXCEL to plan and execute an annual lecture for teachers and education development because it is the future. The future is knowledge-based, so parents should strive to educate their children because it is the key to a greater future. “Advanced countries reached their current levels based on knowledge and quality education, not just certificates but practical, rigorous education. That’s the level we want to be,” Hassan stated.

  • Roadmap for a more effective policing system

    Roadmap for a more effective policing system

    In this report, BOLAJI OGUNDELE writes about the efforts of Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to guarantee security of lives and property through a reform of the nation’s security architecture.

    The worsening security situation in the country over several decades has been at the heart of public discourse for the need for police reform by Nigerians. There is the national consensus that the current policing system is not working. However, the Muhammadu Buhari administration is not folding its arms to guarantee security and protection of Nigerians. The question is: how effective has this reform been in achieving set objectives?

    Just as the administration begins the last lap of its tenure, it is beyond debate across the country that public security issues still remain among the biggest challenges confronting Nigerians. The Nigerian Police Force is central to managing and responding to those challenges. However, there is little existing research on the conditions or performance of the force and where such research does exist, the voices of police officers themselves are largely absent.

    Responding to this gap, the Office of the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President came out with a roadmap, which detailed the administration’s framework on police reform in Nigeria. An organisation cannot be reformed unless there is an honest acceptance that the status quo is not acceptable. So, the government’s acceptance of the need for police reform is an essential first step before a reform can be designed through a roadmap. The President has accepted the case for reform and has given effect to his promise by empowering the office of his CoS to lead on the police reform initiative on behalf of the government.

    The President has accepted that there is a problem and this is why the roadmap is the first major effort by his administration to reform the NPF and it builds upon his commitment to police reform, following his assent to the Nigeria Police Act in 2020, which repealed the colonial law of 1943 and other reform initiatives set in place, including the disbandment of the SARS unit of the force. The roadmap, therefore, represents a consolidation of previous police reform initiatives and a blueprint for actualizing the reformist imperatives embedded in the Nigeria Police Act, 2020.

     

    Inside the roadmap

     

    The roadmap details a new vision for policing in Nigeria that sits deliberately on implementation of the principles and practices of the reform, namely – Building Trust and Legitimacy, Leadership, Accountability Policy and Oversight, Technology and Social Media, Community Policing and Crime Reduction, Officers Training and Education and Funding, Officers Welfare, Wellness and Safety.

    According to the roadmap, the above principles are key policy areas that will inform a range of short, mid-and-long-term actions with clear timelines. The core philosophy of the roadmap is democratic policing, which entails the values of inclusivity, accountability and respect for human rights, as the fundamental bases for the maintenance of public safety, the protection of life and property and the prevention of crime. The roadmap will also set out the high-level strategic priorities of the government to work with the leadership of the Nigerian Police and flesh out in greater detail the deliverables embedded in these strategic engagements.

    The plice reform is a systematic and diagnostic process that involves a careful analysis of the institution and the identification of key areas at which reform measures will be targeted. International best practice recognises four areas of focus in the reform of the police of any country: strategic assessment, strategic planning, implementation and evaluation.

    The NPF is plagued by institutional weakness, such as inadequate human resources (both in terms of numerical strength and expertise), inadequate skills relative to modern policing challenges, weak investigative and prosecutorial capacities, insufficient training, funding challenges, inadequate and obsolete equipment and processes and critically poor conditions of service. These challenges have contributed to the erosion of public trust in the capabilities of the police as well as weakening the morale of many officers.

    These inadequacies are further compounded by the present security challenges, which include insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrimes, violent crime, and transnational organised crime which makes a compelling case for a reorientation and reform of the NPF. According to the roadmap, any meaningful reform in the NPF without the support of the community through strengthening community policing interventions and providing the enabling environment for community co-ownership of policing is a farce.

    The ENDSARS protests against police brutality led by young Nigerians, which occurred in October 2020, further underscored the depth of public disenchantment with the NPF and the scale of resentment against the misconduct by its personnel. The events preceding the protests, which involved egregious criminal misconduct by NPF personnel, particularly but not exclusively by officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), including extrajudicial killings, extortion, profiling of young individuals, torture and inhumane and degrading treatment of persons in police custody, led to a huge outcry for wide-ranging police reform.

    The EndSARS protest accentuated the fact that the NPF as we know it today is characterised by impunity, lawlessness, extortion and the flagrant abuse of the fundamental human rights of the citizens. Consequently, relations between the NPF and the people have remained fundamentally adversarial, despite the nebulous and serially abused phrase: Police is your friend, which many believe has become a mere beer parlour joke. The NPF continues to extort and inflict brutality on innocent citizens, and recent decisions on the report of the judicial panel set up by the Lagos State government to investigate police abuses and excesses have dampened public expectations.

