The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Integration

  • Ekiti and South-west integration quest

    SIR: According Wilson Churchill, “A pessimist will always see difficulty in every opportunity, while the optimist will see opportunity in every difficulty. Putting the Southwest under the same economic landscape in this modern time could be arduous, but I want to commend the Southwest governors for their doggedness and beliefs that there are myriad of opportunity in this seemingly difficult project of regional integration.

    During the old Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo brought the Yorubas under one socio-political and economic structure, even extending to the old Bendel State now known as Edo and Delta states respectively. The wonders that were performed then by the late sage still remain the reference point in Nigeria and Africa at large today. It was then that we had the first Television Station in Africa, Liberty Stadium in Ibadan, Free Universal Primary Education among other landmark policies that put the region on the world map.

    I want to believe that this was where the Southwest governors drew their strengths that boosted their determination to re-enact the policy of the old to catapult the fortunes of the region to an enviable position this modern time.

    It was so pathetic to remember the military usurpation of 1966 that halted the democratic structures of that time. The region would have been Eldorado of development in Africa today going by the pace of radical economic transformation being undertaken then. Military succeeded in importing the culture of insidious arrogance, hopelessness, despondency and desperation into the region’s body polity which did colossal damages to the economic prospect and breakthrough that were already in motion.

    I want to salute the courage of these governors, particularly the noble roles been played by Dr. Kayode Fayemi in ensuring that the new economic renaissance is not aborted. One thing really gladdened my heart, that was the statement made by Fayemi during the maiden edition of the Southwest governors meeting in Ado Ekiti that “this is purely economic rebirth in the Southwest. It is devoid of political or ethnic colouration”. Noteworthy was the fact that the Labour Party governor of Ondo State Dr. Olusegun Mimiko was present at the meeting.

    Fayemi posited that nothing impede the region from having the same economic and administrative policies in governance saying “I think nothing stops us from having the same railway network, same educational and economic policies and way of life, the same Papa Obafeimi Awolowo did”.

    But the drivers of the laudable programme should be conscious that deep-rooted political acrimony and the lopsided federating structure operational in Nigeria could serve as inhibiting factors in the consummation of the programme. The artificial boundaries created by the breaking of the region into states could affect the psyche of the people, because citizens from each states now see themselves from the narrow perspective of their respective states, rather than the broader Southwest spectrum. They should find a way round them.

    But whichever way we look at it, this regional regrouping is quite commendable. It marks the watershed of economic and political liberation of the region.

    With this new stride, there is a ray of hope that the Southwest would be re-launched back to the pace-setting position it occupied in the past.

     

    • Dalimore Aluko,

    Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State.

     

  • Lagos Assembly applauds S’ West governors over integration

    Lagos State House of Assembly has com-mended the governors of the six South West states of Oyo, Osun, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti for taking the bull by the horn to demonstrate their commitment to regional integration agenda through the inauguration of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission in Ibadan, Oyo State last week.

    Speaking in his office on Friday, the spokesman of the House and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity, Hon. Segun Olulade, stressed that the formal inauguration of the DAWN Commission would, no doubt, fast track the implementation of the earlier launched Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) document, which is a blueprint that articulates the socio-economic policies and programmes envisioned for the rapid growth and development of the six states in the region.

    Olulade maintained that regional cooperation for commerce, agricultural, infrastructural, research, cultural, tourism, security and technological development have proved to be the most reliable and potent approach to sustainable growth, as well as the desired leap in the living standards of the people within the region.

    According to Olulade, “The most laudable benefit of regional integration is that it does not only transform hitherto existing cities to global commercial hubs and tourist destinations, but also lead to job explosion, improved purchasing power, sustainable economic growth, greater security, the maximisation of human and material resource potentials and better livelihood among the citizens of the states within the region.”

    The lawmaker pointed out that many great cities of the world are products of regional integration efforts, adding that regional cooperation among states usually breeds the mutual understanding, greater sense of belonging and the spirit of brotherhood and patriotism among the people involved.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Youth rights, elder rights, and generational integration•

    Youth rights, elder rights, and generational integration•

    The language of rights makes an interesting if not incongruous rendering of the relationship that the individual has or is expected to have to the community in typical African climes. The language of responsibility would appear to capture that relationship more appropriately. Still, we cannot pretend that the contemporary practice of rights has no bearing on the traditional expectation of responsibility. Indeed, it is now not uncommon for the most sacred of traditional institutions—the monarchy—to be embroiled in disputes that only get resolved by appeal to the language of rights—in the court of law.

