The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Curbing

  • Curbing social vices among the youth

    SIR: Majority of our youths who are supposed to be the future leaders are now involved in social vices namely: kidnapping, drug abuse, ritual killings, armed robbery, cultism and rape. This is not funny at all; hardly a day passes without one hearing cases of crimes being committed by the youths. Frankly speaking, the insecurity in the country is giving a lot of people concern. Recently, a newspaper reported that an hotelier who arrived the country a year ago from the United Kingdom to oversee her business in Nigeria was killed by some assailants. In another related development, The Nation of February 2 also reported that the Lagos State police command arrested five armed robbers who allegedly killed two victims while robbing people of their valuables.

    In the recent times, there have also been cases of ritual killings and kidnapping nationwide. The crimes were being perpetrated by youths between the ages of 18 and 35 years. The question that always comes to my mind is: Why do youths get involved in criminal activities?

    The reasons are not far-fetched. Studies have shown that most youths engage in social vices as a result of lack of parental care, broken homes, poverty, peer pressure, unemployment, get rich quick syndrome, economic recession and pressure from the society.

    To deal with this problem, we have to start from the home. Charity they say begins at home. I think that the parents have greater role to play in this regard by effectively discharging their responsibilities. Most importantly they need to bring up their children in the way of God. Also, the federal government should formulate people-oriented policies that will help in eradicating extreme poverty in the country. Moreover, both the federal and state governments should put in place programme of action on skills acquisition and wealth creation so as to enable young unemployed graduates to be self-reliant and job creators.

    I will like to draw the attention of our policy makers in the education sector to the current school curriculum. We need to have a paradigm shift in the educational system. I suggest that entrepreneurship should be brought into the educational system. Another panacea to this problem is that relevant stakeholders such as religious organizations, political leaders, traditional rulers, community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations and school authorities should help to sensitize the youths about the inherent danger of getting involved in social vices. An idle mind they say is devil’s workshop.

    In order to provide job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths, the state governments should establish farm settlements and agro-allied industries that will process farm produce. By so doing a lot of jobs will be created through agricultural value-chain.

    Finally, well-meaning Nigerians should also come to the aid of the youths by building information and communications technology (ICT) skills acquisition centres where the youths can be trained and empowered. Moreover, corporate organizations can also provide assistance in the areas of employment, education and sports development. This will go a long way in combating the growing menace in the country. A stitch in time saves nine!

     

    • OladeleOladipupo, Festac Town, Lagos.

  • Curbing fake news epidemic

    Originators of fake news got one of their all-time best attention during the week with the reported alleged resignation of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    The Special Assistant on Media to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, had to issue a statement to deny the report which was based on Osinbajo’s absence at a security meeting held with service chiefs and other top government officials by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Even after the denial, the purveyors of the fake report were still sharing supposed quotes by Osinbajo that led to his resignation.

    Typically with fake news, like the one about Osinbajo, the writers usually have an ulterior motive, which is to deliberately misinform readers. I can’t imagine why anyone will falsely claim that after his whirlwind travels across the country for the APC presidential campaigns, during which he survived an crash,  the vice president will suddenly resign,  but for outright mischief.

    While Osinbajo can easily deny the report about him and avoid any unnecessary tension that it can generate, many other fake reports have remained reference points as ‘truth’ by those who believe them.

    Such is the level that dissemination of fake news has reached, no thanks to the availability of many online platforms; that it is sometimes difficult to know what to believe. How can one know a report is fake when they are attributed to the right person who is supposed to make such a statement, but who might not have made such statements?

    How is a reader supposed to know a fake report with sometimes logical quotes to back a pronouncement?

    As difficult as it may be sometimes, it is necessary for readers to be more discerning about what they accept as true reports. In an age when virtually anyone can disseminate information without subjecting them to necessary checks, what we have on our hands is an epidemic of fake news that is here to stay because of the intentions of those who church them out.

    Apart from the unimaginable consequences of the spread of fake news, what is also worrisome is that they are easily believed by gullible members of the public who sometimes wish that the fake news is true.

    This epidemic constitutes a great danger which like in other parts of the world requires conscious efforts to curb it. It is commendable that the federal government has launched a crusade against the spread of false news, but government officials and its supporters should avoid engaging in the spread of false news themselves like they sometimes do.

    Having realised that false news has become common, the public now have to know credible platforms and sources for getting their information. Some platforms have become notorious for sharing false information and they must be avoided by anyone who does not want to be deceived.

    Major or sensitive information from unverifiable sources, usually forwarded on whatapp, facebook and other social media platforms, should not be taken seriously unless they are confirmed from by reliable media organisations. It doesn’t matter if such reports have gone viral online, what is necessary is that they are confirmed by the right authorities.

