The Nation Newspaper

Tag: impossible

  • Why all-year round farming is impossible, by experts

    Why all-year round farming is impossible, by experts

    DEARTH of irrigation systems, lack of political will, policy inconsistencies and paucity of funds have been identified as some of the major factors militating against all-year round farming in Nigeria.

    Agriculture experts say the country could attain all-year round farming if the available resources are harnessed.

    An agriculturist, Ike Ubaka, listed such resources as vast arable lands, favourable weather and abundance of water and river basin resources, all of which he said could stimulate and facilitate all-year round farming activities.

    He described as unfortunate that despite the advantages, the country predominantly engages in rain-fed agriculture and one seasonal farming period, which according to him, cannot guarantee food security.

    Ubaka said: “Lack of rain during the dry season hinders agricultural production, while the lack of water management systems across the country hinders the ability of farmers to work all-year round.

    “The improvement of the irrigation systems and access roads would boost agricultural production and encourage mechanised farming.’’

    The agriculturist blamed the absence of the vital instruments to promote all-year round farming on the lack of political will to implement policies and the failure to adopt modern farming technologies to speed up crop multiplication.

    “The challenges also include shortage of labourers, inadequate markets, natural disasters and ecological challenges such as desertification, among others,’’ Ubaka said.

    He cited the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) report which indicated that over 3.6 million hectares were seriously affected by desertification in about 100 countries, including Nigeria.

    According to him, desertification was having a negative impact on biological diversity, soil fertility, hydrological cycle and crop yield, as well as livestock production.

    He noted that the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs), which were created by the Federal Government to harness water resources and optimise its agricultural resources to attain food self-sufficiency, have all failed to lived up to their expectations.

    Ubaka said that the 11 RBDAs, which were established on August 27, 1976 to promote fishery development, both commercial and small-scale, have also failed in that regard.

    He explained that the main goals behind the establishment of the RBDAs have largely remained unfulfilled 42 years after, as the units have not lived up to their expectations to contribute to the nation’s food security.

    “Besides, the river basins have not reduced the country’s dependence on rain-fed agriculture to stimulate all-year round farming,’’ Ubaka noted.

    The RBDAs include: Sokoto-Rima Basin, Sokoto; Hadejia-Jema’are Basin, Kano; the Lake Chad Basin, Maiduguri; the Upper Benue Basin, Yola; the Lower Benue Basin, Makurdi and the Cross River Basin, Calabar.

    Others are: Anambra-Imo Basin, Owerri; Niger Basin, Ilorin; Niger Delta Basin, Port Harcourt; Benin-Owena Basin, Benin City and Ogun-Osun Basin, Abeokuta.

    Also speaking, World Bank’s FADAMA Team Leader, Dr. Adetunji Oredipe, underscored the need for Nigeria to engage in all-year round farming in order to feed its growing population.

    He, however, suggested  the adoption of long-term strategies and new methods of working with partners, private sector agencies and other stakeholders to improve all-year round agriculture.

    Oredipe attributed the inability of the country to attain food security to the lack of faulty policies and comprehensive strategies for land management operations.

    He said:  “The operations include efforts to strengthen policies and capacity to raise farm yields, promote market access among farmers and improve overall management of the country’s rapidly expanding agriculture industry.

    “Nigeria has an enormous opportunity to promote a vibrant, competitive and technology-propelled agricultural sector, which today employs 70 per cent of its population.”

    He noted that paucity of funds has also prevented most farmers from going into commercial agriculture and all-year round farming.

    He emphasised that most banks often fail to consider the gestation periods of agricultural production when giving loans to farmers, adding that this had been a major impediment.

    The FADAMA team leader said that financial constraints like off-putting collateral for loans and high-digit interest rates on loans have forced many farmers to engage in a single round of farming every year, adding that the lack of good access roads to farms has forced many farmers to be at the mercy of exploitative middlemen who choose to buy produce from the farmers at give-away prices.

    The National Coordinator of Zero Hunger Commodities, Dr. Tunde Arosanyin, identified the Land Use Act as one of the factors discouraging all-year round farming.

    According to him, most of the country’s crop growing ventures take place on small parcels of land which are cultivated by smallholder farmers who produce over 90 per cent of the country’s food output.

    Arosanyin said that the smallholder farmers habitually adopt traditional manual methods of farming and have little or no means to invest in fertilisers, irrigation facilities or equipment that would facilitate their efforts to go into all-year round farming.

    He said: “The nation’s 50 million farmers have only around 30,000 tractors between them; they are, therefore, unable to produce enough food to feed Nigeria’s huge population.’’

    Arosanyin, who noted that the consequences of climate change were a major challenge facing efforts to engage in all-year round crop growing, urged the government to collaborate with local and international agencies to come up with improved crop varieties to boost food production and ensure food security.

    Another expert, Mr. African-Farmer Mogaji, said that even though Nigeria has long been recognised for its two farming seasons, the government has yet to re-establish this and encourage all-year round farming.

    He underscored the need for the government to invest in projects aimed at correcting the country’s infrastructural deficits in order to put in place a conducive environment.

    Mogaji, who is also an agricultural consultant, said that if the country’s infrastructural deficits are duly rectified, agriculture will become more attractive to the citizens, particularly the youth.

