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Tag: challenges

  • Our challenges, by CMD

    Our challenges, by CMD

    The Federal Government has upgraded its Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ido-Ekiti, in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, Ekiti State to a teaching hospital.  The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Majekodunmi Ayodele, in this chat with ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA, bares his mind on the benefits of the upgrade in the delivery of quality healthcare. He says the hospital’s new status will enhance medical students’ access to training. 

    Can we have insight on your background?

    I am a trained psychiatric and came to this hospital as a consultant more than 10 years ago. I pioneered the psychiatric department with the support of Dr. Ololade Ojo, who was then my boss and the Chief Medical Officer (CMD). We worked together to take the department to an enviable height that earned us recognition by the West African Medical College as one of the best training psychiatric centres in Nigeria .To the glory of God, I moved from there to become the Head of Clinical Services of the hospital. That position I held for two years. During my tenure, I brought a paradigm shift to that office. I had to sit in as acting CMD Dr. Ojo completed her second term. In September 2012, I was made the substantive

    CMD. Since then, the struggle to get a teaching hospital status for the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) and with the mighty weight and philanthropic gesture of our revered Aare Afe Babalola, we have been able to achieve this dream.

    The feat was achieved not until the philanthropist has expended about N2 billion in putting the infrastructures in place according to the dictate of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the National University Commission (NUC). Now, we when clinical hostels that you would probably not find in any teaching hospital in this country because, each room is en- suite for all the students. We also have fully equipped teaching laboratories, for the training of these students. It is all with the efforts of the sage himself and we are able to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) which was facilitated  by the Ministry of Health (federal).

    The FMC has just been upgraded into a Federal Teaching Hospital by the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. The hospital is now in the club of those hospitals where medical students undergo clinical training.

     

    When did the idea of upgrading started?

    As a matter of fact, I would say that the renaissance started with my predecessor. We shared a common vision and she opened the floodgate of this hospital to a number of consultants during her eight- year tenure. We have up to 50 consultants then. Although, the number is not fixed because, as some of them are coming in, others relocating to other

    institutions within and outside the country. It was during that time we started the idea of changing the hospital to the status of a teaching hospital. And that is why I pioneered the training of clinical students in this hospital. My Mental Health was the first to go into residency training.

    Before now, we had departments that were given partial accreditation. So, when I came on board, I ensured that we had full accreditation for some of these departments. Apart from that, we had new departments like the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department. We also have new Pathology Departments – the Chemical and Microbiology. They are all into investigation. What we concern ourselves with is the strengthening of the already laid down structures in the hospital. And for us to do this, a number of reforms have been carried out in the last two years that I came on board. These are fundamental to any institution like ours.

    The first step I took was to ensure that all the Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) are paid directly into the banks. It was to end the culture of business as usual. Because, one thing that can easily frustrate the operation of this institution is lack of finance, more so, that government is not 100 per cent responsible for its funding owing to the austerity measures here and there. So, we fought that battle and won. Although, it is not a new thing because, other institutions do it but we happy that that is also entrenched in our system here. I am also happy that my people also realise that I meant well for them by introducing such measure. Even as CMD, if I had to spend a dime, I had to raise a voucher for that purpose. I cannot just draw any money from any cashier.

    That was what was in operation before I took over.  Part of the reforms is that, we had to constitute some bodies that were never in existence before, like procurement committee. It existed in law but not in practice before I came. This is important so that the CMD or anybody would not just appoint anybody based on closeness or friendship to be buying all the items needed in the hospital. The law is clear on who should head the committee and there are processes. Then I also resuscitated the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF). The head of Clinical Services is to head the body and the Chief Pharmacist The ServiCom now is in operation.

    Above all, we laid emphases on discipline and hardworking since we are providing the necessary infrastructure. The reforms are directed towards improving clinical services and welfare of workers too.

    With the teaching hospital status, is your management considering the possibilities of raising charges for patients in this hospital?

    We will be shooting ourselves in the leg if we increase our charges in a hospital that has just being upgraded. What we need most now is the number of patients patronising us because we cannot afford a teaching hospital that is empty. Also, considering the level of poverty in this part of the country, doing so might be counter-productive. If you increase their charges beyond their reach, they naturally stay away. They rather wait until they see somebody who will assist them or they die. So, it is better to bring the charges down to the barest minimum. What we are planning to do here is this; the issue of austerity in Nigeria is not a new thing. And some people are saying that it is just being pronounced officially. Our overhead is so negligence – almost non-existence.  I mean what is being given to us from the Federal Government to run the hospital per year. We get an average of N4 million per month which is not even enough to power our generating sets. As I am taking, we are still running on generators and we must ensure that this place runs like a standard hospital.  You will probably turn back if you come into the hospital at night and everywhere is dark. We are also strengthening our outreach programmes to the nooks and crannies of the state and beyond so that people can have a feel of the services we render. Apart from that, we need to device other means of generating funds. This is why we established the ventures that are self-sustaining. These would generate income for the hospital.  It has been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). We intend to have among others things car wash business, poultry farming, water plants and so on.

    How was the idea of teaching hospital conceived?

    Well, let us give God the glory. I am only fortunate to be the pioneer medical director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti but the whole idea emanated from Aare Afe Babalola himself. He told us that from his experience outside the country, we have varsities that run medical schools but never had teaching hospitals of their own because they could just reach out to any standard hospital around and affiliate. Aare cited many examples of where such is done in Europe and America. So, he brought the request to my predecessor. Although, there was initial error in the sense that my former boss took the whole matter on her own shoulder, thinking she could grant the request. Eventually, the Ministry of Health got to know about it and nullified everything. It was only last year that we restart the process through the normal channel. The former Health Minister Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu said only the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could upgrade a hospital to a teaching status. And without being in a teaching status, it cannot train medical students. The minister advised that we should apply to Mr. President through my office, telling him the facilities that we have on ground and why we think we could do it. He later said he would send the ministry’s team to access the facilities before he puts forward the recommendation to Mr. President. That was exactly what

    happened and it took us almost a year to complete the process. All these were made possible because Aare Babalola was a tenacious person and one bid lesson that learnt from him is that he did not believe in impossibilities. Aare Babalola is a philanthropic of high repute who will commit any amount to a course he believes in. All these he did for the betterment of humanity. For somebody to commit as much as N2 billion in

    a project, even if somebody is rich, I don’t how many people would want to do that, knowing that all the facilities would not

    be his own after ten years. I don’t know whether the MOU states anything about a sharing formula. It only says that after 10 year, Aare Babalola ceases to make use of the place.  He was optimistic that before the expiration of the agreement, he would have put up his own Teaching Hospital. In other words, it is like providing facilities for government for a period of 10 years. Aare uses his name, his goodwill to remove all impediments along the way.

