The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • Another storm against Buhari’s men

    Another storm last week gathered again against some key officials in the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    The two officials now in the eye of the storm are the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

    Despite one of the cardinal goal of the government being fighting corruption to a standstill, it is sad that the main issues against these two officials border on corruption.

    The lid was blown off the alleged irregularities and on-going mess in NNPC when a protest letter by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu addressed to the President, was leaked.

    The country is yet to fully recover from the massive looting that took place in the oil sector under the past administrations.

    While the prices of oil in the international market hovered over $100 per barrel under those administrations, observers noted that there was little to show in the country for the huge revenue.

    Rather than use the income to develop the country, Nigeria remained lacking in basic infrastructures while substantial parts of the income fraudulently found their ways into the private pockets of those in charge.

    The former Minister of Petroleum Resources under the last administration, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, is still facing one corrupt charge or the other in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

    Besides other allegations against the current GMD of NNPC, Kachikwu had last week specifically alleged in the letter that $25 billion contracts awarded by Baru didn’t follow due process.

    The letter, titled ‘Re: Matters of insubordination and lack of adherence to due process by the GMD NNPC – Dr. Baru,’ with reference number HMS/MPR/001/VOL.1/100 and dated August 30, 2017, reads in parts “Mr. President, yesterday (August 29, 2017) like many other Nigerians, l resumed work and confronted with many publications of massive changes within the NNPC.

    “Like the previous reorganisations and ‘repostings’ done since Dr. Baru resumed as GMD, I was never given the opportunity before the announcements to discuss these appointments.

    “This is so despite being the Minister of State, Petroleum, and Chairman, NNPC Board.

    “The board of NNPC, which you appointed and which has met every month since its inauguration, and which, by the NNPC, is meant to review these planned appointments and postings, was never briefed.

    “Members of the board learnt of these appointments from the pages of social media and the press release of NNPC.”

    Stressing that Baru ignored his earlier warnings to him, he said “Not only did he not give my letter the courtesy of a reply, he proceeded to announce the appointments without consultation on board concurrence.

    “Mr. President, please note that there is a board service committee, whose function is to review potential appointments and termination of senior staff prior to implementation. This committee was also not consulted.

    “The effect of the attitude of the GMD and the sidelining of the board is that there is a fear culture in the NNPC,” Kachikwu said.

    In his prayers to the President, Kachikwu said “We save NNPC and the oil industry from collapse arising from the above non-transparent practices and empower the board you inaugurated to do the needful.

    “That you save the office of the Minister of State from further humiliation and disrespect by compelling all parastatals to submit to oversight regulatory mandate and proper supervision which I am supposed to manage on your behalf,” he stated

    The major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wasted no time to demand Baru’s immediate suspension.

    The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, had said “As a political party, we expect that the President, who prides himself as an indefatigable corruption fighter, would for once try to live above board, by genuinely allowing one of his own, accused of corruption, get properly investigated and prosecuted as a show of his impartiality in the war against corruption.

    “He should do this to correct the open impression Nigerians have about his so called anti-corruption war; that it’s just a tool of persecution of perceived enemies.

    “We view the allegations levelled against Baru by Kachikwu as too grave to be swept under the carpet and we insist that the NNPC GMD must be treated like an accused who should not have the opportunity to influence investigation into his alleged misdeeds.

    “In this light, we demand an immediate suspension of the NNPC GMD so that proper investigation can be carried out by the relevant anti-corruption agencies.” he said

    Also worried by the allegations in the oil sector, the Senate last week set up a committee chaired by Senator Aliyu Wammako, to investigate the issue.

    Unlike the Baru case where the allegations were raised within the executive arm of government, the allegations against the Inspector General of Police was spearhead by a sitting Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Isa Hamma Misau (Bauchi Central).

    Apart from corruption allegations, Misau also raised allegation of infidelity against the Inspector General of Police.

    The Senate constituted a Special panel, headed by the Senate Deputy Chief Whip Francis Alimikhena (Edo North) to investigate the Inspector General of Police for alleged misappropriation of funds, illegal promotion and posting of senior officers and bribery and to also investigate claims that the IG put an officer in the family way and secretly wedded her in Kaduna.

    It also mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate claims of professional misconduct against the IGP.

    All these allegations came to the public domain few months after some top officials of the government including  the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, was investigated on alleged corruption charges.

    His case is yet to be resolved as the President might still be studying the investigative report submitted by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo led three man committee.

    Also the resolution by the Senate not to confirm the appointment of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, is still subsisting.

    It will be a plus for the government to do everything possible to get to the bottom of these fresh cases.

    The administration should  also remain fair and just to all those involved in the alleged corruption issues, by giving all, fair hearing in a bit to get to the root of the issues.