    He added that it will also stimulate more people’s interest in agriculture and value chain development projects.

    “The government must develop value chain systems and institutions that can drive competitiveness and job creation in the agricultural sector by using a market development approach.’’

    Mr Obasanjo Fasunla, identified soil infertility, paucity of infrastructure and reliance on imported foods as some causes of strains on local farmers.

    He said that the inability of most farmers to have sufficient funds to engage in farm expansion or mechanised farming projects has also affected agriculture and food production in the country.

    He says that certain factors such as unstable power supply, inadequate farm machines and bad road networks are also affecting agricultural production.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Why it’s impossible to impeach a President, by Dogara

    Why it’s impossible to impeach a President, by Dogara

    SPEAKER of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara  has foreclosed any possibility of removing a President unless the 1999 Constitution is amended

    Dogara described Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution “a satanic verse” for making it impossible for the  National Assembly  to remove the President or Vice President.

    He spoke yesterday on the topic: “Deepening Democracy: Role of the legislature” at the Third Public Lecture series of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, where he regretted  that with provisions of Section 143,   the President  can choose the laws to obey without any retribution, forgetting that democracy is a government  of laws and not of men.

    The Speaker, however, noted that the National Assembly has contributed a lot in stabilising and deepening Nigeria’s constitutional democracy through strengthening of due process and the rule of law.

    He said democracy cannot thrive without citizens’ active participation because it is the responsibility of the people to protect democracy and hold leaders accountable.

    He said: “There can be no democracy without the active participation of the citizens. Any country where the government fear the citizens then it is a democracy.

    “The legislature in Nigeria has contributed immensely in deepening the practice of constitutional democracy in Nigeria, especially since the introduction of the 1999 Constitution, in its various functions. If Democracy rests on the Due process and the Rule of Law, it therefore means that our Democracy can only be as deep as the laws upon which it is built”.

    The Speaker noted that the 8th House of Representatives under his leadership as Speaker, has made outstanding contributions to deepening democracy in Nigeria through the faithful implementation of  its Legislative Agenda, which will serve as a compass of its legislative activities for four years (2015 – 2019) to deepen democracy in Nigeria.

     

  • It’s Impossible!

    It’s Impossible!

    Several years ago, two little boys, let’s call them Tom and Billy, were playing on a frozen pond. They were ages seven and six. In their excitement, Tom went farther than they had planned to and stepped on thin ice. Suddenly, the ice broke and he fell in. His younger friend rushed forward to help him but the more Tom struggled, the deeper he went. In a brief moment, the surface of the water froze up and Billy could not break the ice. Quickly, he ran to a nearby tree, broke off  a huge branch and dragged it to the spot where Tom fell in. He used the branch to break the ice and managed to drag his friend out. Apparently, some people around had called the rescue line so help came soon after. There was a mystery though; the rescue team could not figure out how a little boy like Billy could have broken such a huge branch and dragged it all the way to save his friend. As they marveled saying, “How was he able to do that?” An old man standing nearby spoke up. He said, “I’ll tell you how he was able to do it. He did it because there was no adult around to tell him that he couldn’t do it”.

    How right the old man was! The word “impossible” refers to something that cannot be done or something that can’t exist. Have you ever asked yourself why some things are labelled ‘impossible’? Who exactly gave them the status of impossibility? While we ponder on these questions, here are my thoughts on impossibility:

    It refers to something that has never been done until it is done. From history, we know of some medical conditions termed ‘incurable’ in the past that are now curable. There was a time it was considered impossible for man to fly or journey to the moon but we have long past that level now. All it takes is for someone to break the record then everyone agrees that it can be done after all. Of course, since our list of impossibilities is short of one, we quickly look for something else to take its place. We never learn do we?

    It is another way of saying, “I’ve run out of ideas”. When people reach the limit of their understanding, particularly when they are ‘authorities’ on the subject, we conclude that it can’t be done. Why has it never occurred to us that knowledge is progressive? The situation you are battling with right now may be due to lack of new ideas. Who says the winning idea cannot come from you?

    It saves your feelings but hurts your future. Some people tell you things are impossible just to save you from eventual disappointment. However, imagine how you will feel to give up on your dreams just to see someone else achieve it when you are old and cannot pursue it anymore. We play life too safe sometimes that we fail to maximize our potentials. According to Les Brown, “There is no safe position in life because you cannot get out of life alive”.

    It makes you less of a competition. The vehemence with which some people argue that something is impossible can make one wonder if they have vested interest. Could it be that because they failed at it they are afraid someone else might succeed? It appears that the moment we decide to attempt the impossible, we begin to contend, not only with the problem but also with people.

    It is more mental than physical. If you can find a way around a problem in your mind, you will physically overcome it. However, the moment you are convinced it is impossible, you won’t even try it. When you want to challenge an impossible situation, start with your mind.

    It is the norm but there are always exceptions. If there is something invaluable that science has taught us, it is that for every rule there is an exception. Simply because it is generally believed that something cannot be achieved doesn’t mean you can’t do it. It may be the norm but you are the exception.

    I believe there are several people out there who have beat the odds to achieve the impossible. It may be as simple as passing an examination people said was impossible to pass or as complex as surviving a terminal medical condition.

