The Nation Newspaper

Tag: critical

  • Economy: NPS, critical to business growth

    STAKEHOLDERS and business professionals at the weekend urged organisations, including business owners in the country to key into Net Promoter Score (NPS), a business solution powered by mSurvey, an internationally recognised Mobile-first consumer feedback platform recently launched in Nigeria.

    The NPS is one of the fastest growing services provided by mSurvey aimed at fostering customer relationship and improving the growth of businesses in the country. At a two-day training organised by mSurvey, which held at the Lagos Business School, Ajah, Lagos, last week, a team comprising of seven panelists revealed indices such as segmentation, cultural identification, fundamental relationships, demographic and psychographic characteristics amongst others, as major templates used in customer identification.

    On segmentation, one of the panelists, Ken Okwero, the Head of Strategy, Safaricom, agreed that gender remains a major factor to be considered by every organization intending to deliver quality services and goods to customers.

    The panel, moderated by a presenter/producer with CNBC Africa, Onyi Sunday, also included the Group CEO Java House, Ken Kuguru; the Founder Trace and Tru Africa, Claude Grunitzky; the CEO mSurvey, ​Kenfield Griffith​ and the Group Head, Customer Experience, ABM Group, Stella Kamau, amongst others. The panelists further submitted that cultural differences and fundamental relationships are factors that determine the kind and type of services to be delivered after gender identification. They noted that value in NPS, strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT), monetary value, providing solutions and response value, are major accruable benefits. “In NPS real-time feedback is very important; it’s the way to go.

    Real-time has transformed so many business organisations. Since media is in crisis, and since there is fake news everywhere, we have no option than to resort to our social media strength to ask and evaluate our customer’s feedback patterning our services,” the panelists submitted.

  • ‘Mortgage critical to realistic housing policy’

    ‘Mortgage critical to realistic housing policy’

    Nigeria’s mortgage system currently cannot support a housing policy that will deliver affordable houses to Nigerians. This was the submission of a speaker at the recently concluded 2017 National Built Environment Conference (NABECON), which held at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State. The theme of the conference was Positioning the Construction Industry in Nigeria for National Economic Growth.

    While delivering his lecture titled Housing for all Nigerians: The Big Vision Test, at the conference, the Managing Partner, Costec Consultants, Mr. John Agele Alufohai, making reference to researches conducted by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), noted that high mortgage rates, which is usually given at short tenures; a difficult business environment, high inflation, and unstable policies, all combine to hampered the growth of the housing sector in the country. This, he further explained, is why there is an estimated deficit of 18 million housing units in the country. The research also revealed that the country needs to build 720, 000 housing units per annum at an annual cost of N56 trillion to bridge this gap.

    Explaining the link between what he called a “transformational” housing policy and the economy, Alufohai noted that a housing policy that works for all Nigerians – the rich, the poor, civil servants, small business people, artisans, informal sector workers and entrepreneurs, young graduates, young people with limited formal education, banks, construction companies etc. – will boost construction activities and make a significant contribution to economic development.

    He, therefore, suggested that the country should adopt the mortgage system of other countries that have delivered housing for both the rich and poor.

    “The most efficient focus of housing policy is for the government to assist millions of Nigerians obtain lower-interest mortgages; this is how most citizens are helped to acquire houses in many countries with successful housing policy such as Singapore, South Africa and Malaysia,”  Alufohai argued.

    Alufohai, a former president of the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) also noted that because a house is the single biggest investment for an overwhelming majority of people, an efficient mortgage system is critical to providing accommodation for most Nigerians. He revealed that less than three percent of Nigerians acquire their homes through mortgages, just as many others invest in building houses of different costs and quality without any help whatsoever from the government.

    He, therefore, proposed a modeling of Nigeria’s mortgage system after that of Singapore, whose citizens obtain 20 to 30-year low interest mortgages through a pool of funds into which all workers must contribute 20 percent of their salary to acquire houses

    Said he: “The clear solution to me is the Singapore model – creating a pool of funds into which everybody contributes monthly and from which everybody borrows to buy a flat or house. The Federal Government ‘tops up’ contributions into this remodeled National Housing Fund (NHF) with at least N10 billion every year and it’s perfectly alright if it spends every kobo on its intervention in housing on this”.

    Singapore, he further revealed, was once a once poor island in Southeast Asia, which evolved from a third to first world economy between 1965 (when it gained independence from the British) and 2000. Under Lee Kuan Yew, the country’s first Prime Minister, the government transformed huge swathes of urban sprawls and slums into well-planned cities that spurred economic dynamism and growth.

    He said although the country’s NHF attempted the Singapore model, but it failed. “One of the key reasons for the failure is contributors couldn’t access the loans because they couldn’t afford the deposit for the houses,” said Alufohai, adding that the NHF also failed because of the high interest rates charged on mortgage loans. He noted that a non-inflationary fiscal policy, flexible, sustainable exchange rates and hence, low interest rates are important to attaining a mortgage system that will also attract foreign investment into mortgage market.

    On the role of government in the remodeled system he said, “it could provide a subsidy on the interest on mortgage loans by investing or contributing funds into this pool of ‘forced savings’ – this would have been an excellent use of the petrol subsidy.”

    The chairman of the organising committee, Prof Ikem Mbamali, said the conference brought together scholars, industry professionals/practitioners and senior public service officials/administrators, exploring current developments and advances in the re-organisation of the construction industry for effective contribution to national economic growth.

  • ‘Training critical to aviation security’

    Former Director, Security Services, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), John Omaghomi, has urged the Federal Government to invest in the training of aviation security personnel. He described it as a critical component of airport security.

    According to Omaghomi, without requisite training, security personnel will be unable to respond to global threats to aviation security.

