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Tag: FG

  • Strike: ASUU declares three-day fasting, prayer

    Strike: ASUU declares three-day fasting, prayer

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday declared a three day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention in the protracted dispute between the Federal Government and the union.

    The decision to embark on spiritual intervention came during the union congress held at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan.

    The congress which was presided over by the Chairman of UI chapter of ASUU, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, stressed the need for God to help Nigerian leaders to do the needful and document the resolutions of their meeting with the President.

    The congress which expressed optimism that the strike will end soon listed three prayer points to include: “the need for God to touch the heart of the Federal government to be committed towards funding public education and develop the nation.

    They also asked God to protect the leadership of ASUU as they travel and that the purpose of the strike is actualized by placing universities in the league of world class institutions.”

    Speaking after the congress, Dr. Ajiboye said the union does not need newspaper confirmation from the president that N200billion has been deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    He said it was impossible for anybody who has not opened an account with a bank to request the bank for a balance.

    While urging the federal government to be serious about the future of the country, the don accused the government of “still keeping the students at home.”

    He said the union has the machinery to suspend the strike within 24 hours once the grey areas in the resolutions have been sorted out by the federal government.

     

     

  • ACF to ASUU: Ratify agreement with FG

    The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Thursday called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to ratify its agreement with the Federal Government so as to resume work immediately.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the forum, Mr. Anthony Sani, made the call in a statement released in Kaduna.

    The ACF said calling off the five-month-old strike would be in the best interest of students, parents and the educational system.

    “We wish to call on ASUU to please hasten the completion of the said paper work with a view to calling off the strike forthwith,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted ACF as saying in the statement.

    It also cautioned the federal government on the ultimatum issued to ASUU to resume lectures or be sacked, saying that it would only prolong the strike.

    “No purpose will be served by the ultimatum at this stage when ASUU has said all that remains for calling off the strike is mere paper work.

    “This is precisely because the ultimatum at this stage can only result in avoidable test of wills capable of prolonging the strike, which no one wants,” the forum said.

     

  • FG, ASUU’s tango

    FG, ASUU’s tango

    For several months, the cloud gathered. Now, the bubble has burst with devastating tremor. And so, last week, the five-month-old dispute between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the Federal Government finally degenerated into what might be a major conflagration. The new twist in the lingering dispute is the ultimatum handed down by the government, which directed all federal university vice-chancellors   to reopen their institutions for academic and allied activities. The government also declared that lecturers who fail to resume on or before today, December 4, risk losing their jobs.

    This development has elicited mixed reaction in the polity. Not only this. It has also put spanners in the works of progress made on the truce meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and ASUU leaders. The meeting had raised the hope of students and parents on the final resolution of the impasse before the latest development. A gory accident on the Lokoja-Abuja Road on November 12, in which Festus  Iyayi, a Professor and former President of ASUU, lost his life, possibly delayed the suspension of the strike after the President met with ASUU leaders. Iyayi and some   members of the University of Benin chapter of the union were on their way to the Bayero University, Kano, for a meeting where the outcome of the meeting with Jonathan was to be tabled before the National Executive Committee members for consideration when he met his untimely death.

    ASUU had called off that meeting in honour of Iyayi. It later reconvened in Kano   to harmonise its position on the   offer made to it by the government. The meeting later came up with conditions for calling off the strike. Part of it was its demand for the payment of its members’ salary arrears and a commitment on   the part of the government to review the agreement in 2014.

    On November 25, the union wrote a letter which was addressed to the President through Nyesom Wike, the Supervising Minister of Education and demanded that the N200 billion agreed upon as 2013 revitalisation fund for public universities should  be deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN , and disbursed to the benefiting universities within two weeks;  that the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement in 2014 be included in the final document as agreed at the discussion with the President; that a non-victimisation clause, which is normally captured in all interactions of this nature, be included in the final document; and that a new memorandum of understanding shall be validly endorsed signed by a representative of government, preferably the Attorney-General of the Federation, and a representative of ASUU, with the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress as a witness.

    But as students, parents and other stakeholders eagerly awaited the government’s decision on the demands, an over-enthusiastic Wike addressed a press conference last Thursday and ordered ASUU members to resume today or be sacked. To rub it in that the government meant business, Wike, who was blowing hot and cold at the conference, ordered the vice-chancellors to advertise the positions of those who failed to resume at the specified date. The supervising Minister said the government took the decision in the best interest of the country.

