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Tag: Goodluck Jonathan

  • Jonathan meets Pope, seeks inter-faith dialogue in Nigeria

    To ensure  global peace and security, President Goodluck Jonathan has met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on the promotion of inter-faith dialogue in Nigeria and other parts of the globe.

    Speaking with journalists after his private meeting with Pope Francis on Saturday, President Jonathan noted that the promotion of inter-faith dialogue was a cause to which the Pontiff was very committed.

    Jonathan said that his administration was already working in close collaboration with Cardinal John Onaiyekan who was “the team leader” for the effort to strengthen inter-faith dialogue in Nigeria.
    He assured the Pope of his administration’s continued commitment to the promotion of religious harmony and the peaceful co-existence of people of all faiths.

    He also assured the Pope that his administration will continue to work diligently to alleviate poverty in Nigeria through more inclusive economic growth and development.

    Noting that Pope Francis has always taken a keen interest in Nigeria, he said the Pope has promised to visit the country.

    The Pope, he said, also assured him that he would continue to pray for God Almighty to bless the country and its people.

    He said: “My coming to see the Pope was to discuss issues, especially that of inter-faith dialogue which the Vatican has been promoting.

    “Also the Pope has been advocating that the world should do more to eradicate poverty and make sure that the ordinary people of this world are in a position to live more decent lives. The Pope is very dedicated to poverty alleviation and I also interfaced with him on how we can collaborate more with the Vatican on what we are already doing in this regard back home,” the President said.

    After his private meeting with President Jonathan, Pope Francis received the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof Viola Onwuliri, Governor Godswill Akpabio and his spouse, Governor Gabriel Suswam, former Governor Peter Obi and his spouse, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Helen Mark and other members of the President’s entourage.

    Others present at the enlarged audience with the Pope included Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Vatican, Dr. Francis C. Okeke, the Chaplain of the Presidential Villa, Venerable Obioma Onwuzurumba and Chief Mike Oghiadomhe.

    Before leaving the Vatican, President Jonathan also conferred with the Secretary of State, Monsignor Pietro Parolin.

    He had received Nigeria’s Vatican-based Cardinal Francis Arinze earlier in the day at the St. Regis Hotel in Rome.

  • Bring back moral instructions

    Bring back moral instructions

    THIS is a matter I want President Goodluck Jonathan to attach much importance to in the interest of our nation. Moral instructions are no more taught in our primary schools. Military intervention in the governance of this country brought a stop to the teaching of civics and other related subjects in the country.

    The failure to teach moral instructions engendered social vices and problems like Boko Haram.

    We are today witnessing many crises in our national life. To bring a stop to these challenges is not difficult. Our president should bring back moral instructions to our schools.

    This is not a trivial matter. It should be handled with seriousness.

    J. Dega,

    Lagos State.

  • Do something about Brass NLG

    Do something about Brass NLG

    I AM calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to do something about the long-awaited Brass LNG which I hope will create jobs for the teeming jobless youths in Bayelsa State.

    Please, Mr President do something urgently about this project in order to bring the suffering of our young people to an end.

    I am waiting to see our good president in action as far as this project is concerned.

    Lambert Oweifa,

    Nembe,

    Bayelsa State.

  • Immigration jobs deaths: APC seeks criminal probe

    Immigration jobs deaths: APC seeks criminal probe

    Party condemns Sanusi’s bullying

    Alison-Madueke ‘must be removed’

    After a seven-hour meeting in Abuja, the All Progressives Congress (APC) delivered yesterday a verdict on the state of the nation.

    The President Goodluck Jonathan administration has lost control of the ship of state, the party said.

    It also blamed the ruling government for the death of 19 applicants during last Saturday’s Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS) recruitment test.

    It accused the government of exploiting unemployed youths instead of creating jobs for them.

    The party also demanded a criminal investigation of the incidents which 19 applicants, including expectant women, died.