    Speaking last week during his pull out ceremony from FAAN, he said no amount of training could be too much for aviation security personnel, who needed to keep abreast of latest threats to global security, and strategies to address them.

    Omaghomi said only well- trained aviation security personnel could respond to emergencies professionally, because they have been equipped with the right skills and measures to contain any threat to air transportation.

    He urged aviation security personnel to remain dedicated and committed to their duties as the responsibility placed on their shoulders have assumed new dimensions because of the strategic role air transport plays in the global and national economies.

    Omaghomi said:”Training is a critical component in the role played by aviation security. It is for this reason we urge government to continue to invest in training to equip aviation security personnel with global measures to secure air transportation .

    “ This is critical because as threats to aviation secure remain static, there is the need to change containment measures  through time tested initiatives.”

    Also speaking, FAAN’s Managing Director, Saleh Dunoma described Omaghomi as a professional who brought his expertise to the airport security system.

    Speaking through the Director of Engineering Services, Salisu Daura, he said Omaghomi discharged his duties diligently through exemplary leadership and transfer of knowledge to improve the airport security architecture.

    Dunoma said: ”His vast contributions to FAAN accounts for the upgrading of the security unit into a directorate. He contributed immensely to the repositioning of aviation security.”

  • Security, others critical to economy, says NAFDAC director

    Security, others critical to economy, says NAFDAC director

    The Director, Special Duties, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, has identified security, economic transformation and manpower development as critical elements for national growth and development.

    Speaking to reporters ahead of the launch of The Presidential Diary magazine to project the Change Mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari, he said over the last two years, these critical requisites have been the focus of the Federal Government.

    He said: “In the last two and a half years of this administration, a lot has been achieved from security to economy and manpower development.”

    On the magazine, he said the publication was borne out of the need to give voice to the administration of Buhari.

    “It is a magazine conceived and designed to provide a platform for projecting the noble intentions, change agenda and vision of Mr. President. So far, we are happy that a lot of people, including doubting Thomases believe in this administration and they want to see it succeed,” said Jimoh.

    According to him, the president and his team are also happy with the group’s contribution to this administration.

    Experts say the publication is borne out of the need to give voice, resoundingly, to the administration of the President Buhari. “It is a magazine conceived and designed to provide a platform for projecting the noble intentions, change agenda and vision of Mr. President.  So far, we are happy that a lot of people, including Doubting Thomases believe in this administration and they want to see it succeed,” said Jimoh.

    He said the President and his team are also happy with the group’s contribution to this administration.  “The wife of the President, Her Excellency, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adeshina, SSA (Media and Publicity) to the President, Malam Garba Shehu and other top government functionaries have actively supported our efforts,” explained Jimoh.

    On how the idea was berthed , Jimoh said he and a host of other professional colleagues conceived the initiative to begin this magazine, “We believe in this administration, and believe also that the task of informing, educating and sensitising Nigerians cannot be left only for government agencies and their spokesmen. The Presidential Diary Magazine was conceived by a group of like-minds- those who believe in the administration of President Buhari.  These persons are made of seasoned journalists, public affairs analysts, alongside men and women, young and old, irrespective of language, culture and tribe, who believe in the change agenda of the administration,” stated Jimoh.

    He added:  “Before the coming of this administration, these persons yearned for change because they were tired of the state-of-affairs as it were.  We therefore decided to come together to rebuild this confidence in Nigeria that this government can reclaim our lost glory and take us to that pristine age.  The only channel for doing this is not by carrying out propaganda or engaging in all sorts of media hypes, but by articulating the policies and programmes of this government in this magazine; through constructive narratives and photographs of what is on ground .”

    Hinting on the edge the magazine as Jimoh said, “pictures speak volumes of words, therefore, we don’t just tell, we show.  In the last two and a half years of this administration, a lot has been achieved from security to economy and manpower development.  All these achievements are captured monthly in every edition of the magazine.  You can confirm this in every edition that you pick up.  None of these achievements and many more are left out, and we hope to sustain this as long as President Buhari remains in office to deliver on his change agenda to Nigerians in all walks of life.”

    How long has this magazine been at the public space? Jimoh explained: “Like I have said before, this magazine was conceived out of love for Mr. President and his agenda for the people.  The magazine officially came on board in 2015, months after the inauguration of this administration.  Before the debut of the magazine, I and men and women of goodwill sat down to articulate the policies and programmes of the government that was coming. When we found that they fit into the yearnings and expectations of the people, we decided to key in and give it the needed support.  It is only a blind man who will not appreciate a good soup; even at that, he should be convinced by its aroma and agrees that the soup is indeed a good one.”

    And to what extent is he achieving this task of informing and sensitising Nigerians on the policies and programmes of the government? Jimoh said: “We have never thought it will be easy to do this.  There are those who have eyes but cannot see.  There are also those who can see but are not convinced, and there are those who may be convinced but pretend they are not.  To these die-hard skeptics, we trying as much as possible to back up our facts with figures and photographs.  For instance, we cannot say activities of Boko Haram have truly been degraded by this administration without providing you with evidences.  We don’t just tell, we show.”

    On how the magazine will circulate and its targeted readership strength, Jimoh said: “At the moment, our presence is being felt all over the country.  We are in all States of the Federation, especially in States that believe in this change agenda.  We are happy to announce the support of State governments that are identifying with us.  We enjoy the support of a good number of them and that of certain individuals and corporate organizations in and outside the country.  Embassies and foreign missions of Nigeria are also identifying with us in numerous ways.

    “At the moments, many of them use and process the information contained in this magazine in rating the achievements of this administration.  Every month, we avail them of copies, the way we do to all Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), group and organisations in and outside the country.  This we do without charge.  It will interest you to know that we give out every edition of the magazine free and we state it clearly ‘Not for Sale’ on the cover.  In order to get the desired effect, in terms of wide readership, we decided not to sell the magazines.  This does not mean that they are printed free.  This group of like minds including my humble self who is the initiator pulls our meager resources, time and energies together to ensure the publication of this magazine.  And we believe that our efforts and commitments to this course are not in vain.”