    This article is dedicated to you. Please send me a message by visiting www.olanreamodu.com or follow me on twitter @lanreamodu and I will share your story on this page.

  • Is peace a mission impossible?

    A  throwback into history paints a dreadful picture of how past heroes across Africa sweated blood to make the continent autonomous—a celebrated achievement through which the dreams of their children were expected to be fulfilled. The poser as to whether the freedom is attained should rather be left out.

    The reality of enthroning peace in Nigeria has, like democracy in Africa, become a mere catchphrase. An apt description for the 16th item of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria is believed to be a mission impossible.

    To start with, peace is not just a word, it is an act. And “to act” means “to do” or “to work towards”. Paraphrasing Eleanor Roosevelt, it is not enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it. And it is not enough to believe in it, one must act for it. The important question at this point is: are we really working towards peace?

    As you know, Nigeria ranks top on the list of Africa’s most religious nations. While the existence of the Traditional Religion remains obvious, it is a known fact that more than 90 per cent of Nigerians identify with either Christianity or Islam. It wouldn’t then be a bad idea to refer to sources which the majority trust.

    Christians knew that “Nations shall rise against nations; and kingdoms against kingdoms… And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” (Matthew 24:7-10). Qur’an 103:2 says: “Verily man is in loss”. And to be in loss implies being in a perilous state. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be unto Him) was quoted by Sahih Muslim in Hadith, which says there will be domination of one over the other when the end time comes, and killings without justifications.” So, where is peace coming from? Or will our holy books change?

    Happenings around the world are all clear indications that these ageless prophecies are being fulfilled. Let’s think about the unending insurgencies in the Middle East. Or the various uprisings in many parts of Europe, Asia and the Pacific. How about the never-ending crisis between United States and several nations?

    Is it not confounding that despite the efforts of the United Nations (UN) and Non-governmental Organisations to keep peace, no violent conflict has completely ended since 1922? And now, one wonders if world peace is achievable when the U.S. – the superpower –now becomes the threat to world peace itself. That was the view of John Pilger.

    The sporadic attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast of Nigeria, the intermittent revolts by the Niger Delta militants alongside numerous inter-communal conflicts across the country are proofs that Nigeria is at war against itself. And as pathetic as this may sound, the government is yet to truly address the root causes of any of these conflicts.

    So, technically, what we have is negative peace, which unlike positive peace, implies sitting on gun powder. I am not prophesying doom but the truth must be told. After all, the powerful people benefiting from these instabilities have not repented. Have they?

    In theory, Nigeria is the giant of Africa. In practice, it is a dwarfed nation for which superpowers have little or no respect. The African giant can’t even guarantee the security of its own people anymore. Even, toddlers know Nigeria as a chaotic, unsafe, and filth-infested nation.

    There are sentiments and bigotry in the heart of the majority of people. What I call “entitlement mentality” has completely taken over our society. Nepotism is the new item of our national identity. There is corruption in every arm of the government. The masses have no trust in the judicial system. Where is justice in a country where poor civilians languish in detention for decades awaiting trial, while looters are celebrated?

    The people are angry. They are bitterly angry, not because they have chosen to, but because they are hungry. How can anyone explain the fact that hardworking people can’t afford regular meals? That explains why even educated people now engage in physical combat over mundane things on the streets. This is deep! How did we get here?

    Looters are suggesting solutions to corruption. When would these wonders end? Clerics have become opportunists in the holy temples. For how long would the oppressor be shielded against the consuming rage of the oppressed that daily wallow in tyranny? This is not limited to Nigeria alone, but it seems to have been our way of life here. How do we achieve peace?

    Well, more worrisome is the fact that a larger percentage of the people, most the youth, blame the government for all our predicaments. One can’t but wonder if those in government are robots and not humans. It is disappointing that many of those in power presently have once been among us. Let’s say, the reality of the hot seat is more threatening if compared with the enthusiasm of manifestoes.

    Are peace and development achievable when the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill gets finally passed? Will those students’ leaders that get into power by massive support from godfathers not pay back royalty at the detriment of the masses? Or how is a 25 year-old average Nigerian supposed to lawfully afford the millions of naira used in purchasing nomination forms of political parties? Shouldn’t we then be expecting fresh agitations in the future?

    Our government’s desire for peace has been made a mission impossible by festering injustice and corruption in the land. The word “peace” would not have been in our lexicon if peace were unrealistic. A peaceful Nigeria is possible if all Nigerians would work for it.

    Moreover, “peace” is mentioned 67 times and “war”, 36 times in the Qur’an. So why not peace? Peace is possible if all Muslims would act for it. After all, the holiness of Christians will (according to Hebrew 12:14) be fruitless if they fail to “Follow peace with all men…”

    The dream about a conflict-free Nigeria is not feasible, because conflict is part of the human nature and therefore, is inevitable. Peace is possible if we all would not only embrace tolerance, but also work together in love. Let us make peace possible in our lifetime. We will be happy to see our children celebrate us for making a mission impossible a reality.

  • Tale of an impossible country

    SIR: What more ominous signs do we still wait for here? Do we still await more indicators or pointers before coming to the supposition – Nigeria is clearly and obviously on the brink of collapse?

    Everything foretold, foreseen and even the unimaginable has happened here. Nigeria has been brought to its knees while most Nigerians now wish they had originated from Ghana or Cameroun.

