The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cost

  • Cost of Buhari’s US trip exaggerated, says Presidency

    The Presidency yesterday said the N2.2 billion reported as the total cost of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent trip to the U.S. was grossly exaggerated.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the cost was most minimal in line with the government’s policy to cut waste and extravagance.

    According to him, it was not up to 10 per cent of the speculated figure.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to an editorial published in the Nigerian Pilot of August 2, 2015 and an earlier report in which the total cost of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent trip to the U.S. was estimated at N2.2 billion.

    “It is very sad that in this age of free-flowing information and in this era of change, a media organisation would make itself available as a vehicle to peddle a lie of such low and ignominious quality.

    “Contrary to assertions, the total cost of the trip to the Nigerian taxpayer was at the most minimal, in line with the policy of this administration to cut waste and extravagance.

    “In point of fact, the total amount expended on the trip by the Office of the President amounted to nothing near 10 per cent of the speculated figure”.

    He said all the personal staff who accompanied the President received reduced allowances because the host provided free accommodation.

    “His son, Yusuf, received neither allowances nor estacode. The five governors on the trip each paid his own fare. Permanent Secretaries travelled in accordance with extant rules and none of them exceeded their estacode entitlements.

    “Apart from the pilot’s mischievous mathematics, it is short-sighted and misleading of the newspaper to have claimed that the President’s  trip achieved nothing.

    “President Buhari’s trip was definitely successful and beneficial to Nigeria. Only those determined to find faults will cook up falsehood in a futile effort to rake up murk where none exists,” he said.

  • ‘Reduce cost of governance’

    ‘Reduce cost of governance’

    A university lecturer, Dr. Chris Ekong, has urged Federal, state and local governments to reduce the cost of governance.

    The don regretted the high cost of running governments in Nigeria.

    He said it was the major causes of the country’s underdevelopment.

    Dr. Ekong, a lecturer in the Economics Department of the University of Uyo, spoke yesterday at Eket, Akwa Ibom State, at the Annual Feast of Barracuda 2015 Lecture, with the theme: Reducing cost of governance as s panacea for strengthening the Nigerian economy.

  • Kalu urges Buhari to help reduce media cost

    Kalu urges Buhari to help reduce media cost

    Former Abia State governor, Dr.  Orji Kalu, has urged  President Muhammadu Buhari to come to the aid of the print media owners to avoid job loss due to increasing cost of production in the industry.

    Kalu, who spoke yesterday said  with the way things are in the print media, the industry is getting closer to the edge of the precipice, warning that it runs the risk of running at a loss because of the rising operational cost that is threatening the existence of most media organisations.

    He, therefore, appealed to the president to urgently intervene to prevent job cuts.

    ‘The operational cost media houses have to contend with is huge and keeps rising daily. “We are dying from the burden. Our businesses are suffering. From the cost of newsprint to ink, blankets and plates, our consumables in the print media are expensive. The Sun Publishing uses 2,800 tons of newsprint every month, for instance. Add that to the cost of freighting, the dwindling fortunes of the naira and power challenges and it becomes obvious that our business terrain is facing more difficulties by the day. The Federal Government needs to come to our aid. If this bad tide is not stemmed, media owners may resort to downsizing to save cost and that will further worsen the nation’s already bad unemployment figures,” Kalu lamented.

    He said all media houses are producing every copy of the newspapers Nigerians read at a loss.

    ‘The average cost of printing a copy of a newspaper is N500 and we sell for N150 or N200. That means media owners are subsidising every copy our readers get with N300. How long can we go on like that and stay in business? The government has to intervene to ensure journalists keep their jobs and we stay afloat,” he added.

    Kalu said the media industry deserves a special intervention fund from government at a reduced interest rate among other palliatives to carry on with the business of publishing.

    He urged other members of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) to speak and lend their voice to this appeal to the government.

    “All members of NPAN must join this appeal. We all need to work together on this. It is our battle, it is about our survival and if we don’t work together, all our businesses are at risk.

    “For as long as our operational costs keep going through the roof,  the fortunes of newspaper houses will keep diminishing,” he warned.

  • Reducing cost of governance

    Reducing cost of governance

    Under the presidential system, the cost of governance is high. The President is expected to preside over the Federal Executive Council, which is made up of at least 36 ministers and special advisers. In the Senate, there are 109 members. The House of Representatives has 360 legislators. The size of the government is huge, making the recurrent expenditure to account for over 65 per cent of the budget, leaving 35 per cent for capital projects. Besides, government officials always capitalise on loopholes to perpetrate graft. Therefore, national development is sacrificed on the altar of corruption. But, last week, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) slashed their salaries by 50 per cent. They also reiterated their commitment to the anti-graft war to stem the misappropriation of public funds. Will National Assembly members, governors and elected officials emulate them? EMMANUEL OLADESU, RAYMOND MORDI and LEKE SALAUDEEN examine the renewed search for fiscal discipline and implications for the polity.

    Politics has become a lucrative venture in Nigeria. To observers, government is attractive because of the pecks of office. Thus, the corridor of power is perceived an avenue for primitive accumulation by many elected officials, instead of an avenue for service delivery.