    Besides, the APC condemned what it described as the ferocious and unwarranted attacks against suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi for exposing alleged $20billion theft in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    The party queried why Sanusi will be under suspension while Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, who superintends NNPC, is still in office.

    On the orgy of killings nationwide, the APC urged the Federal Government to take steps to address it.

    It also warned the government against its ongoing plans to impose a total emergency on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states to remove democratically elected governments in those states.

    The party, which gave its verdict on the state of the nation after a seven-hour session of its National Executive Committee (NEC), also fixed May 24 for its National Convention.

    The convention will be preceded by Ward Congress (April 5); Local Government Congress (April 12) and State Congress (April 23).

    Addressing reporters on the NEC communiqué, APC Interim National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed, said the party was of the opinion that the pervasive corruption and incompetence of the Jonathan administration led to the death of the 19 applicants.

    It accused the Jonathan administration of fleecing 770,000 applicants of N770million, using a consultant as a conduit pipe.

    The communique said: “Following its deliberations, the National Executive Committee of the APC commiserated with the families of the people who died on Saturday, March 15th, 2014 at several venues of the job test by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). We also extend our sympathy and prayers to those who were injured in the stampede, and wish them a speedy recovery.

    “The needless deaths of our youth, which resulted from a combination of exploitation, corruption, greed and incompetence of the relevant authorities, represent a needless violation of their right to life and dignity.

    “Out of sheer greed, N1,000 each was collected from the over 770,000 unemployed applicants shortlisted.

    “The Jonathan-led PDP government, therefore, fleeced unemployed youths and their parents of Seven hundred and seventy six million naira (N770 million naira) using a consultant as conduit.

    “ Even then, the available vacancies of about 4,500 have already been filled through the back door by over 3,000 candidates of PDP Apparatchik and government officials.

    “The pervasive corruption and incompetence that have become the hallmarks of the Jonathan Administration paved the way for this unprecedented greed in which hapless job seekers were extorted by the same government that has failed to provide jobs for them.

    “Yet, this government has no social security or any form of safety net for the vulnerable army of the unemployed. It should be made clear that this government encourages and baby sits corruption, stealing not only from the pension fund of Nigerian citizens, but also from the unemployed and from our collective patrimony, the NNPC.”

    The APC demanded what it termed a criminal investigation of the job stampede deaths.

    It added: “That is why we are calling for a criminal investigation to unravel the circumstances that led to the deaths of those innocent Nigerians, to find out who authorised the fleecing of job seekers by a government agency, what happened to the money realised from the heist and why the relevant officials did not ensure a better arrangement that could have saved precious lives.

    “The job stampede deaths constitute the latest in a series of events that have turned Nigeria into a massive killing field in recent times.”

    The party faulted the insensitivity of the Jonathan administration to the orgy of killings nationwide.

    It queried why the PDP-led Federal Government had been pretending as if all is well in the country, climaxing in the President gallivanting from one rally to the other.

    The party said: “The orgy of killings in the past few weeks have left hundreds dead and many more maimed in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Kaduna, Katsina and Plateau, just to mention a few.

    “ Never in the peace time history of our dear country has there been such a high number of needless deaths.

    “Amid all of this, the PDP-led Federal Government has been carrying on as if all is well. After presiding over a wasteful centenary celebration, President Goodluck Jonathan has been gallivanting around the country, addressing political rallies when he should be commiserating with families of the dead in the affected states, especially Yobe where innocent children were massacred by a cowardly band of terrorists, and Katsina, which he visited a few hours after hundreds of people were killed.”

    The party, however, warned the Federal Government against what it described as a plot to impose a total state of emergency on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

    The communique said: “Also, it has come to our notice that, in pursuant of the Presidency’s stance to label anyone who offers it any advice on how to curtail the terrorists’ attack and boost the morale of our gallant troops, the imposition of a total state of emergency is being considered for Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, which is a smokescreen to remove the democratically-elected governors of these APC states.

