The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria

  • ‘700,000 children have cerebral palsy in Nigeria’

    No fewer than 700,000 children are living with cerebral palsy, consultant paeditrician, Prof Afolabi Lesi has said.

    Cerebral palsy (CP) is a physical disability that affects movement and posture. It is an umbrella term that refers to a group of disorders affecting a person’s ability to move. CP is a permanent life-long condition, but generally does not worsen over time. It is due to damage to the developing brain either during pregnancy or shortly after birth.

    CP affects people in different ways and can affect body movement, muscle control, muscle co-ordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance.

    Speaking during the maiden National Cerebral Palsy (CP) family forum organised by a CP initiative, Benola, Lesi, Dean of Clinical Sciences at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) described the condition as one of the commonest brain issues in a child in a developing country.

    He said 60 to 80 per cent of such children would have co-morbidities such as seizures and intellectual disabilities, among others.

    For every child affected by the illness, he said, there were five other people around the child who are affected in one way or the other.

    He said drugs, infections, stress, nutrition and things taken during pregnancy and when the child is born till he or she becomes five years old go a long way to affect the development of a child’s brain.

    In his lecture on Cerebral palsy: the stigma, fears and reality, he said most cerebral palsy were caused before, around and after delivery. Some of the identified causes are: when the brain doesn’t get air immediately after birth or when a child has difficulty in establishing breathing at birth. Other causes are jaundice and infections.

    The neuro-developmental problems specialist said certain stigmas are associated with the condition. Such stigmas include high cost, long duration of care, the fear of recurrence and inappropriate labels such as, disabled.

    He said it leads to denial of such child, neglect, malnourishment, social isolation and murder in extreme cases, adding that in reality, most causes are preventable.

    “There is the need for a national policy and legislation for all neuro-developmental conditions,” he said.

    The founders of the initiative, Mr Femi and Mrs Alaba Gbadebo, said there is the need to help improve the lives of people with CP including provision of care, covering medical and living costs.

    They said the initiative would become the lead supportive agency and a leading advocate for the rights of those living with the condition in Africa.

    Gbadebo said the initiative had been working to establish a road map for early detection and better management.

    A consultant clinical psychologist at the Lagos University TEaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Charles Umeh said CP can’t be cured in a child; rather, series of treatments will often improve the child’s capabilities and quality of life.

    According to him, there are experts to help manage the condition such as pediatricians, surgeons, occupational therapists, clinical psychologists and special need educators.

    He noted that some CPs could be mild and others severe.

    Several people shared their experiences with CP. Some of those who have CP, some, their siblings and some other parents all shared their experiences on how they were able to live with the condition.

  • NIMET set to commercialise operations

    NIMET set to commercialise operations

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) will soon commercialise its services to generate revenue for its operations, the Director-General, Dr Anthony Anuforom, has said.

    Addressing reporters at the weekend in Abuja, Anuforom said NIMET’s attainment of the International Standard Organisation (ISO) 9001 certification would enable it to offer quality services as a world-class organisation.

    He said this feat has prepared the ground for the agency to pursue the commercialisation of its services.

    Anuforom said: “Getting the ISO 9001 certification is paving the way towards the commercialisation of our services.

    “You cannot commercialise something that does not have quality. In other words, the quality of our services is now very well assured. The benefits of the ISO 9001 are enormous for this country. Nigeria is a destination because the air traffic will increase and the airspace will be busy. That is an opportunity for us. We must be prepared and live up to the challenges of providing sufficient safety services.”

    The NIMET chief said the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) prescribe that all aeronautical service providers in the aviation and related fields should attain the international quality management audit to achieve the ISO certification.

    He explained that without acquiring the ISO 9001, foreign airlines would not be obliged to obtain or use the agency’s weather forecast.

     

     

     

  • Apapa Customs rakes in N121b

     

    The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) boosted the government’s coffer with N121 billion in the first six months of the year.