    But, President Muhammed Buhari proposed a closure to the sordid past last week. He and his deputy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, slashed their salaries by 50 per cent, setting a good example for other elected officers.

    According to the 2007 Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Officers released by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the President is entitled to an annual salary N14 million per annum (N1.171,568 per month). The Vice President should earn N12, 126, 290 per annum (N1,010, 524 per month). But now, the President will earn N7 million yearly. In four years, he will earn N28.1 m. Presidency sources said the Commander-In-Chief took the step to demonstrate his commitment to frugality and leadership by example in the face of the harsh economic condition.

    At the weekend, there were also media reports about how the President turned down moves to procure new official cars for his office. The cars cost N400million. President Buhari said he will continue to use the cars left behind by his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

    Before adjourning its sittings last month, the National Assembly set up a committee to review the salaries and allowances of legislators. It was a populist move, which has been criticised for drawing bogus emoluments. Senate President Saraki explained that the parliament could not be indifferent to the public outcry about the legislators’ remuneration.

    In fact, some governors had blazed the trail, following their inauguration. Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai and his Bauchi, Kano and Abia counterparts, Mohammed Abubakar, Abdullahi Ganduje and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, had earlier cut their salaries and those of their aides to cut costs. Explaining the reason for taking the line of action, el-Rufai said there is need to make sacrifice and judicious management of resource in a state that is weighed down by debt and liabilities. “The state of our state is abysmal”, he said, urging other indigenes to make sacrifices for the state to survive the excruciating economic hardship.

    Ikpeazu, a former university don, explained that he imposed the austerity measure on himself, following the inability of the state to pay salaries of workers. He said the few elected public officials cannot be swimming in opulence when thousands of indigenes, especially worker wallow in abject poverty.

    In Abubakar’s view, it has become absolutely necessary to cut the salary of the governor by 50 percent as a mark of leadership by example. Echoing him, Ganduje said earning a fat salary in the face of the current economic reality is untenable, adding that wastage should be reduced.

    Many Nigerians have hailed the decision by the President and governors to slash their salaries. The drop in oil revenue may have made value engineering more compelling. But, they said the reduction of the cost of governance is an unfinished business. For example, the loopholes should give way. These include contract inflation by ministers and top civil servants, misappropriation and embezzlement of funds, extravagance and  frivolous travels by government officials, hiring of multiple aides for elected officials, and jumbo pay for legislators.

    Former member of House of Representatives Hon. Uche Onyeagucha advised the President to merge some ministries that perform similar functions. He even said that the anti-graft agencies-the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) can be merged to avoid duplication of structures for anti-graft crusade.

    The former legislator also said that the cost can be reduced through other institutional approaches. He said: “Our economy should be run by expects and regulators. We must reduce imports. This will reduce the waste of foreign reserves. In Nigeria, we import toothpicks and cement. This is not necessary. This makes us to lose foreign exchange. Thus, it becomes expensive to run the government.”

    A lawyer, Bisi Adegbuyi, said, if no conscious effort is made to cut costs, governance will only be for the benefit of those in power. “The cost of governance in Nigeria is humongous. We must find a way of reducing the cost so that people with sublime ability and who do not have a huge amount of money to spend on the electoral process will be interested in politics,” he said. Adegbuyi also called for the re-evaluation of politics to remove the perception of politics as an invested, adding that it is dangerous for democracy. He said many elected officials always hope to garner returns in post-election period.

    He also urged the President reduce the size of the cabinet, saying that few ministers are required. In his view, the duplication of functions of ministries and departments is counterproductive. Adegbuyi also said that only competent and incorruptible people should make the ministerial list. He said, if corrupt people are appointed as ministers and special advisers, they will subvert the administration because leopards cannot change their skins. “We also need a renewed battle against corruption,” he added

    The emoluments of legislators have often generated controversy. Onyeagucha acknowledged that the its expensive to maintain the two chambers at the federal levels and 36 chambers across the federation. Hailing the move to revisit the pay package, he said Nigeria does not need full-time lawmakers. “We only need part-time legislators at state and federal levels. This will reduce the cost of maintaining the legislature. Right now, the cost of financing them is expensive,” he stressed.

    In the view of a finance and investment consultant, Mr. Akintunde Maberu, there is a huge disparity between the earnings of political office holders and workers. He said: “If you look at the percentage of those in the highest bracket, as against the percentage of the multitude in the lowest bracket, the disparity is much. It was in Zamfara State that I observed that five per cent of political office holders earn 75 per cent of the entire income of the state. I think the same thing applies to other states and the Federal Government.

    “So, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Committee (RMAFC) ought to prune down the salaries of public office holders because that is its primary duty and responsibility. They ought to do that in consonance with the reality on ground because the country is bereft of funds at present. Therefore, it does not make sense for public office holders to continue enjoying the fat salaries and allowances that earning before now.

    “RMAFC said it is going to review their earnings, but I don’t know whether the assertion is true or not. But, the President has shown the way; his body language has not only shown where he is going, he has gone ahead to put it into action and the Vice President has followed suit.”