    “We condemn this move unequivocally and urge the President to jettison the idea, if indeed it is being remotely contemplated, because it will not advance the cause of peace in the affected states.

    “Against the background of the daily orgy of killings, we are compelled to say that the Jonathan Administration has lost total control of events in the country, with the result that Nigerians are now being left to their own devices.

    “It is clear that the situation in our country today, whether it is in the area of security, job creation, fight against corruption or even growing of the economy, is far beyond the capacity of those at the helm.

    While faulting attacks on the suspended Governor of Central Bank, Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi for exposing the $20 billion scandal in NNPC, the party queried why the Petroleum minister, who supervises NNPC, is still in office.

    It said:”We also note, as a party, the ferocious attacks and blackmail mounted against Lamido Sanusi, the Governor of Central Bank. How someone who publicly disclosed the brazen theft of $20 billion from NNPC became a candidate for character assassination and blackmail is questionable and condemnable. Sanusi’s suspension is an affront to law and a threat to Nigeria’s institutional stability.

    “This is also a government of double standard.Why is the Minister of Petroleum Deziani still in office when the major agency she superintendents is under investigation over the missing $20 billion?

    “Therefore, the only salvation for Nigeria is a purposeful and focused party like the APC.

    “From the road-map, which we unveiled recently, it is clear that we recognise the enormity of the challenges facing our dear country, hence we made job creation our priority, followed by security and the fight against corruption, among others.

    “We urge our compatriots not to despair or give up hope, because salvation is in the horizon.

    “The APC today embodies the hopes and aspirations of our long-suffering people. We have no doubt that this country can and will work again, and we are up to the task of restoring hope to our beleaguered people.”

    The party released the timetable for election into various offices from the ward to the national levels.

    The National Convention will hold on May 24.

    The communique added: “Finally, the party wishes to announce dates for its Congresses and National Convention.

    “The Ward Congress will hold on 5th of April, Local Government Congress on the 12th of April. State Congress on the 23rd of April and National Convention on the 24th of May.”

    Asked if the party has zoned its offices, Mohammed, said: “ No office is zoned to anybody or any part of the country.”

    On the ongoing National Conference, he said: “ There is nothing to discuss on the conference. We have made our position so clear about why we are not attending and nothing has changed. APC as a political party is not attending.”

    The meeting was attended by members of the party’s Interim National Executive Committee, led by Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti).

    Some national leaders of the party at the meetinh are: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, General Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senator Ali Modu Sheriif, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Senator Bukola Saraki, Senator Danjuma Goje, Senator George Akume and others.

     

  • Conference adjourns over delegates’ accommodation

    Conference adjourns over delegates’ accommodation

    The National Conference inaugurated on Monday by President Goodluck Jonathan was forced to adjourn yesterday due to lack of accommodation for delegates.

    Although the 492 delegates were informed that their accommodation, feeding and transportation had been monetised, findings by our correspondents showed that many of the delegates were yet to sort out their accommodation problems.

    Findings also showed that mostly affected were delegates who do not have property in Abuja.

    Apart from accommodation, it was also discovered that some basic allowances of the delegates were yet to be paid.

    Apparently to fast track payment of the allowances, delegates were asked to submit their account details to the conference secretariat.

    The conference will resume on Monday to adopt its rules of proceeding, Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kitigi (rtd) announced yesterday.

    Kutigi, who began with an apology for starting proceedings behind schedule, said the purpose of the meeting was for delegates to know themselves as well for principal officers to introduce themselves to the delegates.

    “Ladies and gentlemen, I suppose you know me; I’m supposed to be the chairman of this conference. My deputy, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, is also here,” Kutigi said.

    There was outburst of laughter by delegates.

    When the laughter subsided, Kutigi handed over to the Secretary of the conference, Dr. Valerie-Janette Azinge who gave the overview of the Nigeria Judicial Institute (NJI) conference venue.