    What will be the fate of this magazine if the current administration is not returned to power in 2019? To this Jimoh replied: “We believe in policies and programmes that are people oriented.  For us, people-oriented programmes outlive people, governments and administrations.  Therefore, we believe that the seed Mr. President and his team is planting has started yielding fruits.  We will continue to defend and nurture them and sensitise Nigerians towards national growth and development.  So we cannot begin to contemplate this question because millions of Nigerians know that there is a silent revolution taking place now and more time is required to gain traction and firm foundation.”

  • Lagos builds world-class critical care facility

    Lagos builds world-class critical care facility

    The Lagos State Government has built a high-tech Critical Care Unit (CCU) at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital  (LASUTH), Ikeja. The new unit occupies a three-floor edifice and has state-of-the-art treatment and monitoring equipment seen only in world-class CCUs.

    Right from the Ground floor, the automatic glass door opens and leads one to the elevators, which are designed to suit the patients as they allow for the easy movement of patient’s bed and accommodate the staff handling same.

    The First Floor has in-house laboratory, and the patient has no need to go out for such services. The laboratory also enables the medics to arrive at a quicker decision on the patient.

    The theatre has infrared light and medic compliant taps to curtail the spread of contaminants. The operating lights have recording device that help record the operations to be done, or allow for live transmission to any part of the world for teaching purposes.

    The operating bed is multi functional, as it helps a doctor to place his patient in the best position for surgery. The beds can be electronically adjusted- high, low, tilted or even angled. It can also be elongated to accommodate tall patients, or turned to a chair to suit the patient’s needs.

    The Anesthesia machine has an in-built Ventilator that guarantees reduction of post surgery complication.

    At the centre of the building is the Nurses’ station, where the nurses have direct observation of the patients and those in the isolation wards. It also has a close circuit TV.

    The Recovery room in the complex has adaptive and assistive equipment for full recovery of patients. The six dialysis machines are well laid out in a clean, comfortable and conducive environment, while the staff lounge is equipped with internet facility for quick research.

    The Second Floor is the Private Ward, which has a sit-out area where a patient can enjoy some fresh air, with a clear view of the surrounding area.

    The Third Floor hosts the consulting room for private patients who do not want to be attended to at the general clinic. The floor also houses the Pharmacy, the Call room and Administrative Offices for staff on night duty.

    Director, CCU and a Fellow of American College of Surgeons, Dr Ade Tinubu, said the concept of the edifice was his, but the funding came 100 per cent from the Lagos State Government, noting that there is power supply round the clock and the ceilings of the building are fire resistant.

    Some of the equipments at the unit are cardiac or heart monitors, pulse oximeter, which allows the critical care team to monitor the saturation of oxygen in the blood, There is also a Swan-Ganz or pulmonary artery catheter, for knowing the amount of fluid filling the heart as well as determine how the heart functions.

    Tinubu said: “Central venous catheter (CVC) is a type of catheter that is soft, pliable and is inserted into a large vessel (vein) in the neck (internal jugular vein), in the upper chest (subclavian vein), or in the groin area (femoral vein).

    “There is a Ceiling Pendant that supplies medical gases and electrical supply to the patient’s bed side. So also Intravenous (IV), which is a plastic catheter (tube) that is inserted into the veins (peripheral IV) or a larger size catheter inserted into the larger veins of the neck. Fluids, medications, nutrition preparations, and blood products are administered through IV catheters. Patients in ICU often have multiple IVs. Chest tubes are inserted through the chest wall into the space around the lung to drain fluid or air that has accumulated and prevent the lung from being able to expand.

    “Good quality chest tubes are available. Chest tubes are inserted through the chest wall into the space around the lungs to drain fluid or air that has accumulated and prevent the lung from being able to expand.

    “The CCU boasts of urinary catheters, often referred to as Foley catheters, which are inserted through the urethra into the bladder. Once in the bladder the catheter is kept in place by a balloon, which is inflated, at the end of the catheter. Urinary catheters continuously drain the bladder and allow for accurate measurement of urinary output, which is extremely important in fluid management and in assessing kidney function. Endotracheal tubes are used when mechanical ventilation is necessary.”

    According to him, the complex also has multiple ventilator, or respirator, a breathing machine that helps patients breathe when they can not breathe on their own. A patient is connected to the ventilator by an endotracheal tube (a flexible plastic tube that is inserted into the mouth and then down into the trachea).

    “Nutrition is very important for the critically ill. Even though the ICU patient is immobile and does not appear to require ‘food’ for energy, the illness or injury that has required the patient to be in the ICU increases the patient’s basal metabolic rate (a measure of the rate of metabolism). Adequate nutrition is essential to the healing process.”

    “Nutritional solutions can be administered through feeding tubes inserted through either the nose or the mouth into the stomach or through central venous catheters. The stomach route is preferred, as long as the patient’s GI tract is working and able to tolerate feeding. Special nutritional preparations are available to provide the nutritional needs of the critically ill. The nutritional needs are calculated and monitored closely by the nutritionist on the critical care team and are adjusted accordingly. This started with the former Health Commissioner, Dr Leke Pitan that showed interest in Open heart surgery which I was conscripted into. We offer first class services at the CCU,” said Dr Tinubu.

    At the inuaguration of the unit, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof Wale Oke assured that with the huge investment of the state government in completing the complex, it will definitely result into a major improvement in patients’ care in the hospital.

