The Nation Newspaper

Tag: challenges

  • Group praises JAMB amid challenges

    A civil society   group, Joint Action  Coalition on Education (JACE), has showered encomiums on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on the success of the University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which began over the weekend. This is in spite of a handful of challenges that confronted the conduct of JAMB UTME.

    The group said this year’s edition met set standards when juxtaposed with past experiences, and that a few incidents recorded were largely due to human factor and not by systems or the process

    Speaking to  reporters at Ogba, Lagos, the group’s Southwest zonal coordinator Mr Ayokunle Adumashin, noted that no system is ever perfect, adding that the few glitches recorded could be corrected by continuous investment in broadband penetration and stability, in addition to improving on power supply in the country.

    Adumashin said the mock UTME conducted a fortnight to the main examination, proved useful in exposing candidates to what to expect in the examination. He admonished the government to strengthen  ICT in secondary schools to ensure that candidates do not experience cyber phobia anytime they are exposed to computers or technology.

    He praised JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq  Oloyede, and his team on the handling of the UTME, urging them to conduct an evaluation of the ongoing examination to forstall possible pitfalls in future.

  • Lagos tackles infrastructural challenges in 35 rural communities

    Lagos State government has tackled infrastructural challenges in 35 rural communities.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Mr. Kehinde Joseph, who addressed reporters in Alausa, said “these communities are facing difficulties in the areas of good roads, health facilities, schools, flooding control, among others.

    He said the government received complaints from the communities requesting intervention, adding that they were assisted with the needed infrastructure.

    The special adviser said the government extended financial succour to individuals with challenges, particularly in health, accommodation, education, multiple birth and unforeseen incidents, such as fire outbreak and road accidents.

    Joseph said N163, 258,980 was approved by the governor for disbursement to 1,477 indigent residents to help them.

    He urged Lagosians to change their apathy towards participating in elections, saying their participation in the forthcoming local government poll will influence the outcome because they have the power, through their individual votes, to determine the eventual winners across the state.

    Harping on public protests despite the existence of Civic Engagement Office, Joseph lamented that many of the protests were being staged due to lack of understanding of the channels of engagement with the government.

    He said: “Some protests are unnecessary as the issues involved can easily be resolved by establishing a communication line with the concerned authority

  • Govt tackling challenges facing police, says Osinbajo

    Govt tackling challenges facing police, says Osinbajo

    The Federal Government is making efforts to address the challenges confronting the operations of the Nigeria Police Force, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said yesterday.

    It was at a two-day national security summit organised in Abuja by the Office of the Inspector-General of Police in conjunction with Leadership group and the Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria.

    The summit has as its theme “Forging partnership for effective strategies to curb the menace of kidnapping, recurring farmers-herders clashes and criminality in Nigeria.’’

    The Acting President, who was the Special Guest of Honour, was represented by Interior Minister Lt-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau.

    Osinbajo said: “I want to assure the NPF of our administration’s support in carrying out institutional reforms and restructuring geared towards reviving the police in line with global best practices.

    “We are keenly aware of the enormity of the task at hand, ranging from manpower shortage as a result of recruitment and training challenges and inadequate operational tools.

    “It is paramount to note that efforts are already advanced to tackle these challenges with the recruitment of 10,000 policemen to address manpower challenges as well as improved budgetary allocation.”

    He called on the organised private sector to intensify efforts in complimenting government efforts to invest in the security sector.

    Osinbajo expressed confidence that the ideas generated at the summit would assist in surmounting the security challenges facing the country.

    The acting president noted that any serious government would pay attention to issues of security.

    He said that security, anti-corruption and the commitment to provide good governance, formed the cardinal programmes of the President Muhammadu-led administration.

    He said that the security challenges facing the country had reduced as a result of the commitment of the administration to address them.

    “This administration has also entered into bilateral and multilateral collaboration with other nations and international organisations to improve on the nation’s security challenges”, he said.

    He said that the police had re-established civil authority in liberated areas in the Northeast.

    Speaking in his capacity as Interior minister, Lt.-Gen. Dambazau said the ministry would build capacity of security agencies to tackle challenges.

    He said that farmers/herdsmen clashes involved regional dimension as the sub-region recognised free movement of persons and goods.

    Dambazau urged governors to domesticate the Criminal Justice Act in their states to fast-tack cases in the courts and as well decongest the prisons.