    With an acknowledgement of the force of rights in contemporary societies then, we may address a few issues of significance to the social relations that subsist the African world,

    To focus the discussion, I would like to make an arbitrary distinction between tradition and contemporary iterations of some of the conditions that afflict the African world, including the social, political, economic, and cultural situations.

    Traditionally, the social condition of Africa cannot be described in paradisical terms. But it was also not as hellish as some may want us to believe. It was simple and rustic, orderly and peaceful before the era of greed and ego-driven ambitions set in. Individuals had a sense of place and a sense of their responsibilities within the community of interrelated persons.

    Everywhere now, the ideal of community is being rediscovered; but it was Africa that gave the idea to the world and it is to Africa that the world is looking for clues concerning the meaning and requirements of community. Unfortunately, Africa has moved on to other not-so-flattering ideals of life, including those that prioritise the good of individual accumulation and acquisition over the good of communal life. From “ajooje o dun benikan o ni, we moved to bamu bamu ni mo yo, emi o mo pebi n pomo enikookan. From the sweetness of cooperative living, we move to the worshipping of the self and contempt for the other.

    We have not been able to deal with this disastrous move effectively because the sanctions are no longer there.

    Contemporary political conditions ensure that traditional sanctions against egoistic acquisition are rendered illegal and illegitimate. And we keep getting better at institutionalizing corruption even when we make insincere noise about its unacceptability. Family name and community integrity used to be guided zealously. Thus a father would disown a son who brought shame to the family name through corrupt practices. And a whole community would distance itself from a member that brought it into disrepute. Today, a father would pressure a son to bring as much “dividends of democracy” to the family even if it means stealing billions and trillions of public funds. And there are traditional rulers who not only aid and abet “sons of the soil” known to be neck deep in corruption, but who themselves are active participants in the rush for contracts that are not to be executed because deals had been made.

    We now acquire political power with a distinct purpose of enriching the self as opposed to benefitting the people and the community. Yet we do it in the name of the people—my people need my service—and my service is to benefit no one but myself and my family.

    On account of our political conditions, our economy is matching forward in one step and backwards in four. I do not need to bore you with what you know. Indeed, young men and women are the major victims with unemployment as high as 40%. If four out of 10 youth members in a community are unable to get a decent job even after they do what we ask them to do—get a good education—the elders have shacked their responsibility and cannot be accorded respect. Traditionally, we know that “agba ti o lajeku yoo ru gba e doko. What is happening to our youths is a reflection of the poverty of the elderly efforts to provide for them.

    This may be why we are also not in a position to preach the gospel of culture. What culture? Orisa boo le gbe mi, fi mi sile boo ti ba mi. If our culture has been so bankrupted by the elders that the youth see no value in their immersion into it, we are doomed as a people. For culture identifies and while the phenomenon of cultural borrowing is still real, without our own identity, we are just going to become beggars in the land of other cultures. We are seeing this already. 70% of our elites don’t allow their children to speak Yoruba language in the house. This is even when both parents are Yoruba. The vogue is to have kids speak English as their mother tongue. Yet there is a large amount of good research on the benefits of the mother tongue for learning. Not only this, there is also plenty of good evidence that children are capable of learning and speaking multiple languages at very tender ages.

    An effective response to the conditions that militate against the progressive development of the African world is not just one that focuses on the youth. Indeed, from my submission above, the elders need a reorientation away from practices and institutions that damage the sense and spirit of community that has always been the strength of Africa and its Diaspora. It is for instance a thing of shame that the spiritual realm of contemporary Africa cannot be guaranteed as a solution to the challenge of crass materialism because the spiritual realm itself has become a theater of the absurd with cut-throat competition for sinful souls not because they need salvation but because it is their kind that the preacher needs for a fat bank account.