    This is important, at least, to counter the frequent claims of selectiveness of its anti-corruption battle been leveled by the opposition party against the government.

    It should guide against being seen and viewed as playing the ostrich when corruption case is leveled against one of its officials.

     

  • Women tackle exclusion in governance

    Women tackle exclusion in governance

    At a forum, women grapple with a perception that they are shut out of governance and policy making. They seek a better deal, reports VICTOR OLUWASEGUN

    Clearly, the puzzle has since turned into frustration. Women cannot quite understand why they cannot be president and cannot really call the shots or even match the men numerically in terms of appointments.

    At a forum in the nation’s capital, some high-profile women asked: how can we be more prominent in governance in Nigeria? How can women pull down the institutional barriers  before them in politics and decision-making processes in the country?

    This was the issue before the participants at the 6th annual conference held by the House of Representatives Committee on Women in Parliament in Abuja.

    The committe is headed by Evelyn Oboro.

    Women from the political sphere across the nation gathered seeking to break the jinx of economic, religious and socio- cultural challenges excluding them from having a voice in the running of the country’s affairs.

    The participants included female senators, House of Representatives members, female lawmakers from state Houses of Assembly, Local Government Councils and aspirants across the country.

    Their gathering came against the background of the inability of the 35 percent affirmative action for women to pass through in the ongoing constitutional amendment by the National Assembly.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu  Dogara in his opening remarks gave a damning  political verdict on Nigerian men, saying they are responsible for the woes of women in politics in the country.

    According to him, the failure of women in politics is because of the feeling of insecurity in men. He said the odds against women’s participation in politics and government are enormous.

    “The problems and challenges facing women participation in politics in Nigeria in spite of modest strides are deep-rooted,” he said.

    He said women have paid their dues in Nigeria tempered by years of struggle for economic, social and political emancipation.

    “They have borne the pains of this struggle with grace just like a woman in travails. Our strong women know how to endure these pains that only strong men can heal.

    He then wondered why it was difficult to count the women as part of the Nigerian political success story.

    “To my mind, that is the case because we Nigerian men are too weak and insecure. Anywhere in the world where women fall, it has always been due to lack of strength in men.

    “Must we continue to crush our women in order to continue feeling powerful? Nigerian men must grow up knowing that we are the ones to make possible what our women are struggling for not the women themselves although women must never give up the fight or struggle until victory is won.”

    Listing he problems facing women in politics in the country, he said the challenges facing women participation in politics in Nigeria in spite of modest strides are deep-rooted.

    This, he said, includes the patriarchal nature of our traditional society; stigmatisation of women politicians by a largely ignorant society; political thuggery, violence; financial capacity; religious and cultural stereotyping and bottlenecks; educational disadvantage; meeting schedules of political activities are in most cases not convenient for women’s to attend especially married women etc.

    The Speaker said even in parliament the reality is not less appalling.

    “According to Mrs Oloyede Olayemi of the National Bureau of Statistics, the Senate has been dominated by males. In 1999 there were only 3 women out of the 109 members representing 2.8 per cent of the members of the Senate. In 2007 the number increased to 8 (7.3 per cent). However, there was a decrease from 8 women members in 2007 to 7 in 2011 which is 6.4 per cent and 8 (7.3 per cent) in 2015.”

    “In 1999, the number of women in the House of Representatives was 12 out of 360 members which was about 3.3 per cent but increased to 21 (5.8 per cent) in 2003. It was 26 (7.2 per cent) in 2011, in 2015 the number of women in the House of representatives decrease to 23 (6.4 per cent) out of 360 members”. These are indeed very depressing figures.

    On how to involve more women in governance and especially in parliamentary representation, Dogara wondered if it could be achieved by giving women a quota for representation. Or should it evolve in the ordinary course of politicking.

    He enjoins Nigeria to borrow a lead from Rwanda which has more that 50 percent of women in politics and governance.

    Speaking earlier, the Chairperson of the Committee in Women in Parliament, Hon. Evelyn Oboro, said that there are gaps in women’s political representation in Nigeria, and that the major challenges “are around patriarchal structures, female access to education, poor economic condition and other negative cultural factors.

    “The pose challenges lie in the fact that women’s contribution is grossly under- represented and barely recognised. Although the numerical representation of women who participate in election as voters is higher, their representation as elected candidates is minimal.”

    Chairperson for House committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nnenna Elendu- Ukeje said at the individual level, economic, religious and socio- cultural challenges are responsible for pulling women back in politics and governance.

    So also are institutional factors like “government policies, political party system, corruption and violence,” she said.

    She said the female population constitute about half of the population of the country but that it’s unfortunate that it’s not reflecting in the number of women in the political space.

    According to her, solutions to the problem include democratization of the electoral process, criminalizing electoral violence, strict conformity with electoral funding law, and elimination of all forms of discrimination against women amongst others.