    The Public Relations Officer, Apapa Area Command, Mr Emmanuel Ekpa, in the command’s half-year performance report, said the amount collected represented only 52 per cent of the total revenue targeted to be generated within the first half of the year.

    Ekpa said: “The command collected over N121 billion as revenue generated into the federation and non-federation accounts between January and June 2013. The amount collected is about 52 per cent of the N234 billion aspired to be collected in the first six months of the year going by the monthly revenue target of N39 billion.”

    A breakdown of the revenue figure shows that the Command collected N20.8 billion in January; N19.8 billion in February; N18.6 billion in March. However, in the month of April, over N20 billion was collected as against N19.7 billion raked in the same period last year. The performance showed an increase in the previous year’s record.

    The Command collected N19.8 billion in May as against N24.6 billion in May 2012. For the month of June, the command collected a total of N21 billion as against the N36.7billion in June of 2012.

    Ekpa said that the inability of the Command to meet its half year target was due to the continuous decline in the volume of importation into the country.

  • Why nothing works in Nigeria

    SIR: Nigeria is touted as the giant of Africa. The truth is, Nigeria has the potentials to become the true giant of Africa; it is not a giant. For all our human and material resources, Nigeria is mired in economic stagnation and technological backwardness. Nigeria’s woes are not unconnected with inept, corrupt and incompetent political leadership.

    We have not got our politics right since we became a politically independent country in 1960. Official corruption has ruined Nigeria. So, nothing works here. From education to health, to electricity, to infrastructural development, it is the same sad tale of rot. Monies set aside for the execution of capital projects are pilfered and stolen by political leaders supervising such projects.

    Can Nigeria become an industrialized country when such things as good roads and steady supply of electricity which are given in other countries are in a deplorable state here?

    Nigerians roads are death traps despite the fact that billions of naira are voted and budgeted yearly for the construction and rehabilitation of roads; the Benin – Ore road and other roads are death traps. These roads are marked by pot – holes and craters. Drivers get involved in road accidents while swerving to avoid entering the craters on our roads. Some of the roads in Nigeria, an oil- rich country, cannot hold candle to the ones in war – ravaged countries like Cambodia and Afghanistan. But, our political and religious elite with ill – gotten wealth own private jets and seldom travel by road. Now, the number of deaths caused by road accident outnumbers those resulting from malaria and HIV/AIDS infections. Nigerian roads are now killing – fields.

    I am a victim of the Nigerian bad road – network. On February 24, I was involved in a fatal road accident on the Umunnachi stretch of the Old Awka – Onitsha road. It was a multiple accident caused by a fast – travelling lorry with faulty brake, which claimed lives of some passengers on the buses involved in the accident. My right hand was trapped between the body of the bus and a deep gutter.

    In Nigeria, almost everybody lays claim to being a devout Muslim or Christians. We talk excitedly about God, Allah and Jesus, and pray fervently to God for break-through in our endeavors. Yet, we fail the simple test of love, daily. We wear the mask of religiosity, and fake piety to deceive others into believing that we are with love and moral scruples. Nigeria is a failed or failing state because most Nigerians are morally vacuous and spiritually arid. That’s the reason past leaders had stolen Nigeria blind.

    But, are our leaders not products of a society with warped values and perverted agents of socialization? Schools, which are agents of socialization, are breeding grounds for future leaders. Those that passed through the portals of our educational institutions are expected to possess exemplary character and deep learning. But, can we say that of them? Today, in our schools, lecturers trade grades and scores for sex and money. And, religious activities and staging of beauty pageants have replaced researches and scientific inquiry on our campuses. So, our universities graduates are not morally and educationally equipped to tackle the leadership challenges of the 21st century.

    Can our economy grow in a milieu of corruption, ethnic bigotry, religious intolerance, violence, blood-letting and over-bloated bureaucracy? It takes a competent, dedicated, and selfless leader for a country to ascend to the summit of economic prosperity and technological advancement. Those strutting their stuff on our political arena and calling the shots are ethnic chauvinists, religious bigots and perverted cradle-snatchers.