    The country is on the precipice. Nigeria now wobbles and dangles dangerously in a direction only decipherable to discerning minds. Like a directionless, muddled and thoroughly whipped lad, the nation now bleeds profusely and uncontrollably.

    Who can cure Nigeria of this melancholy? How did the giant end in this jumbled state? A country that parades an array of technocrats and intellectuals of uncommon measures; a country, just two years ago, was decorated as the largest economy in Africa.

    “How are the mighty fallen?” How are the giants crushed? We must have squandered what should have been preserved and thrown away what could have been kept. We must have emptied our treasury and kicked away the treasurer

    Hence where we found ourselves – atop third Mainland Bridge for suicidal committals; hence we are jinxed at the main market where parents now trade their wards for “a pot of porridge yam.” Hence we are right at the bottom of world economic pecking order.

    The world must have been dazed at the turn out of events here, just as many Nigerians who are already wondering if there is any round-headed economist in the present economic team of the executive at all.

    But how on earth can a good economist function effectively in an administration, where its Secretary to the Government of the Federation allegedly accepted spending over N270 million in merely clearing grasses in the nation’s IDP camps?

    How can this government make a meaningful impact when of course, it is glaringly true the government is pitched against itself?

    The cloud clearly gathers and hovers over Nigeria and Nigerians. There is the fear of uncertainties here and there. And there is fear of the unknown everywhere across the 36 states of the federation.

    President Muhamadu Buhari’s health challenge is “taking a toll on our governance,” apologies to Chief Bisi Akande. And the secret handlers of President Buhari’s health have done him no favour by hiding the status. Thank God they have crawled out of their cocoons and flew him away for medical attention at last.

    Nigeria is indeed, an impossible country, defying every practical solution; a country where government officials live in self-delusion and dereliction; an enclave where the love of oneself is very much stronger than the love of country is in trouble.

    Nigeria is bigger and stronger than any individual and will outlive most of us. Hence it must be guided and guarded against destruction by political termites. The long standing saying “to keep Nigeria stronger is a task that must be done” is important here.

    The government of the day must at this juncture, collate and harmonize all our human resources within reach and set them in motion towards rescuing a country on the brink of collapse. Then we can have a country one will be proud of.

     

    • Gwiyi Solomon,

    Abuja.

  • It’s impossible!

    Several years ago, two little boys, let’s call them Tom and Billy, were playing on a frozen pond. They were between the ages of six and seven. In their excitement, Tom went farther than they had planned to and stepped on thin ice. Suddenly, the ice broke and he fell in. His little friend rushed forward to help him but the more Tom struggled, the deeper he went. In a brief moment, the surface of the water froze up and Billy could not break the ice. Quickly, he ran to a nearby tree, broke off a huge branch and dragged it to the spot where Tom fell in. He used the branch to break the ice and managed to drag his friend out. Apparently, some people around had called the rescue line so help came soon after. There was a mystery though; the rescue team could not figure out how a small boy like Billy could have broken such a huge branch and dragged it all the way to save his friend. As they marveled saying, “How was he able to do that?” An old man standing nearby spoke up. He said, “I’ll tell you how he was able to do it. He did it because there was no adult around to tell him that he couldn’t do it”.

    How right the old man was! The word “impossible” refers to something that cannot be done or something that is incapable of existing. Have you ever asked yourself why some things are labelled ‘impossible’? Who exactly gave them the status of impossibility? While we ponder on these questions, here are my thoughts on impossibility:

    • It refers to something that has never been done until it is done. From history, we know of some medical conditions termed ‘incurable’ in the past that are now curable. There was a time it was considered impossible for man to fly or journey to the moon but we have long passed that level now. All it takes is for someone to break the record, then everyone agrees that it can be done after all. Of course, since our list of impossibilities is short of one, we quickly look for something else to take its place. We never learn do we?
    • It is another way of saying, “I’ve run out of ideas”. When people reach the limit of their understanding, particularly when they are ‘authorities’ on the subject, we conclude that it can’t be done. Why has it never occurred to us that knowledge is progressive? The situation you are battling with right now may be due to lack of new ideas. Who says the winning idea cannot come from you?
    • It saves your feelings but hurts your future. Some people tell you things are impossible just to save you from eventual disappointment. However, imagine how you will feel to give up your dreams just to see someone else achieve it when you are old and cannot pursue it anymore. We play life too safe sometimes that we fail to maximise our potential. According to Les Brown, “There is no safe position in life because you cannot get out of life alive”.
    • It makes you less of a competition. The vehemence with which some people argue that something is impossible can make one wonder if they have vested interest. Could it be that because they failed at it they are afraid someone else might succeed? It appears that the moment we decide to attempt the impossible, we begin to contend, not only with the problem but also with people.
    • It is more mental than physical. If you can find a way around a problem in your mind, you will physically overcome it. However, the moment you are convinced it is impossible, you won’t even try it. When you want to challenge an impossible situation, start with your mind.
    • It is the norm but there are always exceptions. If there is something invaluable that science has taught us, it is that for every rule there is an exception. Simply because it is generally believed that something cannot be achieved doesn’t mean you can’t do it. It may be the norm but you are the exception.