  • ‘Prioritise security, shun corruption’

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Bello has urged newly-appointed secretaries, chief of staff and other aides to give priority to security and shun corruption.

    Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the appointees, Bello harped noted on the need for security of life and property, as well as ensuring that government is alive to its responsibilities.

    He charged the appointees to get fully acquainted with the direction and priorities of the administration and to familiarise themselves with basic public service rules and government procurement guidelines.

    Malam Bello last week appointed Adamu Abubakar Bappah secretary for Area Council Services Secretariat; Hon. Nzekwe Stanley Ifeanyichukwu (Agriculture and Rural Development); Senator Isa Maina (Education), and Mr Amanda Pam (Health and Human Services).

    Other Secretaries are Mr Muhammad B. Umar (Legal Services); Oladimeji Ali Hassan (Social Development), and Kayode Opeifa (Transportation Secretariat).

    Also appointed were Umar Shuaibu, coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC); Isiyaku Tanko Yamawo, coordinator, Satellite Town Development Department (STDD); Ibrahim Damisa, Managing Director, Abuja Broadcasting Services.

    Mohammad Bashir Mai-Bornu was appointed Chief of Staff to the Minister; Dr. Bala Mohammed Liman, Senior Special Assistant on Finance and Economic Matters; Olafusi Emmanuel Tosin Esq., Senior Special Assistant, Legal and Multi-lateral Cooperation; and Abubakar Muhammed Abdullahi, Senior Special Assistant, Information Communication Technology.

    In the same vein, Isa Dara Bwari, Chika Alexander Nwatu and Abu Zarr Sulaiman Ribadu were appointed Advisers on Community Relations.

    The minister disclosed that the next two years of the administration

    would witness massive infrastructural development in the satellite towns and rural areas of FCT, while education, health and ICT would equally be given priorities in this phase of development.

    “Similarly, we are committed to making Abuja Smart City,” he said.

    “We also aim to achieve a one-stop shopping centre for the administration’s services, especially in the area of revenue generation.

    “As you take over the reins of office, you must keep in mind the commitment of this Administration to deliver a secure environment and observe zero-tolerance to corruption. This also involves the overriding need for security of lives and property as well as ensuring that government ia alive to its responsibilities.

    “The next two years will witness massive infrastructure in the Satellite Towns and rural areas of the FCT. Other areas of priority in this phase of our development initiative include education, health and ICT, among others. Similarly, we are committed to making Abuja a Smart City”.

    Commended Abuja’s founding fathers and continued support of members of the National Assembly, Bello noted that funding was critical, especially for resettlement of original inhabitants to give way for development.

    Coming barely two years to the end of the administration, the Minister explained that it was in a bid to restructure, refocus and strengthen the FCTA bureaucracy that he delayed appointment of the secretaries, chief of staff and political aides.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, Sen. Dino Melaye, in his remarks appreciated the Minister for the “very wise appointments”, adding that the appointees would “no doubt bring back the lost glory of the FCT”.

    Pledging the support of the National Assembly, Melaye urged new appointees to “assist the Minister to continue with the good work he is already doing, to ensure the Abuja Master plan is maintained.

    “We want to see the impact of your appointment immediately. We want to see a clean FCT because we have no other FCT to call our own.”

    Responding on behalf of the appointee, Chief of Staff to the Minister, Mohammed Bashir Mai-Bornu said that they considered their appointments as opportunity to serve Nigerians.

    Noting that they were aware of the enormity of the expectations form the people, Mai-Bornu promised to work hard to actualize the vision of the Buhari administration.

  • Ending 12 years’ agony

    No worker likes to be owed even a month’s pay. The pain becomes unimaginable when the arrears run into months or years.

    It gets worse still when such workers are no longer in service and do not have any other means of livelihood.

    While waiting and praying for God to intervene so the arrears can be cleared, many of the workers have died – no thanks  to the challenges they faced and  the worsening economic realities.

    Some of these Nigerian workers who have experienced this ugly scenario over the years are the ex-workers of the defunct national carrier, the Nigeria Airways.

    The national carrier was liquidated by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 2005.

    The ex-workers’ outstanding entitlements, which was estimated at N78 billions, have remained in arrears for over 12 years as previous governments had kept closed eyes and ears toA the ex-workers’ demands.

    The ex-workers mid-last month staged a peaceful protest at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos over the delayed payment of their entitlements.

    Speaking on behalf of the group, Sam Nzene, the Chairman of the Nigeria Airways Chapter of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, said: “We understand the funds are ready because bond was floated and the bond has since matured in June, but up till now, what we are saying is that nobody has called us for negotiations on the next line of action.

    “By now, we should be working with the unit that has been mandated to pay us, but up till now they are doing the payment in secret.