    Maberu said the leadership of the National Assembly and the governors are also expected to go along the same direction. In other words, the example of the President is expected to go down to all the strata of governance. He said:  “If that is done, it would immediately have an impact. The recommendations of the Oronsaye Report were well thought out. One would have expected the previous government to have implemented some of those recommendations, but it did not.” Maberu added:”There are feelers already that President Buhari is going to reduce the number of ministries and that he would appoint technocrats into functional ministries, as against political appointees.”

    Alluding to the report, he said the committee identified seven foremost ministries that should be manned by technocrats. He added: “The Oronsaye report is the key, but I expect that the federal government will have the political will to implement the recommendations of this report. In the past, there were similar recommendations that never saw the light of day.”

    Maberu urged the government to take steps to jerk up its internally generated revenue (IGR) and explore new areas of revenue generation. Apart from oil, there are other mineral resources in the country that can also provide a leeway.

    Nevertheless, he said scaling down costs would assist the government to kick-start its programmes because the effort to raise the IGR takes time. The Federal Internal Revenue Service, he added, could bring into the net those that were outside it.

    The National Chairman of the United Progressives Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, said the administration should block the leakages in the system. He recalled that President Buhari promised to do do this during the electioneering campaign. He said: “These leakages are eating up what should ordinarily be used to develop the country. Most private estates in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos and other cities are owned by people in government.

    “Even when you go to some rural communities, you will see some mind–boggling edifies erected by the same people and they hardly stay in these houses, except during festive periods when they visit home.

    “I think the President should recover what I call all ‘recoverables’. The 50 per cent cut in salaries is good, if it is implemented down the ladder. It is a way of showing example to the people that the government is serious in its drive to eliminate waste. But, the more practical way is for him to go after the people that have stolen our common wealth. For instance, look at what is happening in Rivers State, where the governor has just announced that caretaker committees would take charge at the local governments. This sort of thing should not be allowed to continue. We are going back to the old order; to sack elected officials and appoint caretaker committees to run the local governments.”

    Okorie enjoined the government to withhold funds that are due to local governments in states where local governments are run by appointed officials. “This should be paid into dedicated accounts that can only be released later to properly elected officials,” he added.

    Human rights activist and President of Nigeria Voters Assembly (VOTAS) Comrade Mashood Erubami said, to reduce the cost of governance, the huge recurrent expenditure must be a thing of the past. His words: “The immediate drastic cut-down from all areas of profligacy in budgetary and fiscal policies, combined with unsparing and non-discriminatory fight against corruption, should be explored. For the President to achieve meaningful development, serious attention must be placed on reducing the cost of doing business and governance in the areas of foreign travels, trainings and medical tourism.

    “The high cost of doing business and governance has its roots in corruption, high interest rate, the provision of electricity for the manufacturing and industrial sector, and exchange rate. The high cost of running government also resides in the payment of unbacked and economically unjustifiable high salaries and emoluments, the payment of unrealistic subsidies and double terminal benefits, including life pension for political office holders, and the provision for constituency projects and allowances.

    Erubami urged the government to raise a new team to device new and practical ways of achieving  all-round reduction in the cost of doing businesses, through measures and strict exchange control mechanism.

    He said: “Federal  and state budgets should be subjected to public scrutiny and review to reduce extravagant  and prodigal lifestyle through re- organisation, virement, weeding out ghost workers, reducing unproductive political office holders and vehicles in government convoy.These will reduce expenses.” Erubami said the yearly increase in recurrent expenditure and dwindling capital expenditures should be re-examined.

    However, the pro-democracy activist said the greatest challenge is fighting corruption. In his view, corruption is an impediment to development. Erubami pointed out that trillions of naira are mismanaged, stolen and squandered yearly, either through direct stealing or non-remittance into the treasury by Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).

    To lay the foundation a new Nigeria, he said government must, within the short time, introduce measures that will challenge past wrong business ethics and unethical political culture among the business class and the politicians.

    Erubami stressed: “Corruption should be fought on two fronts. The bribe-takers and the givers should  be treated as criminals. The bribe-taker needs to be penalised and the giver must be punished to send strong message that corruption will no more be tolerated under any guise.

    “Former politicians who have pending corruption cases with anti-corruption agencies and courts should continue without undue pressure from government. Justice to take its course.”

    Erubami said the President should be ready to step on toes. He said the government should “kill corruption before it kills Nigeria”.

    He added: “The fight against corrupt practices should begin with  diligent prosecution. Current cases of petroleum subsidy scam, PHCN  scam, NNPC scam, $9.7m failed arms contract  and police pension scam should be concluded  to send a strong signal to Nigerians that corruption has become a crime and culprits will be prosecuted, and if found guilty, they will be sentenced to imprisonment.

    “Those who steal public funds should be sanctioned to discourage others, so that people can know that public funds should not be used for  private ends. Corrupt officials should be made to refund ill-gotten wealth.

    “Every year, names of corrupt officials and those convicted for corruption should be published in the media. Also, those who serve diligently should be given awards. These will reduce graft in public places. The enforcement of the provisions of the laws in the EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Act should not be compromised.  Bribery must be outlawed.”

    Erubami also urged the government to set up special courts to try corrupt officials.

    A university don, Dr Adetunji Ogunyemi, decried the duplications of ministries and other instritutions for service delivery. He said the government should reduce the structures for function performance.