    I believe there are several people out there who have beaten the odds to achieve the impossible. It may be as simple as passing an examination people said was impossible to pass or as complex as surviving a terminal medical condition. This article is dedicated to you. Please send me a message and I will share your story on this page. Have a blessed weekend.

     

  • Striking doctors’ demand impossible, says Osun govt

    Striking doctors’ demand impossible, says Osun govt

    •Govt action laughable— Doctors’ spokesman

    Osun State government yesterday described the demand of striking doctors in the state as impossible in the face of the present economic reality of the country.

    Chairman of Osun Special Committee on Health, Dr. Simeon Afolayan, during a press conference in Oshogbo stated that in the face of the current economic realities, it remains unbelievable that doctors would insist that they would not be bound by the modulated payment regime agreed to by over 39,000 other workers of the state.

    Afolayan, a former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and the Hospital Management Board, held that the decision of the state to live within its means in the light of the shortfall in revenue to the state was taken by all stakeholders including all the representatives of labour unions and government.

    He added that the doctors were dully represented on the committee that sits on all the revenues coming to the state and decides what goes into payment of salary and the running cost of government.

    “There is no way we could back down on this because, in the first instance, other professionals had accepted the agreement reached with labour.

    “Doctors were eager to join the general strike called by NLC even though they claim they are not affiliated to NLC but they refused to resume work when the strike was called off. When it is convenient for doctors, they hearken to the voice of labour unions only to claim decisions taken by the same union is not bidding on them.”

    He added: “The doctors have remained recalcitrant despite all entreaties by leading lights of medical profession.

    “They refused the popular agreement, what should government do? How can we reverse a decision accented to and agreed with by over 39,000 workers because about 100 people are dissatisfied.”

    He said because of the seeming emergency situation the abandonment of work has created by the doctors, the state would not fold its arms and watch the health sector suffer any hitch as a result of the abandonment.

    He said the government is deploying doctors from the Ministry of Health, Bowen University, the police, army and others to mitigate what could have been the effect of the works abandonment.

    Afolayan called on well-meaning Nigerians to look at the issues involved in the demands of the doctors and see whether they are in tune with the realities of the current worsening global and national economic situation and how it affects Osun.

    He pointed out that doctors have embarked on different actions bordering on abandonment of their duty post for about 11 months out of which government had even paid them for six month without working.

    He added that by civil service regulation, workers who absent themselves from work beyond certain limit are deemed to have resigned their appointments, adding that the rule has taken effect and those doctors, who still want to render services, have been given fresh opportunity to do so by government.

    He added: “The government cannot be seen to be promoting and encouraging lawlessness by a group or individuals. This is a recipe for anarchy.

    “That the doctors have abandoned their duty post for about 11 months and the state’s healthcare delivery system is still functioning calls to question their relevance.

    “The government commends the civil servants and other workers in the state for their loyalty, sacrifice understanding and commitment to the service of the people of the state in this special time and deplores the selfishness and blackmail antics of the doctors.

    “In the face of the current economic realities, it remains unbelievable that doctors would insist that they would not be bound by the payment regime agreed to by over 39,000 other workers in the state which was arrived at after a rigorous deliberation on the finances of the state within the context of the national economic realities.

  • Mu’azu’s wish impossible, says Osun APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has described Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu’s statement that “it is difficult but possible for Senator Iyiola Omisore to lead the PDP to victory in the August 9 governorship election” as “wishful thinking”.

    APC said it is “more of impossible than difficult.”

    In a statement by its Publicity Director, Kunle Oyatomi, the party said what Mu’azu wishes for is equivalent to “replacing a Winston Churchill with an Adolf Hilter in Great Britain”.

    APC said: “Omisore is the antithesis of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in every material. These two people are poles apart. Mu’azu’s wish for Osun people is a poisoned chalice; it is evil. You cannot replace goodness with evil in broad daylight against the wish of the people who are beneficiaries of that goodness.

    “What the PDP Chairman perhaps does not know is that Omisore’s only purpose for seeking governorship is his passion to reverse everything Aregbesola has done since November, 2010 to date.

    “These include landmark projects and initiatives which the United Nation’s agencies, the British Parliament, the Deputy High Commissioner of Great Britain to Nigeria and several other international organisations have commended and cited as models for Africa and other developing countries.

  • ‘Growth impossible without stable power’

    ‘Growth impossible without stable power’

    Many businesses have gone under because of irregular power supply.Those that are alive suffer from underutilisation. According to the Group Managing Director, Elephant Group, Mr Tunji Owoeye, stable power supply is central to economic stability. In this interview with DANIEL ESSIET, Owoeye argues that the economy will perform better in such an atmosphere.

     

    Nigerians have said raising the national debt limit is unhealthy for the economy. What do you think?

    If there is a genuine reason to raise the debt limit, we have to, and if it is to finance infrastructure, I think it is okay. But, if we are raising a debt instrument to finance deficit in budget, that would be criminal because a debt instrument should be for activities that will impact positively on the economy as done in other countries. Raising a debt instrument to finance infrastructure is okay.

    How can the government reverse the slow down of the economy?