    There is a need to integrate spirit and matter. Surely the youth need a spiritual anchor that enables them to start firm and rooted in the face of the winds of change blowing across the African world. I submit however, that for that foundation to be strong, it has to be built on a solid material formation. We must prioritise institutions that cater to the material needs of the youth so as to give them the strength for spiritual renewal. It is not a coincidence that our people say that ebi kii wo nu ki oran mii woo. A hungry person is a potential prey or victim of spiritual swindlers. The community needs to guard its own from the vultures of religious zealotry. The poor are being promised virgins upon successful suicide mission and they easily buy it because of their condition. Assume that the nation has invested in the education of those young ones and has ensured that they had gainful employment upon completion of their studies; can anyone imagine that they would fall prey to the sugar-coated mouths of wicked mullahs?

    African peoples need a break from poverty, violence, political instability, and generalised social malaise. Africa has made some substantial contributions to the world culturally and spiritually. Now Africa and its people need to focus attention on building economic institutions that serve the purpose of cultural and spiritual renewal—institutions that prioritise the good of the community which ultimately translates into the good of individuals. If we bring together the collective efforts of the people to harness the collective resources of the people, there has to be bountiful results. Cooperatives and collectives have featured in our traditions with good results. We need to revive that spirit for the sake of the young ones who are fast losing hope in our collective humanity.

  • Amosun makes case for regional integration

    Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun has made a case for regional integration, describing it as a way of raising the development bar in view of the nation’s current challenges.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of a three-day Southwest Heads of Service Forum, tagged: ‘Re-engineering the Public Service for Regional Integration’, which began in Abeokuta yesterday, the governor said it would re-awaken the sense of history of the people.

    According to him, “some might not understand the recent agitation for the regional integration agenda. “To all intent and purposes, it is timely, particularly in the face of the current challenges facing the Nigerian nation. It is also a necessary approach to re-awaken the sense of history of our people; recalling the socio-economic development we shared as the Yoruba based in the Southwest, Nigeria.

    “This is with a view to re-inventing the pre-eminence and achievements of our region in the Nigerian Federation, particularly, the greatness we achieved as a people when we shared a regional government before the advent of military rule in our body politic. “If you recall, those laudable feats made us the envy of other regions in the country.”

    The governor, who applauded the strides recorded in the Southwest between 1957 and 1967 under the leadership of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, however, regretted that the creation of states has caused artificial boundaries among the people.

    He said: “The creation of states has created artificial boundaries and division among our people. To further worsen the situation, a vast majority of the elite and political class continue to harp on the artificial geographical boundaries created for their selfish ends.”

    The governor regretted that “the consequence (of the state creation) is that the concept of state’s citizenship begins to take forefront among the people.”

    “They begin to see themselves as people of one state or the other, rather than as sub-units of the entity called the Yoruba nation. This comes with the challenges of intra and inter-state boundary disputes, which often lead to arson, loss of lives, displacement and attendant negative consequences for socio-economic development on the people and region as a whole,” he said.

    Senator Amosun, however, expressed delight that states in the Southwest belong to the same Oodua family, adding: “We have a long history of relationships and we are traditional kinsmen and women. This means that we share the same idiosyncrasy, orientation and strategies of development. We are also geographically contiguous. This makes co-operation very easy and possible. The governments of the six states should therefore come together and create a united front for the development of the people and the entire region.”

  • ACN hails Aregbesola on integration

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Osun State has described Monday’s Oodua World Children’s Day celebration as “a landmark in the renaissance of Yoruba nationalism”.

    The party said the event would promote the integration of Yoruba people.

    In a statement by its Publicity Director, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, ACN said the event sensitised Oodua children on the need to be united and strong for the challenges of the future.

    It hailed Governor Rauf Aregbesola for “investing his time, brain and financial resources into promoting Yoruba integration in the last 30 months”.

    ACN said: “The most encouraging aspect of the celebration is the endorsement of Aregbesola by the international congregation of Yoruba spiritual leaders in the persons of over 100 obas, including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuwade Okunade and the Onisabe of Sabe.

    “So apt and true were the praises they showered on Aregbesola. You could see the renaissance fever and the leadership acceptance of the concept of Yoruba integration, which Aregbesola has been stoutly promoting, despite the misunderstanding and misgivings of critics within and outside the Yoruba nation.”

  • ECOWAS partners GE on regional integration

    Economic Community of West Africa ,ECOWAS, and America’s GE Corporation are to explore areas of cooperation, in energy projects and infrastructure development to boost regional trade integration.

    A statement from ECOWAS said this was a key outcome of a meeting between officials of the ECOWAS Commission and a GE delegation, which paid a courtesy call on the Commission’s Vice President, Dr. Toga Gayewea McIntosh in Abuja last week.