    Azinge told delegates that they observed free sitting arrangement but added that “by next sitting seats will be designated and tagged according to delegates.”

    She also told delegates that the conference would sit for four days, Monday to Thursday, every week while Fridays will be used for administrative purposes.

    She noted that conference rules of proceeding when adopted would shape the conference operation.

    Sitting arrangements almost became an issue when a delegate, Mr. Charles Edosomwan from Edo State suggested that the conference should continue to observe free sitting.

    Edosomwan said instead of tagging seats, delegates should be encouraged to come early to choose where they preferred to sit.

    He wondered the criteria to be adopted for tagging the seats.

    Chief Sergeant Awuse (Rivers State) said that the sitting arrangement should be done to enable delegates from a particular state sit together.

    Awuse argued that such arrangement would enable delegates to confer when it became necessary.

    Chief Segun Osoba objected. Osoba said that first and foremost delegates should see themselves as Nigerians.

    The former Ogun State governor suggested that delegates should sit in alphabetical order.

    He said delegates who wanted to confer on any issue should find alternative place to do so.

    Osoba was applauded by majority of the delegates for what a delegate described as “a statesmanly intervention.”

    Mrs Azinge assured delegates that the conference would be “ as democratic as possible to give delegates the right to challenge any thing.”

    She also told the delegates that sitting arrangement was contained in the conference rules of proceeding that would be debated and adopted.

    Delegates, she said, also have the right to challenge the sitting arrangement as contained in the rules.

    Mrs Azinge, who said that the views of the majority would always be carried, noted that it was obvious when Osoba spoke what delegates wanted.

    She said deliberations at the conference would begin from the speech of Jonathan after which other issues would be discussed.

    She told the delegates that they would work for 12 weeks with the first two weeks devoted to general discussions.

    She said after the first two weeks, issues would be broken and assigned to committees for more in-depth discussion.

    The committees, she said, would report back to the plenary for resolutions.

    Senator Florence Ita-Giwa said the conference arose as a result of anger.

    She noted that since delegates came with major issues in their minds, they should be given ample opportunity to air their views.

    Pastor Tunde Bakare stressed the issue of punctuality to the conference saying the delegates should avoid carrying the old to the new.

    He said: “If we say 10 am, let our 10am be 10am. Today we started 45 minutes or thereabout behind schedule.”

    Bakare also underscored the importance of sacrifice saying that those who came with personal assistants should pay them.

    He also cautioned about the use of religious prayer as preface before any contribution.

    According to him, if a Moslem uses religious prayer to preface his contribution, a Christian can also begin his contribution with “let somebody praise the Lord.”

    Former Dputy Speaker, House of Representatives Chibudum Nwuche noted that the conference started on a good note.

    He said: “I can say so far so good. Today plenary was specifically for house keeping. Delegates were asking routine questions about the proceedings and the rule of engagement. What was obvious today was the enthusiasm of Nigerians, their willingness to dialogue on all the issues.

    “The conduct of delegates also showed that Nigeria is united, that Nigeria is one is resolved to discuss the salient issues of equity and justice. My own perspective which I will present on the floor is that Nigeria needs to be reworked so that we can function better.”

     

  • ‘Failure to curb Boko Haram insurgency dangerous’

    ‘Failure to curb Boko Haram insurgency dangerous’

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr. Foluso Phillips, has expressed disappointment about the rate at which Boko Haram insurgents are killing innocent Nigerians.

    He said if urgent steps were not taken to stop the group, everybody might pay for the consequences.

    The NESG boss spoke in Abuja at the 20th Nigeria Economic Summit.

    He said government should pay attention to the education sector to improve the economy.

    Phillips said Nigeria is not doing enough to curb corruption, adding: “We are not pursuing and punishing those engaged in corrupt practices. We agree with a school of thought, which places emphases on building institutions, systems and processes, which provide an enduring and sustainable war against corruption.