    There are several things the government can do. The first is to confront insecurity because security is key to economic stability. Also, infrastructure have to be put in place. Economic growth is propelled by factors, such as infrastructure, good roads, transport system, power and the likes. They are necessary infrastructure that can propel growth. I really feel the government is not doing badly in trying to address these issues, but, it needs to fix the bureaucrats in the system to ensure that policies are actually followed up in terms of implementation. From electricity to transport infrastructure,the economy is being held back by limited capacities.The general wave of insecurity can lead to economic instability. The issues are of importance to the economy and its prospects for achieving a higher level of growth and delivering prosperity to the people. These are barriers to greater productivity and growth of the economy. Economies are integrated systems that can only function smoothly when certain conditions are present. Reinvigorating the economy will require progress in some areas, including electricity generation, infrastructure, and trade policies. It is impossible to speed up economic growth without a fast-growing and fairly reliable electricity supply. Achieving rapid real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth will require concerted efforts to increase the supply and reliability of electricity. The economy will perform better and faster in an environment characterised by rapid growth, buoyant internal demand, and improving infrastructure and governance. However, there are worrying signs in terms of security and the role of the government is critical. The nation’s development is being constrained by the legacy of chronic underinvestment over many years. Infrastructure has suffered from decades of neglect and underinvestment. The crippling negative effect of electricity generation capacity and transport infrastructure on the country’s economic competitiveness, is obvious. The continued capacity of transport infrastructure is essential to maintain growth. But I feel the administration is doing something in these areas.

    Agribusiness is increasingly being viewed as a dynamic area to invest in. With tremendous shifts in food consumption, rising input costs, and food safety concerns, the changing landscape of agribusiness has become complex. How do you cope as an operator?

    Like businesses in all industries, agribusinesses battle for land, labour, capital, and finance. This has become more complex in response to the greater variety of goods and services transacted. Managing investments carefully is a critical capability, especially in a volatile and unpredictable economy where sudden changes in the competitive landscape and in regulatory definitions can dramatically impact supply and demand. Players in the sector grapple with rising input costs and intense margin pressure. All are vulnerable to climate change. Large scale international investments especially acquisition of agricultural land, continue to raise concern. Agribusiness is the same all over the world, but some of us that have been privileged to work in different countries have seen that agribusiness is practised in the same structure and if you look at the challenges of agribusiness and other businesses, you will find out that the challenges are similar. Other than the financing structure that is a bit different in agriculture, most of other challenges are similar to those seen in other businesses. In Nigeria for instance, across the value chain, we, the business people with long years of experience, have our own strategies of mitigating the challenges that we meet. The major problem we have as a company and a private sector is the difficulty to have long-term plan because of the environment we are in. Other than the inability to plan long-term, I do not think that what we have here is different from what is in other parts of the world.

    What about financing of the sector?

    The effort of the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, is commendable in ensuring that banks shore up their capital. If you look at some countries, they are still looking at increasing and shoring up their capital. The government has made it mandatory for local banks to increase their capital to a minimum of N25 billion. This was done some five years back with the mergers and acquisition that took place in the second phase of that fiscal review. It has been a plus for the economy and an advantage for the business environment. This means that businesses are able to access more facilities and support from the local banks, but this may also not be the best today because for agribusiness you need a long tenure. What the government has done in the area of agro input is giving guarantees to local banks to support agro input suppliers across the value chain. This is also an additional support and security to increasing agribusiness. Apart from the effect of the government’s effort and the local banks that have increased their capital, there are also international banks in Nigeria with vast experiences and capacity to give long tenured facilities to support agribusi-ness. So, if you look at the combination of all these developments, I think we are in a better position than we were some 10 years back, but what I know is that it can still be better.

    Is rice business fundamentally focused on large scale farmers?

    Generally, most rice farms are owned by small producers. Rice farming is still small. There are few commercial farmers. Agricultural finance is needed to create the supporting infrastructure for adoption of new technology, building major and minor irrigation projects, rural electrification, installation of fertiliser and pesticide plants.This is to help small farmers. At the last count, according to the Rice Millers Importers Association, we have about four commercial rice farmers in Nigeria. This is not sufficient. The incentives being packaged by the government, I think, should be attractive for commercial farmers. We need both the commercial farmers and the small farmers to meet the huge demand of the rice industry.

    What can you say about the sector’s preparations for natural disaster?

    The unfortunate incidence of flooding that ravaged most parts of the country last year in Nigeria also affected the value chain, especially the rice farmers. Their rice farms were washed away, but the good thing is that most of the farmers have mobilised back to the farm and the government had also introduced an incentive of giving them fertilisers through the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) fertiliser distribution. There have been ad-hoc responses to the flooding that we witnessed. Moving forward, what we are doing as an association and as an industry group, is to ensure that we move our farmers in the value chain, advising them to take farms in other states that are under-utilised to reduce their risk and avoid this kind of reoccurence in future. However, the policy of the government since the commencement of the administration, has been impressive. We have seen some seriousness in the policy as regards rice self-sufficiency. This is giving us some confidence in attracting and seeking for additional investment in the rice industry. We have several of our members who have taken up commercial farming-investing in rice processing mills and other investments but additional commitment of the government can only get better for the rice industry.

    Despite the persistent outcry of genuine rice millers, smugglers have continued with their illegal act, which cost the government huge sums of money in lost revenue. What is your experience?