    If the past history of ASUU’s strikes is anything to go by, it is certain that this latest action by the government aimed at arm-twisting the striking lecturers could not have been done in the interest of the country. If anything, it has worsened an already bad situation. The ultimatum had shown that the government might not have been totally committed to the implementation of any of the resolutions it earlier reached with the union. That the lecturers could be so shabbily treated under a democratic government with a former university lecturer as head of that government shows the depth of political insincerity and lack of determination on the part of the government to rescue the nation’s education sector from the abysmal abyss it has sunk for many decades. This level of decadence is manifested in the poor turnout of university graduates who are not properly intellectually equipped for the challenges of their future careers.

    The result is that many of these graduates permanently roam the streets looking for jobs which are elusive in the first instance, and if available at all, they may not have been adequately prepared for them. That is why it has almost become the norm for employers of labour to conclude that many of our graduates nowadays are unemployable. It might sound ridiculous, but those who are in positions to employ these graduates know better.

    Anyway, now that the government has decided to clamp down on the lecturers, it is left to be seen how this threat would hinder ASUU’s determination to ensure that the universities are well funded and standards raised. It is a pity if the federal government is not willing to perfect the resolutions reached with the union. This is why people find it difficult to trust Nigerian leaders. How can the government be threatening to sack lecturers when, in actual fact, the universities are said to be short-staffed by almost 60,000? This was probably why Professor Osarieme of the University of Lagos who spoke on Channels TV main news hour recently, said that the government’s ultimatum reminded her of the military era which ended 14 years ago.

    Perhaps, Osarieme could not fathom the reason the government ordered them back to the lecture rooms with fiat like Kindergarten School children. That type of a setting was under the military dictatorship which terminated in 1999 with the ushering in of this democratic dispensation, which the country is still struggling with. No thanks to our politicians whose attitude and behaviour have placed them among the world’s worst, selfish, visionless leaders in history. The military tried the same arm-twisting tactics and it failed many times. I am sure this one will go the way of the previous ones.

    With the latest development, the government’s commitment to its promises has come under serious doubt. Even if ASUU says since it was agreed at the meeting that N200 billion is for 2012 and 2013 revitalisation, the government should, therefore, deposit the money in the coffers of the CBN, the government should have found a more decent way around it. ASUU is also saying that a non-victimisation clause should be inserted as agreed while the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement should be included as agreed with the President. I do not, by any stretch of imagination, see the conditions as being too much for a sincere government to agree to.

    The problem, as I see it, is not Jonathan per se, but the colony of wheeler-dealers in government who will stop at nothing to hoodwink him to toe their selfish path. The combative position adopted by Wike on this matter, though consistent with his behaviour in recent times, especially in the frosty relationship between the Presidency and Rotimi Amaechi, the governor of Rivers State, is both reprehensible and condemnable to say the least. With a person like Wike as a minister, we are doomed in this country. And to discover that Julius Okojie, a Professor and Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, was comfortably seated where the Minister was reeling out his abominable vituperations on the lecturers in what many have termed an ‘Area Boy’s show’, smacks of collusion with the government to ridicule the lecturers. I thought Okojie should have known better and appropriately advise the government on how to go about the whole issue.

    I am lost as to how Wike concluded that ASUU was making outrageous demands from the government. The onus is on government to address the issue ASUU sent to it in the letter, and from the contents that have been made public; they are not demanding anything extra. Wike and his cohorts should know that under successive military dictatorships, such threat to sack lecturers   did not work. What the government has simply done is to set the stage for another tortuous path to prolong the strike that should have been called off by now if the government did not engage in unnecessary bravado.

  • ASUU dares FG, insists on strike

    Despite the Federal Government’s directive that striking lecturers should return to classroom on December 4, the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday made it clear that the strike would continue.

    The union described December 4 deadline given by the government as an “ordinary threat.”

    ASUU President, Nasir Fagge, who officially briefed journalists in Abuja on the response of the union after FG’s ultimatum said“ the strike will end when government implements the agreement as we agreed with President Goodluck Jonathan.”

    “He gave us assurance that in 2014 the agreement will not be renegotiated just as he had promised us when we interacted with him in that 13-hour duration. We thank Mr. President for his patience but let us also do what is right.”

    ASUU requested in its meeting with President Jonathan, that he should facilitate the resolution of the issues as a way of concretizing their understanding of the agreed position.