     

    Aims of the roadmap

     

    This is why the roadmap seeks to enhance the accountability and transparency of the police, promote respect for citizens, build trust and confidence and community relations, increase its professionalism, by leveraging strongly on technology, intelligence and data to create a police institution that is responsive to the needs of the community. Also, if Nigeria builds a strong policing institution (with the right laws; better trained leadership and personnel, adequately funded and empowered with modern policing tools and techniques, and improved welfare for officers), then there will be accountability of policing actions, which will engender public trust and enhance legitimacy of the NPF

    If meaningful change is to be achieved through the reform of the NPF, many believe that attention has to be paid to both the police as well as policing. “If we are to achieve real and sustainable reform in the NPF, our focus must be fixed on the police (those individuals sworn to uphold the law), to policing systems (the policies, practices, and culture of the police organization itself). The reform roadmap for the police must be guided by certain principles which will serve as the salient pillars of the reform effort. One of the principles is building trust and nurturing legitimacy on both sides of the police – citizen divide is the foundational principle underlying the nature of relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

    “There must also be leadership, accountability and oversight posture if the police are to carry out their responsibilities according to established policies; those policies must reflect community values. The use of technology can improve policing practices and build community trust and legitimacy, implementation must be built on a defined policy framework with its purposes and goals 5 delineated. Implementing new technologies can give the police an opportunity to fully engage, educate communities and demographic groups in a dialogue about their expectations for transparency, accountability, and privacy. With a booming youth population, it is imperative that the NPF embraces and engages with technology and social media.

    “Also, given the complexity and diversity of the society, policing must be reinvented as a partnership between the police and the public. Community policing which emphasizes working with local residents to co-create public safety must be entrenched as a guiding philosophy for all stakeholders. As the scope of law enforcement’s responsibilities expands, the need for expanded and more effective training has become critical. Officers must be trained and enabled to address a wide variety of challenges including international terrorism, communal conflicts, evolving technologies, changing laws, new cultural mores, and a growing mental health crisis. The welfare and safety of police officers is critical not only for the officers, their colleagues, and the NPF, but also to public safety. The proper implementation of measures designed to guarantee officer wellness and safety is essential to boosting morale and increasing productivity,” the report said.

    The new roadmap also added that ethos of policing should move away from dominant militaristic orientation to a focus on community strategies that allow for co-owner public safety. “Police training should emphasise the need for de-escalation of volatile situations in which police officers are engaged with the public; while escalation should only be a last resort. There should be a renewed focus on police as a service to the communities rather than just an institutional instrument of coercion defined primarily by the use of force.

    “Another policy key area is to ensure police accountability. Independent law enforcement oversight structures must be strengthened via a reform of the Police Service Commission and ensuring that it is sufficiently resourced and empowered to hold the police accountable to the community, including through community policing structures as required in Section 113 to 115 of the Police Act 2020. A more robust and independent vetting system should be established to assess the suitability of new recruits into the police to ensure that only mentally and psychologically suitable applicants are allowed into the police

    “Laws, procedures, and policies should be changed to make clear that police officers bear an affirmative duty to intervene, prevent, and report misconduct. Prosecutors and NPF leaders and the Police Service Commission should hold officers that fail to intervene in the face of criminal misconduct by colleagues accountable.”

     

    The Police Service Commission

     

    The reform roadmap expects the Police Service Commission to conduct mental and psychological tests on officers at the entry level into the police. “They should also implement effective early warning systems to proactively identify officers displaying probable behaviour and ensure accountability and appropriate early intervention which will include both supports for the officers, and dismissal if necessary. They should develop performance monitoring metrics that demonstrate a focus on community policing, including tracking and measuring the satisfaction of and engagement with the community.

    “The NPF should implement new and robust critical incident review procedures in accordance with best practices to learn lessons from major incidents. These reports should be made public to build public confidence. The NPF should protect the constitutional rights of Nigerians by establishing clear community-driven guidelines for demonstrations and use of force against large groups. These guidelines should prohibit the use of lethal force, military equipment, rubber bullets, pepper spray, tear gas and canines against protestors who pose no danger to others. The NPF should also desist from #prohibiting attempts to prevent citizens from videotaping public officer conduct in public places.

    “The Police Service Commission and NPF should require all police officers and staff to wear at all times while on duty readily identifiable and visible badges and other insignia reflecting their names and units. The NPF should implement swift and strong consequences for codes of silence, and a zero-tolerance policy for official dishonesty that serves to shield those who commit misconduct. The Police Service Commission should use and seek to fortify its authority to hold police commands and police units which engage in a pattern and practice of Constitutional rights violations legally accountable.”