    Spreading false news is a crime and those who engaged in it should be ready to be penalised when they are caught. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

  • Curbing breast cancer

    One of the many paradoxes that characterise breast cancer is the fact that its curative therapies cause almost as much pain and distress as the ailment itself. The recent announcement of a new discovery which will substantially reduce the number of patients needing chemotherapy is very welcome news.

    A phase-3 clinical trial called TAILORx, carried out on 10,253 women aged between 17 and 85 in the United States, Canada, Peru, Australia and New Zealand since 2006 shows that many women with early-stage breast cancer who would normally be recommended for chemotherapy do not, in fact, need it. This finding will spare thousands of women the side-effects of a treatment method which includes nausea and hair-loss, and can lead to heart and nerve damage, as well as the risk of leukaemia later in life.

    Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and refers to a malignant growth in the tissues of the breast. It is usually found in women, but can make rare appearances in men. Cancer is responsible for nearly one in every six deaths worldwide. About 14 million people develop it every year, a sobering statistic that is expected to rise to 21 million annually by 2030.

    In Nigeria, some 100,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and about 80,000 die of it annually. This death ratio of 4 in 5 is one of the worst in the world.

    To further aggravate an already-terrible situation, cancer control strategies such as prevention and early diagnosis are relatively unknown in the country, to say nothing of more advanced treatments like chemotherapy and endocrine therapy.

    Breast self-examination (BSE), in which women carry out simple routine checks for unusual lumps or alterations in shape on their breasts, has not been fully integrated into the primary healthcare process. Far too many hospitals lack the capacity to undertake the mammograms which are crucial in the early detection of breast cancer that is vital to its successful treatment.

    For a nation struggling with a host of infectious diseases, as well as very high infant and maternal mortality rates, this apparently willful refusal to seriously confront the breast cancer menace is inexplicable. Its high fatality rates, the prohibitive cost of treatment, and the fact that it targets women has resulted in the devastation of families across the nation, regardless of social class, ethnicity or religion. Increasing lifestyle changes are very likely to result in even more women contracting the disease, turning what is already a healthcare emergency into a full-blown crisis.

    If Nigeria is to properly address the looming disaster that is breast cancer, it will require nothing less than a complete overhaul of current attitudes, infrastructure and public enlightenment methods.

    The ridiculous and outdated notions of modesty which continue to hamper honest and open discussion of breast cancer must cease. It makes little sense to hide behind mythical cultural beliefs to block open dialogue on an issue that is so crucial to the wellbeing of the nation’s women.

    Allied to this is the re-launching of vigorous and comprehensive enlightenment campaigns aimed at educating the populace on what breast cancer is and what its symptoms are. As the most cost-effective element in combatting the disease, there is no reason why it cannot be effectively put into action.

    The country’s healthcare infrastructure must be comprehensively re-tooled to confront breast cancer. This means properly equipping secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions, training more medical professionals in oncology, and creating opportunities for beneficial cooperation with the thousands of Nigerian doctors and nurses working abroad. Health insurance must be overhauled to make it more widespread and better able to cover the cost of cancer treatment.

    The country’s elite must be encouraged to contribute to the funding of cancer research and the establishment of treatment centres, instead of engaging in mindless and offensive displays of wealth.

    Cancer is a harsh reality. The sooner it is comprehensively confronted, the better it will be for Nigeria.

  • Curbing breast cancer

    One of the many paradoxes that characterise breast cancer is the fact that its curative therapies cause almost as much pain and distress as the ailment itself. The recent announcement of a new discovery which will substantially reduce the number of patients needing chemotherapy is very welcome news.

    A phase-3 clinical trial called TAILORx, carried out on 10,253 women aged between 17 and 85 in the United States, Canada, Peru, Australia and New Zealand since 2006 shows that many women with early-stage breast cancer who would normally be recommended for chemotherapy do not, in fact, need it. This finding will spare thousands of women the side-effects of a treatment method which includes nausea and hair-loss, and can lead to heart and nerve damage, as well as the risk of leukaemia later in life.

    Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and refers to a malignant growth in the tissues of the breast. It is usually found in women, but can make rare appearances in men. Cancer is responsible for nearly one in every six deaths worldwide. About 14 million people develop it every year, a sobering statistic that is expected to rise to 21 million annually by 2030.

    In Nigeria, some 100,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and about 80,000 die of it annually. This death ratio of 4 in 5 is one of the worst in the world.

    To further aggravate an already-terrible situation, cancer control strategies such as prevention and early diagnosis are relatively unknown in the country, to say nothing of more advanced treatments like chemotherapy and endocrine therapy.