    Commissioner of Health, Dr Jide Idris enjoined all to take ownership of the CCU, saying: “This belongs to us all. Refer your patients here. Nigeria is the next hub for Medical Tourism. Do not sabotage government’s effort on this.”

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello said the design and operation of the CCU will be deployed in the care of those in dire health condition that hitherto, predisposed people towards foreign medical tourism.

    “It will complement the capacity of the existing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) established over 10 years. The combined capacities of these two healthcare facilities will enhance the status of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the Lagos State University College of medicine (LASUCOM) as true centres for medical training and research. Ultimately, the facility will save from our nation scarce foreign exchange, of about $3 billion US dollar, which are spent annually on foreign medical tourism by Nigerians,” he said.

    He added: “We are strongly committed to the task of reversing the trend of overseas medical tourism in favour of local medical tourism through the provision of the right and conducive atmosphere for qualitative medicare in our state.”

  • Population profile critical to development

    The above title is a paraphrase from an address delivered by Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), at the investiture ceremony of Rotarian Alex Geolebedum, as the 34th President of the Rotary Club of Festac Town, on Saturday, October 17, 2015. As observed by the Commission Chair, there is a point of confluence between Rotary and the NPC “in the noble cause of advancing humanity through projects that have direct bearing on the people”. As he also noted, “the people are both the agents and beneficiaries of any development effort”.

    With a current estimated population of 187,301, 926, Nigeria he observed, is the tenth most populous country in the world; but by 2050, with an estimated population of 289 million, she would become the fifth most populous country. Quoting the National Bureau of Statistics (2010), Duruiheoma said, “it would be noticed that as the population of the country grows, the incidence of poverty also increased”. Observably “rapid population growth threatens food security, causes massive food importation that drains scarce resources and mounts pressure on the available arable land leading to excessive fragmentation”.

    From his analysis, the threat posed by high level of unemployment among the youthful population in our country, is even more precarious than many Nigerians may know. With young people who are aged 0-24 constituting 62 percent of the total Nigerian population (2009), high unemployment among the youths, clearly pose a grievous threat to the very existence of our country. The army of unemployed youths may indeed explain why the army of Boko Haram, suicide bombers, kidnappers, violent armed robbers, reckless okada riders, political thugs, street hawkers and other purveyors of security threats, seems to be inexhaustible.

    Going further, he informed the august gathering that “while the annual population growth rate is 3.2 percent, the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate is 3.5 percent”. Before the audience could get excited by the slight difference between the GDP and the population growth rate, the learned silkwarned, “though the growth rate appears higher, the economy cannot accommodate the rapid population growth and regardless of the fact that the country is rich in both human and natural resources, much more resources will be required to take care of the ever growing population that will over stretch the resources available for development”.

    President Muhammadu Buahri (PMB), the state governors, the local government administrators, and the Millennium Development Agencies (MDA), and indeed all agencies of government and the private sector,from that report, clearly have their jobs caught out for them. Grow the national economy and create more employment opportunities for our youthful population, if Nigeria is to survive.The realisation that the population profile is also critical to national security, may have informed the desperation by PMB to find the technical study, conducted by President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government, on how to channel some rivers to the Lake Chad, to provide economic opportunities for over two million people, relying on the lake for survival. That obviously will help the north east have respite, fromarmed insurgencies, like the Boko Haram.

    Considering that many state governors have borrowed from the federal government, which itself is substantially insolvent, to meet their recurrent expenditure, the future is indeed grim, for our dear county.For if they have borrowed to eat, how would they be able to save, to invest? And yet without investment in critical infrastructure, the much sought after employment opportunities, would remain a mirage.As the Chairman said in his lecture, “high fertility leads to high increase in schools enrolment and pressure on facilities”. He also noted that “scores of urban slums now exist in our cities with people living in sub-human conditions without decent accommodation, toilet facilities and infrastructure”.

    Perhaps the realisation of the inadequacy of government as the sole purveyor of development and the realisation of the enormous contribution of Rotary to human development, across the nations of the world, may have informed the interest of the NPC Chair, in the affairs of Rotary. Interestingly, the Rotary Club of Festac Town, has exceptionally distinguished herself, in the pursuit of Service Above Self, which is the Motto of the Rotary Movement. Giving a record of his performance in office, the immediate Past President of the Club, Rotarian Gabriel Onyema, confirmed that the Club spent over 25 million naira, in rendering humanitarian services, in the 2014-2015 rotary year.

    With the huge success recorded in the past rotary year, in service to humanity; the new rotary year, is expectedly going to be more exciting and challenging. According the new president, Rotarian Alex, the six arrears of focus for the rotary year, is, peace and conflict prevention/resolution; disease prevention and treatment; water and sanitation; maternal and child health; better education and literacy and economic and community development. He and his board which was also inaugurated by him, last Saturday, proposed a conservative budget of 22 million naira, for the rotary year.

    Instructively, in his address, the Chairman of the NPC, reminded the gathering of the National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development (2004), the objectives of which are “to increase understanding and awareness of the interrelationships between populationand development, expansion of access and coverage to improve quality of reproductive and sexual healthcare services, and strengthening and expansion of comprehensive family planning and fertility management programme”.The commission chair admitted that “the policy have not been met due largely to lack of commitment by stakeholders”.

    He therefore enjoined Rotarians “to help to sensitize stakeholders on the imperative for the review of the population policy … so that the nation can have a new National Population Policy that will embody our aspirations and determination as a nation”.

     

  • Critical thinking and our state of anomie

    One of the fallout of the last gubernatorial election in Ekiti State was the introduction of a new lexicon into Nigerian politics and a new “yardstick” for measuring performance. Suddenly, we started hearing about “stomach infrastructure.” In Nigerian parlance, it simply means the art of inducing voters to get their votes. Trust Nigerians, hundreds of theories were propounded as to why citizens of Ekiti State – noted for their high level of knowledge – choose to vote for their “stomachs.”