    Ogunyemi, who teaches at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State,  lamented that many states are not economically viable. He said: “Many of them rely on monthly allocations to pay salaries. We should collapse the states so that we can have eight states that can be self-sustaining rather than having 36 states.”

    Ogunyemi also called for the merging of local governments to make them viable. He complained about what he described as the over-representation at the centre. According to him, the Senate should be abrogated because the 360 members of the House of Representatives can offer adequate representation. He maintained that the Senate is a duplication of legislative process. “If  we do away with the Senate, it will go a long way in reducing cost of governance,” he added.

    The university don said a law should be enacted to make it mandatory that 40 per cent of the annual budget of every tier of government is committed to capital projects. “If this law comes on stream, it will serve as a check on government expenses, especially on overhead cost,” he said.

    Ogunyemi  cited the case of Osun State, which generates N187 million per month and spends N1.4 billion on salary and pension; whereas Lagos State, which generates N20 billion  monthly, has a salary and pension liability of N7.3 billion. “The argument here is that states should pay according to their financial capability,” he said.

    Legal luminary Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) urged the tiers of government to study their financial limitations so that they can operate within the resources available to them. He noted that many state governments are copy cats; they embark on projects that are not relevant to the needs of their subjects.

    Akintola said: “It is of no use copying Lagos, Akwa Ibom or Delta when your financial resources don’t match them. It is economic suicidal for Ekiti, Ebonyi and Gombe states  to have the same number of ministries, commissioners and special advisers like Lagos, Kano and Delta. These states have one of the highest Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) base.

    “The IGR of Ikoyi/Obalende Local Government, Lagos State is higher than that of Ekiti State. I don’t expect Ekiti to have more than eight commissioners. The state is endowed with human resources, but less financial resources.

    “I am happy President Buhari has resolved to have only 19 ministries at the federal level. In those days, what we used to have were Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Delopment; Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Budget Planning; Ministry of Youths, Sports and Social Development. But today, politicians have split each of them into three or four ministries to create jobs for the boys.

    “Because of second term, governors are creating all sorts of offices, appointing a retinue of special assistants that have no offices or specific functions to perform, embarking on white elephant projects, building hospitals without equipping them. These are conduit pipes that must be blocked.”

     

  • ‘Pre-fabricated housing saves cost’

    A building expert, Kayode Ogunlade, has urged Nigerians to embrace pre-fabricated building technology as a cheap way of building.

    The technology, he explained, involves the use of factory-built building parts which are later assembled on-site to build houses. The building parts are usually manufactured off-site in advance, in standard sections that can be easily transported and assembled on-site.

    Although this is not a very popular technology in the country, some companies have started deploying the technology in the country. Ogunlade is convinced that using this technology ensures that less money and less time is spent in construction when compared to conventional building systems.

    Due to this reduced cost, he explained, prefab homes are usually sold at affordable prices. With recent technological advancements, the builder explained that some prefab homes have been constructed at prices below N1 million. However, this feat has not been effectively reproduced in the country and there are some luxury prefab homes that come at fairly high prices.

    Ogunlade said prefab homes also have very versatile designs as building components can be assembled to build bungalows, duplexes, apartment buildings, offices, schools, hospitals, restaurants or even hotels. They also have a degree of tolerance against weather extremes as the factory-controlled manufacturing processes produce weather-resistant high quality materials.

     

  • ‘Buhari should reduce cost of governance’

    ‘Buhari should reduce cost of governance’

    Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, 82, is a former Minister of Finance under the military administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. In this interview, the former University of Ibadan (UI) teacher, speaks on the general elections and his expectations about the incoming Muhammadu Buhari Administration.

    Can you assess the recent general elections?

    It was a successful election during which Nigerians spoke with their votes and chose their leaders into various elective offices, including the office of the President. The elections also laid to rest the much-talked about disintegration of Nigeria as a country. We thank God for making the election possible amid fears and apprehension. Nigerians must also appreciate the personal contribution of the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan who conceded defect even before it was concluded. This, to an extent, doused tension across the country.

    I rejoice with Nigeria and Nigerians that in spite of the doomsday prediction, it went on smoothly.

    What lesson has the outcome of the elections taught Nigerians?

    I don’t know what lessons the elections have taught Nigerians, but personally speaking, it has shown that there I a limit to which we can rely on the media, including the so-called social media. The media hype on the elections was so high that you will think Nigeria was going to collapse. To God be the glory, the elections have proven pessimists wrong that the media could speculate, create tension, but Nigerians have made up their minds on how to move the country forward.

    In spite of what people say or write, God has destined what would happen and what would be. That’s another lesson. If not that, Buhari would not have emerged the President-elect, if all the negative things said about him were anything to go by. Another lesson is also that the Nigerian electorates are now more enlightened than before and can differentiate between what they want and what they don’t want.

    As someone who worked under Buhari, what should Nigerians expect from his government?