    “But we need to have a collective and an uncompromising approach to dealing with corruption. President Goodluck Jonathan should come down harder on the culprits. We must rely on the power of the rule of law.”

     

  • Stella’s happy ending

    It was an eye-opening lesson on how to go about rewriting history when Princess Stella Oduah, the former Minister of Aviation who left office in undignified circumstances, lectured a gathering of stakeholders in the country’s aviation industry, including civil servants and pilots, at a valedictory ceremony held at the Protea Hotel, Asokoro in Abuja. It was a moment when reality, or objective truth, got reinterpreted, perhaps to the discomfiture of the audience.

    Oduah, whose dramatic exit followed a long-drawn-out controversy over her involvement in the scandalous purchase of two bulletproof cars for N255 million, kept a straight face as she pronounced herself blameless, which was not altogether surprising, given the known tendency of the blameworthy to insist on innocence. In a move that spoke volumes about her provocative perspective, she reportedly shunned a prepared speech by her media aide, ostensibly to speak from the heart. It proved to be socially useful by revealing the mindset of a former public servant who stands condemned by public opinion.

    “And without being immodest, I think we did the right thing,” she said of her stormy tenure, conveniently forgetting that it was the business of the people to judge her performance, and not for her to play the role. Remarkably, her choice of words on the occasion was unwittingly revealing. Three instances will suffice. First, she said, “I really don’t have anything to say but to say that what we did, we did it collectively.” This can be interpreted to mean that she actually has no defence in the matter of alleged abuse of office concerning the over-priced cars. Second, she told the audience, “It was Einstein that said I am strong as I am because you allowed me to stand on your shoulders, and all of you here allowed me to stand on your shoulders and so I want to say thank you.” Considering the unresolved accusation that preceded her removal from office, it was more like she stood on their heads. Third, she added, “Therefore, the next coming person, I believe with your support will do the needful. Most people don’t understand what the needful means…” To go by her dubious accomplishment in office, it shouldn’t be any wonder that her own definition and comprehension of the word “needful” may not be quite popular, as she brilliantly pointed out.

    It is noteworthy that before President Goodluck Jonathan eventually showed her the door, doing so with irritating hesitancy and undeserved courtesy, Oduah had a reputation as one of the very few sacred cows, largely female, who enjoyed unshakable presidential protection. Others who stand out in this charmed circle are Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and Diezani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Petroleum.

    All it took to reinforce this image of invincibility was for Jonathan to cunningly ensure a soft landing for Oduah under the guise of a cabinet reshuffle in February; and for the avoidance of doubt, he denied any linkage with the armoured automobiles affair, which the Presidency has since left behind after an unproductive cosmetic probe, despite an indicting investigation by the legislature.

    Consequently, Oduah can look back at the scandal as just a bad day at work, and lift her head high as she did at the farewell event. All is well that ends well, isn’t it?

     

     

     

     

     

  • PDP owns Kwara, Jonathan insists

    PDP owns Kwara, Jonathan insists

    •Vows to reclaim state in 2015

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday insisted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) owns Kwara State. He said the party will win the governorship election in 2015.

    Jonathan said that the PDP will test its might in the state by winning any elective positions in the state between now and 2015 general election.

    The President spoke in Abuja when Hajiya Bola Shagaya led members of the Kwara PDP to the Presidential Villa to thank him for his role in the PDP rally held in Ilorin.

    Jonathan said: “We remain very grateful and from what we saw that day, I do not think we need a soothsayer to say that Kwara is totally for the PDP. Kwara is totally for PDP.

    “Just like the Principal Secretary said, the taste of the pudding is in the eating. In 2015, we will know who owns Kwara. And if God gives us the opportunity, we will even test our strength before 2015.

    “All stolen mandates will return to PDP. And those who think that they can run away with our mandates should think twice. As a member of the Assembly who refused to defect, you will have nothing to regret. Just celebrate it.

