The Nation Newspaper

Tag: government

  • ‘Govt, private sector must play active roles in developing alternative financing sources’

    ‘Govt, private sector must play active roles in developing alternative financing sources’

    What is the government doing to encourage private sector operators in the real sector to approach the bond market for funds?

    Government has done the best thing it can do for the private sector as far as the bond market is concerned; government used the opportunity of the fact just like any another government it would need to borrow money from the market to fund its fiscal deficits, which is what every government does and did it in the past. The government is subjecting itself to the discipline of the capital market; borrowing from the capital market. The government didn’t simply go to borrow from the capital market, it made sure that these were structured in such a way that they helped to develop the market for long time funds for the private sector; so that’s the best the government can do in that particular respect and it has done so.

    Government knows that it also needs to establish a benchmark for the private sector and it has done that successfully making sure that it succeeded in raising funds at competitive coupons, which will make sure that when the Nigerian companies go to raise funds they can benchmarked their issues on the sovereign bonds. Go and look at other countries that have issued bonds since we issued ours and check on what their own coupons are compared to ours.

    So, government had done the best it can do as far as debt market is concerned, it is permanently working with the private sector, like I said earlier, to make sure their various concerns are addressed whether in terms of tariffs, duties and infrastructure.

    On diversification of instruments and investors’ base, what are you doing to tap into the global alternative market like the Sukuk and others?

    Government is already working on alternative financing sources and generally the non-interest financing products including the Sukuk and others. Just last week there was a workshop in Abuja organised by the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) which involved other African countries and we deliberated on how to go forward. So, Nigeria is seriously working on establishing the necessary frameworks for tapping into alternative sources of funding; including Sukuk like I mentioned earlier.

    Nigeria is going to take advantage of all available and appropriate funding sources. At the Abuja forum, I did say that it should not be taken that development of the alternative financing should be restricted to government. Just as in the conventional debt instruments that we are encouraging the private sector to take advantage, we are also for the non-interest financing including Sukuk while encouraging the private sector to also play the lead role. It’s not only for government to start issuing sovereign Sukuks; at the appropriate time, they will do that, the private sector should understand these new financing alternatives so they could take advantage of these.

    The absence of credit enhancement and guarantees is one challenge being faced by the private sector in raising funds from global capital market, is there any possibility of the DMO as a sovereign issuer providing credit enhancement and guarantees for corporate issuers?

    There are various credit enhancements that are already in place. For instance, there is the partial risk guaranty offered by the World Bank Group, which usually comes through the Ministry of Finance, I’m aware there are a couple of projects seeking funding through this alternative.

    There are arrangements in place if some foreign investors possibly in collaboration with Nigerian partners want to invest in the country, and they need some form of political guaranty that can be accessed from the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), a member of the World Bank Group, this is available.

    Let me also mention that something related to that is the fact that the Minister of Finance has made known on a number of occasions that before the year ends, government would have established the mortgage liquidity facility which is to help the private sector be able to fund mortgages. These are some of the credit enhancement schemes in various forms.  The coordinating minister of the economy has made it clear on many occasions that government has obtained a $300 million from the World Bank as a mortgage liquidity facility and that will be finalised before the end of the year. So, there is a lot that the government is doing to make sure that they provide the necessary support for the private sector to overcome some of the structural constraints that they have.

    Looking at efforts to create a flexible market with variety of debt instruments. When do we expect to see some of your new products?

    Some of the products will be coming in the near time; some will be in the medium term. For example the Global Depository Note we talked about, which is a way of encouraging special classes of international investors who would not invest directly in the domestic bond market except through a depository arrangement, is likely to come on stream before the year-end as approved by the National Assembly. The inflation-linked bond we are working on, we believe in the near time it will come to fruition. The other flexibility arrangements we talked about including the securities lending certainly will come on stream before the end of the first half of 2014. So, many of these measures, the concrete new products as well as the flexibility instruments are coming in the near to medium term.

    As at December last year, you said that foreign investors holding of FGN securities amounted to $5.1 billion, can we have a more updated figure?

    We are used to emphasizing statistics that our public debt is so much, and that is why in today’s event we focus on talking about what are the benefits to the Nigerian economy, particularly through the private sector, that derived from these beautiful statistics we talked about. We have spent today explaining to financial journalists those statistics, what are the opportunities in real terms embedded in them that will translate to good standards of living for our people and that’s why our emphasis is on pointing out the opportunities we have created for the private sector so that they will issue their own debt instrument in the markets. We have developed the bond market so that they can raise long term money to invest in the real sector of the economy, in infrastructure, by so doing, they will create jobs for our teeming population and it will lead to more incomes in the society; because for every Nigerian who earns income by being gainfully employed, you know that there are many other dependents relying on that person, so there will be spread in welfare and reduction in poverty.

    What is the most current figure of government’s debt?