    Receiving the four-member delegation, led by Mr Karan Bhatia, GE’s Vice, President and Senior Counsel, Global Government Affairs and Policy, Dr. McIntosh, on behalf of the President of the Commission, said the new management at the Commission was calibrating its priorities for effective balance between peace and security and economic development, to deliver on its mandate.

    He explained that the inability of individual countries to harness the region’s vast resources makes integration inevitable especially through public private partnerships.

    The statement stressed that the Vice President named energy, transportation, oil and gas, health care and capacity building, as the potential areas of collaboration and partnership between ECOWAS and GE.

  • ‘Leave politics out of Southwest integration’

    ‘Leave politics out of Southwest integration’

    LEADERS of the Southwest states yesterday called on the governments and people to join hands in building a prosperous zone.

    It was at the opening ceremony of the regional Grassroots Business and Investment Forum (Expo 2013) in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

    Prince Bola Ajibola, who was chairman at the ceremony, said political tendencies should be de-emphasised in plotting the road to the future.

    Ajibola, a former Attorney General of the Federation and ex-Judge at the International Court of Justice, The Hague, was supported by a former governor of Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, who called on the governors to close ranks and return the region to the glorious days of the old Western Region.

    The zone could be said to have spoken with one voice as the two governors in attendance, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo toed the same lines in the thought-provoking speeches they delivered. Aregbesola extended a hand of fellowship to Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, who was elected on the platform of Labour Party at a well-fought electoral battle last October. Aregbesola said: “Elections are over now and its time for us all to come together in the interest of our people. It is about the protection and development of our territory.”

    Ajimobi said: “This is not about party politics. It is about governance. It is about the region. Each of the states has an area of strength. What we need is develop areas of comparative advantage for the overall interest of our people.” Ajimobi listed the benefits acruable from regional integration and appealed to his Ondo State counterpart to embrace the idea for the benefit of the people of the region .

    Some of the benefits, he said, are consensus based decision making processes, elimination of conflict and unhealthy rivalry, holistic articulation and effective mobilisation of varieties of resources, and utilisation of community resources to facilitate optimal delineation of development roles among the integrating units amongst others.

    He said the need for the Southwest, which used to be a hub of the defunct Western Region and her people to be united under one economic umbrella has been on the front burner.

    “It is on this note I want to urge my brother governor in Ondo to join in this unique effort by participating in the regional integration for the economic empowerment of our people. He (Mimiko) should not see it as politics because it goes beyond it”, Ajimobi stressed.

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi who delivered the keynote address, was represented by the Seretary to the State Government, Dr. Ganiyu Owolabi. He challenged the people to brace for a new era when the people would cooperate rather than see themselves as unhealthy competitors. Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State was represented by the Special Adviser on Agriculture, Mrs. Tinu Shopeju. Special Adviser on Integration to Lagos State Government Rev Tunji Adebiyi stood in for Governor Babatunde Fashola.

    Ajibola, who chaired the programme organised by Vintage Press Ltd., publishers of The Nation and Ceedee Resources, said the achievements of governors in the zone were good enough to attract investments.

    Ajibola gave kudos to Aregbesola for progressive steps taken since he took ver the reins of government in the state, describing him as the Omoluabi of Oodualand.

    Olunloyo said regional integration would correct many things that had been done wrong in the past, advising that politics should be de-emphasised in the agenda because “politics is a waste of valuable time.”

    Aregbesola, said the theme of the programme: “Actualising Economic Development for Regional Growth” was apt, noting that regional integration was meant to harness abundant resources within the Southwest to promote well being of the people and for socio-economic advancement of the people under responsive and responsible governments.

    He said: “We (new set of governments in the Southwest) inherited very bad situation. Because many good legacies were lacking, on assumption of office, we have to begin to work round the clock to make amends where necessary. In many situations we have to evolve strategic planning with strong involvement of the private sector and social groups.”

    However, he advised that people should not despair because the new leadership in the Southwest is regaining the ground, disclosing that on May 27, Osun State would host a youth conference where the young Yoruba people would receive re-orientation.

    “We have for some time now been harping on the need for regionalism in the country in order to realise our dream of accelerated economic growth and development. This is far from being a mere politically correct advocacy. It is a well-conceived idea that is grounded in the strong conviction on our part that regional integration holds the key to rapid economic and political development for the country.