  • A community school’s many challenges

    A community school’s many challenges

    Once the pride of the community, Ede-Oballa Central School in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, has become an eyesore. Dilapidated roofs, and defaced walls have become the school’s lot. Who will restore its glory? JAMES OJO, a 400-Level and GIDEON ARINZE 300-Level Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) report.

    It was 8.am. Clad in sky-blue and black trousers/skirts – their official departmental uniform- 300 – level students’ of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) were excited as they set out to visit Ede-Oballa Central School in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

    The visit was part of their requirements for the course, Development Journalism, aimed at acquainting them with practical knowledge.

    But on arriving in the school, their joy gave way to pity. Welcome to Ede-Oballa Central School.

    Pitched along the road, the school used to be a pristine destination for parents yearning for quality education for their children.The school used to have enough class rooms for its Nursery 1 to Primary 6 pupils. Being the first primary school in the community, it has produced many top-notch individuals.

    However, since its building fell years ago, the school’s problems have been compounded. It is in a sorry state with no state-of-the-art facilities.

    When the students visited the school, some of the roofs of its buildings have been blown off. The dust-spattered walls of the buildings have become weak from torrents of rain.

    The school is now using one of the remaining buildings,originally meant for pupils in the nursery, leading to congestion.

    The classrooms are partitioned. The pupils find it difficult to breathe while lessons are on due to lack of ventilation. The walls are used as blackboards; there are no tables and chairs for teachers. The teachers use the pupils’chairs.

    Also, Primary Six pupils are asked to come with their own chairs. There are no visible teaching aids like good drawings on objects. What they have are hand-written on cardboard sheets. Noise from one class filters into another during lessons, distracting the pupils and their teachers.

    The school’s fence and signboard were demolished during road construction, The school has no rest room. A part of the building needs refurbishing while another part needs to be repaired from the foundation to the roof

    The situation, it was gathered,  gets worse when it rains. Most pupils and their teachers are drenched from the leaking roofs. During dry seasons, the pupils sometimes receive lessons under mango and cashew trees in the school compound.

    Lamenting the situation, Mrs. Chinyere Asadu, who has just been  transferred to the school said teaching is more strenuous for the teachers because the classes have no boundaries.

    “If we want to make their voices audible enough as well as gain full attention of their class, the teachers have to talk at the top of their voices. Also, there is a problem of keeping the younger pupils from wandering into other classes which have no doors.”

    Mrs. Felicia Ezeugwu, the Primary Five class teacher, said the government has failed in its responsibility of providing quality education.

    She, however, promised that the teachers would continue to play their roles despite the problem.

    A Primary Six pupil, Ezeugu Samson, urged the government to intervene.

    The Headmistress, who did not want her name mentioned, said the school building was razed over seven years ago.

    On efforts to address the challenges, she said the school has written to the government, parents and some indigenous sons and daughters for support.

    Her words: “We have written to the government and there was no response. We even took snapshots of the building. I followed the letter up.

    “All we get from them is empty promises and nothing else. We have also had politicians who came here and made promises but after they left, no one heard from them anymore.”

    She added: “We are just managing the classes, because noise is usually too much. From one class, you hear what another person is saying and most times, it is usually difficult to control them.”

    Some residents of the community expressed fears that if nothing is done, it would affect the quality of education and pupils performance in examinations.

    They sought the support of the government, parents and the rich indigenes to restore the school.

  • Why political leaders must address security challenges

    WORRIED by the prevailing security situation in the north, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, (CNPP) Northern zone said the time has come for the political leaders in the country to address the issue as it has affected the growth and development of the region.

    The parties said the incident of terrorism, farmers/migrant herders’ crisis over grazing rights and farmlands encroachment, cattle rustling, indigene/settlers’ crisis, economic, political, and ethno- religious conflicts, reprisal attacks and the manipulation of ethnicity and religion by politicians has been a stumbling block on the wheel of progress for the region and Nigeria as a whole. A statement by CNPP made available to newsmen said: “It is worthy to note that sectional, ethnic, religious and political groups instigate and target these violent conflicts and use them as a strategy for assertion, separation agendas, agitation for marginalization and political or religious goals.”

    The statement signed by Alhaji Umar Faruq Ibrahim, Chairman, Northern Chapter of CNPP noted that for the situation to change, “We must imbibe and put into practice a culture and value system of unity in diversity, bridge building, accommodation, dialogue, understanding, empathy, social harmony through peaceful co-existence, as well as support and cooperate with security agencies for security strengthening. “These will enable us to achieve social harmony, economic prosperity, and indeed, reposition us to face and overcome the vital and inevitable challenges of sustainable socio-economic development and global relevance.