    Our focus is not talking about figures, let me say in summary that our debts as usual remain sustainable, and the statistics are there. But it’s not an issue of statistics, over the past seven years; we are one of the least borrowed countries in the world in terms of statistics. All of us should appreciate there is the need for us to diversify our economy because we are overly dependent on oil revenue for driving our economy as a source of foreign exchange and revenue for government. So, the focus is on diversifying the sources of revenue for government. If we do this, we will observe that beyond the statistics, our debt will even be more sustainable instead of depending on oil and gas for about 80 per cent.

    The IMF has raised Nigeria’s borrowing threshold. What does that imply for us?

    The IMF didn’t raise Nigeria’s borrowing threshold; maybe indirectly. Countries are classified in various groups, so Nigeria belongs to a particular category and because of change in Nigeria’s per capita income, it has changed categories and the one in which it belongs is allowed technically to borrow up to 56 per cent of its debt GDP ratio without raising eyebrow in terms of credit worthiness. So, it’s an appreciation from the point of view of those global financial institutions that Nigerian economy is moving to the next level and in doing so, it has been reclassified in terms of its capacity to borrow. However, Nigeria’s President, the coordinating minister of the economy and the debt management office have made it clear that in spite of that technical space created, Nigeria will continue to be conservative in its borrowing as if nothing has really happened in terms of more space for it, so Nigeria will continue to be prudent and to continue borrowing as if it’s using the old limits, because the emphasis is not for government to do more borrowing, but to create space for the private sector to do the borrowing and that is why the theme of our interaction was on the opportunities created for the private sector from debt management achievements so they are now being encouraged; base on the benchmark created in the international capital market, based on the benchmark and market we have developed domestically, the private sector is now being challenged to take advantage and be the borrowers to invest in agriculture, solid mineral, infrastructure and so on.

  • This government doesn’t just care!

    SIR: This is simply incredible! That the federal government bluntly told striking university lecturers that it cannot afford to meet their financial demands? The same government that doled out millions of naira from public till to organise a stage-managed Women Peace Rally in Abuja, and brought top class artists like Iyanya, Onyeka Onwenu, Danja, Kcee and some notable Nollywood stars as part of the ‘rented’, but heavily paid crowd at the event?

    Are we really a serious nation at all? Our leaders are not bothered that the nation’s youths who should be in school are wasting away at home. Instead, they are busy making plans and seriously strategising ahead of an election that is two solid years ahead of us. Do they really care about the future of this country at all?

    I sincerely doubt it!

    Any sane mind, better still, anyone who truly wants the best for Nigeria cannot afford to pretend over these strange occurrences. I’m very sure that even among those conspiring to send this nation to early grave exist a few who are worried about the state of things. Like humans that they are, I don’t expect them to openly bite’ the finger that provides them their share of the cake; no, not in this part of the world where people kill in their quest for power and relevance.

    Check this out; a few years back, trillions of naira, from our collective patrimony was used as bailout funds for commercial banks ran aground by friends and associates of those in power. The entertainment industry, popularly called Nollywood equally enjoyed similar largesse when this same government released the sum of N3 billion as bailout funds for its smooth operations. Even after discovering that some government-backed oil contractors collected trillions of naira for not supplying a drop of fuel, this same government still kept its cool and shielded the big boys from paying for their crimes. Instead, it resorted to removing fuel subsidy as if to choke the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

    The same government that has earned for itself the sobriquet of being the most generous administration has suddenly realised the need to be prudent now that it’s the turn of university lecturers? What is sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander. So, let the spending spree continue. After all, it is oil money. Oil can never dry up in Nigeria. Our gods will never allow that to happen, not now that a son of the soil is in the saddle.

    • Abdullahi Yunusa,

    Minna, Niger State,

     

  • Government, democracy and anarchy

    A  basic definition of government in Political Science is that a government is any government that can   legitimately and  consistently   maintain law  and order,  and  control the use of physical force within its given territorial area  It  follows therefore  that this  week’s   carnage in  Egypt, ancient    land of the Pharaohs  and  the  slaughter  of demonstrators  and supporters  of deposed President  Mohammed  Morsi  of the Muslim Brotherhood , a bloody spectacle brought to the rooms  and privacy of a global internet and TV audience,  should  provide food for thought today. This is because in just  one day   which  was Wednesday, the Health Ministry in Egypt announced that over 500 Egyptians    had been killed with over 40  Police officers included. The frighteningly bloody scenario  vividly showed a live tragedy  of  the use of violence  and force to establish law and order by a diarchy  of an Interim Egyptian  government  that claimed to have legitimacy  and authority which those it had to disperse, members of  the Muslim Brotherhood equally claimed it did not have.  In  effect then,  in Egypt this week,   a  violent contest ensued for the soul and possession  of  the powers  and might of the Pharaohs who  once ruled Egypt with a mighty hand, and it was a spectacle  that would  have made the  ancient rulers tremble in their graves, given  the way and manner Egyptians were  mowed down with  tanks, guns  and ammunitions   by   the government of   the day   in its resolve to assert  its authority, and prevent  a descent to anarchy in Egypt. But  then,  was Egypt  on the way to anarchy with the way the Morsi supporters were behaving or did the government  overreach itself in the way it ordered the clamp down and  the bloody removal of Morsi supporters? These are  the  questions begging for answers now  and in the immediate  future or perhaps eternity. Who  knows?