    “They do not want us to know. Even the aviation ministry is not so much in the know of what they are doing, so we want the President to please call those concerned to order.

    “We are not quarreling that we have not been paid, but that the union should be aware of what they are doing, so that we can equally tell our members to remain calm that we will get our money.

    “Since the approval came, nobody has told us what has been approved, but as long as we are concerned, our money is N78 billion; 5,909 workers and pensioners are to benefit,” he said

    Showing that he cares for Nigerians, both in service and out of service, President Muhammadu Buhari, a fortnight ago, changed their story.

    The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika disclosed to State House correspondents that the President has approved N45 billion to settle the outstanding payments owed the workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways.

    Sirika said, “Governments, in the past, decided just to liquidate Nigerian airways without tending to the issue of the entitlements of the workers and they have been struggling to get that paid and we came in government and we took it very seriously.

    “I’m happy to announce that Mr President has approved N45 billion which has been confirmed to be the entitlements of these workers and Ministry of Finance has been instructed to pay and the ministry has written to me last week, to say that they have received the instruction to pay these workers, and therefore, they are setting up the modalities to pay.

    “You should know it won’t pay through my Ministry before somebody will say I take some of it. It will be paid by Finance Ministry of through a process, and that process will commence very soon,’’ he said.

    While many Nigerians have been commending the administration for the move, its important for the gesture to be extended beyond the aviation sector by clearing similar backlogs in other sectors of the economy.

    Doing this will go a long way to ensure peace and harmony needed for development and growth of the nation.

    (2) Lawal and the SGF role

    With the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, Dr. Habiba Lawal has been holding sway as acting SGF for some months.

    Lawal, who shares the same surname with Babachir, has been effectively performing the functions and roles of the SGF in the office.

    But the acting SGF appeared to have remained in the background for several weeks as far as the roles Babachir used to play before the commencement of every Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting was concerned.

    Babachir then always played the role of a class captain just like in a classroom setting.

    He always ensured orderliness and decorum in the Council chamber before the arrival of the President.

    Ministers and other cabinet members usually gather in groups exchanging plesantaries and discussing latest happenings in the polity before commencement of FEC.

    Babachir’s voice was always heard on the sound system, few minutes to the meeting, urging the Ministers to take their seats in preparation for the arrival of the President and commencement of the meeting.

    Sometimes, Babachir will not hesitate to call the names of the ministers who failed to heed his earlier advice and again urge the cabinet member to settle down.

    But all those appeared to be relaxed when the Acting SGF stepped into Babachir’s shoes.

    The Ministers and cabinet members were allowed to do their things unhindered until a presidential aide announces the President’s arrival.

    For several weeks, the Acting SGF also avoided the SGF seat in the Council chamber as she always sat at the back row prior to the commencement of FEC.

    All these have, however, changed in the past two weeks.

    The Acting SGF has now been maintaining orderliness in the Council chamber before commencement of FEC.

    Her voice is now always heard urging the ministers to settle down few minutes to the beginning of the meeting.

    She has also moved to the SGF seat in the front row in the chamber, few seats away from the President.

  • Fed Govt praised on commitment to PLWHA

    It sends a message of hope to people living with HIV/AIDS or  PLWHA in Abuja and other parts of the country.

    Since the 1980s when the epidemic named HIV/AIDS arrived the shores of Nigeria, it has wrecked lived and gulped huge amounts of money and other resources while scientists across the world have been working tirelessly to find a curAe.

    Concerned about Nigeria’s position as the country with the third largest infected population (about 3.2 million) of PLWHAs, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNAIDS had ratcheted  up efforts to ease the burden of taking  proper care of those already infected with the virus

    That informed their joint involvement in the celebratory mood recently over the Federal Government’s new commitment to use domestic funds to provide antiretroviral drugs to an additional 50,000 people living with HIV each year.

    “We are encouraged by the enthusiasm that the Federal Government is showing towards putting more of its own financial resources to the HIV response. This is one sure way of helping Nigeria to end AIDS by 2030,” said the Director General of NACA, Dr Sani Aliyu.

    “UNAIDS is thrilled by the new momentum and firm commitments that the Government of Nigeria is bringing to its HIV response. We are eager to support the process of putting more people living with HIV in Nigeria on treatment,” said the UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria, Dr Erasmus Morah who recently resumed in Nigeria after serving in some eleven countries.

    It is all more heartwarming and indicative of progress when one notes that now, a new national HIV survey, a Trust Fund and support for local manufacture of ARVs in pipeline.

    For NACA, WHO and UNAIDS as well as a huge number of HIV-positive Nigerian citizens, including those living in Abuja, it is a welcome development that instead of complete dependence on foreign donors’ assistance, the Federal Government has now committed itself to using domestic funds to provide antiretroviral drugs to an additional 50,000 people living with HIV each year.