    After all, achieving good governance, unity, security, peaceful co-existence and sustainable socio-economic development is a complimentary and collective responsibility. “Sadly, 70% of these conflicts are blamed on politics and related intrigues. Hence the buck stops on the table of our political leaders to address these challenges”. CNPP said the political leadership needs to act as “unguarded and irresponsible posturing and utterances by politicians, traditional/ community leaders, religious clerics, Youths/ opinion shapers trigger and escalate such conflicts.” According to them, “the recurring status of these dastardly acts affect economic well being as well.

    Local direct investment (LDI) and foreign direct investment (FDI) are either lost or potential investors avoid crisis prone areas. “As a panacea, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Northern Zone, believe, all of us need a paradigm shift and attitudinal reorientation at this crucial moment. “Consequently, we call on our leaders at all levels to be focused, selfless, visionary and pro-common man in their governance activities during their respective tenures, in line with international best practices.”

    “On the other hand, as a people with common destiny, we need to constantly include President Muhammadu Bahari in our prayer for a quick recovery as a matter of overall national interest, and indeed, all our leaders, exhibit a very high level of patriotism, be pro-active, make objective not distractive actions and criticisms, proffer progressive advice and solutions devoid of political, selfish, ethno-religious considerations”, he said.

  • Our successes, challenges, by Amnesty Office

    Our successes, challenges, by Amnesty Office

    The Presidential Amnesty Office has said peace in the Niger Delta is its major achievement.

    It also identified funding and inability to pay the tuition of its delegates abroad as its major challenges.

    In a statement yesterday, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd) said the programme had its best experiences in the last 12 months.

    He said: “Perhaps our greatest achievement is contributing to the peace in the Niger Delta, which has resulted in zero vandalism of oil facilities. The winning strategy is President Muhammadu Buhari’s hands-on approach to the region. The visits of the Vice President, which have taken him to most oil-producing states with the full participation of the state governments and people is a winning formula, have solidified the relationship between the region and the administration.

    “In the 2015/2016 academic year, the Presidential Amnesty Office deployed 1,294 delegates to various universities in the country, recording 681 graduates with 14 of them graduating with First Class and 84 with Second Class Upper. The Benson Idahosa University retained four of our students with First Class as lecturers.

    “The performance of our students abroad was even more stunning. A total of 454 of them graduated mainly from British universities with 20 making First Class and 41 making Second Class Upper. Also, we have ensured the effective management of our students abroad through the collaboration of the Amnesty Office and our embassies and high commissions. This has led to remarkable reduction in our student agitations.

    “Also, from 2015 to 2016, we deployed 1,603 delegates to training centres across the country and 1,230 of them graduated. Also, 196 delegates are currently in training. Regrettably, the training of 177 of them is on hold due to logistical reasons.

    “During the same period, the Amnesty Office empowered 1,453 delegates with various starter-packs, including shop rentals, while 966 of them were taken through refresher training. A survey by the Monitoring and Evaluation Team observed that those we empowered made profits. This means their businesses, like trees planted by the river side, have survived and are sprouting. This is no mean achievement under our skies.”

    On challenges, Gen. Boroh said: “The main challenge the Presidential Amnesty Office has faced is inadequate funds. Due to this, tuition fees of some students in local and international universities have not been paid. These are mainly in the United Kingdom (UK), the United States of America (U.S.A), Philippines, Belarus and South Africa.

    “Also, training in most of the vocation centres has stopped and it affects 1,770 delegates. This has led to the swell in the number of those projected to be trained in 2017, that is, 4,770 persons.

    “Inadequate funding has also limited the capacity of the Amnesty Office to empower delegates and exit them from the programme.

    “Our dire situation is being reversed with the release of more funds to the Office.”

  • Challenges of a ‘Bolekaja’

    Modernization is a thief that has robed the oldies of lots of ancient time fun such as our antiquated commercial means of transportation known as ‘Bolekaja’ meaning “Let us alight from the bus to fight” in Yoruba language, obviously because of absence of scores-settling space in the bus. ‘Bolekaja’ was a vehicle made with a Bedford lorry head, had one door, seats made of planks without provision for back rest and body constructed with wood. Apart from a driver, the ‘Bolekaja’ had a motor boy whose work was basically to arrange the passengers, set the luggages to fill up top of the bus and ensure that the encumbered bus didn’t tumble down when accelerating to the top, with the aid of a wooden block called a “shock”.