    My interest today, as always, is not politics but education, I only used the above scenario to drive home the fact that we are gradually losing – some say we have already lost – our sense of critical thinking. Most of us simply swallow hook, line and sinker whatever the government, religious, economic or business leaders say without critically interrogating them. Should we always believe what they say without subjecting same to logical reasoning? Why are we often scared to ask for the best? Why do we celebrate mediocrity? And why are our institutions of higher learning not encouraging critical thinking?

    Socrates, it was who set the agenda for the tradition of critical thinking. Simply put, it is to reflectively question common beliefs and explanations, carefully distinguishing those beliefs that are reasonable and logical from those which – however appealing they may be to our native egocentrism, however much they serve our vested interests, however comfortable or comforting they may be – lack adequate evidence or rational foundation to warrant our belief.

    Socrates’ practice was followed by the critical thinking of Plato (who recorded Socrates’ thought), Aristotle, and the Greek skeptics, all of whom emphasised that things are often very different from what they appear to be and that only the trained mind is prepared to see through the way things look to us on the surface (delusive appearances) to the way they really are beneath the surface (the deeper realities of life).

    From this ancient Greek tradition emerged the need, for anyone who aspires to understand the deeper realities, to think systematically, to trace implications broadly and deeply, for only thinking that is comprehensive, well-reasoned, and responsive to objections can take us beyond the surface. Can anyone question the fact that we need deep thinking in Nigeria?

    Francis Bacon, in England, was explicitly concerned with the way we misuse our minds in seeking knowledge. He recognised explicitly that the mind cannot safely be left to its natural tendencies. In his book “The Advancement of Learning,” he argued for the importance of studying the world empirically. He laid the foundation for modern science with his emphasis on the information-gathering processes. He also called attention to the fact that most people, if left to their own devices, develop bad habits of thought (which he called “idols”) that lead them to believe what is false or misleading.

    He called attention to “Idols of the tribe” (the ways our mind naturally tends to trick itself), “Idols of the market-place” (the ways we misuse words), “Idols of the theater” (our tendency to become trapped in conventional systems of thought) and “Idols of the schools” (the problems in thinking when based on blind rules and poor instruction). His book could be considered one of the earliest texts in critical thinking, for his agenda was very much the traditional agenda of critical thinking.

    By virtue of what they stand for, higher institutions are supposed to be the pillar of critical thinking, this is the major reason research is a fundamental part of all studies. But the way things are presently, you have your answer if you attempt to measures the products of our higher institutions. I don’t have to stress this as I assume we are all too familiar with the state of education in the country.

    Let’s start from the area of pitching one ethnic group against another. There are stereotypes about almost all ethnic groups in Nigeria. Right from as long as we can remember, we are told to beware of certain ethnic groups because “that’s the way they behave.” We grow up not questioning these stereotypes and when we assume positions of leaderships they are already etched in our minds and difficult to ignore. But a critical thinker will judge people based on their character and not ethnic group.

    What about infrastructure? Currently, government at all levels in Nigeria concerns itself with the building of infrastructure. Let me state from the onset that I’m a firm believer in world class infrastructure because they make our modern existence easy. But the big question remains: while we concentrate on infrastructure, should we continue while the moral firmament of the country is tattered? Of course, the building of infrastructure is laudable, but it is only a matter of time, of course, that children who do not understand the value of hard work will destroy whatever physical structure that we build today.

    While the elite are training their children in private schools or in schools abroad, they forget that society is organic and that these well-trained children would be at the mercy of those who remain at home sometime in the future.

    I consider it important therefore that government takes an emphatic and serious look at restructuring education in Nigeria. Attention needs to be paid to the quality of teachers produced in the country.  I am convinced that the preponderance of those who end up studying education as a course in Nigeria do so because they cannot get into other departments. Although I do not have statistics to back up this claim, it is evident that a lot of teachers teach without passion. The effects are glaring for all to see.

    The absence of critical thinking can also be felt in the area of technical education. Government must give attention to technical education such that those who cannot stand the intellectual rigours of a university can legitimately invest their intellect, which every child is blessed with in other things. This is how the world got blessed with the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Henry Ford and so many others. These entrepreneurs employ some of the brightest brains in their respective companies.

    We must back out of our state of anomie and begin to embrace the virtues of hard work and diligence once again. Every great and potentially great country lives by a moral code to which everyone – ruler and the ruled – are subjected. Unless this happens, everyone, wealthy or otherwise, risk a country which might crash on our heads.

    It was disheartening to hear a former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, lamenting the decay in the education sector. It was not his lamentation that was the problem to me; it was what he said next that should shock Nigerians. He insisted that no political party in the country has a framework for education!

    He spoke at the 2014 Founder’s Day Lecture which was held in commemoration of the 105th anniversary of King’s College in Lagos last week. “Today, I do not think any party in Nigeria has a vision about education; that is the truth. I am a politician and I belong to a political party but I can tell you that there is none that has a plan and I can back this up with the statistics of the result of WASSCE (West African Senior School Certificate Examination).

    “When Tony Blair (ex-United Kingdom Prime Minister) was campaigning, he emphasised education and when he got there, he dealt squarely with the issue of education. Here we promise one thing when we are campaigning but deliver another thing when we are in office.”

    The former governor added that one of the reasons why Nigeria’s standard of education was low was not because of lack of funds but the government’s inability to effectively monitor the usage of funds which goes into the pockets of third parties instead of the schools that need them.

    He boasted that he discontinued the trend in Anambra State and the state came first in WASSCE nationwide. “In Nigeria, all we talk about is minimum wage and not minimum productivity. People are paid better here than in Ghana and other countries and yet they produce more. In Anambra we did not increase funds but only increased the monitoring. The money went where we wanted it to go,” he said. These are words on marble.