    The agreed positions, Fagge said are that the N200 billion agreed upon as 2013 revitalisation fund for public universities shall be deposited with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and disbursed to the benefitting universities within two weeks; that the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement in 2014 be included in the final document as agreed at the discussion with Jonathan; that a non –victimisation clause which is normally captured in all interactions of this nature be included in the final document and that a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) shall be validly endorsed, signed by a representative of government, preferably the Attorney General of the Federation and a representative of ASUU, with the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as a witness.

    To further justify ASUU’s request to Jonathan, Faggesaid: “Upon any sincere stretch of interpretation, it would be unreasonable to suggest that this is a new demand. ASUU National Executive Council’s position that the funds for revitalisation due to universities in 2013 should be released within the first two weeks of December 2013 is not a new demand. It is a sensible suggestion to guard against implementation failure.

    “On the renegotiation of the agreement in 2014, there was an agreement at the interaction with the President of Nigeria that the renegotiation of the ASUU/FG agreement of 2009 shall be undertaken in 2014.”

     

  • FG/ASUU Faceoff: Students react

    FG/ASUU Faceoff: Students react

    These are not the best times for most students of government-owned universities in the country. They have been reacting to the latest happenings. While some support the directive of the federal government, others are against such directive.

    “Giving ASUU an ultimatum might just serve to heighten the scepticism of ASUU towards FG’s promises,” Although I am vexed the students are not considered. Mary Scott, 400level student, University of Lagos said.

    “Are we back to the military era? Where threat and command language are used?” Maurice David asks on a social media platform.

    He said: “I pity this govt that lack sane people in position as ministers. How can government move ten steps backward only at the point of signing agreement? Just at the point the agreement is to be signed government begins to issue fiat and threats to scatter the table. This is shame!”

    For Joel Otuyelu, a student of UNILAG “This is a serious sensational movie. I can’t wait for the next episode. How Jona wan turn democracy to autocracy?”

    “An agreement is supposed to be honoured if the federal government cannot sign and seal an agreement it reached with ASUU on November 4 2013, then the future of Private universities is bright in this country, ”Akinpelu Tolulope, UNILAG student said.

    Tolulope further stated “The goal for ending the strike should not be to save parents anxiety or to take pity on students or to save lecturers’ job or to graduate students: it is to save the university system so that it becomes what it is supposed to be.

    “In this, ASUU should not fear an empty threat by the federal government but rather see itself as a vanguard-probably the only active one-dedicated to making the government begin to tread the path of responsible good governance in the administration of tertiary education in Nigeria .”

    For Hassan Aliu, an undergraduate, “What we have in this administration are not leaders but bunch of criminals who think we are in the military era. Who think their threat will put fear in ASUU to call of the strike. This shows the insincerity of this government. The question here is that is Jonathan worth to be trusted and called a leader.”

    However, Ugwu Henry is of the opinion that ASUU has bitten more than they can chew.

    “ASUU has provoked the Federal Government. It is a pity that after so much capitulation by the FG, ASUU is playing with the future of Nigerian students. ASUU has failed to be considerate. Why should one demand for salary when one has failed to work? I honestly hope the FG comes down hard on ASUU and resists any pressure to pay wages not earned.”

    In the same vein, Justin Ebaretonbofa has this to say: “Federal govt should do whatever they want. Nigerians are fed up with ASUU. When you ask federal government for anything you don’t expect them to give u 100 per cent of your needs.

    “It has never happen that way and it won’t happen now. ASUU is playing politics with the future of students. The lecturers who refuse to resume should be sack and new ones employ. After all there are millions of more qualified PhD holders looking for lecturing job. Haba !”

    According to Peremobowei Amakama, “I appreciate the FG directive to ASUU. ASUU has over-stressed the patience of FG and also mortgaging the future of Nigerian youths for their selfish reasons. Let the ones that believe we must move forward resume to class and account for their patriotism to Nigeria.”

  • FG’s directive, an empty threat – ASUU

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Thursday described the threat by the federal government to sack lecturers if they don’t return to classroom as empty threat that could not hold water.

    The union said it is vindicated that the Federal government was not ready to implement resolutions reached with the union.

    ASUU said the threat will fail, adding that Nigerian public universities need 60,000 lecturers due to government’s failure to employ more capable hands into the system.

    The union said federal government is wasting the time of Nigerians youths by failing to perfect the resolutions and get the strike suspended.