    It is noteworthy that it wasn’t every ‘Bolekaja’ that eventually mounted the top because of the weight of the loads. Some were so slow that other vehicles not as heavily laden as they were would pass them by making the journey of 10 seconds take 10 minutes. Others would try all they could but never get to the top, until the loads were jettisoned.

    As luggages are to ‘Bolekajas’, so is unforgiveness to human progress. When unforgiveness is in the heart, it cascades into offences and both prevent steady movement. They slow people down and frustrate divine purpose. It is noteworthy that fasting without prayer, faith and forgiveness is hunger strike and amounts to nothing. But when you forgive all that have offended you, no matter how grievous the offence may be, fasting becomes effective, God will move on your behalf and you shall have your reward from Him. It is sad to note that today, nations, churches, companies, marriages, families, friendship are being destroyed because of offences. Husbands have offences against the wife, parents against children, brothers against sisters and vice versa hence prayers are not answered as speedily as they ought to.

    As a child of God, you are admonised by Jesus Christ to forgive whosoever might have offended you as this is a criteria for God to forgive you. Forgiveness means to let go and let God. It is when you let go that you can let God have His way in your life (Matthew 6:14-15). Brethren, your vertical relationship is a determination of your horizontal relationship; when your vertical relationship is wrong, your horizontal relationship will be disastrous. Forgiveness is a sign of Christian maturity and not weakness (2 Peter 2:9). Jesus Christ likened those who take offences to people without foundation; immature and spiritually myopic (Mark 4:16-17); offences slow people down and delay answers to prayers; offences are cancerous and lead to high blood pressure, strange sicknesses, sudden death and of course eternal destruction.

    Beloved in Christ, Jesus Christ identified offences as one of the signs of the endtime; in fact, He said many and not a few shall be offended (Matthew 24:10). Besides that, He said that it is impossible for offences not to come (Luke 17:1; Matthew 18:7). During this time of Lent brethren, you are to look inwardly and forgive all that have wronged you (husband, wife, mother, wife, siblings or colleague) so that your fasting is not a mere hunger strike or weight reduction means and that your “Bolekaja” can get to the top. As you enter into the glorious month of April tomorrow, the Almighty God shall restore your lost grounds and put endless smiles on your face. Remember that there is nothing you can do for offences not to come but what you owe God is to forgive all no matter how grave the issue may be. Beloved, let us draw example from our Lord Jesus Christ, when He was being crucified on the cross, He forgave all that nailed Him to the cross (Luke 23:34). No wonder that God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name that is above all names (Philp 2:9-11). Deacon Stephen too, even when he was being stoned to death, asked God not to take a charge against his persecutors (Acts 7:59-60) – what about you?

     

    Prayer: Father, don’t allow unforgiveness have a place in heart; give me grace to forgive all that have wronged me, in Jesus’ name

  • ‘I’m inspired by challenges’

    ‘I’m inspired by challenges’

    Emeka Okwuosa is a seasoned engineer, administrator, entrepreneur and a visionary with over 35 years of experience in oil and gas engineering. He is the Founder and Group Chairman of Oilserv Limited, which is involved in pipeline/facilities engineering. He also owns Frazimex Limited, oil and gas engineering, drilling, exploration and production company. Other companies in the group are Frazpower Limited, Frazoil Ltd, Crown Energy Resources Ltd and Ekcel Farms Ltd. He attended the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, where he read Electronics and Electrical Engineering. Okwuosa set up Oilserve after working in Schlumberger Energy Services as an international engineering staff. His company is building the largest pipeline system in Africa (48-inch in diameter /67 kilometers from Southeast to West). A recipient of over 20 awards, including the National Productivity Order of Merit Award from the Federal Government, Okwusa holds an honorary doctorate degree in engineering from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology and in Business Administration from the University of Nigeria Nsukka. He a member of several professional bodies, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Society of Professional Well Log Analysts (SPWLA), Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Pipeline Professional Association of Nigeria (PLAN), Nigerian Institute of Directors (IoD), Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE) and Society of Petroleum Engineers International (SPE). In this interview with JOSEPH JIBUEZE and NNEKA NWANERI, Okwuosa speaks on his childhood, civil war, philanthropic activities, and why he does not plan to join politics.

    To have attained this height must been challenging. How did you manage it?