    Nigeria’s commitment was announced in a speech by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the successfully concluded high-level side event convened by the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, in collaboration with UNAIDS, during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA. The side event was meant to accelerate action and get countries on the Fast Track to end AIDS by 2030.

    “We recognise the impact of the global financing environment and the need for shared responsibility in order to end AIDS in Nigeria by 2030,” said President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement read on his behalf by the Director General of NACA, Dr Sani Aliyu.

    “Thus, we have committed to increased domestic resourcing of the AIDS response. In the light of this, the Government of Nigeria is committed to maintain the current 60,000 plus clients on life saving medicines and an additional 50,000 new clients per year,” President Buhari said. He announced that Nigeria had already put more than one million people living with HIV on treatment.

    Other important new commitments announced by President Buhari included working with partners to conduct a national population-based HIV survey to gather new evidence to guide Nigeria’s response, a plan to establish a private-sector funded AIDS Trust Fund as well as securing of HIV funding commitments from the States. President Buhari also expressed commitment to offering an enabling environment for the local manufacture of antiretroviral drugs in support of Nigeria’s policy to immediately put any person who tests positive for HIV on treatment.

    While Matthias Adamu, an activist for HIV-positive persons describes the development as part of a much-needed change that Nigeria had been waiting for, Charles-Martin Jjuuko, a Communications and Global Outreach Officer at UNAIDS in Abuja emphatically asserts that such joy and the new ray of ray of hope is really justifiable when past and current circumstances are duly considered.

  • Netherlands trains 20 senior immigration officers 

    The Federal Government has taken a step further to enhance security measures and efficiency in the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS).

    Twenty senior officers of the NIS have received specialised training in security, reception and treatment of visitors within and outside the country.

    The officers, who were trained by officials from the Netherlands, cut across the ranks of chief superintendent of immigration (CSI) to assistant comptroller of immigration (ACI).

    The select group of officers, who are expected to replicate the training at zonal and command levels, will proceed to Netherlands for further training.

    Speaking with journalists at the NIS headquarters in Abuja, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Sunday James, an ACI, said among others, the programme was geared towards attitudinal change. According to James, the Comptroller-General (CG) of Immigration, Mr. Muhammed Babandede, enjoined the officers to ensure that the Service does not remain the same at the end of the programme.

    He said: “The concept is commitment to the service, a training programme aimed at changing the attitude of individuals that participate in that programme in the way they usher, receive and treat visitors.”

    In the same vain, in view of the need to ensure effective and efficient service delivery to the public as regards accessibility, acquisition and procurement of our facilities such as Visa on Arrival (VoA), Temporary Work Permit (TWP) and other categories of Visa, the e-passport and other travel documents, the Service has dedicated official channels to address any issues bordering on service delivery in order to enhance revenue generation for the Federal Government locally and in our Foreign missions.

    A statement issued yesterday by the NIS spokesman, Sunday James said: “Any member of our publics who have complaints or issues to raise such complains as:

    Operations at the airports- especially issues about overstay/delay in clearance.

    Paid for our facilities (Visas, e-Passport, and Residence Permit) but the amount was not reflected in the receipt correctly.

    Unnecessary delay in acquiring e-Passports after long period of application.

  • Defence College hosts Museveni

    Defence College hosts Museveni

    The National Defence College recently celebrated 25 years of its existence. BLESSING OLAIFA writes on the celebration and examines the contributions of the college to military training, service and discipline.

    IT might not be apparent to everyone but the National Defence College (NDC) in Abuja has quite a lot to be proud of. In its 25 years of existence, the NDC has transformed into a world-class military institution. A fountain of knowledge, it attracts top military officers who come in search of strategic training in warfare. No fewer than 18 countries from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe have sent their military chiefs to the NDC. Some world leaders have also endorsed the institution by sharing their experiences, knowledge and ideas as a tool towards achieving global peace and security, stability and development.

    The latest dignitary to visit the college was Uganda President Yoweri Museveni who called on  September 15 to deliver the inaugural lecture for participants of its Course 26.

    Museveni is among contemporary African leaders who can be said to have seen it all. He was involved in a series of struggles in his country, fighting for liberation, political growth and development, peace and security, regional stability and cooperation on the continent and beyond.

    Coincidentally, Museveni came at a period Nigeria was attending to challenges of security in all facets its national life.

    The Ugandan leader began his lecture by saying Africa was the continent of all firsts, wondering how the continent became the last in all facets of development in the past 500 years.

    In the light of the trajectory of the experiences of African countries viz a viz the present happenings in Nigeria, President Museveni cautioned against politics of identity not only in Nigeria but other African countries, saying those playing politics of identity are doing a disservice to their countries, and to Africa.