    I expect discipline and austerity, which will later in the years impact positively our economy. I expect him to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria for better; turning the present economic woes to economic gains for the country and Nigerians. I expect him not to compromise his frankness, straightforwardness and thoroughness in the name of anything. In anything he will do as the President, I want him to always place the interest of Nigerians at heart and not that of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    No doubt, because he’s now a politician, his party would have some element of influence on him, but he should always remember Nigerians that voted him into power. He must not compromise critical values he believed in like his anti-corruption stance. Under no circumstance must he concede to people who know nothing but corruption. He must let people know that the situation has changed, through his actions and utterances.

    With the economic situation in the country today, what should be the thrust of the policies you would like Buhari to adopt?

    It is not only his economic policies that are necessary; he must also maintain national stability. There are other many areas in our national life which he must address, if he wants to succeed in office. I suggest that he should address the inability of many state governments to pay workers salaries.  Ordinarily, one may want to say that it is not the Federal Government that is owing, but he should not forget that he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    It is shameful and a national disgrace, as well as unethical and a great disservice for governments not to pay workers that they are using to execute their progrmmes. I urge Buhari to address the issue as soon as he assumes office. If possible, I want him to give state governments that owe workers ultimatum within which to pay or face the wrath of the Federal Government. However, from available records, I must state that state governments  in the country have no business not paying their workers.

    The President-elect also needs to get the cooperation of the trade unions. As much as workers welfare should not be jettisoned by him, I want to canvass that there should not be wage increase for the first two years of his administration.

    Since the first two years should be sacrifice, I also want to canvass for the reduction in the cost of running government by at least 50 per cent. I am of the opinion that we are wasting money in running government. I find it scandalous that our Senate President earns more than the US President. That is spendthrift which must be addressed. Although my suggestion may meet with stiff opposition from members of our National Assembly, but I think this is the best for Nigeria at this critical moment of her economic life.

    The Central Bank governor has tenure of four years. What do you expect Buhari to do about the CBN governor that has another four years to complete his renewable tenure?

    Buhari is not only inheriting the CBN governor, he is also inheriting the entire Civil Service, so he must contend with that reality. Don’t isolate the CBN; as far as I am concerned, the CBN position is governed by law and I know that Buhari is a respecter of law. It is natural that politicians will jostle for positions, including that of the CBN governor, but Buhari should know that there are many of them that are statutory. Hence, he can’t just remove the occupant of such a position without facing the wrath of the law that established them.

    How should Buhari handle the series of new appointments by Jonathan, few weeks to his exit from office?

    My reaction is that he is still the President and can still make or mar, irrespective of what anybody or group says. All these things some people are saying about the appointments Jonathan is making in the twilight of his administration are nothing but pettiness. The task before Buhari’s administration are enormous than appointments. Nigerians must note this.  He can’t succeed without national stability and discipline which we lead to eradication or reduction corruption in the country.

    However, this may be difficult for him to achieve if Nigerians saddle him with mundane and petty issues. The expectation of Nigerians is so high that he can’t afford to reduce himself to petty issues of who gets what. As a former military officer, I know he will handle it with tactics and integrity, putting the interest of Nigerians first.

    Do you think the Buhari of today can still have vigour to effect the desired change in Nigeria?

    I will answer this question by appealing to Nigerians to support Buhari’s administration  and see whether he has or lack the vigour to run the country. As someone who had the chance of working with him, I know he will run this country well.

    He is a man who is highly religious, fears God and has absolute confidence in those working with him. Even as a military Head of State, he was not as dictatorial as many of his adversaries want Nigerians to believe.

    I remember very well that there was a situation when he crossed the name of somebody from a list of contract brought to him for approval. Though I was not the one involved, but I went to him to know the rationale and he explained that he did not want to be blackmailed. He is such a person who carries along his subordinates in the scheme of things.

    There was also an incident when the Chief of Air Staff took a proposal to him to purchase Alpha jet or do something. What the Chief of Staff was expecting was that Buhari in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief would just say ‘minister go ahead’. But, the service chief got the shock of his life when Buhari asked him to get in touch with the Finance Minister. In a military regime, that was strange because the Chief of Air Staff, the Chief of Defence Staff and other security chiefs were expecting the Head of State to call the minister and say ‘minister, call your Perm Sec., and see what you can do’. But, instead, Buhari would say go and convince the Minister of Finance.

    That’s Buhari’s personality for you and I don’t think he has changed.  So, I expect those who will work with him to bear this in mind. As much as he will have confidence in them, they must know that they will be under careful monitoring and they should make sure that they don’t betray the confidence he will repose in them.

    Do you think Buhari will survive the pressure from politicians who bank-rolled his election?

    There is a limit of decadence that Buhari will tolerate, whether anybody or group financed his election or not. Having worked with him, I know he is a very disciplined and courageous man.

    Should Buhari probe the outgoing administration of President Jonathan?

    To me, probe is diversionary and when you talk about it, you continually look back, when actually you are supposed to be moving ahead. Probe wastes a lot of time and I want to advise that Buhari should look elsewhere. But, If in the course of running the country, he crushes people along his way, I am sure he will have the cooperation of Nigerians instead of probe.

    How do you want him to handle the problematic oil subsidy and power sector?

    As a former minister in charge of Ministry of Petroleum, he will know how to handle  the issue.  But, I want to appeal to him to handle the issue with national interest.