    So, bad leadership is at the root of our national woes. We practice democracy, which pre-supposes that sovereignty rests with the people. But, inveterate election-riggers, king-makers and other selfish interests subvert our collective will and impose their leaders on us.

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye

    Uruowulu – Obosi

    Anambra State.

     

  • ‘Nigeria’s energy consumption’ll grow by 56% by 2040’

    Nigeria’s energy consumption will increase by 56 per cent in 2040 due to its rapidly growing population, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has said.

    Already,the country is targeting increase from 4,000MW to 10,000MW and gas production from 26,000 to 46,000 mega watts to meet its energy needs in the next few years.

    EIA, in its International Energy Outlook report released at the weekend, said the energy needs of Nigeria among other countries in Africa, would increase in tandem with its growing population in the next few decades. It said the growth in energy consumption is driven by the its growing economy, among other indices..

    It said China and India’s rising prosperity is a major factor in the outlook for global energy demand, adding that the power requirements of the two countries have been more than double in recent times.

    The report said: “These two countries combined, account for half the world’s total increase in energy use through 2040. This will have a profound effect on the development of world energy markets.”

    It said energy demand will increase to 820 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2040, up from 524 quadrillion Btus, adding that China’s energy use will double that of the United States by 2040.

    It said renewable energy and nuclear power are the fastest growing source of energy consumption, with each increasing by 2.5 per cent per year. stressing that fossil fuels, including oil, natural gas and coal will continue to supply almost 80 per cent of the world’s energy through 2040.

    The report said natural gas is the fastest growing fossil fuel in EIA’s outlook, and will continue to dominate the landscape.

    It said non-OECD in Europe, Middle East and the United States, accounted for the largest increase in natural gas production globally.

    The explosion in supply from unconventional sources will underpin growth of natural gas demand, while high oil prices will encourage countries to focus on liquid fuels “when feasible”, the report stated.

    The report projected benchmark Brent crude to average $105 this year, and $100 by 2014, adding that prices will increase long-term with the world oil price reaching $106 a barrel in 2020, and $163 in 2040 in the reference case.

  • Independence of electoral umpires in Nigeria

    Independence of electoral umpires in Nigeria

    The electoral umpires at that stage of the colonial venture were therefore the registering officers who were obviously subject to direct control of the colonial government. This was the position until the 1958 Nigerian (Electoral Provisions) Order in Council was promulgated, which created the Electoral Commission of Nigeria which was charged with the responsibility to prepare voters register and conduct elections. It was largely modelled after the British Electoral commission which was earlier discussed.

    14.As the foregoing account of electoral umpireship in colonial times reveals, imperial Britain which was the predominant political influence of the time was without doubt the real electoral umpire for Nigeria in the colonial period.

    That and the limited franchise granted Nigerians at the time meant that imperial Britain was very much in charge of whatever passed for ‘electoral process’ at that time. It is therefore not surprising that eminent Nigerians have alleged that the British colonial expedition to Nigeria tried to use the Electoral Commission of Nigeria (ECN), established to conduct 1959 elections to impose Northern Nigerians at the helm of affairs after independence. This sentiment was expressed in Chinua Achebe’s book earlier referred to.

    After Independence in 1960 the Electoral Act of 1962 was enacted for the whole of Nigeria as its first electoral law. However, the law did no more than re-state the 1958 Electoral Regulations so that the electoral umpire remained the Electoral Commission. After the military coup in 1966, the Electoral Act was suspended and the ECN dissolved so that Nigeria was without an electoral umpire until the 24-man FEDECO1 Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) was constituted by the Obasanjo military administration through the Electoral Decree of 1977. FEDECO’s functions included the conduct of elections, delimitation of constituencies and registration of political parties – much the same as the INEC, on paper at least. In 1976, the General Olusegun Obasanjo military administration appointed Chief Michael Ani to be the chairman of FEDECO for the 1979 elections. In 1982, another Electoral Act was enacted for Nigeria which defined the duties of the already existing Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) in greater detail.