    He said “Nigerians should stop playing politics of identity. I am Fulani, or I am Yoruba. No, it should be primarily politics of interests based on where your prosperity comes from.

    “Every member of my ethnic group in Uganda has cow and milk, but we cannot achieve prosperity by selling these products to ourselves, so we have to look beyond our ethnic group to achieve prosperity. China and India opened up their economies in the late 70s. Today, their Gross Domestic Products are in trillions of dollars.”

    Though his lecture to the Course 26 participants was titled “Sub-Regional Cooperation and the Stability of Member States: Economic Community of East African States in Perspective”, President Museveni was blunt by insisting that for development and growth to take shape in African countries, Africans must embrace one another and work closely with each other in all areas of human endeavors to optimise its potentials and opportunities.

    Accompanied to the event by the Uganda Foreign Affairs Minister and Uganda Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Museveni said African countries should begin to examine themselves within the context of how a continent of many firsts 3,500 years ago became the last on all fronts in the past 500 years.

    “In the last 500 years, Africa has gone down. It has suffered all sorts of afflictions, slave trade, colonialism, genocide, marginalisation and diseases and many other misfortunes,” Mr. Museveni lamented.

    According to him, African countries would have been built around five pillars of attainment of independence, entrenchment of democracy, prosperity, security and preservations of the cultures of the peoples.

    But such lofty goals, he argued, could not be achieved for many reasons, chief among which were lack of unity, slave trade, colonialism, poor political organisation and the fact that African countries were fragmented politically into kingdoms and chiefdoms.

    The Ugandan leader argued that the Chinese and Indians were not making much progress until they opened up their economy around 1978, noting that in 1978 Chinese exported goods stood at 8 billion dollars, while it is standing at 2 trillion dollars now.

    ”China Gross Domestic Products (GDP) in 1978 was 218 billion dollars, compared to 11,222 trillion dollars today, while Indian’s Gross Domestic Products of 202 billion dollars is standing at over 11 trillion dollars today,” President Museveni stated.

    He warned that economic prosperity cannot guarantee strategic security as it should be noted that countries like France and Poland that could be adjudged as prosperous and technologically advanced were annexed by Germany before World War II.

    President Museveni who further argued that political integration for economic prosperity should be the strategic anchor for African security asserted that in contemporary world emphasis is on human resources than natural resources and therefore urged Africans to invest more on human resources for its growth and development.

    On his part, the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo said as an international and strategic institution, the College was committed to interrogating the factors that impacted on regional security and development with a view to proffer credible strategies towards addressing them hence the choice of President Museveni as the guest lecturer and the topic.

    Rear Admiral Osinowo described President Museveni as” a political juggernaut and strategist, a nationalist per excellence who revitalized Uganda by providing political stability, a growing economy, and improved infrastructure.”

    “He also instituted a number of capitalist reforms that have impacted on national development and security in Uganda. His ABC strategy for combating HIV/AIDS remains one of the best in Sub-Sahara Africa.

    “Our guest lecturer is a regional integrator for East and Central Africa, and a Pan-Africanist who had gone through thick and thin to preserve the dignity, culture and tradition of the peoples of Africa,” Rear Admiral Osinowo said.

    The Minister of Defence,  Musuid Dan Ali, lauded the Uganda President for honouring the invitation extended to him by the country, stressing that it would go a long way to strengthen the cordial relationship existing between Nigeria and Uganda.

    He said Nigeria and Uganda had signed lots of bilateral agreements on trade and investments, air travels, and other technical agreements, noting that Uganda remains a host to so many Nigerian products and brands.

  • Peace above all

    The clampdown on members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a fortnight ago has no doubt generated a controversy in the country. Tension in the country resulting from the activities of the group had reached an alarming rate.

    Members of the group were reported to have started violent attacks on northerners residing in the Southeast.

    They were reported to have been stopping vehicles in the Southeast and specifically searching for northerners, among other accusations.

    Their actions resulted in reprisal attacks in Plateau State while it took great efforts to stop such reprisal attacks in other parts of the country.

    Apart from the military operation codenamed ‘Python Dance II’ and other security forces drafted to the Southeast to maintain law and order, the government wasted no time to declare IPOB a terrorist group. Drafting the military to the Southeast also triggered various interpretations and debate.

    While some Nigerians felt that the government was too harsh on the group led by Nnamdi Kanu, others felt that the group shouldn’t have been allowed to spread its tentacles and operate at the level it did two weeks ago.

    Still, other Nigerians felt that the government should have ignored Kanu and his group from the outset, while some of them at the same time believed that the government made a mistake by allowing Kanu to be released on bail in the first instance.

    Some of those against the move by the Federal Government believed that the Python shouldn’t have been allowed to dance in the Southeast.