    Breast self-examination (BSE), in which women carry out simple routine checks for unusual lumps or alterations in shape on their breasts, has not been fully integrated into the primary healthcare process. Far too many hospitals lack the capacity to undertake the mammograms which are crucial in the early detection of breast cancer that is vital to its successful treatment.

    For a nation struggling with a host of infectious diseases, as well as very high infant and maternal mortality rates, this apparently willful refusal to seriously confront the breast cancer menace is inexplicable. Its high fatality rates, the prohibitive cost of treatment, and the fact that it targets women has resulted in the devastation of families across the nation, regardless of social class, ethnicity or religion. Increasing lifestyle changes are very likely to result in even more women contracting the disease, turning what is already a healthcare emergency into a full-blown crisis.

    If Nigeria is to properly address the looming disaster that is breast cancer, it will require nothing less than a complete overhaul of current attitudes, infrastructure and public enlightenment methods.

    The ridiculous and outdated notions of modesty which continue to hamper honest and open discussion of breast cancer must cease. It makes little sense to hide behind mythical cultural beliefs to block open dialogue on an issue that is so crucial to the wellbeing of the nation’s women.

    Allied to this is the re-launching of vigorous and comprehensive enlightenment campaigns aimed at educating the populace on what breast cancer is and what its symptoms are. As the most cost-effective element in combatting the disease, there is no reason why it cannot be effectively put into action.

    The country’s healthcare infrastructure must be comprehensively re-tooled to confront breast cancer. This means properly equipping secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions, training more medical professionals in oncology, and creating opportunities for beneficial cooperation with the thousands of Nigerian doctors and nurses working abroad. Health insurance must be overhauled to make it more widespread and better able to cover the cost of cancer treatment.

    The country’s elite must be encouraged to contribute to the funding of cancer research and the establishment of treatment centres, instead of engaging in mindless and offensive displays of wealth.

    Cancer is a harsh reality. The sooner it is comprehensively confronted, the better it will be for Nigeria.

  • Curbing the Jos-Abuja highway killings

    SIR: The Jos-Abuja highway is an important public road in Nigeria. It links the Federal Capital Territory with Jos, the Plateau State capital and other north-eastern states. It is a major transit route for most civil servants that work in Abuja. Most importantly, the Jos-Abuja highway plays a vital role for trade traffic between the northern and southern parts of the country.

    The safety of lives and property of travellers is of great importance for the nation’s socio-economic wellbeing. But still, many of the country’s major roads remain havens for criminals. Armed robbers, kidnappers and other members of the underworld operate on these highways with audacity – with some of their victims killed and others kidnapped.

    The story of the Jos-Abuja highway, however, is slightly different. Despite not being in cartels-stricken Mexico, for the past decade or more, innocent commuters that ply the highway have disappeared in thin air, without a trace.

    Countless travellers from the Northeast – notably from Gombe, Bauchi and Yobe states – have gone missing. All the while, no one ever showed interest in finding out what really happened to these people. Their families are left to suffer the absence of breadwinners. After all, they and their missing ones are just common people and seemed not to deserve any attention from the relevant authorities in a country as if made for the rich and powerful only.

    Up until now, reports of missing people on this highway were never investigated, even if the relatives of the disappeared are to be believed in the first place. But the case of Major General Idris Alkali, a retired Chief of Administration at Nigerian Army Headquarters Abuja changed it all.

    The discovery of what has now become to be termed as the “Jos pond of death” sent shockwaves across the country. It confirms the long-suspected believe that innocent travellers are waylaid, profiled (as members of the “others” based on their looks, tongue, and clothing) and killed and their bodies disposed of for God knows how long around the Jos axis of the highway, in professed reprisals for other attacks in the surrounding communities.

    Only God knows how many more “ponds of death” and unmarked graves remain unknown. As an act long overdue, it is time to name, shame and tame the instigators of violence on the Plateau, who from all indications sponsor and support the youths behind the atrocities on the Jos-Abuja highway.

    For peace to prevail on the Plateau, the Nigerian Army should disarm these youths-turned-militias and visit their sponsors with the full wrath of the law, so as to serve as a deterrent to other would-be sponsors.

    As a matter of urgency and giving the difficulty of creating a new highway for innocent commuters as some have suggested, the army should set up Forward Operation Base along the Jos-Abuja highway – owing to its success in curbing highway robbery and banditry in the Falgore Forest – to also curb the menace of killings and disappearances before the next travellers are waylaid, profiled and killed. Even if this is the only justice Major General Alkali and the countless little-known others could get, it’s still worth it.

     

    • Labaran Yusuf,

    Jos.