    Such  answers must   anyway  include speculations on Egypt’s immediate past especially the Housni  Mubarak era  and its closure by the Cairo Street demonstrations  two  years ago. We  ask   loudly,  would  Mubarak have ordered the sort of clamp down we saw last Wednesday? With the benefit of hindsight it is now clear that the US must have shown a red card to Mubarak that made him go peacefully by resigning and suffering the humiliation of being brought to trial in a cage and on his sick bed . But where was the US last week? Of  course  US  President Barak  Obama was on vacation  and he issued a statement from there. Yet,  the  angry  mobs of the Morsi supporters were still busy setting fire to government buildings in Egypt and the toll of the dead Egyptians was rising. In  his speech the US President said America cannot decide  the future of Egypt  as that is for the Egyptian people to decide. Which sums up the kernel of US policy on the Middle East and Egypt and  that    is to promote democracy and step aside once the situation gets murky and bloody, especially with the death of the US ambassador   in Benghazi still very much in mind. Which  also  inadvertently  but  inevitably opens the way for Islamic parties to fill the vacuum created by US dithering, volte face and lack  of commitment to its allies in the Middle East.

    The truth the Americans must face is that anywhere they support democracy in the Middle East, anti American sentiments centered around US  support for Israel   against  the Palestinians  and the building on the occupied territories,  will make the Islamist parties  to win  democratic elections  in such places.  It  is apparent that the US  is feeling the heat in this regard and that explains why it closed so many embassies all over the Middle East on security grounds last week towards the end of Ramadan based on information it intercepted on the plans of the leaders of Al Qada to cause mass terror   in the region at the end of Ramadan.

    One  cannot but recall US  relations with the Shah  of Iran  and how similar it was  to the fate that befell Housni Mubarak   of Egypt and US  withdrawal  of support at the last minute   in 2011. In the Shah’s case he was lucky to flee  and go into exile. But  at  an interview later,  he said  he could have stayed  if he wanted but he did not want any more bloodshed   and that paved the way for the return of Ayatollan Ruhollah Khomeini who  was in exile in Paris, France. Given what happened to Egyptians supporting Morsi this week, one must commend the Shah’s humanity and respect for human lives. Yet,  the Shah’s  departure ended any hope of democracy in Iran and brought in a theocracy that called the US ‘the Great Satan’ and waged war globally against the interests of the US and its allies. Similarly the US through the war on terror eliminated Sadam Hussein in Iraq, planted democracy and got Shiite Muslims who are in majority in terms of population  into power  and Iraq’s government became ipso facto a stooge of Teheran, while the Sunnis who  were in power under Saddam but are a minority  in Iraq, have been  blowing up   anyone and everything   in Iraq  ever since. Apparently and  on the surface,   the Americans hardly do any   diligent cost benefit analysis of their foreign forays to plant democracy,  but just jump  in when there are demonstrations and jump ship when demonstrators face the  fire power of the sit tight tyrants they want out of power, as  the Egyptians are learning at   very high   human  and mortal costs.

    Nigeria should learn  a lot from the Egyptian debacle which has led to the Interim government in Egypt  declaring   a one  month curfew and  a state of emergency. The  problem with Egypt is that the army is the political organ  giving the orders  while the Police is the organ pulling the trigger. It is a fascinating situation really. The army cannot come in because of US funding for Egypt’s huge military apparatus. But according to Obama the US has canceled a scheduled military exercise   for next month with the Egyptian army. This is meant to deter the army from joining the police in killing Morsi supporters but it may backfire if the army decides to really bare its fangs   and join the foray, once it knows that the US funds  are not coming anyway , and that will make Egypt’s  volatile politics  even  more costly and bloody in terms of human lives.

    The  lesson for Nigeria   ironically   is with regard to Boko Haram, the state of emergency in some North Eastern states  and the situation in Rivers State. This  week Boko Haram killed over 40 people worshipping in a mosque  and on Thursday the CNN showed the Head of Boko Haram mocking Nigeria and its army whose spokesman reportedly said  the Boko Haram leader had been killed together with his father who provided spiritual leadership to the terrorist group. What  is clear is that the Boko Haram leader’s video and the killing of innocent Nigerians in mosques and churches portray Nigeria as  a nation in  a state  of anarchy that Egypt was going before the clamp down or even after . In Nigeria election is not due till 2015 yet the political system is overheated with an arrogant and impudent Boko Haram challenge that mocks the nation and   the strength  of  its army   on global TV while claiming that it has subdued Nigeria and is now after the US. Nigeria should not be allowed to go the way of Egypt before the 2015 elections. Yet if you look again at the Rivers’ state political and security dispute between the Commissioner  of Police and the Governor of the State, it is a lesson in a descent    to anarchy. This  is  because the Police have withdrawn police protection for the Governor who does not trust the Police Commissioner and thinks he should be redeployed. But   the PC’s boss,  the Inspector General of Police has said that the PC is a professional doing his job and that speaks volumes on the security situation of the state and the safety of the governor himself .With what legitimate force can the Governor assert his authority and legitimacy in ruling the state outside the police?  None to me and that is really dangerous in a state that abounds  with  deadly  militant groups and well armed youths. There  may not be anarchy yet in Rivers state,  but it is already  getting to that,  and that,  compounded with the video of a taunting Boko Haram leader,  make us   look  as  a nation  like a rudderless ship lost  on the high seas   certainly around Port Harcourt, and that   too, really,  is a huge pity.