    Among those who did not support deployment of soldiers in quelling internal crises included former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He said, “However, we want to advise the Buhari administration, which has announced plans to extend the military show of force to the South-South and the South-West through Operation Crocodile Smile, to tread with caution.

    “Nigeria is no longer under military rule. In a democracy, you separate the military from the police. The military is not meant to fight criminality within a nation because they are trained to fight a nation’s external enemies.

    “It is the police that are trained to fight crime internally. When the military starts doing the job of the police and starts fighting or doing what they call a ‘show of force’, the effect will not be to reduce crime. The effect will be to intimidate people.”

    Specifically on IPOB, he said, “The insinuations in the press conference given by Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday, accusing the opposition of sponsoring the IPOB and the fact that he mentioned that Nnamdi Kanu preached Nigerian unity during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan is another clear indication that the present administration has not left propaganda mode for proper agenda mode two and a half year into their tenure.

    “If the government, in which Lai Mohammed serves, knows which opposition members are sponsoring IPOB, then they should identify them, arrest them and then prosecute them.” he said

    He added, “It is our suspicion that Lai Mohammed is talking from history seeing as he criticized the Jonathan government for banning Boko Haram in a statement he released on June 10, 2013, even though the Jonathan government had gone through due process before proscribing that murderous sect.

    The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, had also faulted the military and said it was illegal for it to declare IPOB a terrorists group.

    But IPOB, to many Nigerians, had however played the grooves that necessitated the Python dance in the South East.

    Speaking on the issues last Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed said: “I think anybody who has watched Nnamdi Kanu’s videos anywhere he goes to he openly solicits for arms and for funds, I have a lot of quotations from him as to the violence intention of IPOB, in one of his videos he said if he is arrested his boys should burn down the country, the same Kanu went on television a few days ago saying he was sleeping at about 4:30pm in his house in Umuahia and then some solders were making noises they were disturbing his sleep and his boys stopped them.

    “I ask him which country in the world would tolerate this. Unfortunately Nigerians, we have short memories at times, or we tend to be very mischievous because this thing is being turned into oh the North is persecuting the south east or muslims persecuting christians we have forgotten that in 1983 there was a group called Maitasini in Kano, they were crushed by Shagari government, they were muslims and northerners.

    “When they relocated to Burukutu they were again crushed by Shagari,l. When Buhari became Head of State, the same Maitasini raised their head, he chased them far into the Chad Republic as then the Head of State, I remember that time he was accused by America of trying to expand Ghadafi’s agenda.

    “Abacha in his own time dealt also with Maitasini and he was a muslim, President Yar Adua in 2010 was on his way to the airport when he got a report about Boko Haram, he sent army to go and destroy them, these were muslims from the north dealing with essentially islamic muslim insurgencies.

    “Anything about insurgence or terrorists act, you don’t think about religion, you don’t think about ethnicity, you think about the unity of the country.

    “Honestly Nigeria has been very very lucky, last week there would have been massive bloodshed if reprisals had taken place outside the south east and it didn’t take place because our traditional rulers, our governors and other leaders went out to pacify people and the kind of stories that has been trending on the social media has not helped things, as a matter of fact there was one stating that a major general had been killed, not knowing that it was a retired major that was killed in Benue state over land matters, that would have set the entire country ablaze.” He said

    He went on “And they think its a joke, you can imagine what would have happened if the people of Kano or Kaduna started retaliation, so we are in a very dangerous situation and actually we are sitting on a keg of gun powder. The peace that you are seeing is deceptive we must continue to work on it and we must continue to counter this very untrue narrative.

    “On the basis of that we have heard some funny bones saying that Nigeria should be expelled from the United Nations because they are perpetuating genocide, this government will not stifle anybody’s freedom of expression, but when you cross the line for the sake of national unity we won’t allow you.”

    “We have the records, we know IPOB collects money from many people from diaspora, they collect money from many people in Nigeria they collect money from some foreign countries, this is clear.

    Stressing that it was the rights of individuals or groups to seek self-determination, he had maintained that it should be pursued in a non-violent manner.

    “Where any group crosses the line by engaging in violence, it risks being cut to size and that’s exactly what has happened to IPOB.

    “I am not interested in the semantics or legality of troops deployment or the proscription of IPOB. All I know is that IPOB has engaged in terrorist activities, viz: Setting up parallel military and paramilitary organizations, clashing with the national army and attempting to seize rifles from soldiers, using weapons such as machetes, molotov cocktails and sticks and mounting roadblocks to extort money from people, among others.

    “To those who have engaged in semantics or legality, I ask: Which country in the world will tolerate those activities I have listed above? Which national army will look the other way when it is being attacked by a band of thugs?” he queried.