  • Curbing deaths from generators fumes

     SIR: Ownership of electricity generators is a common denominator in Nigeria. Everyone seems to have one- poor or rich. At least 60 million Nigerians own a generator set and more than N3.5 trillion is spent annually on fuelling these sets. When one considers that 82.1 per cent of the 28.9 million households in Nigeria do not have access to electricity from the national grid and that Nigeria’s electricity consumption per capita is the lowest in Africa, then the imperative of generators to public and private life in Nigeria becomes compelling.

    While Nigeria has no standard national emission inventory indicating the percentile contribution of pollution sources, estimates point to petrol and diesel fuelled generators used for domestic and commercial power supply as one of the major sources of pollution. Air pollution induced by indiscriminate generator use has progressively gotten worse in Nigeria to the point that four of Nigerian cities are now on the list of the Most Polluted Cities in the World and 94% of Nigerian citizens are exposed to air pollution levels that exceed WHO guidelines. Tragically, Nigeria has no comprehensive policy framework regulating the use of generators or mitigating the environmental consequences of running generators in millions. Neither has policy makers given much thought to the threat that generator fumes pose to the productivity, health and overall wellbeing of the nation.

     A report puts the number of deaths from generator smoke inhalation in Nigeria between 2008 and 2014 at no fewer than 10,000 and almost every week media reports tell of the deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning. Generator fumes are a mixture of toxic and environmentally unfriendly gases, including carbon monoxide which is odourless and colourless and becomes fatal with sustained concentrations. The exhaust produced by a typical 5.5 kW generator contains as much carbon monoxide as that of six idling cars and in Nigeria’s densely populated urban centres, where almost every house runs multiple generators, this creates health hazards with potentially fatal consequences. Incidents of entire families dying from smoke inhalation is a regular feature in the news media and in one particular case, 17 persons died at a religious gathering suspected to be from smoke inhalation in 2008.

    Despite having more power generators than cars, Nigeria has no comprehensive regulatory framework addressing efficiency standards, labelling procedure, emissions standards, usage and installation among other things. Considering the prevalence of the use of generators in Nigeria, creating an effective national regulatory framework would require the active contribution of all stakeholders, especially at the sub-national levels. It remains to be seen how political, economic and social actors across all walks of Nigerian life will define an encompassing framework that will keep a balance between power generation and a sustainable environment. The Nigerian constitution states that the ‘welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government’ and ensuring clean air for every Nigerian is central to achieving that goal; creating a regulatory framework governing the use of generators should be the foundation to this objective in this instance.

    There is the urgent need for a multi-layered educational and advocacy campaigns on the safe usage of power generating sets and the hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning. The information campaign must specifically target the grassroots, informal networks and platforms on the dangers of prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide. Generators should come not only with an operational manual but as well as a health manual in addition to carbon monoxide detectors, if possible. Fatal and non-fatal exposure to generator fumes in Nigeria is a public health challenge and it must be treated by policymakers as one.

     

    • Tosin Osasona,

    Center for Public Policy Alternatives, Lagos.

  • Curbing quackery among healthcare providers in Lagos

    Quackery is one of the greatest menaces facing healthcare delivery globally.  By definition, a quack is a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to have skills, knowledge, or qualifications he or she does not possess. By extension, quackery connotes establishing or running a healthcare facility without qualified or certified personnel; or operating beyond the limits or scope of one’s specialization or expertise. In the field of healthcare delivery involving diagnosis, management and prevention of health issues, quackery can have unimaginable and damaging consequences for the populace.

    The havoc wrecked by quacks range from wrong diagnosis, misadministration of drugs and other interventions, and mismanagement of patients;  sometimes leading to extreme and irreversible damage, impairment and even loss of life. A case was recorded of a young lady who had the arm of her baby pulled off during labour by a quack midwife operating in a one room apartment in Ikorodu area of Lagos State. Of course the baby died and the mother has to live with not only the loss but the psychological effect of the incident and probable complications. Also on record is the case of a man who claimed to have studied Medicine in the Dominican Republic, but could not collect his certificate for financial reasons. He said he had his “training” under one Dr. Godwin Kanu, a retired consultant traumatologist and orthopaedist, for 14 years after his return to the country and since then had been practicing medicine. This “doctor” must have performed surgical operations on several innocent and unsuspecting citizens. Of course, many resulted in complications that had to be managed at other hospitals that later raised an alarm to prevent further debauchery by this human slab masquerading as a hospital. Security operatives recently arrested one Martins Okpeh, a 44-year-old secondary school certificate holder, for pretending to be a medical doctor for nine years. In addition, one Cosmos Daramola, who ran a health facility in Badagry, named Darcos Hospital, with a forged certificate from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife was equally arrested and prosecuted. Also, a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW) working with Safeway Hospital, Ajah forged a nursing certificate and is presently undergoing prosecution.