    15.By the end of the second republic, the Nigerian Army had litrally dismantled the country’s political structure and become Nigeria’s predominant political influence. It was under these circumstances that FEDECO was dissolved by the General Mohammadu Buhari junta on December 31, 1983. Another military junta led by General Ibrahim Babangida established the National Electoral Commission (NEC) in 1987 to administer the Juntas transition programme to civil rule. The NEC was hailed as a step in the right direction till Babangida’s painfully elongated transition programme revealed that it was merely a weapon for tenure elongation, a view confirmed when the 1993 elections adjudged to be the freest and fairest election in Nigeria was annulled. The public perception of electoral umpireship was at the lowest after the annulment. Everyone in the country saw Professor Henry Nwosu’s NEC as toothless and unable to assert its independence under Babaginda’s Rule of the gun.

    16. In 1993, the Abacha led junta dissolved Bangida’s NEC and, in December 1995, established the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) to replace it. The general perception was that the only difference between NEC and NECON were the two last alphabets of the NECON’s acronym. And although NECON conducted elections to Local Government councils and National Assembly, it was common knowledge that NECON had one overriding agenda: to perpetuate Abacha’s military rule by transforming him to a ‘democratically elected president.’ Following General Abacha’s sudden passing in 1998, General Abdulsalam Abubakar’s Administration dissolved NECON and established the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in August 1998. INEC comprises a Chairman and 12 National Commissioners, two members being drawn from each of the six geopolitical zones of the country. Like its predecessors, INEC has been riddled with criticisms and labelled a lackey of whoever wields the reins of power. The same criticism pervaded the era of Prof Maurice Iwu, a fine gentleman but with the odds stacked against him, he could only manage to deliver amidst condemnations particularly from the opposition to the Ruling Political Party.

    The perception persisted until the coming of Prof Attairu Jega as head of INEC and the gains of opposition parties in some states of the Federation reduced significantly the barrage of criticism of the Electoral umpire.

    17.The Electoral umpire for National Elections in Nigeria today is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and it is established by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Establishment) Act Cap 15 laws of the Federation of Nigeria (the Act). Section 4 of the Act spells out the functions of the INEC. These include the organisation, conduct and supervision of elections, registration of political parties, monitor the organisation and operation of political parties including their finances, voter registration and the preparation, maintenance and revision of voters registers, monitoring of political campaigns, provision of rules and regulations governing political parties amongst other functions.

    18.It is to be noted that Item 22 of the Executive Legislative List under the Part 1 of the Second Schedule (Legislative Powers) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as altered provides that the Federal Government and by extension INEC may only conduct election into the offices of the President and Vice President or Governor and Deputy Governor and any other office to which a person may be elected under the Constitution excluding election into a Local Government Council or any office in such council.

    19.Section 2 of the Act deals with the membership of the Commission while Section 3 deals with the tenure of office of members. Also contained in the Act are subsidiary legislation dealing with guidelines for elections into offices of the President and National Assembly.

    20.While INEC has remained very active in its role as organiser, conductor and superior of elections, its role as designed in section 4 of the Act with regards to monitoring the finances and operations of political parties (Section 4c, 4d and 4e) have been at a low ebb. The independence and impartiality of INEC is not to be measured only during elections but in the manner in which it carries out its supervisory role over the operations and finances of political parties even in between electoral contests. The supervisory role that INEC should play over political parties as aforesaid should be comparable to what the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) does with the banks and banking institutions or what other regulatory bodies do within their spheres.

    21.INEC must actively engage political parties and supervise their operations and finances. Rules and penalties for breaches must be well defined and spelt out and the interaction must be in public space. This will have a positive impact on the public and improve the perception of the public on the impartiality of INEC. The general public will therefore having perceived INEC as a effective and impartial regulator carry the same mind set into elections. It has been said that the business of politics is too serious to be left in the hands of politicians. INEC must step up its game and improve significantly on its regulatory role.