     

    I did not set out to be where I am today. I did not set out to have challenges. It is just the way God has created me and the way I have reasoned about life. The bottom line is that I was lucky to have a good background with right values. I come from a family where strong Christian values were the foundation of family. It has shaped what I do and believe in. My paternal grandfather was the first catechist of CMS Church, now Anglican Church in Oraifite, Anambra State. As early as 1910, he was instrumental to the establishment of St Jude’s Anglican Church and then CMS Church in Oraifite. My maternal grandfather, Theopilus Okolama, as a catechist and a school teacher, established St Mathews CMS Church in Ezobulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area. My parents were strong Christian believers and they trained us in that belief. We grew up knowing the good and the bad and knowing that the only way to succeed is to follow the Christian way and understand the meaning of Jesus in our lives and act in a way that reflects that, not just by talking about it.

     

    What was your growing up like?

     

    Growing up, we were taught clearly that to achieve anything, we must have education as a strong instrument. I did the best I could within the confines of the period. Of course I went through difficulties like most of us from Eastern Nigeria who were very young before the civil war started in 1967. I was born in Jos but we had to relocate to Anambra State during the war. After the war, we grew up with serious difficulties that helped us develop character. In developing character, we are able to face the challenges of life.

     

    Can you tell us about your education?

     

    I went to secondary school, and then university but we had limitations in our ability to fund higher education at that time. I proceeded to work. Fortunately, I got a job with Schlumberger International which took me through 12 different countries. I finally came back in 1993 to set up my own companies. So, looking at the foundation, it is one anchored in the right values, hardwork and belief in oneself; knowing that God has given you all the attributes you need to succeed. All you should do is use these attributes positively and develop oneself and the society. That has always been the foundation of my thinking.

     

    What were the challenges?

     

    There have been challenges, such as having to grow up in difficult times, having to go through a civil war as a kid and not understanding why the war was fostered on you; challenges of seeing people die every day and seeing hardship meted on people; bombs dropped on innocent people and not knowing why, and then growing up to understand what has gone on, and then having to live a life where I had to, day-by-day, ride my bicycle two to three kilometers to school because I was a day student and could not afford to live in a boarding house. I did that as a young boy in my teens, and I built on that character.

     

    How were your days in Schlumberger?

     

    Joining Schlumberger was the most defining moment of my life. The first major location I worked in was in Libya in the middle of the desert. I was 22 years. I managed people and systems, and I had to deliver on my job and report to bosses in Paris. I sometimes managed five to 10 people of different nationalities. I also learnt how to understand cultures across the world and work with others.

     

    What challenges did you face when you returned to Nigeria?

     

    Coming back to Nigeria, I had a lot of challenges. That was when the effect of Abiola saga was at its peak. The government was toppled by General Abacha, and country was in crisis with financial institutions of the world. It was challenging to access finance to develop the business I wanted to do. It took two to three years to overcome the difficulties of Nigerian isolation. But that, again, helped me develop character and build strong systems. In the 2000s, we had the problems of the insurgency in the Niger Delta. Almost every service company employee vacated Rivers and Bayelsa States. Oilserv Ltd, that I run, remained and maintained all the pipelines. We had to work with the militants and security agencies and took all the risk to ensure that oil flowed. That was one of the major challenges I confronted. As God would have it, all that has paid off because challenges develop character and character helps you to build better systems

    .

    Did your childhood experiences drive you to touch other people’s lives?

     

    I believe in making a positive difference in any place I find myself. I also take delight in correcting wrongs and it delights me to know I can impact positively in the lives of people.

    One of the gaps that I fill today is providing good educational background for young people. For anybody to grow, you have to acquire knowledge, and knowledge is built through structured education. I realised also that in the community I come from, which is Oraifite town, there are educational gaps, with people struggling to meet up with basic needs. Some who are quite smart cannot afford to go to school because their parents don’t have the money. That’s where I came in.

     

    How have you helped such ones?

    For the past 15 years, I’ve set up a scholarship scheme where I take people from primary school to university. Various batches have graduated. Others are still in the university and the programme continues. It has made a lot of difference in the lives of people. And I am happy that is the case.

     

    Do you plan to expand your philanthropy by joining politics to touch lives on a larger scale?

     

    Let me talk about widening the philanthropy. When I spoke about the scholarship scheme, that is not all. I used my foundation to develop water schemes in my town. I drilled boreholes and provided tanks. I reticulated the water in some sections of the town and adjourning ones. We also set up a garri processing factory to help farmers who plant cassava to be able to process and use them. Beyond that, I have built two major roads in Oraifite. And each of them was not only meant to provide access to the people but to help check erosion. The last one I built was a two kilometer road that had serious erosion problem that was virtually devouring enclaves. By building the road and channeling the water to a nearby river, the erosion menace has been permanently curtailed. That project alone cost me more than N200million three years ago.