    In addressing the issue of quackery and assuring the people of quality healthcare delivery both in the private and public sector, the Lagos State government established the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) in 2006. This is part of the efforts which emanated from the Health Reform Agenda which is backed by law. The main aim of this reform agenda is to improve the performance of the health system. A vital component of this process is the regulation of the private sector of healthcare delivery being a major provider of service to over 60% of the population. HEFAMAA is charged with the responsibility of monitoring both private and public health facilities to ensure registration and accreditation of all health facilities in Lagos State. It sets required minimum standards for operations of health facilities both in public and private health sector. The agency also accredits, inspects, monitors and licenses all health facilities. It also evaluates performance based on set standards by at least a monitoring visit to every facility twice a year. Among other things, HEFAMAA collates all necessary information on registered health facilities in the state, advice the health commissioner on all matters relating to the registration, inspection and supervision of private and public hospitals in the state. More importantly, HEFAMAA enforces compliance with the provisions of the law and ensures the authenticity of credentials of personnel and ascertain the appropriateness of medical equipment and instruments used in facilities. It is noteworthy that HEFAMAA is empowered to sanction erring facility by sealing such facilities, imposing fines or initiating arrest and prosecution.

    Commissioner for Health Lagos State Dr Jide Idris recently had cause to frown at the way health care providers train auxiliary assistants in their clinics and noted that many of them have been recruiting auxiliary nurses and unqualified personnel thereby endangering the lives of innocent people who unknowingly patronize these health facilities. He explained that the ugly trend has now degenerated to a state where some of the so-called the trained auxiliary nurses and unqualified assistants now go out and establish their own outfits claiming to be professionals and in turn breed other quacks. He stressed that such a trend could lead to a long chain of terrible consequences for the health sector if not decisively addressed.

    The Commissioner also cautioned registered health facilities who practice beyond the scope or schedule for which they are registered. He noted that a situation where a health facility which is registered as a Maternity Home engages in activities beyond the schedule of a maternity home is not acceptable.  While accepting that the private sector accounts for a high percentage of health care providers in Lagos State, he guaranteed that citizens can be confident that the government is closely monitoring the health care providers to ensure that only certified professionals are allowed to operate in the state.  He also restated that the commitment of the Ambode-led administration in ensuring a healthier and happier Lagos is unequivocal and indisputable and hence no stone is being left unturned in fulfilling the mandate of qualitative healthcare to the people.

    While citing poverty as one of the reasons people knowingly patronize quacks, Idris says the issue of out of pocket expenditure is being addressed through the Lagos State health insurance scheme to protect not only the poor but also to ensure all citizens can access or seek medical help without financial constraints. . According to him, the scheme which is mandatory for all residents of the state assures everyone who registers and pays his or her premium the right to patronize a fully accredited health facility whether private or public that is captured in the scheme.

    On the question of the ease with which qualified health care providers can be accredited or registered, Idris disclosed that the state government is seriously considering outsourcing some of the regulatory functions of HEFAMAA for increased efficiency. He also revealed that soon registration can be done electronically via a website that will be created for such and related purposes.

    To fully eradicate quackery, members of the public are enjoined not to patronize any hospital, convalescence home, maternity home, clinic, diagnostic centre or laboratory not accredited by HEFAMAA. Endorsed facilities can be known by the HEFAMAA logo placed conspicuously at the frontage. To further assist government in the pursuit of its aims in this regard, citizens are encouraged to exercise their rights by sending in written or verbal complaints to the agency. Reports or petitions on unethical practices or unwholesome clinical procedures can be made to the Office of Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) at the Lagos State Government Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja. These complaints or observations will be investigated and dealt with appropriately by the agency.

    The battle against quackery is one in which every well-meaning Nigerian must enlist. The next victim may be anyone or someone dear. Taking the bold step of notifying the appropriate authority may make a lot of difference between life and death.

     

    • Salako is Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Health.
  • Curbing the menace of imported fake products

    Curbing the menace of imported fake products

    Unwholesome food and products get into the country with ease, provoking the question: what are agencies at the ports doing? It is believed that if the agencies are up and doing, such items would not pass through. Assistant Editor Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie writes.

    Fake and substandard products keep streaming into the country despite the army of agencies at the ports. Such products include plastic rice from China, Indian gari, jollof rice, varieties of Nigerian local soups and substandard tyres from China. The substandard tyres estimated at over N5billion were found in a warehouse in Lagos. They have since been seized by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

    These confiscated products are life- threatening. Observers are calling for the return of critical agencies hitherto removed from the ports in the heat of port reforms to go back to their duty posts to protect the lives of the citizenry.

    Following the outrage in the case of the Indian gari, the National Agency for Food Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) raided the shop located on Cameron Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. The public wondered how it was allowed to enter the country. But NAFDAC came out strongly, stating that the product does not have their number.