    Do you think Buhari has the skill to fight politicians who made him president?

    Why not? Let us wait and see whether he could do that or not. But, if it is the same Buhari that I worked with as Finance Minister, politicians should not expect business as usual.

    I am sure he will not fight them, but he will let them see reasons why certain things can’t be going on, so Nigerians should brace up for austere period, if they want Nigeria to be a better country. They must be ready to cooperate with him, as well as ready to make unconditional sacrifice.

    How do you feel when people blame the military under which you served for being responsible for Nigeria’s current economic woes?

    Financial recklessness? Not in Buhari’s regime. In fact, we managed more debts; this made members of the cabinet to be calling me minister of debt management. Our debt was so high that we were paying both domestic debt and foreign debt. It was a disciplined regime and that was probably why we didn’t last two years before we were kicked out.

  • ‘Buhari should reduce cost of governance’

    ‘Buhari should reduce cost of governance’

    Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, 82, is a former Minister of Finance under the military administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. In this interview, the former lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, spoke about the recent general elections and his expectations about the incoming Buhari Administration.

    Can you assess the just concluded general elections?

    It was a successful election during which Nigerians spoke with their votes and chose their leaders into various elective offices, including the office of the President. The elections also laid to rest the much-talked about disintegration of Nigeria as a country. We thank God for making the election possible amid fears and apprehension. Nigerians must also appreciate the personal contribution of the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan who conceded defect even before it was concluded. This, to an extent, doused tension across the country.

    I rejoice with Nigeria and Nigerians that in spite of the doomsday prediction, it went on smoothly.

    What lesson has the outcome of the elections taught Nigerians?

    I don’t know what lessons the elections have taught Nigerians, but personally speaking, it has shown that there I a limit to which we can rely on the media, including the so-called social media. The media hype on the elections was so high that you will think Nigeria was going to collapse. To God be the glory, the elections have proven pessimists wrong that the media could speculate, create tension, but Nigerians have made up their minds on how to move the country forward.

    In spite of what people say or write, God has destined what would happen and what would be. That’s another lesson. If not that, Buhari would not have emerged the President-elect, if all the negative things said about him were anything to go by. Another lesson is also that the Nigerian electorates are now more enlightened than before and can differentiate between what they want and what they don’t want.

    As someone who worked under Buhari, what should Nigerians expect from his government?

    I expect discipline and austerity, which will later in the years impact positively our economy. I expect him to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria for better; turning the present economic woes to economic gains for the country and Nigerians. I expect him not to compromise his frankness, straightforwardness and thoroughness in the name of anything. In anything he will do as the President, I want him to always place the interest of Nigerians at heart and not that of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    No doubt, because he’s now a politician, his party would have some element of influence on him, but he should always remember Nigerians that voted him into power. He must not compromise critical values he believed in like his anti-corruption stance. Under no circumstance must he concede to people who know nothing but corruption. He must let people know that the situation has changed, through his actions and utterances.

    With the economic situation in the country today, what should be the thrust of the policies you would like Buhari to adopt?

    It is not only his economic policies that are necessary; he must also maintain national stability. There are other many areas in our national life which he must address, if he wants to succeed in office. I suggest that he should address the inability of many state governments to pay workers salaries.  Ordinarily, one may want to say that it is not the Federal Government that is owing, but he should not forget that he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    It is shameful and a national disgrace, as well as unethical and a great disservice for governments not to pay workers that they are using to execute their progrmmes. I urge Buhari to address the issue as soon as he assumes office. If possible, I want him to give state governments that owe workers ultimatum within which to pay or face the wrath of the Federal Government. However, from available records, I must state that state governments  in the country have no business not paying their workers.

    The President-elect also needs to get the cooperation of the trade unions. As much as workers welfare should not be jettisoned by him, I want to canvass that there should not be wage increase for the first two years of his administration.

    Since the first two years should be sacrifice, I also want to canvass for the reduction in the cost of running government by at least 50 per cent. I am of the opinion that we are wasting money in running government. I find it scandalous that our Senate President earns more than the US President. That is spendthrift which must be addressed. Although my suggestion may meet with stiff opposition from members of our National Assembly, but I think this is the best for Nigeria at this critical moment of her economic life.

    The Central Bank governor has tenure of four years. What do you expect Buhari to do about the CBN governor that has another four years to complete his renewable tenure?

    Buhari is not only inheriting the CBN governor, he is also inheriting the entire Civil Service, so he must contend with that reality. Don’t isolate the CBN; as far as I am concerned, the CBN position is governed by law and I know that Buhari is a respecter of law. It is natural that politicians will jostle for positions, including that of the CBN governor, but Buhari should know that there are many of them that are statutory. Hence, he can’t just remove the occupant of such a position without facing the wrath of the law that established them.

    How should Buhari handle the series of new appointments by Jonathan, few weeks to his exit from office?

    My reaction is that he is still the President and can still make or mar, irrespective of what anybody or group says. All these things some people are saying about the appointments Jonathan is making in the twilight of his administration are nothing but pettiness. The task before Buhari’s administration are enormous than appointments. Nigerians must note this.  He can’t succeed without national stability and discipline which we lead to eradication or reduction corruption in the country.