  • ‘Rural development critical to development’

    ‘Rural development critical to development’

    Nestle, the world’s biggest food and drinks manufacturer, has revealed that though it expects 2014 to be just as challenging as last year amid falling growth in emerging markets, the company is prepared for the challenges. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nestle, Mr Paul Bulcke, in this interview with Toba Agboola, elaborates on how the company is expected to handle the situation in Nigeria, Africa and other parts of the world.

    HOW are you handling your shareholders in Africa and what have been your contributions to the region so far?

    As our tradition worldwide, we are committed to creating shared value in Nigeria both for shareholders and in the local community. Creating shared value is the expression of our conviction; it is only by creating value for society as a whole that we can create long term value for our shareholders.

    At Nestle, we focus on three areas where we think we can have a meaningful impact, which are nutrition, water and rural development.

    Rural development is the backbone of Africa’s economy. Today, 80 per cent of Africa’s poor live in rural areas and depend mainly on agriculture for their livelihood. Therefore, our rural development initiatives in Africa aim to reduce poverty and hunger by adding more value to the raw agricultural products.

    As an example, in Central and West Africa, up to 30 per cent of cereal crops are lost to mycotoxin contamination, caused largely by humidity and poor drying and storage practices. With Nestle’s Grain Quality Improvement Programme, 10,000 farmers from the region were able to produce grains within Nestle standards. Last year, the number rose to 30,000 farmers. Training those farmers and linking them to markets helped them achieve greater yields and higher quality crops which meant increased income and better living standard for them.

    As one of the biggest manufacturers in Nigeria, what are the challenges you are facing?

    High cost of doing business, more importantly in the export market in Nigeria is worrisome. The country need to improve on its infrastructure including power, roads and water. Without them, business cannot grow. Stakeholders in the country should see to this.  Security of life and property is needed to facilitate peace, success and progress. Government should ensure this to facilitate more patronage even from foreigners. Banks in the country are not doing enough. Banks should also assist manufacturers with loans, overdraft with relatively- affordable interest rate. If these are adhered to, the rural- urban drift of youths will be minimised and  the nation will be more comfortable.

    Nestle is said to have a very strong corporate culture. Many of your managers have spent their entire careers with the group. How do you keep your people open to progress and change?

    It’s true that we have a strong culture, but like I said, diversity and inclusion are important parts of it. Look at how we handle partnerships and acquisitions, for instance.

    We recently entered into a partnership with a Chinese company, a candy manufacturer that employs 24,000 people. We will continue to run this company with the help of the families who founded it. And we are open to learning from our Chinese partners. After all, they know their home market better than any outsider ever could. This is our understanding of inclusion -the inclusion of this company is dynamic. And this is how we usually handle partnerships and acquisitions. If a company is successful, it will be a mistake to replace its management. We also make certain that our goals and more importantly the values align. However, because part of embracing diversity is making sure that employees and managers from independent units feel part of the Nestlé Group. And our culture is the glue that holds us all together. At its core is a sustained passion for quality in everything we do. That may not sound particularly original, but we pursue this value so explicitly and persistently that everyone of our employees understands what it means to their daily work.

    You mentioned showing respect for other cultures. How is this reflected in the company’s daily business?

    Take our corporate business principles. They form the basis for our business practices across the group, and we have had them translated into over 50 languages. Of course we could have made English our official language as many other globally active corporations have done. The translation effort wasn’t merely a sign of respect for other languages and cultures, however ,we wanted to communicate the values and practices we consider important to every single one of our employees. And using their native language is the first step.

    Do you also evaluate the performance of your executives based on how and what they have contributed to promoting diversity within the company?

    Yes, that does play a role in promotion decisions. But again, we don’t just look at the numbers here, but at how they shape events. We point in a certain direction and then evaluate each executive’s progress based on a number of criteria, one of which is diversity and inclusion. I don’t believe in overregulated approaches with exact provisions for every conceivable scenario. I prefer to create attitudes and approaches and to provide the tools and methods that enable people to attain their goals proactively.

    What challenges and obstacles do you see Nestle facing in the future?

    The biggest challenge for us and indeed for all companies is not to lose sight of what really counts. It is not the case at Nestle, but at this particular moment, the principles of sound corporate governance are often being neglected in favour of short-sighted decisions. The global financial crisis has definitely contributed to this tendency. But, it is important that Nestle should maintain its global perspective even under difficult circumstances. Our company stands for the highest quality standards and for good products that meet a diversity of demands around the world, and this is what we must continue to offer. We also have to keep asking ourselves if we have the right leadership on board to accomplish this. But I think we have created the right environment and we have a common goal for diversity and inclusion that we all work towards.

    Could you give a brief history of the company and your commitment to Nigeria and Africa in general?

    Nestle, as you know, is the largest food and beverage company in the world. It was established more than 140 years ago and now sells over a billion products everyday to millions of consumers across the globe. Globally, our ambition is to be recognised as the world leader in nutrition, health and wellness, and to be a reference for financial performance in our industry. We are confident that we can achieve this objective thanks to our strong brands, our advanced research and development capabilities, our in-depth knowledge of each local market and very importantly our employees. A big portion of our growth has, and will, come from emerging markets – many of which are right here in Africa – where the population is growing and more consumers will enjoy improved purchasing power in the coming years. Indeed, in 2009/2010, our sales in the emerging markets amounted to 35 billion Swiss Francs or 35 per cent of our turnover and we expect this to grow to 45 per  cent in the next 10 years.

    But let’s have a closer look at our ambitions in Africa and particularly at the Popularly Positioned Products (PPP) business model. A growth driver for our operations in Africa – and why this new factory is key to our growth ambitions in the Central and West African region.