    After the expiration of the 10-year agreement, does the university have the plan to renew it?

    I must believe so. Although, it is not clearly stated in the MoU but I think there can be room for that. So, I don’t think it would be too difficult to do that if the ABUAD hasn’t gotten her own teaching hospital.

    What do you think could be done to discourage medical tourism by Nigerian leaders?

    Let me start by saying that I don’t believe that our leaders travel abroad for medical tourism because we lack facilities in Nigeria, or as a result of lack competent experts. Some of our leaders who go for treatments overseas do so not because of medication, but because they want rest. They have this notion that they would have a better time to relax in the developed world. But, if we are talking about care only, I would say that a number of them travel out for sickness and diseases that we can attend to locally here in Nigeria. So, they go there to catch fun. No matter how equipped this hospital might be, those who are hell-bent on travelling abroad will still do that because they have other reasons for their actions.

    What are those spectacular feats that you have attained or recorded in the institution?

    I pioneered mental health and it was surprising to the people in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. Many of them were asking where is Ido-Ekiti on the map of Nigeria? Many confirmed that  residents doctors from our hospitals who who go coming for examinations  do excel with high grades ahead of their colleagues in bigger and older hospitals. We are doing a lot of exploits here which is not known to the public and that is why we are seeking the assistance and corporation of all, including the media, in this regard. By law, we are barred from placing advertisement but we can only do it in a subtle manner.

    Right now, we have not less than 66 full-time consultants. I am talking of those who have attained the peak of their chosen careers in medical discipline. With that alone, it is obvious that we have the manpower here. We have the gadgets but we will still need more, even the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), the University College Hospital (UCH) and others need more.

    If you go round the hospital, you will see our dialysis centre. It can match any within and outside the country. We have no fewer than six dialysis beds here and we have a separate one for HIV patients. And we charge paltry fees. We also have a cardiac centre.

     

  • Rising above his challenges

    Rising above his challenges

    His life is full of challenges. It is a story of a  deprived  Nigerian,  who overcame  adversity to achieve success, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    John Bull Ojiekpon, Chief  Executive,  JB Shoes, has overcome life challenges to make  a living. Through running a thriving shoe business in Lagos, Ojiekpon, popularly known  as  JB,  has managed to beat the odds to succeed. Since childhood, life has been an endless struggle and it’s only his zeal to carry on that saw him go far.

    From a family of eight  children, Ojiekpon learnt shoe mending while in secondary  school to support himself and his family. Living conditions were harsh with sparse employment opportunities, especially for those living in the rural areas, who make a living daily struggling. His childhood and adolescence were difficult due to the polygamous nature  of  the  family.

    As an apprentice at the shoe factory in Benin, he worked in a variety of footwear roles. Following a successful completion of his  apprenticeship, he  started  a repair  business.  He later relocated to Lagos in search of greener pasture.

    However, his search for a better life in Lagos  was marred when he could not find anybody to offer him accommodation to stay, forcing him to go back to th village. However, he did not give up.  So, on his second coming to Lagos, he had  to take up a 24 hours security  job  because it offered him free accommodation.

    In  the  course  of  his  job, he  met  someone,  who  had  a  failed  shoe repair  business and was looking for an experienced  hand  to revive it. That meeting opened up his journey to self actualisation and success. Ojiekpon  had  to quit his security job, took up the challenge, and within a short time, he was able to   bring the business  back to life and  money  started flowing in.

    Somehow, his partner and  principal  was not honouring his  commitment  to the landlord of the  property where the business was located  and so  the  rents  accumulated. A quit  notice  followed   and they  could not continue there.

    Within  the  period  he  was managing  the  business, he was able  to build  good will. Subsequently, one of his clients offered him a shop to use. But he couldn’t  afford the rent.  On trust, the  shop  owner allowed   him take over the shop with the  understanding  he  could  pay the rent later if the  business picked up. That was  a cheery news. He  took the offer  and  got the  machines  he  was using  in the former shop  on rents.  He  was able  to make money  within a  short time. However,  much of it  went into payment of rent  for  the shop  and  machines.  Eventually, the  owner of  the machines  offered to sell the machines to him on hire purchase basis and he bought the machines.

    Since 1995, the business has been growing steadily. Ojiekpon said that he has been getting busier and busier.

    Customers from all over rely on what he provides. His services include repairing purses, boots, designing and producing belts and bags. He tries to work as reasonable as he  can in order to make his products affordable.

    In the long term, as a shop owner, working with leather, shoes and boots, he is still learning new things on daily basis. For him, it is not just about the new materials shoes are made from, but figuring out which glues and primers work with them. Most of his customers, however, are individuals.

    He thinks one of the reasons the shop   stays popular is because people enjoy coming in. He puts customers first by telling them whether he can or cannot repair their items and by keeping prices affordable, most people are drawn to him.

    What stands his shop out is the ambiance. The scents of polish, dyes and varnishes pervade the air.  On one side of the store are shelves of shoe accessories, leather care and cleaning supplies and on the other are shelves with shoes for sale .

    For him, Nigerians are not getting enough well made locally  shoes. His products- locally-made, solid-looking footwear styles have been in fashion for the last few years, and are not showing any sign of falling out of favour any time soon. To this end, he is   taking advantage of this to design shoes that perfectly complement the more refined, well tailored dresses that today’s style-conscious Nigerians go for. His styles are so unique and they are his signatures. They give their wearers utmost comfort and pleasure, and are affordable and durable.

  • Our challenges, by SWAAN

    Our challenges, by SWAAN

    The society for Women and AIDS in Africa, Nigeria chapter (SWAAN) is an early player in the HIV/AIDS campaigns  OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA was at the 25th anniversary of the non-governmental organisation (NGO).