    However, this may be difficult for him to achieve if Nigerians saddle him with mundane and petty issues. The expectation of Nigerians is so high that he can’t afford to reduce himself to petty issues of who gets what. As a former military officer, I know he will handle it with tactics and integrity, putting the interest of Nigerians first.

    Do you think the Buhari of today can still have vigour to effect the desired change in Nigeria?

    I will answer this question by appealing to Nigerians to support Buhari’s administration  and see whether he has or lack the vigour to run the country. As someone who had the chance of working with him, I know he will run this country well.

    He is a man who is highly religious, fears God and has absolute confidence in those working with him. Even as a military Head of State, he was not as dictatorial as many of his adversaries want Nigerians to believe.

    I remember very well that there was a situation when he crossed the name of somebody from a list of contract brought to him for approval. Though I was not the one involved, but I went to him to know the rationale and he explained that he did not want to be blackmailed. He is such a person who carries along his subordinates in the scheme of things.

    There was also an incident when the Chief of Air Staff took a proposal to him to purchase Alpha jet or do something. What the Chief of Staff was expecting was that Buhari in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief would just say ‘minister go ahead’. But, the service chief got the shock of his life when Buhari asked him to get in touch with the Finance Minister. In a military regime, that was strange because the Chief of Air Staff, the Chief of Defence Staff and other security chiefs were expecting the Head of State to call the minister and say ‘minister, call your Perm Sec., and see what you can do’. But, instead, Buhari would say go and convince the Minister of Finance.

    That’s Buhari’s personality for you and I don’t think he has changed.  So, I expect those who will work with him to bear this in mind. As much as he will have confidence in them, they must know that they will be under careful monitoring and they should make sure that they don’t betray the confidence he will repose in them.

    Do you think Buhari will survive the pressure from politicians who bank-rolled his election?

    There is a limit of decadence that Buhari will tolerate, whether anybody or group financed his election or not. Having worked with him, I know he is a very disciplined and courageous man.

    Should Buhari probe the outgoing administration of President Jonathan?

    To me, probe is diversionary and when you talk about it, you continually look back, when actually you are supposed to be moving ahead. Probe wastes a lot of time and I want to advise that Buhari should look elsewhere. But, If in the course of running the country, he crushes people along his way, I am sure he will have the cooperation of Nigerians instead of probe.

    How do you want him to handle the problematic oil subsidy and power sector?

    As a former minister in charge of Ministry of Petroleum, he will know how to handle  the issue.  But, I want to appeal to him to handle the issue with national interest.

    Do you think Buhari has the skill to fight politicians who made him president?

    Why not? Let us wait and see whether he could do that or not. But, if it is the same Buhari that I worked with as Finance Minister, politicians should not expect business as usual.

    I am sure he will not fight them, but he will let them see reasons why certain things can’t be going on, so Nigerians should brace up for austere period, if they want Nigeria to be a better country. They must be ready to cooperate with him, as well as ready to make unconditional sacrifice.

    How do you feel when people blame the military under which you served for being responsible for Nigeria’s current economic woes?

    Financial recklessness? Not in Buhari’s regime. In fact, we managed more debts; this made members of the cabinet to be calling me minister of debt management. Our debt was so high that we were paying both domestic debt and foreign debt. It was a disciplined regime and that was probably why we didn’t last two years before we were kicked out.

  • Labour to Buhari: Reduce cost of governance

    Labour to Buhari: Reduce cost of governance

    • Urges lawmakers to follow suit

    The organised labour has urged the incoming administration of President-Elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to drastically reduce the high cost of governance by cutting irrelevant expenses. Labour particularly harped on the need to cut down on political appointments, adding that the current situation where lawmakers fix their salaries and allowances must be discouraged and discontinued.

    The workers, under the aegis of Chemical and Non-Metallic Senior Staff Association (CANMPSSA), at its First Quadrennial Delegate Conference in Sango Ota, Ogun State, warned Buhari against making the same mistake of the outgoing administration.

    CANMPSSA National President, Comrade Abdul Gafar Mohammed, who was re-elected for another four years at the conference, lamented that the high cost of governance has continued to weigh down the economy.

    “We call on Mr. President to take urgent steps to address the issue of the remuneration of political office holders,”he said, noting that the president must use the opportunity  to deal decisively with the matter that has put the nation in an unfavourable economic climate. “It is clear to us that the creation of a new Nigeria, which is equitable, just and development-oriented, is not possible if this issue is not addressed and resolved. Our legislator and indeed, our elected public officers’ pay must reflect the reality of the average earnings in the economy,” he added.

    Comrade Mohammed said a case where one of the serving governors was reported to have disengaged over 2,000 aides was appalling. He, however, called for salaries of political office holders to be moved to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to ensure probity.

    “There is a need for the settling of the salaries of political office holders to be moved to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission so that the same underlying parameters can be used in establishing guidelines for all public sector employees and elected officers,” he maintained.

    The  CANMPSSA boss said corruption is at the root of many of Nigeria’s problems. “Corruption takes many forms and infiltrates all political institutions and economic sectors. Corruption has not only impinged on the nation’s economy, but also battered our image among the comity of nations. Huge allocations running into billions and trillions of naira are made to power development, roads, agriculture, and other sectors annually without measurable and meaningful corresponding achievement,” he said.