     

     

  • Finally, Osinbajo congratulates Tinubu on APC ticket

    Finally, Osinbajo congratulates Tinubu on APC ticket

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has congratulated presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory at the party’s primary.

    Osinbajo, in a statement on Thursday, said Tinubu’s unique contributions to Nigeria’s democracy and its progress stand him out.

    He said: “I congratulate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory at our party primaries and his emergence as the presidential candidate and flag bearer of our great party, the APC for the forthcoming 2023 Presidential Elections.

    “I also congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and all leaders of the APC for a successful Special Convention and Presidential Primary.

    Read Also: Amaechi congratulates Tinubu, pledges full support

    “For many decades, our flag bearer has shown passion, patriotism, courage and determination in the cause of nation-building. His sterling contributions to our democracy and its progress stand him out. His wealth of experience will certainly be critical in our party’s continued efforts to attain a more secure and prosperous Nigeria.

    “To all members of our great party, regardless of who you voted for at the primaries, we must now unite behind our presidential candidate and flag bearer to ensure victory for our party in the 2023 elections.

    “As true progressives, we must remain strong and united in pursuing our collective vision as a party towards building a country that can provide a decent life and livelihoods for all our people.”

  • Soludo’s throbbing headaches

    Soludo’s throbbing headaches

    Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo is battling hard to manage growing public expectations in Anambra State, a state troubled with the twin problems of insecurity and paucity of funds. In this report, NWANOSIKE ONU and EMMA ELEKWA write that despite the rising challenges, the administration still has time to rise up to the task

    Before winning the governorship election in Anambra State, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo was the cynosure of all eyes. He talked in a manner that turned the heads of listeners, depicting him as the man with the magic wand. He was composed, full of wisdom, and walked with a swagger that made the public shout, “the awaited messiah has arrived.”

    But there is a difference between being a Central Bank Governor and being the Executive Governor of a state.  Perhaps, the realities have started to dawn on him since March 17 this year, when the man of the people was sworn in as Governor. But the inauguration turned out dramatic, as two beautiful and powerful ladies, Bianca Ojukwu and Ebelechukwu Obiano, turned the arena into a theatre of the absurd. Perhaps, it was from that ugly moment it dawned on many that the former CBN Governor would have many rivers to cross in the next four years

    Like all his speeches, his inaugural address gave people hope. However, all seems to have vanished – or so it seemed to his opponents. Though he has appointed commissioners and few key others officials he needs to run his government, happenings show that Soludo is yet to settle down as he will have loved to do; he continues to battle mounting insecurity challenges and huge debt profile facing his administration, which he said, he inherited from the last government.

    During the presentation of what he called revised N170billion budget to the State House of Assembly, he listed his two major headaches: insecurity and the N120billion debt. Undoubtedly, reviewing Soludo’s tenure as Anambra State Governor in less than 100days in office may sound unfair or too early to many, as many may insist that there is need to offer him the benefit of the doubt, especially in view of obvious challenges he met on the ground, including insecurity and paucity of funds.

    But for his critics, especially those in the opposition, Soludo has underperformed within the period under review. Some opposition have described his administration so far as a disappointment to the people of the state, whose expectations are high.

    A legal practitioner in the state, Stanley Okafor, told The Nation that it is too early to reach conclusions on Soludo’s approach or leadership skills. He, however, advised that the governor needs to be more careful with the issue of agitative groups in the state. “The Soludo government came on the heels of Olympian expectations from the people. Indeed, as candidate for office of governor, Soludo did make high projections. I am certain he must be settling to the realities of political leadership, which is at distance from his administrative experience before now.

    “So, it’s too early in the day to reach conclusions on his approach or skill. I do not think he has spent up to one hundred days in government house yet. But he needs to be more careful with the issue of agitative groups in the state which affect security. Government usually employs behind the camera methodologies in dealing with issues sensitive to state security; it’s not every matter that must be addressed through public spectacle. His advisers need to devise more workable solutions that must admit of covert gymnastics and midwifing; instead of the use of public statements capable of heating up the system.”

    The National President of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo (Southeast), Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, said it’s too early to judge Soludo. According to him, no government, including the federal, would achieve anything within the short frame. “It’s not yet time to judge a man who has not stayed up to three months in office. He’s not a magician. We should start something like that after about eight months. Besides, since he came in, he has not rested for one day; it’s either one killing here today and another there tomorrow

    “Soludo is trying to settle down and I believe, if he does, he will give Anambra people what they desire. Nobody is talking about infrastructure now. The expectations are huge from the electorate, but the challenges are many for him. We should give him that benefit of the doubt.”