    Nestle’s commitment to Africa is not new. Nestle came to Africa towards the end of the 19th century and established its industrial presence in 1927 when we opened our first factory in South Africa.

    Today, many years later, we operate 27 factories on the African Continent and provide direct employment to around 15,500 people and indirect employment to more than 50,000. Nestle products are now sold in all 53 countries of the African Continent and through our expenditure like taxes, salaries, raw material procurement and so on we estimate our contribution to the African economy at $1.5 billion per year.

    We see Africa, with its one billion inhabitants, as a continent of limitless possibilities: it is home to 15 per cent of the world population and its population is expected to increase by 50 per cent by the year 2030.

    Nestle in Africa currently represents three per cent of our Group Sales, or CHF 3’018 million. Our ambition is to reach CHF 7.7 billion sales by 2020 by growing our business 1.5 times faster than the Africa GDP growth.

    Nigeria as the country is a major growth driver of Africa’s development. Thanks to her large population, the ideal geographic location and its economic dynamism. To indicate the strength of our commitment to Nigeria, I am happy to announce that we will continue to expand our operation in the country.

    What is your total investments in Africa and how have you been able to satisfy your consumers in Nigeria and Africa as a whole?

    The African continent is considered internally as a major contributor to our overall growth and represents significant potential for business development. We have therefore invested more than $850 million in our operations in Nigeria and the rest of Africa over the past five years alone and we plan to increase the number of factories to 32 in 2015. In the Central and West African Region only, Nestle has invested more than 395 million CHF over the past three years.

    The African continent is considered internally as a major contributor to our overall growth and represents significant potential for business development. We have therefore invested more than $850 million in our operations in Nigeria and the rest of Africa over the past five years alone and we plan to increase the number of factories to 32 in 2015. In the Central and West African Region only, Nestle has invested more than 395 million CHF over the past three years.

    In every country where Nestle operates, we want to be as close as possible to the consumer and to offer the consumer products adapted to their tastes and expectations. This aspiration is no different in Africa or here in Nigeria.

    An important part of our strategy for this continent is the PPP strategy. The PPP business model is based on in-depth knowledge of the needs of emerging consumers, many of whom are entering into the cash economy and buying branded goods for the first time. As such, PPPs are adapted to meet their specific requirements in terms of price, accessibility and format. A good example of this here in Nigeria is our Maggi cubes.

    We recognise that many of our consumers in developing countries suffer from deficiencies in iron, zinc, iodine and vitamin A and we therefore fortify most of our PPPs with key micronutrients contributing to the wellbeing of our consumers. The PPP model not only improves nutrition but also creates employment opportunities for market stall holders, mobile street vendors and door-to-door distributors.

    In 2010/2011, Nestle sold 600,000 tonnes of iodine-enriched Maggi bouillon cubes, seasonings and noodles globally. Specifically around 37 billion Maggi cubes (4g) using iodised salt are sold annually in Central and West Africa alone and approximately 90 per cent of the Maggi products range now carries added iodine.

    But there are also other aspects to our strategy here. Just to mention a few, we will in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, accelerate the growth of brands such as Maggi, Milo, Nescafe, Nido as well as the All Family Cereals category. We will strengthen the presence of Nestle professional, our out-of-home offer, further develop our bottled water and our infant nutrition business.

    Can you tell us how the company fared last year?

    The year 2013 was challenging, causing its net profit to shrink by two per cent, its net profit was at 10 billion Swiss francs ($11.2 billion), down from $  10.2 billion a year earlier.

    In 2013, Nestle’s overall sales grew by 2.7 per cent to 92.2 billion francs, kept back by the impact of shifting foreign exchange rates. Organic sales growth was 4.6 per cent.

    Nestle’s aim every year for five to six per cent organic growth and improvements in its trading operating profit margin, underlying earnings per share and capital efficiency.

    The macro-environment in 2013 was one of soft growth, minimal in the developed world and below recent levels in the emerging markets. As I said, Nestle saw its sales figure swelling from 2.7 per cent to CHF 92.2 billion, though the negative impact of exchange rates had sliced 3.7 per cent out of its sales figure.

    Profit margins also contracted in the Americas, narrowing by 0.5 percentage point to 18.2 per cent. Sales in the region rose to 5.3 percent as Nestle boosted marketing for its DiGiorno frozen pizzas and new Butterfinger peanut-butter cups. In Asia, Oceania and Africa, sales rose to 5.6 per cent. Nestle’s sales in emerging markets last year rose 9.3 per cent, faster than the 8.8 per cent clip after nine months. This was fueled by strong results in Africa, the Middle East and Indonesia.

    Also helping results was the company’s nutrition unit, whose 8.2 per cent sales uptick exceeded analysts’ 6.9 per cent estimate. Infant nutrition sales rose by more than 10 percent in Asia, Africa and Brazil.

    What are your expectations this year?

    2014 is expected to be another challenging year, but we would be disciplined in driving performance in line with the company’s model of profitable growth and resource efficiency.

    I, therefore, expect our 2014 performance to be similar to last year  half, outperforming the market, with growth around five per cent and improvements in margins, underlying earnings percent share in constant currencies and capital efficiency.

    Revenue will rise about five percent this year excluding acquisitions, disposals and currency shifts, with the second half stronger than the first. We expect improvement in the second half and about five percent organic sales growth for this year, which does not reflect acquisitions and currency fluctuations.

  • Why empowering women farmers is critical

    United Kingdom-based charity, Oxfam Nigeria, said supporting female growers will empower them to change their lives and members of their communities.

    Speaking in Lagos, Gender Officer in charge of the campaign in Nigeria, Boyowa Roberts, said it was the key to lifting women farmers who face gross inequalities, producing 50 per cent of the food, yet owning few per cent of legally titled land.