    He said: “Our gathering here today is yet another forum for exploring the promises and possibilities of regional economic growth, with particular focus on the Southwest. It comes as no surprise therefore that the list of invitees to this Expo is a roll-call of eminent names in the region’s politics and academia. May I therefore thank the organisers of this Grassroots Business and Investment Forum, the Vintage Press Limited and CEEDEE Resources, for their thoughtfulness in convening a gathering of this sort which I believe will be worth every bit of the effort put into it.

    “The fundamental objective of, and philosophy behind, regional integration is to harness, effectively and efficiently, the abundant resources of the region and unleash its collective enterprise towards promoting the wellbeing and quality of lives of the people living in the region. In other words, it is meant to ensure the socio-economic advancement of the people of the region under responsive, responsible and accountable governments. This has to be done by adopting a well-guided policy and strategic plan that would create appropriate and enabling environment for individuals, groups, corporate organisations and private sector development.

    “Against this background, we have also consistently drawn the attention of the public to the fact that the idea of regional integration is neither an imported fad, nor is it just a ride on the wave of an international trend, but something that has a substantive basis in our own history as a country. Indeed, in the Southwest in particular, we have never hesitated to point out that the best period in our development since Nigeria was created as a modern nation was the era of regionalism in the build-up to our flag-independence and up to the demise of the First Republic.

    “It was also the time when Nigeria as a whole enjoyed the most rapid advancement in economic growth and prosperity.

    This was the time we had the best in most areas of our lives in the Southwest, or the Western Region, as it was then known. That was the time when the foundation for our leading position in education was laid. It was also in the same period that the industrial estates were planted across the region, including those of Lagos which are now the major industrial base of the country’s economy.”

    Ajimobi said “effective popular participation is a necessary feature of any regional economic decision process. This is manifested through open-minded and regular dialogue among all participating states. This is to foster a sense of belonging and collective ownership, as well as mutual respect among all member states”.

    Praising Aregbesola for his transformation effort since becoming governor, Ajimobi described him as a man that epitomises humility and a true son of Odua.

    He expressed gratitude to God for the grace to be part of history making event and thanked Aregbesola for deeming it fit to invite Mimiko to participate in the four-day programme, even though the governor did attend nor send a representative.

    On the problem arising from clearing of main roads in the city of Ibadan, Ajimobi said that “Our people have been used to culture of impunity, nevertheless, he maintained that the effort was yielding positive result in the environmental health of the state.

    He called for a template and blueprint as bedrock for uniformed development for regional integration in the Southwest.

    The Southwest, he said has resolved to embrace the frame work for integration, while also advocating for a uniformed development plan for the Southwest for economic development which he said was essential for regional integration.

    He announced that the Oyo state government would host the 1st Southwest Economic Summit in an effort to contribute to regional integration, while proposing that such Summit be held tri-annually and rotated among the integrating states.

    In his welcome address, Managing Director of The Nation, Mr. Victor Ifijeh, said the regional integration would be a catalyst for economic development of the Southwest.

    He said the question to ask is “how far have we gone in the mplementation of the objectives of this agenda (regional Integration). Ifijeh said the Southwest Expo, featuring workshop and exhibition of farm produce and products from the zone would re-appraise the activities and provide solutions to challenges within the zone.

    He said: “We are aware of steps being taken towards the actualisation of this noble goal. In the different states in the Southwest , there is either a ministry or department saddled with the implementation of programs and policies geared towards the realisation of a vibrant Southwest economic zone. We are aware that a regional secretariat has been established in Ibadan to drive the process.

    “As a newspaper with a mission to champion a fundamental return to federalism, believing that it is the best arrangement in a multi-ethnic nation like ours, we cannot but totally embrace this laudable initiative. This explains why we organised a three- day legislative summit on regional integration in February last year in Ibadan. A wide range of issues that will accelerate the development of the Southwest were considered and captured in a 24-point communique.