    “The product has no NAFDAC number. It is said to come from Ghana but packaged in the United Kingdom. The management of the supermarket has been invited for further discussion in our Lagos office and investigation continues,” NAFDAC Acting Director-General, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, said in a message.

    Other agencies, such as the SON, have been calling on the government to allow them return to the ports, arguing that it is in the interest of the nation for them to return. They argued that as a result of their critical functions in preventing life-threatening imports, it might not be in the best interest of the nation to be asked to leave the ports with other not so critical agencies.

    In the height of Port Reforms of the previous administration, the government banned over 28 agencies, leaving only six to man the ports and ease the port clearance process. Affected in the shake-up, were SON, Directorate of Naval Intelligence, Nigerian Plant Quarantine Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.

    In an interview with The Nation, SON Director of Monitoring & Compliance, Mr. Bede Obayi, an engineer, said they have a mandate to ensure that whatever is imported complies with the nation’s standards requirements, stressing that it will be a mistake if their services are dispensed with in the name of port reforms.

    He said: “We look out for accountability and also ensure that we stop false declaration by importers. We are asking for placement of priority in government policies that will ensure that quality and standards take their pride of place. Our mandate is not to ascertain if an importer has paid duties on his imports but to ensure that what he has imported does not impair the lives of the citizenry.”

    Obayi called for efficiency at the ports by canvassing for a window for all regulators at the ports. According to him, the greatest challenge for SON is that of contending with fake bill of lading from importers on daily basis. He recalled how a businessman imported substandard cables which can ignite fire at homes and offices and wrongly labelled them as agriculture equipment. He said it was only when they did a scientific test that they discovered how dangerous the products were.

    Few weeks ago, SON also intercepted 60 containers of fake tryes worth N5 billion imported by two Chinese nationals and their collaborators after they had passed the checks at the port. This grave lapse, observers said, was a consequence of not having the right agencies at the point of entry.

    During a tour led by the SON’s Director-General, Osita Aboloma, to Alakija, about two million imported tyres were seen in a warehouse beside the popular Navy Town in the area.

    According to Aboloma, the Chinese importers, who gave their names as Tanlong Shen and Xu Jing Yao, were bust through inter-agency collaboration and intelligence received from “well-meaning Nigerians” after they had been cleared from the port.

    “We acted on the intelligence we received from well-meaning Nigerians. This was achieved as a result of inter-agency collaboration.You can see volume of tyres brought in and you can imagine the implication for our society if these tyres are let into the market,” he said.

    The SON chief said the sub-standard tyres which were shipped  from China, were post-dated to make them appear road-worthy. He criticised the way the tyres were packaged, noting that it is only SON that knows the implication of the worthiness of the tyres and should have been at the point of entry to disallow it from entering the country in the first place.

    “The fact that up to five of them were being tucked into one, with operators using rods to separate them from one another when they reached Nigeria, the tyres will naturally become substandard. This is because in the course of separating them from the squeeze, the wires and geometrics of the tyres will be affected,” he said.

    He wielded the big stick, assuring though that they might not be at the ports. The arrested persons would be prosecuted under the new SON Act,” he added.

    At a seminar on Port Reforms organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), former NBA president, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, and discussants criticised the large number of regulatory agencies at the ports, corruption, poor infrastructure and the government’s indecision on implementing robust policies that will drive the sector.

    He called for the harmonisation of all regulatory bodies at the ports, stressing the need for one window to remove bottlenecks in ports operations.

    LCCI Director of Research and Advocacy, Dr. Vincent Nwani, in his paper titled: “Nigeria: Reforming the maritime sector,” said estimates from the Chamber’s research show that trillions of Naira in revenue is lost yearly within the port and business community as a result of inefficiencies and inherent shortcomings of the nation’s maritime ports.

    According to him, unfriendly business environment, such as the situation we have in the ports, continue to undermine the capacity of investors to maximise abundant trade and democratic opportunities in Nigeria.

    He noted that 48-hour target set by the government is still far from being achieved.

    He said: “Speedy processing of import and export documents by relevant agencies are important elements of trade facilitation process. It is also a major variable in the 2016 World Bank ease of Doing Business ranking in which Nigeria ranked very low at 169 out of 185 countries profiled. This has made it very difficult to achieve any of the port reform objectives set by the past political administration.”

    He called for technology and innovative solutions, the establishments of national trade data centre, implementation of a single window platform including the passage of the pending bills at the National Assembly to stimulate the maritime sector.