  • Pensioners seek government support

    Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has appealed to the state governor Babatunde Fashola to assist them in the payment of outstanding allowances to its members.

    According to the union, the entitlement they are demanding include; non payment of the pensioners gratuity between 2006 and 2010, non-implementation of pension increase of six percent in 2003 and 15 percent in 2007, non payment of 36 months balance of 142 percent of pension increase from year 2000 till date, non- review of pensions for the past 10 years in contradiction of the 1999 Constitution.

    The state chairman and the Southwest Coordinator of the union, Alhaji Nojeemdeen Ibrahim, said the group had made several efforts to speak and hold a peaceful protest to demand for the gratuity of some of it members who had retired since 13 years ago but all to no avail.

    He said many of the people involved have children in school and some of them are dying because they cannot pay for treatment in hospital. He added that some are ageing and many are dying of hunger because there is no money to take care of themselves.

    Ibrahim said the union now decided to embark on fasting and prayer because they have adopted many strategies to demand for their entitlements from the government.

    He maintained that the union resolved to embark on fasting and prayer because it is only God who can help them.

    In his words; “we have held several meetings with the government but the people in charge are trying to play politics with our demand. Many times they will tell us that they have taken it to the State Executive Council meeting which we know that they are just trying to play pranks with this issue. Meanwhile, many of our people are dying and if they don’t give them when they are alive, when will they receive what they have worked for in many years back.

    “Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo do not owe their pensioners; it is only the Lagos and Osun that are stubborn in this regard.

    In his remarks, the Lagos State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Comrade Akeem Kazeem, appealed to the state government to address the issue before it gets out of hand. He said the people involved are aged people and the goverment have to address it before they all die.

    One of the people who spoke with Hallmark Mr. Kabiru Adeleke said it is unfortunate that the State governor could ignore them at this stage despite their effort to ensure that Fashola return to power. He said some of them are aging and dying because there is no money to take care of themselves and many have children at school but when the state government refused to pay their money, how can they provide for their family? He queried.

     

     

  • GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE LMC gives Kwara Utd 48-hour ultimatum

    LEAGUE Management Committee (LMC) has handed Kwara United FC of Ilorin a 48-hour ultimatum to reverse the decision of the Kwara State government that set up a new management committee to run the affairs of the club or face a ban from the Globacom Premier League.

    Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, on Monday constituted a five-man committee headed by his Chief of Staff, Toyin Sanusi, with the state Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Hajia Ramat Abaya, Team Manager, Agboola Ibrahim Basambo, Coach Samson Unuanel and the Secretary, Olusola Shehu as other members to ensure a smooth day-to-day running of the team, a decision that has been condemned by the league’s ruling body.

    The Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Salihu Abubakar, told SportingLife that the decision of the state government to set up the committee amounts to government interference in sport which negates the rules governing the constitution of club management in the elite class.

    According to Abubakar, if the state government fails to reverse its decision before the ultimatum expires, LMC will deliberate on the development and issue the necessary sanction.

    “It’s not that we have banned Kwara United. We got a news report that the state government has set up an interim management committee, and that is illegal.

    “For us, as far as we are concerned it is an illegal thing because the rule says clearly that there is no way you can set up an interim body to run a club,” Abubakar informed SportingLife on Tueday.

    “Article 1.9 says the league body will not recognise any interim management committee, that is one. Secondly, they appointed commissioners into the committee and the same Article 1.9(4) says government functionaries, special advisers, commissioners and so on shall not be allowed to be part of the club management.

    “You can see that Kwara United have breached such article, so we give them 72 hours (now 48 hours) and if they don’t revert to the status quo, that is, the management we know, we’ll sanction the club and it is automatic suspension from the league.

    “All we know is that there was a management committee that we have been dealing with and that is the one we recognise, we don’t know any other one.”

    Under the government’s new set up, the Chairman of the Kwara United board, Barrister Bamidele Aluko, who was running the affairs of the club before, is to remain in an advisory position, but Abubakar said according to the rules, the board must be allowed to finish its tenure.