     

    Can you tell us about your foundation’s free medicare services?

     

    We are currently building a standard hospital with modern facilities and quarters for doctors and nurses. It will provide primary health system and a center for kidney management, because I’ve seen the issue of kidney failure becoming a major one in our society. A lot of people cannot afford treatment. Again, for the past eight years, there has been a constant, yearly medical programme provided by our kith and kin that live overseas. I’ve been the major sponsor of that programme and making sure that we provide medicine and sponsor people to come in from Europe and other places once or twice a year to give healthcare services. So, the philanthropy continues, but beyond that, we have a yearly distribution of rice and oil to indigent people. Last year, we gave out 18,000 bags of rice and we have been doing this for the past 10 years. The philanthropy continues and we keep focusing on developing it.

     

    Do you plan to join politics?

    Coming to your question about politics, I understand my calling in life. I do not believe that my calling is going into politics. I do not have to go into politics to impact positively on people. I can support good political moves and individuals. When I see those who mean well for the society, I support them. But I will not at this moment think of going into politics myself.

     

    You have won so many awards. What do these accolades mean to you?

    It shows that institutions and people in Nigeria are beginning to recognise my contributions to the society. I have always been a believer than I don’t have to blow my trumpet and that your good works will show who you are. In the past year I’ve gotten more than 20 awards. For instance, the Enugu State University of Science and Technology awarded me a doctorate in engineering last November. It was followed by the University of Nigeria Nsukka with doctorate in Business Administration in January. I also had an award by the Federal Government – the National Productivity Order of Merit Award. There were only 15 of us given that award this year by the President, represented by Acting President Yemi Osinbanjo. I take them as recognition of the values that I believe in. I don’t ask for awards. For every award I accept, there are about five others I have always said no to. As early as early 2000s, I’ve had communities around Rivers, Abia and Akwa Ibom trying to make me one chief or the other based on my contributions to their development. But because of my beliefs, I didn’t accept that. Bottom line is recognition, but I’m not driven by these awards. I’m driven by a single purpose: that is, to make things better in the society I find myself.

     

     

     

     

  • Electricity: Challenges and prospects

    With a population surpassing 170 million, Nigeria targets an ambitious 20,000MW of electricity generation by the year 2020 and to rank among the top 20 economies in the world. Nigeria’s current available generation capacity, estimated at approximately 6,000 MW, is inadequate to meet the unsuppressed demand estimated at approximately 15,000 MW.  According to World Bank Report, only about 55% of the population currently have access to electricity; and for that segment of the population, only 30% of its needs are currently met. Meeting the generation targets set for 2020 requires substantial private-sector investment in the supply chain, including gas to power infrastructure, generation, transmission and distribution networks. Most of these are now private-sector-operated (except the transmission system).

    Purpose of Privatisation

    The purpose of the privatisation was to ensure increased electricity supply in the country, through enabling and preservation of efficient industry and market structures, while also ensuring the optimal utilisation of resources for the provision of electricity services. The reform also sought the maximisation of access to electricity services, by promoting and facilitating consumer connections to distribution systems in both rural and urban areas.

    The reform, however, provided that the prices charged by licensees are fair to consumers and are sufficient to allow the licensees to finance their activities and to allow for reasonable earnings for efficient operation. The reform also made adequate considerations for safety of lives and equipment as well as protection of consumer rights.

    Concept of Electricity Pricing in Nigeria

    The privatization programme was premise on the provision of a cost reflective tariff – as relates to every business endeavour, having the right pricing is an essential requirement for success. Balancing between a cost reflective tariff and an affordable tariff is one of the biggest challenges facing the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

    Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) is the methodology used to set wholesale and retail prices in the NESI. It is a unified way to determine total industry revenue requirement in a building block approach; total cost associated with generation – total cost associated with transmission – total cost associated with distribution as well as regulatory charges.

    Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), being the regulator for the industry has the mandate to approve tariffs. In an effort to make electricity tariffs more affordable, NERC adopted sculpting of the tariff such that Discos are required to under-recover now (by charging less than the cost reflective tariff) and are allowed to recover in the future. This model, while bringing temporary ease on the retail tariff, comes with attendant challenge of how to manage the huge shortfall resulting from the sculpted tariff.