    On its part, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has frowned at the way  public office holders pay themselves severance benefits running into billions of naira without addressing the legitimate concerns of the workers on pension and gratuity.

    Speaking after the national executive council meeting of TUC, its president, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama said: “We want to call on the incoming government to drastically reduce the high cost of governance in the country.”

    He said there is also the need to cut down on political appointments and that the situation whereby lawmakers fix their own salaries and allowances be discouraged and discontinued. “We encourage lawmakers to follow suit,” he said, calling for a review of the salaries and allowances of workers.

    “The council has noted with serious concern that the minimum wage of N18, 000.00, which is less than $90 has not been implemented in some states. In particular, the congress condemns all the state governments owing workers’ salaries, as it is unhealthy for the nation. The Congress-in-session calls on the incoming government to restore payment of gratuity along with pension,” Kaigama said.

  • Counting the cost of poll shift

    SIR: Before now, many have been relishing the prospect of having the much anticipated presidential election on a Valentine Day. The possibility of mixing politics with love simply aroused the interest of not a few Nigerians. The recent announcement by INEC of the rescheduling of the general elections has, however, put paid to all that. The rumpus caused by the sudden decision of INEC to postpone has continued to echo across the land.

    To begin with, the abrupt postponement of the election has, without a doubt, done much havoc to the not too admirable global image of our country. Nigeria has now become an object of ridicule across the world. What is particularly puzzling to the world is why a nation of over 170 million people cannot successfully plan an election that has been on the card for over four years.

    The shift in poll also has deep implications for the image of the Nigerian military as well as other security agencies. In citing reasons for the shift in poll date, INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, clearly made it clear that the shift became necessary mainly for security factors. His words: “There are quite a number of issues in the conduct of elections, the most critical of which is security matter which is not under the control of INEC.”

    Professor Jega further confirmed that INEC was ready with all election matters under its control but was compelled to take the security advisory from the National Security Adviser and the service chiefs into consideration in adjusting the timetable for the polls. The issue being raised by pundits is how the military which has not been able to successfully dislodge Boko Haram for six years could do same under six weeks.

    Another vital concern is what happens if the military is unable to put the security situation in the country under check before the new date. Would that lead to another shift in poll? Whichever way one looks at things, the image of the military has been badly deflated by the poll shift imbroglio and it would take sometimes before it could really come clean.

    INEC itself has come out of the poll controversy more battered than before.  Despite Professor Jega’s clever maneuver to shift attention away from INEC’s near sloppy management of the distribution of Permanent Voters’ Card, PVC, it is difficult to completely shield the electoral umpire from culpability in respect of the poll shift. It will be recalled that the 2011 presidential poll was equally shifted by a week because of hiccups experienced across the country right on poll day. This shows that INEC has a rich history of ineptitude and this does not in any way do its image any good. It is left to be seen how the electoral body hopes to wriggle itself out of the negative  lame duck tag it has been dubbed in certain quarters.

    The postponement also has far reaching implications for political parties in respect of electioneering campaigns, planning, logistics and financing. Previously, most of the candidates aspiring for various political offices have zeroed their budgeting and other associated matters on the initial election dates as earlier announced by INEC. The poll shift would, therefore, bring about additional strains on the aspirants and their political parties. With the reality of the current economic situation in the country, having to extend campaign programmes and plans for another six weeks would, undoubtedly, be a serious financial burden on the political parties and their aspirants.      It is, however, hoped that the poll shift would help to diffuse the already tense political atmosphere in the country; and that all stakeholders in the Nigerian project would see the need to embrace peace.  According to Martin Luther King, “peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”

     

    • Tayo Ogunbiyi,

    Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • Farmland cost rises

    Farmland cost rises

    The price of farmlands  across  the  country  has  been  rising in the  last  one  year  following  increasing  participation  of  foreign  agriculture businesses  and youths  in exploring  emerging  business  opportunities.

    Farmlands consultant, Mr. Debo Thomas, in a chat with The Nation, said Lagos and Ogun states   have seen the biggest increases in land values, recording between 30 to 60 per cent rise between 2012 and 2014.

    He said that the  cost  of outright  purchase  of  lands  have  risen  from N50,000 to  N350,000  in  some  places  in Lagos ,Oyo  and Ogun States ,while  lease has  risen  from N2, 000 to  N15, 000.

    Driving the rise in costs, he  noted,  are increasing  farming   population occasioned  by the influx of foreign investors  acquiring  as  much  as  5, 000 acres of land, mainly on the outskirt such as in Ogbomosho in Oyo state.

    He  said  farmers  are moving  to areas out  of  Lagos  and Ogun States to  Oyo state   where they  can  find farmlands  in areas where    they  can  easily  be linked   to markets connecting  the  major  industry  hub in  the Southwest.

    Thomas  who  has himself  acquired 2, 500 acres in  Ogbomosho and is ready  to give  out  to  prospective  investors  said  farmland is the ultimate store of value as  this  is  pushing  for increasing farmland ownership.