    While dialogue should be explored fully to resolve all agitations in the country, it will definitely not augur well for peace and unity of the nation to be slaughtered on the altar of religion and ethnic sentiments.

     

  • Southeast crisis: Minister guarantees security in FCT

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has appealed to FCT residents to go about their business without any fear of molestation.

    Bello assured that the FCT administration has taken every measure to ensure the security of life and property in Abuja.

    He gave the assurance in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Cosmas Uzodinma after an emergency meeting of the FCT Security Committee which took place in his official residence.

    The minister said, “The purpose of the meeting was to review the situation in the Southeast and its implication for the residents of the FCT as a Centre of Unity. We are properly briefed, and the whole idea is to ensure that FCT remains as peaceful as it has always been.  We also occasionally receive updates on the situation of law and order in all the Area Councils and satellite towns. From all the reports we received FCT is peaceful.

    “It is very clear that from what we read from the social media and some other electronic media, there are some people out there who clearly want to create trouble in this country. Obviously, government would not allow this to happen and certainly, in the FCT, we would not allow that to happen. That is why I am calling on all residents to ignore any negative report they read on the social media platforms that tend towards disunity, disaffection and targeted clearly towards trying to create trouble.”

    Bello further said: “In the FCT, all the ethnic groups, religions and creeds are fully represented and live harmoniously. The laws of the land are very clear and anyone trying to foment trouble would be dealt with according to law. To this effect all the security agencies have been placed on heightened alert.”

    He appealed to all FCT residents, especially those from the South East to live peacefully, to carry on with their lawful businesses without any fear and to discountenance the antics of some people out there who clearly want to create trouble.”

    He stressed, “The Administration will not shirk it responsibility for the protection of lives and property in the FCT” while enjoining all the traditional rulers and chairmen to take the outcome of the deliberations to the Area Councils and grassroots communities. He also harped on the necessity for all residents to be alert to the happenings around the neighborhood as security is a collective responsibility.

    He thanked residents of the FCT for their peaceful and calm nature urging them to continue to remain law abiding.

    The new FCT Commissioner of Police, Malam Abubakar Sadiq Bello announced that security agencies have put in place measures to collaborate and work together to ensure peace and order as well as the exchange of intelligence in the Territory.

    He said this had already with the show of force conducted on Friday.

    Similarly, he disclosed that arrangement is in place for both visibility policing and intelligence gathering and sharing with other sister agencies. “We are well prepared to stop any threat,” He assured.

    In a message to Christians at the end of the meeting, the FCT Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Dr. Jonah Samson enjoined all Pastors and believers to preach and pursue peace and to ensure that we encourage people to live together in harmony.

    He charged all Christians to stay away from trouble and to pray for our nation, so that it would be a better place especially as we approach the independence anniversary celebration, adding that love is paramount.

  • Perm Sec: I’ll work with minister to achieve Buhari’s change agenda

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory (FCT),Mr. Christian Ohaa has indicated his readiness  to support the Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello to achieve President Muhammadu Buhari’s Change Agenda.

    Ohaa disclosed this during the monthly management meeting of Heads of Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) of the FCT Administration.

    The Permanent Secretary implored directors and other senior management staff of the administration to key into the Change Agenda of the President which is hinged on zero-tolerance to corruption, excellent service delivery and improving the quality of  lives of Nigerians from all walks of life.

    According to a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Tony Odey, the Permanent Secretary said: “I’m sent here to support the Minister to drive to fruition Mr. President’s Mandate for this administration. As you are all aware the watchword of this present government is transparency and accountability and that is why all of us are here.

    “Therefore, we must prove to Mr. President that we have bought into his mandate. We will support him to succeed in his passion to bring a change to this country. We will support him so that when visitors come into city, they will have good impression about Nigerians.

    “I believe in you. I believe that together we can support Mr. President and the Minister to usher in radical change into Nigeria.

    “I present myself before you, to work with you with sincerity of purpose. To make sure we do the right thing at every given time. To make sure we are prompt even when there are emergencies. This is because all of us are here to work for the good of our people and ourselves and also for the future of our children. Let’s work in synergy. Please, don’t let me down.”

    Ohaa further remarked that the Minister shares in totality the vision and ideals of Mr. President, to reposition Nigeria on the path of rectitude in order to be an example in the comity of nations.

    “The Minister is a man of integrity. A man who is highly contented and when the head is correct, the whole body must follow.”

    The scribe maintained that he would stick to extant rules and regulations in the way and manner things are done in the Territory.

    Oahu who solicited the co-operation of the staff, promised to do his bit to improve on the human capacity and staff welfare of FCTA staff.

    He further expressed his resolve to drive vigorously policies and programmes that would enhance the lives of residents of the Territory.

    The new Permanent Secretary later inaugurated the series of Management meetings that would take place under his supervision.