    The sculpted average tariff for Kaduna Electric in 2016 was N30/KWH while the actual cost reflective tariff was N48/KWH. This was approved based on economic indicators (inflation, exchange rate, gas prices) prevalent in 2015 and the resulting shortfall from the sculpted tariff in 2016 amounts to more than N25 Billion.

    The MYTO model also requires bi-annual review of these economic variables which has not been done since January 2016. By the time the exchange rate variable is adjusted in the model, the average cost reflective tariff for Kaduna Electric will be around N74/KWH.

    Cost-Reflectivity vs. Affordability

    The crucial role energy plays in the development of the economy cannot be over emphasised. Industries in this part of the country can only thrive with reliable and affordable access to electricity. While this is much desired by all, the current structure does not fully support the realisation of this objective.

    Charging a cost reflective tariff of more than N70/KWH at this period of economic recession is not only irrational but detrimental to the growth of the economy. Therefore, Kaduna Electric fully supports a fair and affordable tariff that will support growth and development within our franchise states. It is however important to note that as privately run company, decisions are guided based on its business case that does not jeopardise the interest of all major stakeholders.

    The government has the overall mandate and authority to steer the course of economic direction in this country and she has a critical role to play in ensuring that this balance is achieved.

    The Role of Government

    Government interventions are necessary to moderate prices and make electricity more reliable and accessible. Government intervention can come through a combination of all or some of the following; by subsidizing the price of gas to thermal power plants, bearing the burden of exchange rate shock on the retail tariff, taking up responsibility of tariff shock due to low generation capacity as a result of security issues, support the Gencos and Discos to access cheap finance through international, regional or local developmental initiatives among others.

    Conclusion

    A clear link has been established between electricity consumption and economic growth. With an annual population growth rate of around 3% and an unemployment rate of nearly 15%, Nigeria is in pressing need of boosting its productive activities to curb crime and reduce poverty levels.

    Manufacturing and other SMEs are the key drivers of economic growth, which is mainly challenged by reliable and affordable electricity supply.

    For the reform in the electricity sector to be achieved, all stakeholders – Discos, Gencos, Government, all categories of consumers – must holistically work, and in some cases make difficult sacrifice towards the success of the industry.

    As a Disco, we are committed to improving the quality and reliability of electricity supply within our franchise states. Significant investments have already been made in acquisition, studies, foundational ICT systems, working tools, metering, safety systems, replacement of existing systems, expansion of grid, maintenance of existing systems, working towards providing alternative payment channels through web, POS, ATMs, mobile etc. Further investments is being put in place to close the metering gap, have a robust Customer Relationship Management Systems, advanced Distribution or Operations Management Systems, as well as new infrastructure and grid expansion.

    Our customers across all categories – Industrial, Commercial, MDAs and residential – have a responsibility to behave ethically and pay their electricity bills regularly and timely to enable us meet our market obligation and serve our customers well.

    The government even has a bigger role to play in ensuring stability of the industry. The liquidity challenge currently faced must be addressed and issues currently affect the industry that are macroeconomic in nature such as FX risk, security challenge affecting generation capacity, impact of inflation must be owned and addressed by government to make electricity supply more affordable and reliable.

    The synergy amongst these different stakeholders is necessary for electricity sector to become the catalyst of economic growth in Nigeria.

     

    • Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar, OON, is Chairman, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc

  • Challenges of Southern Kaduna

    Fulani herdsmen, despite increased security measures put in place by government, not too long ago once again carried out a deadly attack on Atakad-District Local Government and Baki –Kogi Goska District of Jama’a Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna killing 16 innocent people. Government reaction was predictable. The Acting President summoned the IG to Aso Rock Presidential Villa, gave him a directive to restore law and order to the affected communities.  In addition to deployment of troops, the formation of a new military unit to be stationed in Southern Kaduna was announced.

    The only difference this time around however was that, the Ag. President as a devout Christian in a speech  at  the PFN 14th  Biennial conference in Benin city, told  his fellow Christians who constitute  the majority of Fulani herdsmen victims, that  ” those  ”who come  in to your community annually  to kill  as many as they can find ; who throw bombs in the marketplace and in motor parks, kill children in their  beds,  who in Bunu Yadi, killed 59 children in boarding school, “ were driven by   ‘hate and the devil’.. “Today,” he continued, “the greatest enemy of our faith and our nation is hate, a device of the devil.”  And for him, the “answer to hate can only be found “in the Gospel of Jesus Christ: “Love your enemies  and bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you  and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you that ye may be sons of your father which is in heaven.”