    “The appointment of a management committee is a tenured appointment; they have a full tenure of four years as provided for by the regulations, so they must be allowed to finish their term in respect of any new management.

    “If they don’t reverse to the status quo we will sanction the club and suspend the club from the league. We’ve given them 48 hours to do that,” Abubakar told SportingLife.

  • Monarch seeks govt’s help

    Monarch seeks govt’s help

    The Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Hon Babatunde Adepitan, has visited the new palace of the Olu of Mushin, Oba Fatai Aileru.

    The palace, a two-storey building, which is under construction,still needs much to be done

    The Olu, who invited the chairman to see the level of work done, thanked him for the many laudable projects he has carried out to lift the youth and market women in the community, sought government’s help to complete the palace.

    The chairman, who was impressed with the level of work done so far promised to assist in the completion of the building in cash or kind.

    “The government will come in because you are our traditional father, and in the next two to three months, we will help out with the little remaining,”Adepitan said.

  • Family government (4)

    Dear Reader,

    One truth you need to know is that your children, in actual sense, do not belong to you, but to God. He has simply put them in your charge and made you their caretaker. That is why we will be examining the aspect of CHILD TRAINING.

    Children constitute immediate members of the family government after the woman. Both the man and the woman have a joint responsibility to perform, in training their children.

    They both have different roles to play in the family government, in order to ensure lasting success and excitement in the family. Just as it took both the man and the woman to bring about the birth of the child, so also, are they expected to rear him or her together.

    God’s Word in Psalm 127:3-5 says: Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Children, as members of the family government, are additional blessings from God Himself, sent to spice up your family. Children are sent to add colour and meaning to your family government.

    Can you imagine a nation having a president, governors, ministers and commissioners but no people? There will not be much governing to do. This case can be likened to the blessings of having children in the family. They are rewards and “arrows”. An arrow is a lethal fighting weapon that is used for various purposes. Children in the hands of God, can be likened to such lethal weapon that can be used to destroy the works of the devil. Verse 5 says: they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. They are blessings from God that are invaluable.

    Therefore, you have a responsibility to prepare them the way skilled craftsmen fashion arrows, at the blacksmith’s workshop. You have to carefully and patiently groom them to become arrows as faithful and responsible adults in the area of business, education, legislature and gospel promotion.

    For instance, Daniel was not a preacher, but a politician, yet he was righteous and upheld the name of Jehovah in Daniel 5:11-12. Joseph was a prime minister, who also upheld integrity in Genesis 39:8-9 and Genesis 41:38-41. Other examples include Samuel in I Samuel 3:19 and Timothy as a Bishop in I Timothy 4:14. These are some examples of men who were brought up in homes where God’s laws were taught, thereby fashioning them to become arrows in God’s hands.

    Two major tools for training your child are: LOVE and CONTROL. These two are of equal importance. You cannot control a child you do not love, and you cannot effectively love a child you do not control. You need 100% of both in training your child. God’s Word in Luke 18:16 says: But Jesus called them to Him and said, let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God and Mark 10:16 says: And he took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. These are practical examples of how to demonstrate love to your children. It summarily involves you developing a mutual and trustworthy relationship with them. Let them know that you love them in your actions and words, when you are teaching, training or disciplining them.

    Children are very sensitive, so if your actions and words do not portray that you love them, they will doubt, you even if you say so. Treat them respectfully as little people and not as inferiors. Remember, they are very important members of the family government too! Never be too proud to say, “I’m sorry” to your child, when you’ve made a mistake. Be a sure example to your children always. Don’t tell them to do what you won’t do yourself. Also, allow them to learn by examples. Children learn faster this way. Remember, children need love, especially when they don’t deserve it.

    Control, on the other hand, means to have authority and power in order to direct, manage or rule. Love without control will lead to destruction (I Samuel 2:22, 29). Children should be taught early in life, how to submit to higher authorities. Exercising control in training your child should be done with patience, using yourself as an example for the child to follow.

    Having read this teaching, it is important for you to accept the Author of every family government, by confessing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. God wants the best for your family and He can turn your home around for the better, if you let Him. Accepting Him, will open you up to His help. If you will like to confess Jesus Christ as your Lord now and become born again, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

     

  • Family government (3)