    It was a celebration of achievements and renewal of hope for more successes, when early campaigners under the aegis of against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Society for Women and AIDS in Africa-Nigeria chapter, (SWAAN), a non governmental organisation (NGO),  gathered at the ECWA Hall on Ayilara Street, Ojuelegba, Lagos to mark its 25th anniversary.

    The President, Dr Mrs Funmi Doherty, minced no words as she went down the memory lane to recount some of the challenges faced by the organisation. According to her, it was tough at the beginning because it was not everybody that knew what HIV or AIDS was.

    She said there were myths, stigma and discrimination.

    Dr Doherty said: “Many people were scared to disclose their HIC status. We tasked ourselves at SWAAN to put a human face to HIV/AIDS. As time went by, government, partners and donors came in with their support. But now HIV is something we all can discuss openly. Though now, there are still disclosure problems, denials are not as high as they used to be. In recent time, there are different types of HIV/AIDS counselling and testing, such as HIV couples counselling and testing. We mould our projects to suit emerging circumstances and issues. We do not operate a one track suit fits all system.”

    She recalled : “Over the years, we have learnt how to survive, for instance, funding was a major problem and we survived then, and now that donors are winding up and some actually ended up funding, we are still operating by sustaining the projects. Sustainability of any project a donour or partner is supporting us on has always being our hallmark. We enjoin the government to support us in this regard because most of the projects we do are children and women oriented, so as to drive down spread of HIV in the society. For example, we are working with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) so expectant mothers can access prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. Though we are talking now of elimination. We researched and found out that most of these expectant mothers, once they enroll with TBAs, they are not willing to go to PMTCT centres. A woman that is attending TBA services won’t be thinking of screening for HIV. So we engage TBAs to refer their clients to PMTCT centres for screening and anyone that is positive can benefit from AIDS Care and Treatments (ACTs).”

    Dr Doherty said: “Our Foreign donours and partners supported us on this but had time frame for the donations, grants and support, so most of them have withdrawn or totally stopped funding of this project Because we believe in the initiative and its many benefits we did not draw curtain on it. That programme is serving a need, which is getting rid of transmission of HIV from mother to child while in state.

    Now, the services which such Positive mothers enjoyed free of charge, such as paying for drugs and transportation, being sponsored by foreign donors and partners are being affected. If government is talking of ‘Elimination’ of HIV from mother to child, then issues like this should be addressed. If such mothers are not tracked at TBAs, and when tracked could not afford transportation to access ACTs, there is no way HIV won’t be transmitted by such a mother to the child. Major challenges are funding and staff attrition. When you train people, they end up with other organisations to deploy their skill; also reaching to communities to break their silence on HIV was a huge task at the initial stage.”

    The Life patron, Prof Ibironke Akinsete recalled that: “The major achievement in the last 25 years was being able to create awareness on HIV and AIDS.  We have been able to train people to do counselling. We have been able to reach maginalised people in the society, such as the commercial sex workers on educating them on mode of transmission and prevention tips. We have over the years engaged in promoting PMTCT. These are laudable programmes because otherwise, certain women won’t have been able to get information on, education and prevention of HIV and AIDS.”

    She said the challenges are many, because, “When we started off 25 years ago, there was practicality no non governmental organisation (NGO) on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. There were issues of denials, stigma, discrimination, unavailability and unaffordable drugs as well. We hit the ground running by having active branches in all the states of the Federation, including FCT. Our numerical strength was boosted by this; we moved from 40 membership to 600, to 1, 000 then to 6,000 members. As time went by, the donors needed more people to get involved, so some of our members left to form more NGOs. Later, there were issues with HIV funding because it was becoming a free for all thing, and the donors didn’t know the credible NGOs. Many collected huge monies and fizzled out. Today, 25 years after, we are standing on based on passion, commitment, credibility and tenacity. Today, funding is a major constraint to greater performance, but we have survived. Nigeria is the second largest country with people living with HIV in the world. More NGOs need to be more proactive by taking up areas of human interest in HIV/AIDS. Funders need to know which NGOs are genuine and which ones are not, and monitor what they are doing.”

    She throws a challenge to the populace and government because: “It is surprising that awareness on HIV is declining.  People aren’t really paying attention to mode of transmission again or protective measures. Before, HIV/AIDS was on the front burner, many people don’t know in-depth things about HIV again. There is still the issue on stigma and discrimination. Now, there is a Bill on that awaiting transition to Law.  Many people living with HIV can’t obtain employment because of employers’ discrimination, of erroneous thinking of spending more n medical bills, should such be employed,” she said.

     

  • The challenges of university education

    Education sector, just like other sectors in Nigeria, is in a sorry state and the Government needs to declare a state of emergency in it. More attention needs to be paid to the sector since it is from there that we produce the manpower that controls other sectors. In fact, it is the mother of all sectors.

    The education sector is in quandary as it is today in Nigeria. As a result, other sectors have all fallen below bar. University education is no longer what it used to be. To some Nigerians, standard university education does not exist in Nigeria, hence the sheer number of Nigerians enrolling in foreign universities.

    Again, it is unfortunate that no Nigerian university is among the top hundred universities in the world. The major challenge that university education must overcome is poor funding. If the government could pump more money into university education, more laboratories, hostels and lecture halls will be built and maintained to create an enabling environment for learning and also reducing overcrowding.

    University education also needs funds for paying the lecturers, in order to mitigate industrial action usually embarked by them. Corruption, christened ‘sorting’ or ‘runs’ in the university system has eaten deep into our education fabric. Gone are the days when students read for examinations. Majority of Nigerian students now depend on ‘sorting’ to pass their examination. Some greedy lecturers will tell their students that no matter how hard they read for their examinations, they will have to “sort” or risk failure.

    This challenge can be a thing of the past if the students decide to embrace their books and report lecturers that indulge in “sorting” to their school authorities who should punish any lecturer found wanting.

    We are in the jet age where everybody wants the easy route. This hastiness has resulted in poor research. Students, lecturers and government have a share of the blame. Half-baked graduates are churned out yearly because the students prefer peripheral learning to the rigours of research.

    Furthermore, inadequate infrastructure poses a big challenge to university education. Most universities lack basic infrastructures such as water, electricity, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and so on.

    And this ugly trend affects lecturers and students who wish to embark on thorough research, especially on the internet.