    She said women faced unequal access to credit and agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertiliser, which lowers their yields relative to men. Roberts said with access to resources, rural women can drive positive change in their communities.

    She said women farmers need to have the same access as men to resources and inputs for agricultural productivity to rise sharply.

    Reversing the inequities facing rural women, she noted, would break cycles of poverty and hunger. For this reason, she said the group is focusing on rural women, saying they hold the key to ensuring food and nutrition security. She said Oxfam Nigeria is empowering women through its partners to have access to a credit system that provides small loans.

    She said the organisation would make public the list of female food heroes in Nigeria, who have excelled in agriculture and provided jobs.

    “Oxfam wants to celebrate and recognise the powerful voice that women can have in Nigeria in changing our food system. We want to share the stories of women we know who are changing the injustices of the food system and challenging the inequities of the rights of women – these are our Female Food Heroes,” she said.

    Roberts noted that the award aims at celebrating small scale women farmers, adding that Oxfam is collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to ensure the credibility of the nomination process for the award.

    She said a team would be set up to determine farmers that are registered with the Ministries and other cooperatives under the Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria.

    Boyowa further said on determining the criteria for nomination, the public would nominate female farmers by through either snail mail or via Oxfam’s mail portal.

    “It could be an independent nomination or by someone who thinks a female farmer is doing very well in the community, but the team will cross check and evaluate most of the entries made,” she said.

    Economic Justice Campaign Manager, Horn East and Central Africa Oxfam International, Marc Wegerif, bemoaned the situation among smallholder women farmers, insisting that there was need for extension and training services targeting smallholder women farmers in order to improve their productivity.

    He emphasised that these programmes must be complemented with improved access to inputs and markets if they are to have a lasting impact on farmers’ livelihoods.

    With the right support, Wegerif said smallholder women farmers can identify their needs, package relevant messages and effectively communicate them to policy makers.

    Media Officer for Oxfam, Safiya Akau, said there is need to establish local-level dialogue platforms that capture the voice of women farmers in the process of policy formulation and implementation.

    She revealed that as part of this effort, the National Female Food Hero Award, which is celebrated annually by the organisation has been slated for October 15, this year – a date which coincides with the International Rural Women’s Day celebration.

    Mrs. Medinato Oyinloye Bolatito, a farmer from Oyo Local Government Area of Oyo State, seized the opportunity to commend Oxfam for the empowerment so far provided to small scale farmers.

    “Oxfam has taken issues bothering us to the Agricultural Committee of our State House of Assembly for discussion,” she said.

    Noting that challenges still exist for small scale farmers, she called on Nigerians to help female farmers.

  • Why I’m critical of govt, by Fasuan

    Why I’m critical of govt, by Fasuan

    Former Federal Commissioner, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) Chief Deji Fasuan has shed light on why he is critical of the government.

    Fasuan, who turns 82 today, told newsmen in Afao-Ekiti, Ekiti State, that many public officers have not lived up to expectation.

    “It is shameful some people conceive my position like that. However, I must admit that they are entitled to hold their views. But, tell me, what should we clap for in Nigeria today? Is it the lack of power supply or the perennial transportation problems? Is it the graduate unemployment, is it the insecurity situation, is it the lack of integrity in governance? Look, I have not received my federal pension for two years simply because some civil servants pinched my money and those of others. Corruption has simply pushed the country to a fiasco and they want us all to keep silence? I have a determination never to refrain from telling the truth all of my life”, he said.

    Fasuan disagreed with people who hold the view that foreign media, both print and broadcast, have been unfair to Nigeria. He argued that the federal government has no ground to begrudge the international media for reporting events and developments as they unfold in the country.

    The one-time Permanent Secretary in the old Ondo State described the manner of reports as factual, accurate and fair. Said he: “The so-called negative reports are factual, accurate and fair reports of worrisome developments, which daily assail the world from the country. It really depends upon what you call negative. If foreign media say what they see, and you call that negative, that is another manifestation of our penchant for corruption.

    “I have not read or listened to any negative reports about Nigeria in the foreign stations. What they call negative reports are the actual events in Nigeria. Does the federal government expect them (the foreign stations) to make it positive by lying that those occurrences happen the other way or did not happen at all?

    “Unlike some of our own media in the country, they (these stations) don’t have party leanings to white watch some of the untoward developments or coal tar others, they tell the stories as they are. If anyone does not like that, it is unfortunate”, Fasuan said.

    Fasuan disagreed with those calling on the younger generation to take over the reins of governance. Thee octogenarian said: “There is no existing experience to justify such advocacy. The new are as corrupt as the old. It is a funny and half hearted proposal. Just yesterday, I watched the hearings in the American Senate, in respect of President Barack Obama’s proposal for military intervention in Syria. He wanted Congressional clearance and backing for such intervention, following reported use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime in troubled Syria. The quality of debate, the age of the senators, their experience and patriotism made me marvel and then wonder, if we can claim enlightenment in governance at all.

    “Come and hear the senators speak according to their beliefs, not a matter of being members of the President’s party or not. I was glued to the TV for a whole hour, hearing what the US senators, US Secretary of Defence and Secretary of State, advanced as their positions.

    “In their discussions and arguments, you will observe pure patriotism. What do we have here in Nigeria? Most members of the National Assembly are inexperienced and they often promote sectional interests as though they represent the general. They had money to buy their way through into the parliament. Their arguments are ever tilted towards ethnic, religious, sectional interests. Never dispassionate, never sincere and are never fair and firm.

    “The advocacy that the so-called youth should run the affairs of Nigeria is not new. The youths have always been in charge. If you tell me the old people are corrupt, I would answer by saying that most of the present generation is rotten and self seeking,” Fasuan said.