    “It was resolved at the Ibadan summit that states in the Southwest should push for regional investment in research,innovation, access to land and training of young farmers as a way of boosting agriculture in the zone. The states were also enjoined to invest in agricultural extension services to boost improved crops and seedlings . “

    “The need for a regional commodity exchange to protect farmers and guarantee good prices to them , thereby making farming profitable and sustainable was stressed. We consider these suggestions of utmost importance in the quest to turn the Southwest into the food basket of the country and restoring agriculture to its pride of place as a major revenue earner, Ifijeh added. “

    In attendance was the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, Oyo State Governor’s wife, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, Osun State Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, Chief of Staff to Oyo State Governor, Dr. Adeolu Akande, Ekiti SSG, Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi, Osun State Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Mr Ajiblola Bashiru, commissioners from Oyo and Osun states, and council chairmen.

     

     

     

     

  • Cement: Importation puts backward integration at bay

    Cement: Importation puts backward integration at bay

    Although the dust raised by the Dangote Group on the threat to local production of cement by importers remains unsettled, the government has seen the need to revisit the issue as the firm’s closure of its Gboko plant takes its toll on the workers and the host community, SIMEON EBULU, Deputy Business Editor, reports.

    For years, Nigeria has yearned to diversify its economy and be self-sufficient in certain sectors of the economy. The government, and many Nigerians, have always flayed the nation’s almost total dependence on oil ( to the tune of over 85 per cent), as unhealthy and dangerous, given the fact that oil is a wasting asset, and also that its control, in terms of production and sale, is not entirely within Nigeria’s control. Besides, the price is subject to all kinds of regional and geo-political influences and configurations to which the nation has little, if any, control.

    In no area has the need to be self-reliant been more pressing than in rice and cement production. Rice, because it is the nation’s staple food, and cement because of government’s desire to deliver affordable housing to the generality of the people.

    The lack of local capacity to churn out cement, the major component required in building and construction, has led governments over the years, to issue import licences for importation of the product, not only to bridge the supply gap, but also to moderate its price.

    This delicate balancing act, has more often than not, played out in favour of importers, who require next to nothing to bring-in the product, against producers, who in most cases have to exhaust the whole gamut of the production process, including aggregating all the financial, cum-human resource input to ensure they meet local demand.

    It was not until the present democratic dispensation that a conscious effort was made to address the challenge of making Nigeria becoming self-sufficient in cement production. The bait to accomplish this feat was thrown to many industrialists, but few took on the challenge. Among them are Lafarge, Dangote Cement Plc, BUA, Ibeto Nigeria Limited, Flour Mills Plc, Northern Nigeria Cement Company and NIGERCEM.

    Since the goal is to make Nigeria self-reliant in cement production and a net exporter (not an importer) of the product, some of the firms and their promoters ( a handful of them), who originally were key importers, took on the gauntlet and reverted wholly to becoming manufacturers. In this regard, the Dangote Group and a few others invested massively in plant and machinery for cement production.

    The interplay of local production, with its attendant infrastructural deficit and the unbridled influx of imports, have resulted in what one of the leading manufacturers, Dangote Cement Plc, described as a glut, or over supply in a segment of the market. And to minimise its loss, the management of the conglomerate has taken a pre-emptive step to temporarily shut down its plant in, Gboko, Benue State.

    The closure of the Gboko cement plant has raised many issues. They are both micro and macro. Firstly, it puts a whole line of huge financial outlay at risk, thereby jeopardising the chance, or early realisation of government’s backward integration programme. In addition, the lifeline of about 5,000 workers (direct and indirect) is on hold with an uncertain future hovering over their heads. The impact of the multi-plier effects of the development on the economic activities of the host community cannot be overlooked.

    Although the management has assured that the closure is temporary, the workers and the community have started counting their losses.

    A visit to Gboko by The Nation revealed that economic activities in the hitherto boisterous enclave have been grounded. “The place is now a shadow of its former self. As you can see, the place is deserted except for the security men and some company guards at the factory entrance,” remarked one of the staff members who requested that his identity be veiled.

    A filling station attendant, Paul Akosu, said since the factory was closed, they have run out of business. He said before now. petroleum business was very lucrative as both Dangote’s trucks and other vehicles patronise the fuel station non-stop.

    For a food vendor. Mrs Dooshima Iorfza, the closure of the company has sent her out of business at a very critical period.

    She said, “Christmas is when sales peak. I had hope to make enough sale and buy my three children clothes for the Yuletide, but the hope has been dashed,” she lamented.

    Officials at the Dangote Group, in Lagos, said although the action may appear harsh and painful, it had to be taken as a rescue measure. The official, who asked not to be identified, explained that the challenges in Gboko were not replicated in the other cement plants owned by the Group. He said the factory which was opened to meet the needs of consumers in the South-south and Middle Belt, is being threatened by a horde of imported cement, mostly from the Asian countries.