    If you follow the trend in the industry in the last six months, the government has increased taxes and duties from 30 per cent to 50 per cent and from 50 per cent to 100 per cent levy on January 2013 with duty of 10 per cent summing up to 110 per cent. We support the initiative of the government because we know the purpose is to discourage importation to boost local production. But we should be mindful of the fact that as we increase our levies and taxes, it gives the smugglers more room to operat, especially through the corridors of Benin Republic whose economy is solely dependent on Nigeria’s economy. The only way to tackle smuggling is sincerity and willingness of the government to police the borders with stakeholders, such as the rice processors, and importers to give relevant information about routes that are porous, which they are supposed to man. I am sure that with the collaborative efforts of the agencies of the government, operators and stakeholders in the rice industry in Nigeria, we are sure to reduce smuggling. But I am not sure we can stop it permanently. We can reduce it to the point that it will not negatively impact on the investment of the local industry or on the budget and revenue of the government. I am sure with time, smugglers will know that Nigeria is not a country to toy with in this respect. For now, we salute the courage of the Controller-General of Customs and his men because in the last two months, they have made significant seizures of smuggled rice into the country. They are always pledging to assist us and they have promised to continue to assist us by policing our borders effectively to put a stop to these smuggled rice.

    Are there quality criteria for producers?

    We don’t have any. I do not want to speak in languages that Nigerians will not understand, but try to break it down as much as possible. The basic quality any consumer is looking out for in rice is the nourishment, colour and the long grain nature meaning that Nigerians are used to long grain rice. We are also used to rice that will not have many foreign particles, such as stones and in as much as we can fix all of these in the country, why import rice? In terms of quality and nourishment, the Nigerian rice is of high quality compared to imported rice but in terms of preparation and attraction, they are not as attractive as what we import. In Nigeria, we do not like to eat short grain rice, we want long grain rice and these things can be fixed with the kind of machines our members use for production. The environment and other things are being improved upon on daily because if you look at some of the machines, our members have imported and installed for production, they are the latest machines that are better than the old machines that give out the broken rice. The machines that we now use to remove the shaft to make the rice clean are all improved versions with better technology. I believe that as time goes by, we can only improve on the quality of the kind of rice we produce in Nigeria and in no distant future, we should be able to compete with other countries such as Thailand, Pakistan and the rest. We have to fix the border to stop the influx of poor quality rice. The agency responsible for ascertaining and confirming the quality of rice, must carry out their operations vigorously in the land borders and unapproved routes, because when they get into our markets, they impact negatively on the health and safety of Nigerians and that is why we are saying that the government should take it much more seriously in ensuring that we do not have smuggled rice through the land borders.

    What about certification of rice processors for export?

    Let me take you through the statistics. Nigeria consumes in excess of five million metric tonnes of rice per annum much less than 50 per cent of what is produced locally. We are unable to meet our own demand not to talk of export. In terms of certification, there are laws and agencies that certify the quality of food production. We have the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards of Organisation of Nigeria (SON) with duties to ensure that once goods are produced, they conform with the standards and laws of the country and this has not changed. I am sure that these agencies have always been doing their duties. Most of the rice you see in Nigeria have very high nourishment level. I do not think we have problem of certification, the problem we have is that of packaging, quality of the grain of the rice and cleaning. If we can fix all of these, I see no reason why imported products should be patronised anymore in this country.

    What are the labour problems and working conditions in the rice industry?

    The same labour challenges we have in other industries. The problem of cultivation and production of rice is much peculiar because most of the youth do not believe that they can make a living through agriculture. This has to be corrected by creating infrastructure and we are encouraging our outgrowers to plant rice and most of our millers are buying from them at commercial prices. So, the moment they can see that there is a future for them, that their rice paddy will be bought by millers at competitive rate, I think it will be an encouragement and that is being pursued.

    Smuggling is getting worse by the day. What impact is it having on the industry?

    If we do not fix smuggling, there cannot be a rice development programme. Fixing smuggling is key to the right development plan of the government and also key to the rice self-sufficiency scheme of the government. I will tell you why. If we do not fix the problem of smuggling, people that have invested in the rice industry will not get their returns on investment. For imported rice especially, those that are being smuggled into the country. In Benin Republic, the government looks at the duty that Nigeria brings and tries to bring it below what we pay in Nigeria, they can bring it down to even less than 10 per cent to get some income. They make smugglers to pay next to nothing duty giving them an edge over producers here who will have to buy the paddy, employ labour and incur cost in processing and packaging of the rice. The costs are many and until we fix the issue of smuggling, we will not get any significant rice development in Nigeria.

    How many jobs can the rice food value chain create if smuggling is tackled?

    Directly, close to six million jobs and indirectly nine million jobs. When I say directly, in the value chain we have farmers, farmer cooperatives, millers and processors, marketers and importers and in the value chain, there are a lot of people across the country. The farmers sell their products to the buying agents and the agents sell to the processors and the processors to the distributors, so you see the chain and across this value chain, you have close to eight million people for employment.

    What about the impact of the ban on rice importation?

    In the last two years, there have been serious positive impact on consistent production and cultivation of rice because of the ban on rice import from land borders. Production of rice has increased since the ban. Before now, there was a factory whose capacity utilisation was about 25 per cen, but has risen to 35 per cent. It will continue to increase as long as we fix the issue of smuggling of rice perpetually.