    Technology has made teaching experience rather interesting. E-learning is gradually taking centre stage and for Nigerian universities not to be left behind by this trend, the issue of poor service from network providers must be rectified.

    Finally, insecurity, a national issue in Nigeria at the moment, has led to untold deaths, harassment and rape on campuses by foul elements. Security must be provided in Nigerian universities to curtail the evil activities of cultists and hoodlums who storm universities to wreak havoc, thereby distorting the school calendar.

    I believe Nigerian universities can be in parity with their foreign counterparts only if the Nigerian government takes proactive measures in tackling the above challenges. A better future is possible if only we act.

     

    Uchechukwu, 100-Level Medicine and Surgery, ABSU

  • Rising above life’s challenges

    Rising above life’s challenges

    Imagine a visually impaired man running a $700, 000 business! This is the story of Ayo Awe, who rose to become a successful entreprenuer. Awe’s success story, as captured by DANIEL ESSIET, serves as an inspiration to others that, there is ability in disability. 

    At a young age, Ayo Awe  was diagnosed of a visual condition capable of leading to the loss of his sight. Subsequently, he received several treatments to correct it; but it was to no avail as the condition of the eyes deteriorated faster than expected, and was finally certified to be permanently visually impaired.

    Downcast and distraught, Awe braced, determined not to surrender to this vissicitude of life. And as he battled to adjust to this life-changing experience with  faith  in God, he  made up his mind to get quality education. For him, this was the only way to liberate himself from poverty and become relevant in the world.

    After sailing through his primary and secondary  school  education  in Lagos in flying colours, fortune shone on him as he got a scholarship  to study  Economics at the University  of Texas, Houston,United States (US) in  2002.

    Moving  to  the  US  turned out to have other advantages as well.  The low-stress environment and the government’s support for the  visually  impaired  persons, enabled him to  cope  with  high-quality  education challenges  faced by freshers. He graduated in flying colours  and  enrolled  for a  Masters in Information Technology (IT) at the University of Texas, Dallas.

    Keeping an open mind, maintaining an upbeat attitude, Awe  saw himself through his   programme and became a certified IT professional with eight  international  certifications  in Enterprise Solutions and  other  areas.

    After a stinct with various organisations, which further sharpened his knowledge and gave a boost to his market  value, he  began  to dream of  starting  his own  business.  He started AlphaGRC consultancy- firm that provides   specialised IT services  in SAP security and  audit space with $5, 000.

    Even though physically challenged, as chief executive officer, Awe leads the group, its global vision and develops key strategies, policies and systems, while being a role model for the company’s culture. Today, the business is worth $700,000 with branches  in United Kingdom and  Nigeria. He has eight people in his employ.

    Awe’s success story is a testimony to his belief that “adversity cannot  stop anyone from   achieving his  goals.”

    Consequently,  he has also set up a Foundation- Timeless Vision Foundation (TVF), a  charity  organisation  that promotes awareness, provide hope and improve standards of living for  blind people struggling to survive in the society.  Through all of his projects, Awe continues to inspire hope, ignite hope, and make it happen for the visually impaired.

    “At TVF, our core belief is that blindness should never  be a stumbling block to any man’s dreams.  TVF’s  immediate, short-term focus is primarily directed at benefiting the visually impaired community in Nigeria. In the near future, TVF is committed to expanding the scope of service to other developing African nations,” he added.

    Awe is working to give people with visual disabilities access to business opportunities.

    Through the foundation,  he  helps the blind    access new technologies and expose physical  challenged Nigerians   to peers of different abilities, building respect for people with special needs and a more inclusive society.

    He has been an ambassador, educating the public about what it’s like to struggle with blindness, while delivering a message of hope for people living with visual impairment.  His ability to communicate his feelings and positive outlook on life has touched thousands of peoples’ lives.

    Awe is determined to lead by example, has very high personal standards for himself artistically, academically and socially, and is an exemplary role model for young people striving to overcome challenges in their lives.

    His words: “Our biggest problem is not that the world is full of disabled people but the fact that the world is overwhelmingly full of more abled people who choose to do nothing about it. Our vision is to see a Nigeria where blindness won’t be a stumbling block for any blind person to achieve his/her dream.’’

  • Challenges of keeping fit at the Villa

    The vision of keeping staff fit in the multi-million naira State House Gym appears to be getting blurred.

    The facility, which is one of the best in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was set up to encourage physical exercise among staff towards enhancing or maintaining their physical fitness and overall health and wellness.

    Benefits of physical exercise, which health care providers often call the “miracle” or “wonder” drug, helps to boost the immune system, prevent the “diseases of the affluent” such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and promote physiological well-being, while reducing surgical risks.

    It also prevents depression, promotes and maintains positive self-esteem, improves mental health, and can augment an individual’s sex appeal or body image just as it strengthens muscles, and ensures weight loss, among other things.

    But the ability of the State House gym to effectively provide these critical services to staff is hanging in the balance due to utilities challenges.

    There is presently no electricity supply to the gym. The electricity transformer by its fence has packed up for several weeks now.

    Rather than coming together to repair the faulty transformer, many of the neighbours surrounding the gym building have acquired smaller transformers to supply electricity to their individual houses.

    In the interim, the 200 litres of diesel being provided weekly for the gym’s generator set is like a drop in an ocean as it hardly lasts a day.

    Since the Gym’s generator set consumes an estimated 19.6 litres of diesel per hour, the 200 litres meant for one week only last for about 10 hours. The gym is open 64 hours a week, including 12 hours daily from Mondays to Fridays and four hours on Saturdays.

    Water supply to the gym also cannot be taken for granted as the gym users most times always find dry taps when they want to freshen up after their exercises.

    This development has not only discouraged many users from exercising in the gym, but it threatens to worsen some of the staff’s already bad medical cases.

    One staff, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, said: “I cannot remember the last time I met light in the gym. Most times I work out on the treadmill and that machine cannot work without electricity. I have stopped going to the gym.”

    Another user, who does not want his name in print, said: “My Doctor has warned me to intensify my exercises so as to keep my blood pressure within the normal range. That is why I registered at the gym. But this problem is working against that.”

    A female staff, who also uses the gym said: “Since this power outage problem started, I have resorted to my skipping rope at home. But, you know, this cannot be very effective like coming to use the equipment in the gym and having the instructors around to help you. One is even motivated to do more in the company of friends.”