    Dear Reader,One truth you need to know is that your children, in actual sense, do not belong to you, but to God.  He has simply put them in your charge and made you their caretaker.  That is why we will be examining the aspect of CHILD TRAINING.
    Children constitute immediate members of the family government after the woman.  Both the man and the woman have a joint responsibility to perform, in training their children.
    They both have different roles to play in the family government, in order to ensure lasting success and excitement in the family.  Just as it took both the man and the woman to bring about the birth of the child, so also, are they expected to rear him or her together.
    God’s Word in Psalm 127:3-5 says: Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.  Children, as members of the family government, are additional blessings from God Himself, sent to spice up your family.  Children are sent to add colour and meaning to your family government.
    Can you imagine a nation having a president, governors, ministers and commissioners but no people?  There will not be much governing to do.  This case can be likened to the blessings of having children in the family.  They are rewards and “arrows”.  An arrow is a lethal fighting weapon that is used for various purposes.  Children in the hands of God, can be likened to such lethal weapon that can be used to destroy the works of the devil.  Verse 5 says: they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.  They are blessings from God that are invaluable.
    Therefore, you have a responsibility to prepare them the way skilled craftsmen fashion arrows, at the blacksmith’s workshop.  You have to carefully and patiently groom them to become arrows as faithful and responsible adults in the area of business, education, legislature and gospel promotion.
    For instance, Daniel was not a preacher, but a politician, yet he was righteous and upheld the name of Jehovah in Daniel 5:11-12.  Joseph was a prime minister, who also upheld integrity in Genesis 39:8-9 and Genesis 41:38-41.  Other examples include Samuel in I Samuel 3:19 and Timothy as a Bishop in I Timothy 4:14. These are some examples of men who were brought up in homes where God’s laws were taught, thereby fashioning them to become arrows in God’s hands.
    Two major tools for training your child are: LOVE and CONTROL. These two are of equal importance.  You cannot control a child you do not love, and you cannot effectively love a child you do not control.  You need 100% of both in training your child.  God’s Word in Luke 18:16 says: But Jesus called them to Him and said, let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God  and Mark 10:16 says: And he took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. These are practical examples of how to demonstrate love to your children.  It summarily involves you developing a mutual and trustworthy relationship with them.  Let them know that you love them in your actions and words, when you are teaching, training or disciplining them.
    Children are very sensitive, so if your actions and words do not portray that you love them, they will doubt, you even if you say so.  Treat them respectfully as little people and not as inferiors.  Remember, they are very important members of the family government too!  Never be too proud to say, “I’m sorry” to your child, when you’ve made a mistake.  Be a sure example to your children always.  Don’t tell them to do what you won’t do yourself. Also, allow them to learn by examples.  Children learn faster this way.  Remember, children need love, especially when they don’t deserve it.
    Control, on the other hand, means to have authority and power in order to direct, manage or rule.  Love without control will lead to destruction (I Samuel 2:22, 29). Children should be taught early in life, how to submit to higher authorities.  Exercising control in training your child should be done with patience, using yourself as an example for the child to follow.
    Having read this teaching, it is important for you to accept the Author of every family government, by confessing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.  God wants the best for your family and He can turn your home around for the better, if you let Him.  Accepting Him, will open you up to His help.  If you will like to confess Jesus Christ as your Lord now and become born again, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today.  I am a sinner.  I cannot help myself.  Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood.  Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the living God.  I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Make me a child of God today.  Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!
    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:
    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel.  No: 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

  • Is local government federating unit?

    Is local government federating unit?

    Local government autonomy has remained a controversial issue, since the commencement of the processes for amending the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the arguments for and against the proposal.

    The question of local government autonomy in the country has been a long-running subject. It has elicited animated and almost emotional debate among the political class. The Senate’s position on the matter has never been in doubt right from the onset. While setting up the 47-member to review the Constitution, the Senate President David Mark had posed a number of questions. He asked: “How effective are the Local Government? Should they be made to function independent of the states? Is the joint State/Local Government still necessary”?

    The question of local government effectiveness and joint account have been in the front burner for a long time. Many people are of the view that anything short of granting administrative and fiscal autonomy to the local government will not be acceptable.

    Hitherto, a bill for an Act to alter the provision of the Constitution to provide for financial autonomy for Local Government Councils and for matters connected there to, had scaled the second reading on the floor of the senate.

    The bill, which was sponsored by Senator Nurudeen Abatemi Usman, was intended to give local councils a lease of life from the strangle hold of states and ensure their financial autonomy. He said through the bill, the delay in states’ release of funds to their respective councils would be a thing of the past. Besides, he avered that it will also eliminate wanton and arbitrary deductions by the states as well as reduce the utilisation of the provision as a suppressive tool by some governors. He said such financial autonomy will attract better, qualified Nigerians to contest for and serve in the local governments.

    The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, justified the demand for local government autonomy this way: “In 2002 , the state governments brought a suit against the Federal government for deducting first line charges for joint venture investment in oil sector, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation priority project and external debt service”.

    Ekweremadu noted that, while the Spreme Court judgment favoured the state governments, it appears that most states are guilty of the same act as the local governments in many instances have continued to suffer fiscal emasculation in the hands of state governments. Now that we have the opportunity to amend the constitution, let us determine once and for all the uniform policy of local government administration with regard to structure, tenure, administrative independence and fiscal autonomy. This is the only way we can guarantee even development to our communities and spread the dividends of democracy to the people.

    Beyond that, Nigerians are divided on the issue. While some say autonomy for local government will speed up development in the country others believe it will worsen the corruption.