  • Curbing delays in trials

    •With lawyers manipulating the proceedings for time, a deadline for cases could work

    The avowal by President Muhammadu Buhari to kill corruption before it kills Nigeria is turning into a ding-dong affair. This is despite the laudable introduction of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, created to aid the quick dispensation of criminal justice. The act, which set out to deal with the delay tactics employed by litigants, lawyers and even judges, did not however take into cognisance the ridiculous traits of the Nigerian big man, charged with a crime. From feigning illness and seeking treatment abroad, to unending cross-examination and filing frivolous applications, to insulting the judge so as to later accuse him of possible bias, to using institutional threats and intimidation, the Nigerian accused, particularly the politically exposed, would do anything to frustrate a speedy criminal trial.

    It is as if the ACJA, which was enacted to save the national embarrassment that our criminal justice has turned into, is not encompassing enough. Or could it be that the challenge is not in the law, but with the relevant state operators, such as the investigators, prosecutors, and adjudicators? So, could it be that those charged with investigating crimes, like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the special crimes units of the police, and other relevant security agencies, lack the forensic competence necessary to efficiently investigate a crime, and build a case for prosecution? Or, could it be that the prosecutors, led by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and the team of lawyers retained by the investigating agencies, lack the requisite skill to successfully prosecute the cases?

    Also, could it be that this government’s avowed sense of urgency in fighting corruption is threatened by malfeasance and corruption within the judiciary? If the President’s boast, in October last year, while attending the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit, in New Delhi, India, that: “we will continue to prosecute those who have been indicted for corrupt practices and ensure that stolen funds are recovered, to serve as deterrence to others who nurse the ambition of seeking public office solely for illegal personal gain,’’ must be actualised; then there is the urgent need to find the loophole exploited by the accused persons and their collaborators, and get it fixed without delay.

    To lead this charge to bring to justice those who have abused their public trust, and broken our laws, should be the AGF. In urging the AGF to do more, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed, reportedly said: “I would likewise wish to encourage you (AGF) to display a greater resolve than your predecessors in tackling outstanding cases before the courts. In times past, the Attorney-General of Federation would often lead teams of legal counsel in high profile cases so as to demonstrate the resolve of the government to enshrine the rule of law”

    Unfortunately it does not appear as if the present AGF is willing to lead this task. And this has given the impression in some quarters that the government has not shown enough political will to tackle corruption in all its ramification. There is also worry as to the competence of some of the private prosecutors recruited to prosecute some of the high profile cases. Perhaps, the Professor Itse Sagay and the recent AGF-led committees should come up with a plan of action to make the ACJA more effective, and also guide the AGF on how to recruit and equip through training, a crop of public prosecutors, to deal with the increasing number of criminal cases.

    Another option also is to ape the election tribunal law and set deadlines for handling corruption cases. This may stem the legal rigmarole and mischievous manoeuvres that have dogged the court cases.

    With the daily allegations of mind-boggling corruption in the media, we urge a coordinated reinvigoration of the war against corruption.

  • Curbing the terror of Fulani herdsmen

    For many years, Nigeria has contended with more than enough societal infractions, all of which relate with threats to peace, security and most unfortunately life of innocent citizens.

    Most notorious of these has been the Boko Haram insurgency which has become a part of a world-wide terrorism that confronts many nations today, not even sparing the hitherto “impregnable” nations like the United States, Britain, France et al! The others include militancy, local militias, armed robbery, communal land conflicts, clueless assassinations, kidnappings and lately, in a fast tempo but worsening dimensions, Fulani herdsmen hostilities.

    To the glory of God, and also thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari’s initiatives since the ruling All Progressives Congress federal government came to power mid-2015, the Boko Haram arrogance and embarrassment is fast becoming a thing of the past.

    On the other hand, the festering Fulani herdsmen hostility has assumed such an increasing dimension that kid-gloves would be unable to halt it.

    Historically, the Fulani race are predominantly nomadic, a culture that perfectly fits into their tradition of cattle rearing, which they know how to do better than other tribes.

    Since Nigeria was amalgamated in 1914, this culture had never brought them into conflict with their host communities in other parts of Nigeria, the way that we now experience it, which is very unfortunate.

    This writer recalls with nostalgia how in those days, he and other young school children would visit the Fulani abodes in their communities to view cows at close range, especially when they were being milked in gaas (Fulani settlements). Such young “tourist” visitors were usually entertained with fura (boiled coagulated cow milk). We were never attacked by the Fulani hosts in those days! Neither did our parents and our ancestors confront them in their trade, because there was mutual respect in the prevailing symbiotic hegemony. In those days, the herdsmen would herd their cattle around for daily grazing far away from the gaas, painstakingly avoiding the farms and farmsteads of their host communities!

    Today, this conviviality is no longer the case. Instead, it’s been gory tales galore from one community to another. Numerous reports now abound of Fulani herdsmen’s invasion of communities in the dead of the night, burning houses, and unleashing gunfire from sophisticated weapons to maim and kill defenseless Nigerians as a “reprisal” for the latter’s challenge of cattle eating crops that they had laboured to cultivate for a living!