    “If they think that PDP will allow them to run away with it, they will see it. So let us continue to encourage you and we will continue to work together with your leaders, supporters. Not only will we win the election at the national level, we will also win at the state level.”

    Continuing, he added: “We must take over the state structures of the party, we must take all, because it is easy to reach the grassroots through the states than the centre.

    “So any state we are unable to win, party members in that state will continue to live like orphans. So definitely, we are taking Kwara. So I am quite pleased with what you have done today.”

    The President went on: “Let me join others to express our appreciation for the reception you gave to us when we came for the rally. The rally in Kwara was even thicker than some zonal rallies.

    “It was like that because the government had wanted to distract the attention of the citizens. They arranged some programmes even within the Ilorin and those programmes failed. These things do not happen by chance because men and women who are here worked very hard to get to that level.

    Speaking on behalf of the group, a party elder, Laziz Jimoh, promised that the state will back Jonathan in 2015.

    He told the President that without a sitting PDP governor, they remain orphans.

    Among the delegations were Senators Simeon Ajibola, Gbemi Saraki, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Suleiman Ajadi and Special Adviser to the President on Ethics, Sarah Jibrin.

     

     

  • Court includes Kutigi, Akinyemi, Azinge in suit against conference

    Court includes Kutigi, Akinyemi, Azinge in suit against conference

    Justice Abdulkadir Abdulkafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday included former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Idris Kutigi and two others as parties in a suit challenging the legitimacy of the National Conference inaugurated on Monday by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The judge’s decision was upon an application by rights activist Tunji Abayomi.

    Abayomi, who filed the suit, sought the court’s permission to amend his processes to reflect the names of Kutigi (conference chairman), Prof Bolaji Akinyemi (Vice Chairman) and Mrs Valerie Azinge (Secretary) as defendants in the suit on the ground that they were necessary parties.

    Defendants’ lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) who is also a participant at the conference, did not oppose Abayomi’s application.

    The judge subsequently included the three as defendants and ordered service of court documents on them. Their inclusion now brings to seven defendants in the suit.

    Others are Jonathan, the Senate, its President, House of Representatives and its Speaker.

    Abayomi is by the suit, seeking to stop the national conference on the ground that the President lacked the powers to convoke or convene a national conference without a law from the National Assembly empowering him to do so.

    The activist, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/ 167/204 asked the court to determine whether a national conference can be convened by the President and/or government of Nigeria without a law made by the National Assembly enabling them to do so.

    In a supporting affidavit, Abayomi stated that the Federal Government has planned to spend billions of public money to fund the conference despite the absence of any law enabling the President to convoke the conference.

    He added that the Federal Government was bent on spending such amount despite the limited power invested in the President to use money to execute law.

    Yesterday, Abayomi withdrew his application for interlocutory injunction, with which he had sought to restrain the Federal Government from going ahead with the conference on the ground that if the government was not restrained, billions of tax payers money will be spent unconstitutionally.

    With his withdrawal of the application, which the judge consequently struck out, the coast is now clear for the hearing of the substantive suit.

    Upon the agreement by the two lawyers, Justice Abdulkafarati adjourned to March 31 for mention.

     

     

  • The danger ahead

    The danger ahead

    •The NIS tragedy reflects government’s lackadaisical attitude to job creation

    Perhaps the most touching dimension of the distressing loss of lives during stampedes that marred the March 15 nationwide recruitment drive by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is the fact that even the unborn died, as four pregnant women numbered among the  casualties of the tragedy.  The expectant mothers, three in Benin, and one in Port Harcourt, were among 520,000 job seekers chasing a disproportionate 4, 556 vacancies, a reality that provided a terrifying signal on the state of unemployment in the country. The death toll, put at 19, which included applicants in the federal capital Abuja, Benin in Edo State, Minna in Niger State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State, showed a spread that betrayed generally abysmal arrangements at the recruitment centres across the country.