    He said what is brewing now is akin to the development in the textile industries, warning that if no steps are taken to arrest the situation, it could lead to the collapse of cement factories in the country. The official explained that cement is the only sector that is close to being self-sufficient, and, therefore, should be assisted to succeed and make government’s backward integration plan a reality.

    The official, who faulted critics’ claims that Dangote was crying wolf where there is none, said no one can do the import business better than Alhaji Dangote, adding that he has settled for local production,” because of his patriotism.

    He said if the government is unwilling to impose a ban on cement importers, it can increase tariff, or raise duties on imported cement. He also suggested that if the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Calabar is operational, it could assist the company in evacuating some of the products to the international market, especially in the West African Sub-region. “Dumping will not be so adverse if we have the leverage to export,” the official stated.

    He said for anybody, who is patriotic, this is a national disaster, stressing that cement is the only good thing coming from Nigeria. Beside cement, in which other product are we self-sufficient? he asked.

    The official came hard on critics who have rationalised that the concern expressed by the firm and the subsequent closure of; its plant are ploys to arm-twist the authority, saying, “if Dangote was not patriotic, he would have been the number one importer, and would’ve been making more money.”

    He argued: “Large scale importation will not even crash prices, but will impact negatively on the government’s backward integration policy, hack jobs and businesses, and ultimately result in capital flight.”

    He urged government agencies and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to rise to the occasion by frustrating importation of sub-standard products, so that the nation does not end up as a net importer of all its consumer products, as is the case with rice and sugar. “A stitch in time saves nine,” he warned.

    The Nation has learnt that the government has risen to the occasion. It has set up a fact- finding mission to ascertain the true position and proffer a solution. An official of the Ministry of Trade and Investment, who asked not to be identified, said the government is addressing the matter.

     

  • Southwest governors to raise panel on regional integration

    Southwest governors to raise panel on regional integration

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governors in the Southwest have resolved to set up a 21-member technical committee on regional integration.

    Osun State Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties Ajibola Basiru told reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, that the governors made the decision after several meetings.

    He said three representatives would be appointed from each state to appraise issues of development in the zone.

    Basiru said the committee would identify areas of possible collaboration for rapid socio-economic development.

    He said such areas would include agriculture, education, health, transportation, power, infrastructure, democratic governance and homeland affairs, among others.

    Basiru said Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration was committed to a successful regional integration.

    He said his ministry would continue to enhance cooperation and integration among Southwest states.

    Basiru said the ministry has done well as the liaising agency between the three arms of government in the state, especially in the processing of bills and motions.

    He said some outdated laws had been repealed and some bills processed by the ministry had been passed into law by the House of Assembly.

    The commissioner said the Aregbesola administration had settled boundary disputes between some communities.

     

  • Regional integration needs collective efforts

    Regional integration needs collective efforts

    I Recently, at a South-South Economic Summit, the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, re-proposed regional partition of the huge cauldron called Nigeria for effective administrative governance.

    Short after, the former Secretary General of Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku recommended a division into six regions instead of the existing 36 states. His reason, like that of the Nobel Laureate, is for effective and easy administration of the nation as opposed to the present gigantic central arrangement.

    With the incessant calls from eminent Nigerians, it is becoming increasingly apparent that if the country must achieve and attain greatness, the central government has to be unbundled – the centre should be decentralised so as to give more effective administrative roles to the composite units, this time round, the regions; as it once was during the First Republic.

    There is no gainsaying the fact that the present over-bloated Federal system constitutes a great and serious impediment to growth, progress and development. This explains why there have been repeated calls for drastic reduction in the size and cost of running the federal octopus if the nation must realize its aspiration of becoming a great country. Small, they say, is sometimes better and preferred because the bigger the head the bigger the headache.

    Against this backdrop, the Governor of the State of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola with his fellow governor colleagues in the south-west have firmly resolved to look inward in search of lost value-based leadership, which can propel the fortunes of the region to greater height.

    Hence, the renaissance of regional integration aimed at realizing a people’s collective potentialities that are necessary ingredients for nation building. To achieve this uphill task requires that all hands must be on deck; for any discordant tune carries within it a destructive seed.