    In the pre- and early post-independence times, the herdsman would go about with only anchored arrows, sheathed swords and double-faced knives as defensive arms against rustlers and attackers. Nowadays, these crude arms have been replaced with sophisticated weapons like AK-47 rifles and pump action guns, as well as petrol in jerry cans, not for defence but for assault and arson! Where herders whose cattle destroyed farms were arrested and made to pay compensation, the herders soon staged reprisals by kidnapping such victims to extort multiples of fines as compensation. We have even had a case of elite kidnapping where a former Finance Minister and Secretary to the Federal  Government was kidnapped on his farm in Ondo State but later released after a ransom was obtained by his Fulani captors!

    It is a well-known fact nationwide that numerous lives had been lost and countless houses touched on account of the escapades of Fulani herdsmen. The latest of these happened at Ukpabi – Nimbo, Enugu State when about 50 people were reportedly killed when their village was invaded in the night of Sunday April 24. In earlier multiple assaults on the Agatu community in Benue State, the number of lives lost reportedly ran into hundreds.

    Some common things in these attacks are the elements of reprisal, surprise and mostly nocturnal timing against unsuspecting citizens who in most cases were sleeping.

    This style obviously qualifies the attacks for classification as terrorism, which Nigeria cannot afford again. As current military efforts are taking Nigeria out of Boko Haram insurgency, we must do everything possible to ensure that terrorism by herdsmen (or any other group) is completely eliminated from our geographical space.

    The nation requires a double-prone attack to bring further attacks under speedy control (short-term solution), and ultimately eliminate them (long-term solution).

    The short-term solution is partly what the President has already directed, that both the military and the police establish presence in all the affected communities under attack. This is in addition to on-going pacification and reconciliation efforts by different arms and tiers of government.

    Good as these may look, they have an apparent inherent weakness, because only communities that had once been attacked would qualify for protection, and mediation.

    In a situation where the herdsmen act like terrorists, this approach could be both ineffective and inefficient, unless every Nigerian community would be simultaneously covered. Experiences of the inadequacy of this approach in Plateau State lend credence to this reservation, because this writer does not believe that we have the security manpower to cope with simultaneous protection of all the Nigerian communities. Moreover, if it is true that the attackers are herdsmen from outside Nigeria, efforts at mediation between presumed Nigerian Fulanis and the Nigerian victims would have been wrongly directed!

    The long-term, but obviously more effective and efficient approach is multi- pronged.

    First, which the federal government has announced, is to establish expansive cattle ranches, albeit compatmentalised in every state of the federation. Herdsmen settlements should be built within each ranch in the traditional patterns and styles of the Fulani. Nomadism should be allowed only within the confines of each ranch. Movement of cattle into and out of the ranches, and also to the markets across the nation shall be in trucks only. Physically driving cattle in the age-old nomadic way should be outlawed. Reason is that the practice is archaic and its continued practice would accentuate inter-ethnic disharmony over struggles for farming land and grazing territory.

    No state particularly in the south should losesleep over the establishment of cattle ranches because state ranches would principally complement each state government’s efforts in feeding its people. This would be in addition to being a veritable way to achieving self-sufficiency by the country. We must not perennially rely on trans-saharan supply of cattle to feed Nigeria.

    The additional benefits of this to the nation would be the possibility of introducing of research-based cattle feeds for faster cow growth, healthier beef and more nutritious and more abundant milk production. These would be complimented with the establishment of research centres and hospitals for the herdsmen and families as well as the herds’ in each ranch.

    In addition, modern city facilities like schools, recreation centres etc. could be provided to encourage the herdsmen and families to make a living there.

    Second, a programme should be established to encourage the Fulani herdsmen to ease out of nomadism, because that culture or tradition no longer has a place in modern times anywhere in the world. Nigeria currently imports a lot of our dairy requirements from other parts of the world where ranches are the centres of production. So, we also should change for this optimal approach.

    Third, it is important to mention that ranches developed as proposed here could, sooner than later, also become additional centres of development in Nigeria. The government through the research centres would be helped greatly in the development of improved varieties of cows to produce protein-rich beef and milk for the nation.

    Once established, and with an enabling law, trans-border herding of cattle by non-Nigerians could be eliminated for good. This would enable the country to keep away from our territory those non-Nigerian battle-armed Fulani herdsmen that herd their cattle along the West African belt under the ECOWAS trade protocol that is being currently abused and exploited.

    It is hoped that other West African, nay other African nations would take a cue from these innovations because of their potentials for economic growth and peaceful co-existence.

     

    • Chief Ologunde is chieftain of All Progressives Congress, (APC), Lagos State.