    The union added it had reasons to be wary following the failure of government to honour their promises to Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, resident doctors and other health workers who have suspended their strikes.

    The ASUU National Treasurer, Dr. Ademola Aremu, while responding to the government’s directive, said the threat does not hold water as it has confirmed the fears that the federal government cannot be trusted.

    The don said, “With the latest action, the federal government has shown that they are not committed to all they have been saying. We are saying that since we agreed at the meeting that the sum of 200 billion naira is for 2012 and 2013 revitalisation, the federal government should deposit same in the Central Bank of Nigerian. We are already in November and December is around the corner. If they don’t do that now, when do they want to do it? We are saying the non-victimization clause should be included as agreed while the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement should be included as agreed with the presidents”.

    “It is a pity if the federal government is not willing to perfect the resolutions reached with union. This is why we find it difficult to trust our leaders by their words. How can someone be threatening to sack lecturers when universities are already short-staffed by almost 60,000. We are not in military era. The military tried it and failed. This one will fail again. They can re-open the school. ASUU did not shut down the universities. It was the management of the schools that ordered the students to go back home.”

     

     

  • FG orders ASUU to resume lectures

    FG orders ASUU to resume lectures

    … Strike an act of sabotage – Minister

    The Federal Government on Thursday ordered the Academic Staff Union of Universities to reopen the institutions within one week.

    The supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja.

    He described the ongoing varsity teachers’ strike as “act of sabotage.”

    “The continuation of the strike despite several meetings, especially with President Goodluck Jonathan is an attempt by the union to sabotage all efforts by government to address the issue, “he said.

    Wike stated that government has directed that all Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities that are currently on strike to immediately reopen for academic and allied activities.

    ASUU embarked on the strike on July 1 to protest government’s non-implementation of the 2009 agreement signed by both parties.

    The minister disclosed that government has met all its commitments and obligations with respect to the agreement.

    According to Wike, government took the decision to reopen the universities following ASUU’s new conditions which are “not tenable. “

    His words: “On November 4, 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan met with ASUU executive,  labour union leaders from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), where all the issues were resolved and firm commitments made to address the lingering crisis.

    “It is noteworthy that Mr. President’s gesture was more than sufficient to guarantee the commitment of government to address all issues raised at the meeting with Mr. President. At the end of the meeting, the ASUU team promised to convene a meeting of its National Executive Committee to present the resolutions reached and report back by Friday November 8, 2013. It is unfortunate that while travelling to attend the NEC meeting in Kano, we lost a key member and former President of the union, Prof. Festus Iyayi.

    “Government sympathizes with the family of the late Iyayi and ASUU. It is however amazing that three weeks after the meeting with Mr. President, ASUU responded by giving new conditions for suspending the five month old strike. I have never seen anywhere in any country where you sit down with Mr. President. That is the highest level of discussion. If you cannot believe Mr. President then who else will you believe?”

    “Any academic staff who fails to resume on or before December 4 automatically ceases to be a staff of the institution. Vice-Chancellors are also directed to advertise vacancies (internal and external) in their institutions.
    “The National Universities Commission is hereby directed to monitor the compliance of these directives by the various institutions. The Federal Government has met all its commitment and obligations with respect to the FG/ASUU 2009 Agreement. We appeal to all stakeholders to appreciate the position of government which is in the best interest of our dear country.”

     

  • Hassles Nigerian businesses face

    Hassles Nigerian businesses face

    The Federal Government holds the view that the nation’s economic outlook is positive, but the World Bank and majority stakeholders in the manufacturing and allied sectors say there is room for improvement as the business climate is still hampered by difficulties, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

    Nigeria’s business climate leaves nothing to cheer about as the country still struggles with critical issues of power supply, among other challenges which hampers productivity and competitiveness of enterprises.

    This was the submission of the Country Director, World Bank, Nigeria, Ms. Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly recently, just as a similar survey by the world body ranked the country 147th out of 189 countries in the world, based on a report focusing on initiated policies that make doing business easy in their countries.

    She gave this verdict during the launch of the World Bank’s Investment Climate Assessment, ICA, Report in Abuja.

    She said there was need for the country to improve its business environment in order to maximise the hugely untapped investment opportunities that exist across the country.

    “For me, while we say the country’s current investment climate could be better in terms of providing electricity, access to finance and other things, you should also look at the huge opportunities for investment in Nigeria.