    Deservedly, Interior Minister Abba Moro and NIS Comptroller-General David Parradang have been widely criticised for apparent dereliction of duty, and the usually dilatory President Goodluck Jonathan is reportedly highly disappointed with their performance and may punish them for embarrassing the government. However, whatever the eventual outcome of Jonathan’s reported meeting with the two officials in the wake of the tragedy, the truth is that these deaths and the overall conduct of the exercise indict the central government in the critical area of creation of employment opportunities, especially for the country’s burgeoning youth population.

    It is disturbing that Moro not only failed to see the obvious connection between the regrettably avoidable deaths and official irresponsibility; he also tried to shift the blame, rather disingenuously. According to the evidently disconnected government functionary, “The applicants lost their lives due to impatience. They did not follow the laid down procedure spelt out to them before the exercise. Many of them jumped through the fences of the affected centres and did not conduct themselves in an orderly manner to make the exercise a smooth one. This caused the stampede and made the environment unsecured.”

    However, it is instructive that Moro’s excuse was contradicted by one Samuel Jaja, a NIS applicant and relation of 25-year-old Brown Darlington who lost his life at the Port Harcourt centre. Jaja said the job seekers were made to sit on the floor at the stadium to write the examination. It was the same story at the recruitment venue in Calabar, Cross River State, where the applicants reportedly sat in the Federal Government Girls College sport field to write the test.  Clearly, such primitive organisation, which was incredibly reflected at virtually all the venues, could not have resulted in a smooth exercise, contrary to Moro’s poor reasoning.

    It is pertinent to question the purpose of the application fees paid by the job seekers in the light of the disgraceful and embarrassingly inept handling of the recruitment. The news that preliminary investigations by security agencies uncovered details that a staggering N7 billion was collected from 734, 000 applicants by a consultancy firm working for NIS suggests a racket that is principally about the size of the cash inflow and indifferent to the objective of crisis-free screening. The sad fatalities should prompt the government to ensure a far-reaching probe of the recruitment methods of NIS.

    What compounds the calamity is the remarkable fact that, about six years ago, equally tragic deaths occurred during a July 2008 nationwide recruitment by NIS and Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS). Seventeen lives were lost in similar circumstances, but no lessons were learned by the recruiting organisations, which is the fundamental point about the latest tragedy. It would appear that not only has NIS learnt nothing from history; it also seemed to have forgotten history, with the result that it failed to take proactive measures to forestall a repeat.

    The country is evidentially facing an unemployment crisis of mammoth magnitude; and the government must, as a matter of urgency, respond creatively and with all seriousness and sense of purpose. Addressing the issue before it well and truly gets out of hand must be at the top of the government’s priorities, for this is obviously a time bomb that will likely have devastating socio-economic consequences. The government must act decisively to prevent the danger ahead.

    It is lamentable that the country’s leaders continue to fail in productively exploiting its oil-rich status to maximise good governance.  For instance, one of the biggest paradoxes of the government’s approach to development is the liberal multiplication of universities without a reasonable concomitant policy on growing jobs for the products of these institutions. It is definitely  a sure path to trouble, and the conditions that fuelled the NIS recruitment tragedy may be only the tip of the iceberg as the competition for shrinking vacancies grows in intensity with so many chasing so few jobs.

    Furthermore, counter-productive official policies continue to effectively limit expansion in the private sector, thereby restricting the job opportunities available outside the public sector and complicating the unemployment problem.  Certainly, the country’s deplorable infrastructure is a huge aspect of the crisis. To be specific, the unresolved power problem and the appalling state of the road network, for instance, have a seriously negative implication for employment possibilities; and significant improvement in these areas should be among the government’s key developmental goals, and not just theoretically.

    What the country needs at this time, and urgently too, is a hands-on style of governance, meaning that the critical governmental figures should spend less time chasing shadows and get down to the important business of working for “the greatest happiness of the greatest number.”

    We commiserate with relatives of the dead and hope that never again would we witness such avoidable tragedy.