     

    NGF’s opposition to

    LG autonomy

     

    The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) is stoutly opposed to any move to grant autonomy to local governments. The body has continued to maintain that local councils are integral part of state governments. The plank of the Forum’s argument is that, in all known federation, the federating units are usually the states and the centre. And that autonomy will only make sense in the relationship between the states and the centre where we look at a spectrum that runs on the two extremes of unitarism and confederation. They argue that, in a federal system, there is no provision for local government as a federating partner and to talk of one is to engage in absurdity.

    The understanding, over the years, has been that, in a true federalism, the issue relating to the creation, delineation and funding of local authorities is within the constitutional purview of states, which have political and juridicial status that the local governments do not have. The states are federating units while the local governments are merely administrative units.

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola agreed that local governments have politico-legal existence in so far as the constitution recognised them and even listed their names. “These local governments so named are the beneficiaries of federal allocations, just like the states and the federal government. It is this existing arrangement that has made some to erroneously assume and even argue that the local governments are on the same level of autonomy as states and federal governments.

    “What we have today is a disruptive and abominable legacy of military rule. It was the practice of the military to create local governments and even states. Since the military went on a frenzy of proliferating the local governments, and even took on itself the burden of its funding, just as it was funding the states from the Federation Account. The military then passed on this legacy at its disengagement in 1999. Nevertheless, the issue of local governments’ autonomy should only come into play within the context of their relationship with their states”, he said.

     

    Local governments in

    other countries

     

    Local governments in the United States, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and others countries have huge responsibilities and resources, but still operate within the purview of their states.

    Switzerland has a three-tier governmental structure-Confederation (Federal government), Cantons (State government) and municipalities (Local government). The autonomy of the Municipalities is guarantied within the limits fixed by catonial law. The municipalities are the creation of the Cantons and they define the organisation, competences, resources and power of control and intervention of the cantonial authorities in municipal affairs.

    In Germany,the local government is characterised by diversity, especially in its unique city states. The Federal Republic of Germany consisted of 11 Lander (States) when it was founded. Since reunification in 1990, Germany now has 16 Lander, including the three city states of Hamburg, Bremen and Berlin. Regarding the assignment of land tasks, the Basic Law merely distinguishes between two orders: the federation and the Lander.

    Austria, clearly, belongs to the category of the federal systems where local government is extensively regulated by the Federal Constitution. The more rigorous the federal constitutional regime, however, the less space remains for the Lander and their legislation. Even then, the competence to regulate local government is mainly assigned to the Lander not the federal legislature.

     

    Third tier of government?

     

    The general belief is that there are three-tier of government in the country, namely: federal, state and local governments.

    A political scientist, Dr Hakeem Baba- Ahmed, said the authors of the 1999 Constitution envisaged true federalism with three tier of government. So, what we have is a federal constitution that recognises local government as a tier.

    Baba-Ahmed frowns at the practice whereby local governments with democratically elected executive are answerable to the state government. “Why should that be? Once the local government executive are accountable to the state executives they can’t perform their functions. Local governments should be accountable to the people just as the states and the Federal governments are.

    “The constitutional provision that tied the local government to the state government should be amended. It shouldn’t be there. Remove all those elements that hinder local government from operating as a tier of government. The joint account should be abrogated and be allowed to conduct their own election independently. It is important to have a full blown local government with full autonomy”. Baba-Ahmed stressed.

    Baba-Ahmed dismissed the argument of the state governors that local government can’t be autonomous of the state government adding that we don’t have to go to Switzerland or India to borrow a model.

    The Head of the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. Abubakar Momoh, wants the local government to operate as third tier of government because they are close to the grass root and that is where people feel the presence of government.

    Momoh said the interest of the people start with local government because the local government executives know the needs of the people more than the states and thefederal government that are far away. Transparency and accountability are visible at the grass root because the people live with those running the councils.

    He said putting local councils in the pockets of state governments do not encourage competent and qualified people to serve as chairmen or councillors.. It is not good for the country. The governors remove councillors and chairmen at will either because they don’t belong to the ruling party in the state or they are not willing to do the bidding of the governor. The state governments intervene in their activities. The state governors determines what to do with the joint account, the funds on many occasions are diverted.

    “Where the state electoral commissions conduct local government election, the result is predictable. The ruling party wins all seats. It is not helping our democracy.

    “People keep criticising the federal government of not doing this and that , they have forgotten that local governments too have certain roles to play but they can’t because they are crippled by the state governments.

    An expert in Constitutional Law, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), described the three-tier federal structure as a fundamental error and an anomaly. He said Nigeria is a federation , so the idea of having autonomous local governments makes no sense.

    Sagay said: “To have the local governments listed in the constitution is an aberration” adding that councils should exist as agencies of the states for development.

    “It should not be mentined at all in the constitution. States should decide how many local governments they need and fund them. We don’t need a Federation Account. It is not the duty of the constitution toto direct the state to create local government area. A state should decide whether its local government officials should work on a part time basis or not, or whether to run them like a parliamentary system. We don’t have to have the same system for all the local governments.. Those advocating autonomy for local government should bid federalism good-bye”, Sagay said.