    “I was lucky one day to meet the generator set on and I stayed on the treadmill for 45 minutes before going to the bathroom. I was shocked when I got there. There was no water to wash my face and hands let alone to take my bath.”

    Since no standard gym can effectively operate without electricity for the machines and water for users to freshen up, it is hoped that this write-up will be a wake-up call to those in charge to take steps to ensure continuous wellness of State House staff.

    The Presidency, no doubt, deserves healthy staff for its day-to-day activities.

     

    A day of gaffes

     

    There were too many inexcusable mistakes by one of the Master of Ceremony (MC) in the full glare of President Goodluck Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja last Monday.

    The occasion was the launching of the 2015 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem and Appeal Fund.

    There were two MCs for the occasion, one civilian man and a woman from the military.

    While the female MC performed the role well, the male MC was coming up with one error after the other during the programme that was carried live on the national television station.

    The first error that took those in the hall by surprise came at the beginning of the function when the male MC mentioned the names of Vice President, Namadi Sambo, Senate President, David Mark and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal while acknowledging the dignitaries in the hall.

    The number two, three and four citizens were conspicuously absent at the function and they were not represented.

    When the MC mentioned the three names, especially Tambuwal, some people in the hall stood up to have a glimpse of the Speaker, who has become a subject of intrigue and power-play since he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The MC, who was standing at the podium which was about 30 feet away from the high table and with nothing obstructing his view, was completely in his own world and oblivious of happenings in the hall as he appeared to be the only one who did not know that the three people he mentioned were not in the hall.

    He was probably acknowledging the dignitaries based on the photographs and names of leaders in the event programme without looking around.

    It was also surprising for him to repeat the same mistake towards the end of the function.

    After the President had made a remark and launched the emblem, it was time for dignitaries to be decorated by the chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Col. Micah Gayya.

    President Jonathan was decorated first. Then the MC called the names of Vice President Namadi Sambo and Senate President David Mark, who were not at the function, to stand up to be decorated.

    The President must have been embarrassed with what was going on but did not show it.

    Another error occurred when it was time for launchers and co-launchers to be decorated.  The Publisher of National Mirror Newspapers, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, was the only co-launcher in the hall.

    When the MC got to the name of Jimoh Ibrahim on his list, to invite him to stand up to be decorated, the MC said “representative of Jimoh Ibrahim should please step forward”.

  • Grappling with certification challenges

    Grappling with certification challenges

    Agro exports businesses are facin

    These are not the best of times for agro exports businesses in Nigeria. The business is currently facing barriers to trade in the United States (U.S), Europe and Asia thus affecting exporters in the processed food and agro-based products sector.

    Exporters face challenges such as standards set by private clients and governments that make it difficult and oftentimes expensive to export their produce. Buyers overseas seek conformity assessment and technical certificates.  These is in addition to other  licenses and permits, excessive fees and charges and packaging and storage requirements.

    While these are some inhibiting factors within the food sector, markets for agro exports are now distinguished by qualities such as their organic, local, heritage, biodynamic, or fair trade nature.

    For example, fair trade certificates are demanded by clients in the European Union (EU), especially for cocoa, coffee and horticulture products. So many   exporters are   feeling the impact.

    Chief  Executive, Anjorin & Atanda Investment Limited, Mr   Sunday Anjorin expressed concern over  the  trend  of  trade  barriers facing  agro exporters. His firm services markets in Europe and Asia.

    While there are  increasing  number of  buyers looking   for  organic  exports (commodities raised naturally), he  has had to  confront importers  interested  in  certified organic exports, a  new strand in  the  agro-export sector, receiving  serious  attention.

    The central features of what is called  certified  organic  exports is  reliance on natural methods of enhancing soil fertility and resisting disease and the rejection of synthetic chemical fertilisers, pesticides and pharmaceuticals.

    According to him,  there  is  rising  demand for organic agro commodities  especially  those  involved  in  the  production of  herbal  products.  The popularity of organic foods is fueled by mounting concerns over the chemical residues, antibiotics, hormones, and genetically modified organisms found in conventional foods.

    For this reason, new quality standards are emerging for agro exports that take care of issues such as   food safety, taste and health with a range of social and environmental production concerns. As a result, importers expect exporters to buy into any certification system established to ensure adherence to the new production process criteria.

    While organic certification is increasingly necessary for pharmaceutical and food products destined for growing markets in India, The  Nation learnt that these certification are not regulated by state institutions.

    Agro exporters such as Anjorin  have had to involve foreign agencies to monitor, certify, and label their products. In some cases, they use organic certification to differentiate commodities and to ensure access to organic premiums became widespread among exporters.

    Major organic exports include coffee, corn, sesame, vegetables, cocoa, bananas, cotton, soybeans, nuts, spices, apples and cherries.

    Anjorin said there has been a significant growth in certified tropical foods, seasonal fresh produce, and processed fruits and vegetables.

    Fresh mangos, lemons, coconut (oil), coconut (dried), plantains (fresh), peppers (fresh) and pineapples (fresh) have a huge market.

    He said Nigeria is a key supplier to diverse organic produce and processed-foods markets. The major new fresh produce exports are destined for Europe: mangos are sold largely in Belgium, plantains in Italy, and lemons in the United Kingdom.

    One commodity that has attracted certification in recent years to ensure access to price premiums is cocoa.

    According to the Programme Coordinator, Farmers Development Union (FADU), Mr. Victor  Olowe, chocolate manufacturers are requesting that cocoa exports are certified in accordance with national and international standards. The certification is legally required in destination markets.

    For producers, certification is difficult and expensive. It requires adherence to rigorous production standards, documentation rules, and oversight procedures.

    Olowe said farmers have to keep detailed farm records required for certification.

    The cocoa must similarly meet rigorous quality standards because it is used in the production of expensive chocolate.

    While Olowe sees certified cocoa as one of the most promising niches for peasant producers, this needs to be critically evaluated in the face of changing conditions.

    One is that small scale production is currently most prevalent in cocoa, where some 3000 households’ farms, each cultivating a few hectares, use household and hired labour.  Except the producers are organised into groups, they still face the challenge of having access to  selling directly in international markets.