    For Comrade Chris Azor, human rights activist and Anambra State Coordinator, civil society organisations, Soludo has started well despite being challenged by twin factors of insecurity and inadequate financial resources. “Soludo’s performance is fundamentally challenged by the twin factors of insecurity and inadequate financial resources. However, looking at his manifesto ‘Soludo solution’ and the inaugural speech, which is anchored on the key pillars of law and order, economic transformation, competitive and progressive social order, governance, rule of law, and rebirth of our value system, one can say he has started well.

    “He lived up to his campaign promise by working over eight hours after inauguration. He made good his promise by visiting Okpoko, the notorious slum, and commenced clean-up of the area, including Sakamori and major areas of the state littered with waste. He inaugurated the executive council within two weeks of his swearing-in. Governor Soludo convoked a peace and security summit shortly after, and followed up with on-boarding a security and peace committee. This was recently further complemented with a visit to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB leader, in custody.

    “He has also held several engagement meetings with the security apparatus, traditional institution, town and market unions, youth, women, civil society and sundry stakeholders, all aimed at finding lasting solution to insecurity and restoring peace and prosperity to the state, and indeed the southeast zone. He has held court with donor agencies and development partners with a view to attracting investments to the state. Recently, he went on a tour of Lagos State and Abuja targeting Anambra indigenes.

    “At the engagements, he presented his work plan and implored the people to contribute to security prosperity of the state. The attendance and response was encouraging. Soludo has also sent a supplementary budget to enable him get financial and resource backup to tackle some of these challenges. However, like I observed earlier, there are palpable challenges. Any discerning stakeholder can observe renewed violent attacks by hoodlums to targeted areas in the State.”

    Another resident, Udoka Favour, said, “Governing the Central Bank of Nigeria is certainly different from governing a state. Here comes the true test of his ability to deliver… and he must not disappoint the people, including his former students, who have placed so much hope on him expecting him to repeat the same magic of CBN in Anambra.”

    A university don, and former chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof Dennis Aribodor, is also of the opinion that Soludo’s administration is too young to be reviewed. He, however, made certain recommendations. “Mr. Governor has promised to declare emergency on roads. I will advise him not to embark on the construction of new roads but to rehabilitate and maintain existing roads until such a time resources will favour new road projects. All roads awarded during Peter Obi and Obiano’s administration should be completed before new award.

    “Again, the Governor should find a way of solving the power problem in the state so as to unleash economic development and job creation. This also should be an emergency. Third, the greatest problem facing the administration is in the area of security. One of the ways to address that is to empower local government administration so as to take responsibility in apprehending security challenges timely enough.

    “Local government allocations should be made available to them so as to live up to their responsibilities including security. The failure of effective local government administration for long has compounded the state challenges. There should be elected popular local government administration with adequate oversight.

    “Part of the solution to the security challenges should be continuous dialogue. It will not be out of place if the dialogue results in engaging these youths in the state security architecture, as it is done in parts of Niger Delta. The Southeast governors should work more closely, set up technical committees to encourage economic development and integration for the region.

    “If the governors truly deploy resources to serve the people sincerely, most of the problems will be a thing of the past. It is good that the state governor is thinking in this direction. He should not be discouraged by the challenges he will meet. Rather should focus on the objectives and identity key stakeholders that will help achieve success. I wish him the best.”

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pascal Candle, said Soludo appeared confused on how to tackle the various decays he met on the ground, especially in the area of infrastructure. “He has toured major areas and seen the rot, especially in Onitsha, which he’s trying his best to clean up. He has also declared a state of emergency on Anambra roads. But the challenge of funding is crippling his efforts. For me, he’s just buying time to see how he can mop up funds to commence work.

    “On insecurity, Soludo missed it from day one. The situation so deteriorated to a point that new ideas were needed to tackle it. But his re-appointment of special adviser to the former governor and others who worked in the last administration in the area of security worsened the situation. These were the same people that held the former governor hostage. They were not providing him with needful information.

    “That’s why he ended up spending lots of money in the sector without meaningful results. The approach was cosmetic. What we’re witnessing today is accumulated inefficiency. The situation in the state capital is worrisome. How can a government hand over revenue collection to two rival cult groups where one is trying to outsmart the other in order to have total control of the entire revenue in the state?

    “The ongoing killings in Awka and its environs today is who will control the revenue from Keke and shuttle bus drivers. The governor is still theorising; no tangible practical solutions.”