    The chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and governor of Rivers State, Chief Rotimi Amaechi said there is no country in the world that there are three federating units. There are only two all over the world. Why should anybody say there must be three federating units in Nigeria?

    Amaechi said: “Let a state governor or let the states create as many local governments as they want to create. It should not be a constitutional issue. Those accusing governors of mismanaging resources are far from saying the truth. In Rivers state, Locacal governments not only collect their money directly but they also collect two billion naira monthly from the state coffer. The state government pays the salaries of all teachers in the state. With this, our wage bill is six billion naira per month.

    The Nigerian Union of Teachers has kicked against granting local government financial autonomy. The union said its position was informed by their experience under the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida when the payment of primary school teachers was transferred to the local governments. It recalled that some local governments across the country owed as much as nine month salaries. Primary education in the states nearly collapsed when teachers refused to go to school to teach. At last, the military government reversed the policy and asked the state governments to take over. That was how state governments cleared the salary arrears and continued payment of teachers’ salaries.. The union said nothing has changed in the local government so as to entrust the management of education on them.

    Lagos State commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Mr Ademorin Kuye said those behind the agitation for autonomy for local government were not sincere but only pushing for it to score political points . Those clamouring are doing so for political gains; to use the local government to get elected into office.. However,the state government supported tenure elongation for local governments to give them more time to carry out their constitutional responsibilities, he said.’

     

  • Family government (2)

    Dear Reader,

    God instituted marriage to get a suitable help for man and that help is the woman. The woman is an ordained help for her husband. What are you to help your husband with?

    As wife, God expects you to help your husband bear the load of responsibilities he carries. The woman’s duty includes ensuring that the man does not fail, as the head of the family government. She is, in addition to submitting to her husband, a HOME MAKER.

    The home is what the woman makes it to be. She can either choose to make it a place filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit, laughter and free of tension or otherwise. The woman has the responsibility of keeping the home conducive, for the presence of God to dwell, thereby guaranteeing peace in the home.

    Peaceful homes are not wished into being. They do not drop from heaven, but are carefully and consciously cultivated into being by the parties involved in the family government. The woman is a major party to this assignment. God’s Word in Titus 2:4-5 says: That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to the husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Keeping the home requires diligence, spiritually and physically. It is energy and time-consuming, but the result speaks for itself. A lazy woman cannot keep a home. God will always supply the strength that is required.

    A woman is to keep her house spiritually by prayer and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Also she keeps it, practically by cleaning up and beautifying it. “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” they say.

    Another important aspect of being an effective homemaker in the family government, is the quality of food you feed your family with. Thank God for husbands who will help out in the kitchen, but it is your duty as a woman to feed your family well. Genesis 3:6 says: And when the woman saw that the three was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

    Unfortunately, Eve fed her husband with poison, instead of life. Woman, what are you feeding your family with? There is a popular adage that says, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Woman, your family is what they eat. If they are healthy, it can be practically traced to their eating habits.

    It is not enough to feed them sumptuously, but you need to feed them right. Are the foods they eat nutritious? Or do you give them just anything? Ecclesiastes 10:10 says: Wisdom is profitable to direct. Please secure the health of your family by feeding them with good food, especially in this day and age or processed foods, fast foods and snacks. Remember, “garbage in, garbage out”. You will not fail in Jesus’ name.

    The woman as a home-maker in the family government holds the key to family hospitality. The hospitality of a family depends largely on the woman. You can make it a point of duty to bring great joy and consolation to members of your family government. If a woman does not want a particular guest in the house, no matter how much the man tries to cover up, it will show in his wife’s reactions. The level of a man’s hospitality, is affected by the woman. So, every woman must learn how to be hospitable. Hospitality brings blessings like increases, angelic presence and honour (Romans 12:13 and Hebrews 13:12).

    I often encourage the women to always be hospitable, both at home and outside. One woman testified of how a visitor came to their house and did not have enough money with which to return to his station. He belonged to another branch of the church. She told him that her husband was out of town and the money he left wasn’t even enough for them.

    She, however, sold some foodstuff and gave him the money. Before the man left, he made some prophetic utterances, that God would surprise her.

    From the following week, God began to visit their home with money, materials and foodstuff like never before! Where there was previously insufficiency, became a place of abundance! Hospitality opens you up to blessings and ensures that you never lack.

    In the early days of this ministry, my husband and I had to share our home and toilet facilities with the whole church. We did it then without grumbling or complaining, knowing that it was just a phase and we would pass through it to a better phase. I believe that was one of the reasons why God blessed us with a larger place. However, caution should be exercised, before you throw open your doors to people, as there are some wolves in sheep’s clothing always trying to dupe people or perform evil. May God give you the needed wisdom in Jesus’ name.

    God is the true rewarder of the woman that is hospitable and embracing Him opens you up to His rewards. To accept Him through His Son Jesus Christ, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)