    Thus, Aregbesola, recognizing the spirit of collectivism and team-playing, intends to rally with other colleagues to discuss on how to take the south-west back to its days of glory in order to lift it out of its present doldrums.

    In consonance with this intent, a summit tagged Yoruba Developmental Agenda was organized on September 23, 2010 at the Cultural Centre in Ibadan by all stakeholders across the Yoruba nation.

    The summit offered a platform for exhaustive discussion on the way forward for the region; the outcome was a documentation of action plan by intellectual think-thank and politicians called Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN): A Roadmap.

    Since then, the Governor of the State of Osun has been working tirelessly with others to make sure some of the enunciated proposals in the document sooner than later transform into concrete development for people of the region.

    To Ogbeni, what urgently must come to reality are concrete steps towards a regional cooperation and integration among the south-western states –focus is also on Edo State – so as to boost the region’s socio-economic growth and development and improve upon its fortune collectively.

    Collectively in the sense that to obtain prime result, the key word is ‘team-playing’ or what is called ‘consensus ad idem (meeting of the minds), in legal parlance, among the six states, the absence of which nothing meaningful could be achieved. Ogbeni’s passion stems from the need for sister states to come together and approach the multifarious developmental programmes highlighted to be vital to the region’s development.

    This is how he succinctly puts it: “So if we want to integrate, it means we are formalizing a process that naturally existed before by our common heritage, language, history and uniformity of culture. It is an economic programme that cannot be affected adversely by anybody. It was natural. Traders will go to Owena Market whether any government wants it or not. Ditto for Akure Market or any market in the region for that matter.”

    Further more, he said: “We are looking at a programme where all our governments can work and support ourselves officially with government resources. That is all. It involves conviction and commitment of a government.”

    It requires team play. A team player is one who objectively believes in a cause of action and is ready to unflinchingly cooperate, genuinely join efforts, willingly collaborate, assiduously work with, support others, readily prepare to pool resources together and adroitly work in partnership with others to achieve their set goals.

    These are, in Aregbesola’ opinion, the necessary components a team-player must possess to be able to participate in the developmental agenda. Going a step further, he also identifies the essential areas in need of urgent attention to include the following – education, commerce, Agriculture, transportation and wealth management and distribution.

    Lagos unarguably needs help to boost its agricultural practice. In fundamental nature, in Aregbesola’s viewpoint, Oyo, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti State have the potential to farm for Lagos.

    In other words, with the current available resource, both human and materials, at the disposal of the six states, some revolution could be stirred in agriculture if they are jointly administered.

    It is also Ogbeni’s observation that Lagos, with a population of about 15 million, has and provides a vast market for the whole region, the largest West African sub-region. Lagos needs food crops as well as raw material for industries, which exist in commercial quantities in other sister states.

    What ought to be done is to facilitate easy and direct access of the farm produce to Lagos market as well as direct finished products from Lagos to the hinterland states. To this extent, intra-state trade and specialization would be established and promoted simultaneously among member states.

    This is where transportation comes in. It was reported that the six states have sent a blue print on rail system within the south-west to the Federal Government for concession.

    The state signed a Memorandum of Understand (MoU) with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), whereby it undertakes to foot the bill of farm produce transported from the state to Osun as well as finished products returned to the state.

    There is also preference for education. Today, there are numerous universities scattered across the six states – some well-established and some hurriedly and haphazardly put together. Aregbesola holds the belief that if the spirit of collectivism operates, the whole south-west can have just one big university with the existing campuses across the six states serving as colleges, with the field of studies allocated based on the need, the prevailing factors and existing resources as well as comparative advantage in those areas.

    A typical example is the Harvard University, which has its main campus at Cambridge but also has colleges scattered across other states in the US. For instance, apart from its major Cambridge/Allston and Longwood campuses, Harvard owns and operates Arnold Arboretum, in the Jamaica Plain area of Boston; the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, in Washington; the Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts; and the Villa I Tatti Research Center inFlorence. This is in addition to its operating theHarvard Shanghai Center in China.

    In this way, resources allocated in different states for education would be pooled together so as to achieve best possible results.

    All that it requires to achieve these laudable objectives is for the six states to work cooperatively by subordinating their personal interests in order to achieve a common goal. Kunle Owolabi is of the Bureau of Communications and Strategy, office of the Governor of the State of Osun.