    “The basic lesson from the World Bank Assessment Report titled “Nigeria, An Assessment of the Investment Climate in 26 states” is that there are critical constraints in Nigeria that impede the development of the non-oil sector.”

    The newly released survey, known as the ‘Doing Business 2014: Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises,’ noted that “Nigeria already implements some of the global good practices in the areas of Doing Business.”

    Living in denial

    As to be expected the World Bank’s scorecard on Nigeria didn’t go down well with the Federal Government, who declared that assessment by the World Bank was in bad faith and not correct because Nigeria’s business climate remains one of the best in the world as can be seen in the foreign direct investments (FDIs) that she attracts.

    Jonathan voiced his dissent to the assessment of the Breton woods institution, said the fundamentals on ground in the country speak of the opposite of the ranking by the World Bank.

    He made his feeling known while speaking at the 18th Annual Conference of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) which opened in Abuja with the theme: “Deepening Financial Sector Development: The Contribution of the Financial Accountant.”

    The President was represented by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Lawal Ngama.

    Jonathan maintained that Nigeria has performed far better in terms of growth compared to all the countries listed in the ranking.

    “If you look at the list, Nigeria is ranked 147 out of 185. While all the other countries listed are having negative growth, which means that all their businesses are going down, Nigeria is among the fastest growing economies of the world,” Jonathan said.

    In a related development, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, recently revealed that over $20bn (N3.2tn) Foreign Direct Investment entered the Nigerian economy in the last three years.

    Okonjo-Iweala, who was addressing journalists in Abuja at a world press conference about the 24th World Economic Forum on Africa slated for Nigeria next year, said the N3.2tn invested in the Nigerian economy within the last three years represents 10 per cent of the entire African continent’s FDI.

    Apparently reacting to the World Bank’s report, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, while delivering a keynote address in Abuja titled “Reforming Nigeria’s Investment Climate”, said his ministry had already embarked on far-reaching investment climate reforms to improve the county’s competitiveness ranking and attract more Foreign Direct Investment into the country.

    Aganga stated that his ministry was partnering the Ministry of Power on the provision of uninterrupted electricity to nine industrial cities by the first quarter of 2013.

    He said, “Very soon, most of our SMEs will start to feel the positive impact of our Investment Climate Reforms Programmes, which we have embarked upon.

    “In terms of electricity, we are working with the Ministry of Power to ensure that nine industrial cities have access to uninterrupted power supply by the first quarter of 2013.

    “But in terms of improving our doing business and competitiveness ranking, it will take at least a year for the reforms we are implementing to reflect because samples have already been taken in June last year before we began the reforms.

    “In order to make Nigeria the preferred destination for investment globally, my ministry has already commenced an Investment Climate Reform Programme in October 2011 with support from the World Bank and DFID.

    “We are currently working with the Corporate Affairs Commission, to reduce the number of days it takes to register a business, the processes and the cost. In addition, we are working to ensure that business registration can be done from the comfort of homes and offices.

    “As a pilot, we are also working with the Ministries and Agencies under the Lagos State Government to reduce the cost and time of obtaining construction permits, registering property and enforcing contracts.

    “We are working with the tax authorities at both the Federal level and in Lagos State on how to reduce the time and cost of filing taxes.

    “The Doing Business and Competitiveness Committee and the Investor-Care Committee have been revived and have recently inaugurated their technical committees. The Doing Business Report Monitoring and Review Committee will regularly monitor, review and recommend improvement on existing policies and legislation that govern the act of doing business in the country and other day-day issues faced by the industries that are barriers to enhanced productivity.

    “The After-Care Committee will handle the deluge of complaints from investors on account of apparent irregularity and inconsistency in the implementation of some Government policies.”

    Speaking during the launching of the report, the Governor of Anambra State and Vice Chairman, Nigeria’s Governor’s Forum, Mr. Peter Obi, said that foreigners’ perception of Nigeria was at variance with the true situation in the country.

    Obi said, “The perception of Nigeria by foreigners is far worse than it is in reality. The truth is issues about Nigeria are usually over exaggerated by foreigners.

    “The South African Brewery in Anambra, which will be commissioned this month, is the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa. But if they show you their report and perception about Nigeria before coming to build their plant in the country, they wouldn’t have invested in the country. For instance, if you look at Heineken’s global income, 11.5 per cent of their income is from Africa and Middle East.

    “Out of this 11.5 per cent, six per cent comes from Nigeria. Today, Guinness derives 6.1 per cent of its global income from Nigeria. In fact, Guinness sells more in Nigeria than its home country.