    What is the response from the National Assembly?

    We met with the Senate Committee on Agriculture and we got the assurance of the Senate to support the fight to stop smuggling of rice into the country. We met not long ago, but are yet to see the impact of that meeting. We are seeing the impact through the Nigeria Custom Service and we want them to do more. They have stepped up security at the borders and also the waterways. Nigeria is a very big country and we have so many unapproved routes. Even from the North the Customs have to expand their networks to police smuggling and also partner stakeholders in the industry to provide vital information to curb this act. We expect them to do much more.

    We suggest that the Federal Government meet with that of Benin Republic and hint them about the negative effect of smuggling on our economy and the initiative of developing our products. If they do not cooperate, the government will have no choice than to shut our borders. Though this will be against the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS) treaty, if they fail to respect the trade understanding, the government will have to take a step forward to enforce sanction and I think that will send the right signals to them that Nigeria means business.

    What of the Save our Soul (SOS) message to the President?

    As an association, we want him to ensure that the policies given out in the budget are meticulously carried out and there should be consistency. He should also make the environment safe and encourage stakeholders who have invested in the country.

    Pakistan and Thailand seem to have the largest share of the world rice trade. When will we get there?

    Thailand has been serious in the production of rice over the centuries. It is not about catching up with other countries, but being self sufficient and I think with the right collaborations with Rice Importers Millers, Distributors Association of Nigeria (RIMIDAN) and other stakeholders in the industry and with commitment to creation of the right environment to operate, we should be able to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production in the next five years.

     

  • Nothing is impossible

    Nothing is impossible

    The last decade has marked Africa’s highest level of growth in history. Businesses have experienced increasing returns on their investments, proving that investing in Africa today can yield high returns compared to most regions around the world. Although foreign investment is still low, a collective decision by Africans to take advantage of this opportunity can stimulate the push required to bring the region into the forefront of the global economy. We have the knowledge, skills, know-how and capital to build a new future for Africa and by investing in our people, we can make large strides towards eradicating poverty and closing the development gap.

    Creating a business climate that will attract investment also requires the creation of an environment where human capital can flourish. Businesses need people who are empowered, well-educated and can think critically in an environment that is stable, peaceful and values diversity. The continent needs healthy, curious children and youth who have the stimulation, education and training needed, starting at an early age, to become change agents and entrepreneurs capable of driving economic and social growth. For these reasons, I am a founding member of the Global Business Coalition for Education, which is focused on enabling businesses to support efforts to achieve education for all.

    I first became interested in a career in business when I was still in primary school. I remember buying cartons of sugar and selling them to make a small profit. Even at that age, people told me I had a flair for business – but without the literacy, math and interpersonal skills I learned in school, I would not have been able to tap into this talent. It is therefore sad to see so many young children in my country, Nigeria,who are not able to gain these basic skills at an early age.

    The current statistics paint a gloomy picture. According to UNESCO 2012 figures, over 10 million school-aged children are not attending primary school in Nigeria – and this number has increased over the past three years. The number of out-of-school children in Nigeria is approaching 20 percent of the world’s total and makes up over one-third of the 30 million children in sub-Saharan Africa who receive no education whatsoever. In Africa as a whole, another 21.6 million children are out of lower-secondary school.

    While getting every child into school is vitally important, the quality of education they receive must also be addressed. In Nigeria, for example, we see children pass through school without learning the basic skills expected from primary level education. I recently read a study conducted by USAID in two states in Northern Nigeria last year indicating that nearly 70 percent of primary three students could not read a single word of simple text. This is yet another reminder that the potential of our country and region is in jeopardy if we fail to have every child in school and learning.

    My company, Dangote Group, continues to address issues on education through our corporate social responsibility efforts and the Dangote Foundation. Dangote Academy, for example, has two programmes for vocational and management training. The vocational program provides a one-year scholarship for technical and vocational skills training for students from polytechnics around Nigeria. This year, we absorbed 87 percent of the students into our existing operations. But we know more needs to be done – singular efforts cannot change the trajectory of a nation, let alone a continent. Our governments need to make education and learning a priority. Educational budgets must exceed their current numbers. Civil society must continue to hold government accountable and as the private sector continues to drive growth, businesses need to support these efforts strongly. With the Global Business Coalition for Education, I am committed to bringing more national and global businesses together to support efforts to expand educational opportunities across Nigeria.

    Without a global push to achieve universal education by 2015, supported by the Secretary-General and his newly-appointed Special Envoy, Gordon Brown, we will remain a continent that will fail to unlock our potential and instead continue to be bound to conflict, poverty and limited development. Repeating the growth of the previous decade will be impossible without ambitious investments in the people of Africa. Quality education is the right of every child and the obligation of every country. Businesses cannot be bystanders – we must do our part to be active, collaborative, and supportive participants.

    On my desk I have a mounted quote that says, “Nothing is impossible.” That is how I feel about the future of the African continent. Nothing is impossible if we make sure every child – and adult – has the opportunity to unleash their potential through an inclusive, high-quality education that prepares each individual to succeed and propel Africa into the league of global economic champions.

    • Aliko Dangote is the President/Chief Executive of the Dangote Group. This article was first published byFinancial Times of London in its global perspective special report tagged:This is Africa