    FADU has come to bolster the economic viability of small-scale producers by providing production and consumption credit.  Through foreign chocolate companies, the organisation is able to mediate foreign certifier demands by maintaining an internal control system and by coordinating certification.

    Currently, all the most successful producer groups, managed by FADU are strengthened by their engagement in fair trade markets.

    With sales to fair trade markets, Olowe said  the producers receive guaranteed above-market prices.

    Another area of concern is health standards limiting agro exports. As a result, many exporters are losing millions of naira in potential trade earnings yearly.

    Director-General, African Centre for Supply Chain Obiora Madu   said there are domestic technical regulations that permit countries to bar products from entering their markets if the products do not meet certain standards. These obstacles include measures that were ostensibly aimed at protecting citizens from everyday food hazards, known in World Trade Organisation (WTO) language as sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS).

    Globally, sanitary measures are aimed at safeguarding human and animal health, while phytosanitary ones are intended to protect plants.  The SPS agreement requires, for instance, that goods be imported from disease-free areas, inspected prior to export and not exceed maximum levels of pesticide or insecticide use. The concern is that fresh foods and agricultural goods pose health risks, including salmonella poisoning, foot and mouth disease and sugar plant pests.

    According to him, some of the requirements are legitimate with respect to food safety.

    He said however, that many exporters find it difficult to meet the standards because of technical and resource-capacity constraints.

    The WTO, he explained, allows countries to stop food entering their borders if it does not meet certain standards for biological and chemical contaminants.

    One example involves residues of aflatoxins which cause cancer found in processed nuts and dried fruit, among other foods.

    He said EU has demanded that food entering its market meet stricter standards for aflatoxins.

    The bar has been raised so high that even industrialised countries such as the U.S also complain about EU standards for aflatoxins.

    However, he maintained that SPS measures in the EU are not intended to block trade, but to safeguard the region’s health standards.

    He admitted that EU has set very high food-safety standards that are difficult to meet, in particular for developing countries.

    For this reason, he said the  government needs to invest in systems for safe food production, adding that the importers expect food to conform to very high safety standards, irrespective of its origins.

    According to him, numerous issues surrounding food safety today are associated with two major characteristics of modern society. First, scientific and technological advances have brought significant changes to the agriculture and food industries. Today, there are a wide variety of easy-to-prepare frozen foods, also the result of technological progress in food processing and distribution. This progress, however, is not without its share of problems. Pesticides and food additives came into wide use thus giving rise to countries  having the right to protect the lives, physical safety and health of its people.

    He said SPS measures were  introduced to prevent the entry of harmful pests and diseases via the import of foods, animals and plants. He argued that they are a justifiable means to protect life, physical safety and health. Nevertheless, consumers express strong concern that food safety could be jeopardised if appropriate SPS measures become difficult to implement in the face of increasing globalisation.

    g barriers imposed by private clients and governments. This is raising concerns among stakeholders in the industry. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

  • Agbogun: Uduaghan’s successor will face new challenges

    Agbogun: Uduaghan’s successor will face new challenges

    Major General Nick Agbogun (rtd) is the President-General, Agbor Community, Delta State. He spoke with reporters in Lagos on the succession battle, the issues that will shape the governorship primaries and challenges that will confron the next governor.  Excerpts:

    Why are you mobilising support for Delta State governorship aspirant, Sir Tony Obuh?

    A golden fish has no hiding place. And that is how it is with Sir Tony Obuh. As soon as he indicated interest to run for that position, we knew he will do well. He has had active participation in successive governments in Delta State. That is why he is acknowledged across the state as a hard-working and capable person. It will not be surprising if all those who worked with him attest to his suitability for the position he is gunning for.

    Having known him for a very long time, what can you say about his person?

    He comes from a village in Agbor Kingdom known as Oki. His elder brother was a close friend of mine. His mother is from there and his father is also from there. Any insinuation that he has paternal lineage in Delta South is wrong. It is false and laughable. He is very suitable for the job. And he has all the prerequisites for the position. The advantage he has which others don’t have is that he has been the engine room of governance in this state. And that is why he knows what the state needs and how the state can be moved forward. This man has been so much exposed to political bureaucracy.

    That is why he will not find it difficult improving and sustaining the achievements of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. He happens to be one of the proponents of the Delta Beyond Oil strategy. He understands what it means and how to project it beyond this administration. It will be good if someone who understands what it entails is allowed to manage the affairs of the state. Governance is a continuum and Obuh is properly suited to continue from where Uduaghan will stop. This man we are talking about is a detribalised person, whose hands stretch beyond his senatorial zone. That is why you find the bulk of supporters in other senatorial zones. When such a man becomes governor, his contemporaries will be attracted to governance. That will translate into having capable hands who will handle the business of governance. He knows how government works, how policies are implemented among other aspects of governance. I will not be surprised that past executives will root for him. He is such a person who will ensure the realisation of the dividends of democracy as espoused by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He is also humble and intelligent. His humility makes him acceptable. If you see him talk, you will know he is good. As soon as you interact with him, he becomes your friend immediately.

    Did his foray into politics come to you as a surprise?

    Having been a civil servant for over 30 years, one should not be surprised particularly when he has worked closely with politicians. Obuh has been a key player in the business of governance in Delta State. So, such a man should not be seen as a political neophyte. Since the governor, who has done so well, is going to finish strong, it will be in the interest of the state if someone, who understands the current template created by Uduaghan, is supported to become the governor. Tony Obuh is one of the people who have contributed to the overwhelming development of the state. However, I am not surprised because he has operated in very different sensitive capacities that prepared him for the higher office he is going for now.

    You have talked so good about him, but there is an argument in some quarters that Obuh is not a mainstream politician. Hence, there are doubts regarding his competence in the area of politicking. What do you make of that?

     That argument is laughable. There is a saying in the United Kingdom that he who tries to differentiate the politician from the soldier will have his wars fought by cowards. Same applies to the civil servants because those who try to differentiate the civil servant from the politician will have his thinking and policies done by idiots. Tony Obuh was a grounded civil servant. If I may ask, is there anyone who went to school to study how to become a politician? There is politics everywhere and there are those who play politics at various levels. Can any of those making such claim point to the school of politics they attended? Who is a green horn in politics? And who is not? Politics as it relates to governance is all about proper formulation and implementation of policies that would bring about development. This development includes all forms of development. And Tony Obuh is very competent. He can be relied upon. That is why his acceptability cuts across all the tribes in Delta State. Obuh has friends everywhere. They all know that he is a bridge-builder. Among those jostling for that position, he is the only person that has not got excess baggage. There are no scandals around his person. Professionally, he is known to have an impeccable recorded. In other aspects of life, he is known for integrity and humility.