    “This will tell you that despite the challenges we have, which the Ministry of Trade and Investment is working state governments to address, Nigeria still remains the best investment destination for genuine investors across the world.”

    Stakeholders’ verdicts

    In the assessment of stakeholders in the manufacturing sub sector, truth is, government needs some explanation to give for the growing level of disaffection in the land.

    A cross-section of those who spoke with The Nation were unsparing in their criticisms.

    Professor Sherifdeen Tella, a professor of economist, who is of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, while sharing his own perspective, said: “The World Bank survey is not based on the economic growth rate of the country. It is based on ease of doing business, registration of companies and the processes involved. The government is always denying the ranking by saying that the economy is growing at eight per cent. Understanding the business climate is very important to know how long does it takes to register businesses in Nigeria for a start up as well as existing businesses.

    “Operators in the country are still facing some level of difficult in terms of doing business in Nigeria. For instance, if you want to register a business and you are not ready to bribe your way through chances are that it may take you up to two to three years to get it registered and vice versa.

    “The Federal Government can say what it likes but what the World Bank report says is the correct thing because many in-country experts were involved in the survey so it not as if they (World Bank) manufactured them from outer space. What expect the government to do is to carry out a research in order to ascertain the true state of things by determining whether or not there are factors impeding business in real time.”

    Mr. Fola Soetan, Chief Operating Officer, PESTOS Nigeria Limited, manufacturers of insecticides and allied products, is also on the same page with others.

    “My own candid opinion is that manufacturers are still faced with inherent challenges. There are several operating social factors, in terms of getting your materials to the destination. So many bottle necks like multiple taxation, arbitrary charges from multiple agencies of government hit into your profit such that if you are the type that took loans externally it may difficult to meet up with repayment as a result of this incidental expenses not factored or unscheduled into the normal course of business, in the first place,” he stressed.

    “In Lagos for example, you find so many regulatory bodies whose actions become rather too burdensome on the manufacturers. The councils will be chasing you everywhere for all forms of levies all in the name of some revenue drive. Disposable income is not circulating it may be circulating among the top. Honestly, if the power sector is completely reorganised and we are able to have more hours from the electricity grid, it will be of advantage to the manufacturers.

    “Before now, the fixed charges we pay monthly is N25, 000 while actual consumption is about N35, 000 totalling N60, 000. But in the last few months it has increased. Now we pay about N45, 000 as fixed charges whether we used light or not and additional N75, 000 as actual consumption.

    “At the end of the day, there is no improvement in the economy. The issue is if the number of hours we are able to have light is okay, with about 60-70 per cent production capacity, we know we can still breakeven but we are just able to produce at 25 per cent capacity. The situation is that it is very unmeasurable.

    “It has been on the decrease. A at last month we were averaging at least five hours usage in electricity but it has dropped to two hours. On the average we used to spend over N200, 000 on running diesel but it has also increased as we speak. There is no improvement in the power sector.

    “On paper we could be reporting growth but it is not reflecting on the welfare, purchasing power of the people so we cannot say that is growth in real terms. Government should spend more on social welfare packages that will improve the standard of living of the common man out there.”

    In his own assertion, Mr. Tony Isiani, Managing Director/Chief Executive, School Development Support International Limited, Atunrase Estate, Gbagada, Lagos, while acknowledging the fact that there is some level of improvement in power supply, telecoms network, banking services unlike before. But we still have challenges in terms of bureaucracy, frustration is too much. The issue of transparency has been thrown overboard now because more than ever before you just have to bribe your way through in most government offices whether at the state or local government level.

    “In Lagos particularly you are required to pay for all kinds of charges like hackney permits, etc. Unlike Nigeria, doing business in Ghana is much easier in all fronts. For instance, if you are already producing in Ghana, it is as if you’re in your father’s house. You follow the same rules as every other person. Power is stable and taxes are limited. You get things done very swiftly. The only thing, however, is that the market is not that large compared to what obtains in Nigeria. But around here, there is a lot of discrimination against certain people in business.”

    In his assessment, Mr. Ken Ukaoha, Secretariat President, National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) said: “There is need to consider the socio-economic impacts and or implications of misgovernance approach’ to the nation, and behold. We have only seen negative tendencies towards perhaps monopolizing the economy of the country and possibly enriching a few at the expense of the generality of the population who are rather daily drifting towards the pallets of poverty.”