    While one cannot take up issues with an ordained pastor of God, it is however doubtful from the point of view of a social scientist if God or the cursed devil have anything to do with our self-inflicted problems. Obasanjo, although without admitting his generation laid the foundation for the ‘hate’ by insisting on ‘unity without justice’ and by breeding the current generation of ‘newbreed’ politicians that breed only corruption, while speaking as chairman of the 38 Kaduna Trade Fair, however, put the blame squarely on “”our leaders who lack focus, commitment, continuity and sometimes proper knowledge about economic and development issues.” He wants them to stop   blaming ”God for the nation’s woes.” In fact, he was of the opinion that we should be thanking and praising God for giving us everything we need to be a great nation.

    The truth of the matter is that our founding fathers, Muslims Christians and traditional religion worshippers correctly identified absence of justice and fairness as potential source of ‘hate’ some 60 years ago and went on to bequeath on to us a constitution that guaranteed justice and fairness. The military in the name of unity destroyed this superstructure, imposed a new one that promotes injustice, celebrates idleness of federating states and breeds parasitic multi-billionaires who feast on the blood of the poor. Unfortunately, instead of going back to ‘path to Nigeria greatness’ we have been tinkering with military social engineering efforts from which the nation has derived little joy while others who are in a position to properly articulate our crisis of nationhood now want us to pray for miracle even when we have been told heaven helps only those who help themselves.

    Let us start with land ownership, the core source of dispute between Fulani herdsmen and their host communities.  The native Tiv, Idoma, Berom, Angas, Kwalla and Taroh people  of Benue and Plateau States and Southern Kaduna took ownership of their  land following the collapse of the Sokoto caliphate, founded in 1809 by Uthman  dan Fodio  and   sustained with slave labour of about  2 million slaves captured mostly from non-muslim minority groups in the north, on March 13 1903. Frederick Lugard stated very clearly that the power once exercised by the defeated   caliphate had reverted to the British, at the inauguration of AttahiruII, as the new Caliph. There was no evidence power was given back to the Fulani after independence. It was an attempt to contest the ownership of the land by the descendants of defeated Fulani feudal lords that led to the Tiv popular uprising after independence.

    Beyond Frederick Lugard’s declaration, the issue of land ownership was not in doubt even before the amalgamation of 1914. For instance, by 1908, Herbert Macaulay had successfully launched a campaign against the   Hausa Land Ordinance which gave the colonial power  an unlimited right to acquire  any land This was also done in Lagos when after losing in Nigeria, he took Chief Oluwa’s case against government to the Privy Council in London which upheld Chief Oluwa’s appeal over the acquisition of his family land and compelled the colonial government to pay full compensation  of 22,500 pounds for his acquired family land.

    One hundred years later, power  and privileges won and lost on the battle field and in the court rooms  have become  sources of tension among Nigerians because of military imposition of a fraudulent ‘Land Use Decree’ and a unitary constitution that was never debated by Nigerians. The embattled natives of Southern Kaduna along with other minorities in the north who as non-believers provided slave labour to sustain the caliphate have once again become victims of Fulani herdsmen marauders

    The restiveness in the Niger Delta is not markedly different from the crisis in the middle belt regions. The Niger Delta crisis is about resource control. Fifty years of conflict must have convinced the military who as self-proclaiming custodian of the Nigeria constitution, destroyed what it inherited and in the pursuit of Nigeria’s unity unilaterally confiscated the resources of a group for the use of all. We have continued to resist a cheaper approach to Nigeria unity such as allowing Niger Delta to control its resources and pay tax to the centre as was the case in the first republic.

    A restructured strong middle belt region (which the current governors and law makers may be opposed to out of selfish interest) with enough economic muscle to embark on economies of scale, such as adding value to their agricultural products, establishing ranches to provide jobs for youths, creating local and community police to prevent infiltration of Fulani herdsmen from Niger, Sudan and northern Cameroon  will appear from the benefit of hindsight,  a  cheaper way to generate national integration to deployment of federal police, helicopters and soldiers as we have done since independence.

    Perhaps now is the time to stop living a lie by our leaders’ empty claim that the unity of our country even amidst glaring injustice is not negotiable. Perhaps  it is time to take a cue from our founding fathers who garnered more bounteous yields from diversification of politics between 1952 and 1959, a feat yet to be matched  by our endless economic diversification efforts  since the Babangida years. With governors now forming regional groups for economic integration of their various areas, APC government that campaigned on the basis of restructuring should see the development as an opportunity to lay a new foundation for the unity and economic prosperity of the country.