    Are the top positions he occupied in government enough to give him the grasp of what the political and economic needs of the state are?

     Having been in the inner circle of government, I don’t think people should sleep over his understanding of the key issues in the state. Civil servants make the business of governance easy for politicians. Politicians can’t function or implement policies without them. So, Obuh, who had coordinated and formulated policies in his various capacities, should not be seen as someone, who has no clue about governance. I cited Delta Beyond Oil as one of the key policies that Obuh and other competent people were instrumental to. And that is a policy initiated to ensure that the state prospers without oil wealth. That policy has remained a model for other oil producing states. It will be worthwhile to see Obuh drive the maximum realisation of the policy.

    Is Obuh the anointed candidate?

     That is the beauty of democracy because it allows for freedom of opinion. The rumour making the rounds that he is being anointed is baseless. I don’t want to believe that. Some of his contemporaries in the race have gone the extra mile to appeal to get anointed but that is their business. Tony’s integrity and competence are the factors working in his favour. He represents the crop of technocrats, who have proved how best to be state governors. He is an administration and that will be brought to bear when he becomes governor. I am not aware that anyone anointed Tony. It is just his good works. Those who said the governor is rooting for anybody are wrong. So, anyone saying he is going to be Uduaghan’s stooge is not being realistic. Even when the present governor was coming on board, people said similar things about him. But Uduaghan ended up becoming one of the leading lights among the PDP governors. Uduaghan has taken the state beyond where (former governor) Ibori stopped. That is exactly what Tony is going to do. All the aspirants are friends of the governor and one of them will eventually become the governor.

    What is the chance of Anioma producing the next governor?

     Any ill-feeling or acrimony relating to the struggle for governorship is not new in any political setting. That is the beauty of democracy, because everyone is a stakeholder. It is expected that other aspirants will try to run-down their contemporaries through propaganda. The PDP knows how to handle this kind of situation. That most aspirants are from Delta North is an attestation to the expectation that the zone produces the next governor in the interest of equity. Since other zones have produced governors in the past, equity demands that this zone produces the next governor. However, I hope that at, the end of the day, all the aspirants will act as good sportsmen by supporting the party’s candidate. We desire rancour-free primaries and that has been the message and expectation of the national body of the PDP.

  • Buhari: Challenges of a presidential aspirant

    Buhari: Challenges of a presidential aspirant

    Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has joined the presidential race, ahead of next year’s general elections on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the qualities that distinguish him from other aspirants.

    Former Military Head of State General Muhammadu Buhari has declared his intention to contest next year’s presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before a mammoth crowd in Abuja. The massive turnout and the presence of notable politicians across the six geo-political zones underscore the popularity of the former military ruler.

    Buhari is one of the founding fathers of the APC. His former party, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), was one of the three major opposition parties that came together to form the APC. The two others are the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP).

    Before the APC was registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Buhari had made his intention to contest  election  known. He also promised to step down, if the party finds a more qualified and acceptable candidate. His declaration at the Eagle Square, Abuja, is seen as a fulfilment of that personal ambition.

    Buhari is not a new entrant in the presidential race. He was the presidential candidate of the defunct ANPP in 2003 and 2007 and that of the CPC in 2011. His ambition constitutes a threat to the interest of the ruling party because of his popularity and acceptability, particularly in the Northwest and the Northeast and lately, the Southwest. The reason is that both the Northwest and Southwest constitute 51 per cent of the registered voters.

    His opponents came up with speculations recently that the former military ruler has dropped his ambition to contest  on the grounds that he is too old and had agreed to step down for the younger aspirants like Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.

    But, his associates have responded, denying that the former Head of State never made such statements. For instance, former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, dismissed the idea that he is too old, saying those canvassing those ideas were only trying to be mischievous. He said: “To those who say Buhari is too old, I will only quote the words of the former President of America, the late President Ronald Regan who said; “we are not going to make age an issue in this campaign because we do not want to be accused of taking advantage of the inexperience of our opponent.”

    Sylva added: “Buhari is not in this race for himself. He is in the race because of us, the younger people. Gen. Buhari brings experience to this campaign. He brings integrity to this campaign. We are very happy that he has decided to come out of retirement to help us stabilise this country, so that the younger ones can carry on the development of this great nation.

    Another associate of Buhari, Mr Rotimi Fashakin, said Nelson Mandela was over 70 when he was elected President of South Africa. According to him, Mandela laid a solid foundation of good governance on which his successors have been consolidating. He said Nigerians should throw away the notion that age is not on the side of Buhari. “He will be 71 in December and age is not against him. The people using age as variable for competence for good governance are out to confuse people,” he said.

    On whether Buhari is a religious bigot as being depicted by his political rivals, the APC chieftain, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said Buhari have friends and political associates who are Christians. Ogbeh said, if Buhari is a bigot, people like him, Chief John Odige-Oyegun, Prince Tony Momoh and George Akume will not be in the same party with him. He described those making such insinuation as enemies of Nigeria who did not mind dividing Nigeria along religious lines.

    But, given the revelation about how he raised the money for his nomination form, a lot of people are already asking whether Buhari can come up with the financial resources to undertake electioneering campaign. This question is pertinent because electioneering campaign in Nigeria, especially the presidential elections costs a fortune. Buhari, unlike most of his colleagues who retired from military, never used public office to enrich himself. Apart from being the Head of State, he was also at different times  the military governor of the defunct North Eastern State, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the  Chairman, Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Resources (NNPC) and the Chairman of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). He came out of these positions unscathed. He declared recently at a public function that “as a retired military officer, I live on pension.”

    That explains why he had to take loan from his bank to pay for the APC nomination form. One of his confidants said Buhari is the only former Head of State or President that has not corruptly enriched himself while in office. “Apart from his house in Kaduna and Daura, his home town, he has no other buildings. All he used to tell us is that, whatever wealth you acquired on this earth, you would account for its source on the Day of Judgment,” the confidant said.