    Dr. Austin Nweze, a political economist in the Department of School of Media Communication at the Pan -African University, gives a fresh perspective.

    Justifying the World Bank report, Nweze said: “In doing the survey of ease of doing business, the World Bank relied on a set of criteria which they used in measuring the indices. So I don’t think the Federal Government should be crying foul.

    “I recalled that when in 1990, India was declared technically bankrupt by the World Bank the Prime Minister then, Raul, called the Minister of Finance at the time, Singh, who is the current PM as to how to address the problem. India was ranked somewhere in the bottom. I think India’s reserve was somewhere around the region of$9m or less but today it is the same India giving over $5billion in aid as grant to Africa. To register a business that used o take one year it is now a matter of days. They worked very hard and today everything has changed for them. What that tells you is that where there is a will, there is a way.”

    Expatiating, he said: “Agreed in Nigeria, business registration has gone digital but it is not yet uhuru. There are still people within the system that are very anachronistic, who are resisting change. I think that there should be attempts to reform the minds of the people. Even in Human Development Index, we didn’t fare any better. The quality of life here is still bad. Power is still a major issue. Agreed Nigeria telecoms sector is said to be the fastest growing but there is still a problem in terms of penetration, broadband problem, among others.”

    Rather than living in denial, Nweze said: “What I think the government can do is to look at those elements and set targets as to how to mitigate the problems identified. This should energise the government to take action and stop playing politics. That is the way to go.”

  • FG N9b grant to SMEs: Stakeholders set agenda

    FG N9b grant to SMEs: Stakeholders set agenda

    ‘Make agric, manufacturing, others priority’

    Mr. Kazeem Olanrewaju Managing Director/Chief Executive, KAZ Production Screen Printing, 47 Ogunmokun, Mushin, has been engaged in the publishing business in the last seven years. In his view, attention should be focused on agriculture, manufacturing and research.

    “To me the sector I think the money should go more to is the area of agriculture, followed by manufacturing and also research. If we put things in place, like food, good research centres, it’s going to bring good result.”

     

    ‘Agriculture deserves lion share’

    Mrs. Oyinade Labinjo Managing Director/Chief Executive, FUNFAS Farms, 84/86 Agege Motor Road Idi-Oro, has been engaged in the farming business in the past nine years. In her view, the agric sub-sector deserves all the attention as far as the N9billion grant is concerned.

    ‘’Government should allocate more money to the agricultural sector, so that we can feed the nation, and also provide employment to the young ones who are out of school. With this, the unemployment crisis would be reduced to a reasonable extent.”

     

    ‘Lets invest in agriculture, power’

    Mr. Nurudeen Abudulkareem Managing Director/Chief Executive, Honney Keemat Furnitue, Agege, Lagos. He has been involved in the furniture business in the last ten years. In his view, attention should be focused on agriculture, electricity and healthcare.

    “Food is everything. So for food to be cheap, we must allocate more money to the agricultural sector, folowed by power and the healthcare sector.’’

     

    ‘Manufacturing sector should get majority share’

    Mr. Eniola Dayo Managing Director/Chief Executive, Eny Shoe Care, 5 Coker Street, Olosha Mushin, Lagos, has been engaged in the shoe making business for the last 20 years. In his view, attention should be focused on manufacturers.

    “More money should be allocated to manufacturers so as to get more industrial machines for their business to make work more easier and faster.’’

     

    ‘Investment in photography can create employment’

    Miss. Kenny is Managing Director/Chief Executive, Toffee Studio in Mushin axis of Lagos, which she has managed in the last 15 years. She is persuaded that small businesses like photography should get more slice of the largesse announced by the Federal Government.

    “Who do need money in this our area of business, which is photography. We need money to take it to the next level. If more funding comes into the sector, it will create more means of employment to the youth.’’

     

    ‘Agric needs more’

    Mrs. Ruth is Managing Director/Chief Executive, Computer Works, Lagos. In her view, more investment should be focussed on the agric sub sector because of the ripple effect sit can have on the economy as a whole.

    “The sector that really needs attention is the agricultural sector, because they are lacking in all areas. As far as I’m concerned, this sector needs to be taken care of.’’

    ‘SMEs in education sector should get more funding’

     

    Mr. Adams, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Adams Aluminium, Lagos, has been engaged in the aluminum business for the last 10 years. In his view, SMEs involved in the educational sub sector should get more funding.

    “In my own view, I think more funding should be devoted to the SMEs in the education and allied sector. This to my mind, can drive development in the different sector of the economy.’’

     

  • FG abandons N80m HIV/AIDS equipment in Lagos port since 2009

    FG abandons N80m HIV/AIDS equipment in Lagos port since 2009

    The Korean government has protested to the Federal Government  over the alleged abandonment of N80million worth of  HIV/AIDS equipment it donated to the country.

    The equipment was shipped into the country in 2009, but the Federal Ministry of Health has not concluded clearance at the port in the last four years.

    The Korean Parliament has also asked for  an explanation from the Federal Government.

    The Korean government is annoyed because it had in 2010 provided N1.5million to the Federal Ministry of Health to clear the said equipment.

    According to investigation by our correspondent, in spite of the fact that the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has trained 12 officers in South Korea between April 12 and 26, 2009 on the management of the equipment, the Federal Ministry of Health is yet to conclude customs clear four years after.

    Investigation showed that the equipment had arrived at the port in Lagos in May 2009, but out of the two containers, only one was reluctantly cleared in April 2011, which was 23 months after shipment.

    It was learnt that more than 29 letters had been written to the Federal Ministry of Health by the Korean Embassy in Nigeria and the Chief Resident Representative of KOICA in Nigeria, Jung Sang Hoon, to effect the clearance of the equipment but no action was taken.

    Findings confirmed that the attention of the National Planning Commission was also drawn to the abandonment of the equipment to prevail on the Ministry of Health to effect clearance in the port.

    One of the letters by KOICA to the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, said: “Regarding KOICA sponsored project of “Improvement of Laboratory Infrastructure on HIV/AIDS, I would like to draw your kind attention to the following critical issues which need urgent attention:

    “On October 6, 2008, project agreement (Record of Discussion) was signed by the Korea International Cooperation Agency and the Federal Ministry of Health on the Improvement of Laboratory Infrastructure on HIV/AIDS.

    “Based upon this agreement on May 26, 2009, KOICA shipped some HIV/AIDS equipment and forwarded the shipping documents to the Ministry which was received by Dr. E. A. Coker, then the Director of Special Duties in your ministry.

    “The equipment were expected to be delivered to the hospitals in Kogi and Enugu states. The two containers arrived in Lagos since May 2009, and only one (Federal Medical Centre in Kogi State) container’s customs clearance and inland transportation was made in April 2011 (after 23 months from its arrival), while the other one container for University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State remains at the Lagos Port as overtime container still waiting for the customs clearance and delivery to the University Teaching Hospital by your ministry.

    “To facilitate the customs clearance, KOICA contributed N1.5milion which was handed over to Dr. E. A. Coker on March 3, 2010.

    “Despite all actions taken by KOICA for early conclusion of the clearance of the remaining container, no actual actions were taken by the Ministry, causing the efforts of KOICA wasted and the project purpose of assisting the HIV/AIDS victims failed.

    “In this regards, you are cordially requested to take immediate actions for the customs clearance on an emergency basis and inform us of the result.”

    In a separate letter to the Office of the Minister, National Planning Commission on October 18, 2013 by its Chief Resident Representative, Jung Sang Hoon, said the National Assembly of Korea has raised issues on the apathy of the Federal Government to the donation.

    The letter reads in part: “I may also inform that the Parliament is now asking, even to date, why the Korean people’s donation is not delivered to the Nigerian people and what actions are taken or to be taken to resolve the issues.

    “Accordingly, on an urgent basis, I would like to request Your Excellency to reply us after taking emergency measures to prevent any more delay, in particular, in consideration of the following facts:

    •The responsibility of prompt customs clearance of the donated items in the land of Nigeria goes to the Government of Nigeria as clearly stated in our signed official document.

    •That some items could be out of use due to the extreme demurrage in Lagos; and

    •The KOICA office has already provided funding to the Federal Ministry of Health (N1.5million) for the said customs clearance of the items on March 3, 2013.

    •“If the Nigerian government has no budget allocation to clear the said issue for the year 2013 whatsoever, in order to avoid further delay, the KOICA office is ready to request for KOICA’s further Headquarters’ endorsement to make KOICA’s prepayment for demurrage charge provided that the Nigerian government request us in writing focusing on the amount and actions required for KOICA to immediately clear the issue after expressing her commitment of refunding, to KOICA in 2014 as soon as possible.”