    According to the source, the  presidential aspirant is not a money-bag politician, who can afford to bankroll his campaign expenses. He relies on the support and contribution of party members and associates who believe in what he stands for. A case in point, he said, was the six million naira raised by the APC members in Bauchi at a rally to assist him in paying for the nomination form. He said that was how previous elections were financed.

    He said: “Buhari is obviously the most popular of all the Northern aspirants. He is the only person that can win the whole Northwest, Northeast and a great deal of North central. In 2011, he ran for the Presidency on the platform of a party (CPC) that came into being only 10 months to the election and still got 12 million votes. You can imagine what his performance will look like on a bigger platform like the APC. Buhari has no money to share or bribe the electorate, but he has the charisma and integrity that endear him to the people”.

    In military circles, Buhari is admired for his uprightness and self-discipline. He was selected to lead the country by middle and high ranking military officers after the military coup that overthrew the civilian administration of former President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983. He justified the military’s seizure of power by castigating the civilian government as hopelessly corrupt. His government was revered for its ability to keep the country afloat by making progress through sheer economic ingenuity, even when it rejected the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan because he felt the conditions were not favourable, particularly the idea of devaluing the naira. His government was praised for its gain in reducing inflation by refusing to devalue the nation’s currency, curbing imports of needless goods, curtailing oil theft and using counter trade policy to barter seized illegally bunkered crude oil for needful goods.

    As an elder statesman, Buhari  makes his views known on national issues and offer suggestions to government, despite being in opposition. For instance, he warned President Jonathan against the gale of impeachment of opposition governors which, he said, would not augur well for the survival of a fragile nation like Nigeria or the survival of its young democracy.

    He said: “Whether or not President Goodluck Jonathan is behind the gale of impeachment or the utilisation of desperate tactics to suffocate the opposition and turn Nigeria into a one-party state, what cannot be denied is that they are happening under his watch, and he cannot pretend not to know, since that will be akin to hiding behind one finger.

    “In my capacity as an elder statesman, rather than a politician, I have spoken to President Jonathan in private over these issues, but indications are that the strategy has not yielded positive results. I cannot, just because I am an opposition politician, fail to do what is expected of me as an elder statesman to rescue our nation in times of great trouble and palpable uncertainty.

    “History will not be kind to me if I sit back while things turn bad, just so that no one will accuse me of partisanship. Yes, I am a politician. Yes, I am in the opposition. Yes, there is the tendency for my statement to be misconstrued as that of a politician rather than a statesman. But, I owe it as matter of duty and honour, and in the interest of our nation, to speak out on the dangerous trajectory that our nation is heading.

    “I can say, in all sincerity, that I have seen it all, as an ordinary citizen, a military officer, a Head of State, a man who has occupied many other sensitive posts and a politician. I have been a close participant and witness to Nigeria’s political history.

    “Our country has gone through several rough patches, but never before have I seen a Nigerian President declare war on his own country as we are seeing now. Never before have I seen a Nigerian President deploy federal institutions in the service of partisanship as we are witnessing now. Never before have I seen a Nigerian President utilise the common wealth to subvert the system and punish the opposition, all in the name of politics.

  • Nigeria’ll overcome its challenges, says Jonathan

    Nigeria’ll overcome its challenges, says Jonathan

    •Nigeria won’t sink, says  Oritsejafor 

    president Goodluck Jonathan  has said Nigeria will overcome its challenges .

    He spoke during the 54th Independent Anniversary Interdenominational Church Service at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, themed: ‘Be Still’.

    He said: “God know that we have challenges and even before these challenges came, God knew that we were going to have them. There is nothing that he does not know, because whatever he does, is for a purpose.”

    “As a nation, we are facing these challenges. As Pastor Ayo (Oritsejafor)  said, we fought a civil war for 30 months. That time, the world was not even as sophisticated as it is today. Even when we heard about “ Ogbunigwe” it was like going to the moon. But now, even a little boy of twelve years can couple a gun by just going to the internet and kill people. Society has become so sophisticated and open that people continue to abuse privileges.

    “But because of the prayers of Nigerians, we will overcome the challenges of our country. The only thing is to appeal to all  of us Nigerians to be united. If we are united, there is nothing we cannot conquer.”

    Speaking on how the country defeated  the Ebola  Virus Disease, he said: “This is good example that all Nigerians must learn. When Patrick Sawyer brought Ebola to Nigeria, it was in Lagos that this incident happened and in terms of politics, Lagos is an opposition party but the central government is the ruling party. From Lagos, Ebola moved to Rivers State and this is also an opposition party  state. But because all Nigerians fought Ebola irrespective of political persuasion, irrespective of religion, or ethnicity, we defeated Ebola.

    “We appealed to people to stop shaking hands, and as individuals, Nigerians became very hygienic. It was not just one person, or Mr. President or the governors, or other  officials, yes they did their work, but we defeated Ebola because all Nigerians agreed  to fight the war against Ebola. That is the strengthen of unity.”

    “But what makes us great is the complexity of our people. Nigeria is a country of very intelligent people. We can conquer any situation. And for us to even do better, we need to unite. For us we will continue to promise that we will do our best. We have started so many projects, this is not the place for that, otherwise they will say we gave started doing campaign. We are convinced that we are going the right direction.

    “Taking the issue of unemployment we are doing our best. We have set up the required process and God will see us through.”

    Delivering the message yesterday, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, said the country’s problems  are self-inflicted.

    He said: “Nigeria will not sink, somebody supernatural is in the boat.

    “God, who preserved Nigeria through the 30-months civil war, has the power to calm the storm. If civil war did not consume Nigeria, Boko Haram will not consume Nigeria. God is in control, but he puts us in charge. This nation will not be taken over by evil. Peace is coming to Nigeria. We will tell the world that Nigeria is one.

    “Most of the problems of Nigeria are self-inflicted. Corruption did not fall from the moon. It is self-inflicted. Corruption is fed by greed.

    The foundation of greed is poverty mentality. Poverty mentality is thinking that what you have is not enough and you continue to struggle to get more.

    “Corruption is what we have done to ourselves. There is corruption in high and low places. There is corruption at home, schools, at job, everywhere. It is self-inflicted.

    “Terrorism is self-inflicted. Terrorism is not fueled by poverty. Terrorism is caused by extreme religious ideology.”