    Conclusion

    From the foregoing, it is clear that the Electoral Umpires we have had in Nigeria have never really had any measure of independence which would ensure their impartiality. In the colonial times, imperial Britain was the hand beneath the gloves of electoral umpireship. Under the military, the various electoral umpires were either put in place to elongate tenure (Babangida) or to outrightly defeat clamour for democratic governance (Abacha). Under the 1999 constitution, things have not changed much and the INEC is generally considered to be partial and in favour of whoever happens to be the government of the day. Therefore, in accordance with the judicial pronouncements reproduced earlier, it is fair to assert that Nigeria has never really had an independent electoral umpire and the lesson here is the futility of embarking on journey towards democratic self-governance which does not have a fully independent umpire both in laws setting up the body and in the perception of the public. This malaise is not restricted to the National umpire, it is in fact worse with the states electoral bodies saddled with the conduct of Local Government Elections.

    On Chief Afe Babalola (SAN)

    “I have known Aare Afe Babalola all my adult life and he has always been a reference point for many in the legal profession in Nigeria and overseas. I remember that in 2003, I picked up courage and approached him one evening at Emanuel Chambers. I was straight to the point. I asked for his guidance in my quest to take silk. He asked three questions:

    1.When I was called to the Bar,

    2.How long I had established my own practice.

    3.The highest fee I had charged as professional fees at the time and lastly.

    4.If I owned my own residence.

    I think he was satisfied with my answers and he allowed me to visit his chambers every weekend to discuss my progress until 2005 when I was called into the Inner Bar.

    Aare Babalola is not only a colossus in the legal profession, he has also firmly established perhaps the best privately run and funded university in Nigeria, that is, the Afe Babalola University in Ado Ekiti.

  • Ogun Customs reduces clearing time

    The Ogun Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has introduced efficiency in clearing period of goods through the Idi-Iroko border post. The clearing period through the area (that is the process of taking imports out of the command), which formerly takes about one week, has been reduced to about one hour.

    It was gathered that goods especially vehicles, which have accurate declarations either by the importers or agents, are now speedily processed by the Customs officers through the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA++).

    It was also learnt that once the goods have been valued and scanned, the correct import duties paid, and no discrepancy detected on the goods during the examination process, the goods are released to their owners immediately.

    An importer, Mr Azeez Owodunni, who also is the Managing Director of Azeez Clearing and Forwarding Agency, confirmed that vehicles can be cleared through the Idi-Iroko border post in one hour if the declarations for the payment of import duty is properly done and no concealment found in the cargo.

    Another agent, who patronises the border post, said unlike in the past when it took days to clear goods through the Ogun Command border post, the clearing process can now be commenced and completed within one hour depending on the sincerity of the agent or importer at paying the right import duty on goods.

    The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, Comptroller Ade Dosunmu explained that what was responsible for the improvement in clearing of goods at the command, was the effective us e of the ASYCUDA++and the scanning machine for the examination of goods.

    He said the Idi- Iroko border post is one of the few b order posts in Nigeria today where you can make your correct self-assessment and have your documents processed for clearing of your goods within an hour.

    Dosunmu said the encouragement the command gave the officers since he assumed office as the Controller, served as an impetus for them to be more committed and effective.

    He listed some of the motivations to include increase in salaries and improvement in their welfare by the Customs Comptroller-General (CGC), Alhaji Abdullahi Inde Dikko.

    He said his keying into the seven- point agenda of the CGC, has made it possible for him to ensure that the command’s operations were carried out faster so as to encourage more importers to use the border post and thus increase the revenue accruable to the Federal Government from imports.

    He explained that once an agent or importer does his self-assessment correctly at the Idi-Iroko Data Trade Input (DTI) by paying the right import duty on the cargo, there would be no basis for any delay on the part of the command at ensuring that the goods are cleared promptly.

    The Controller noted that in as much as the officers are up-to-date in training and are more committed to their work, there would be no way goods cannot be cleared within one hour at the command.

     

    Officers he said, have been warned against undue delay in attending to documents, adding that bottlenecks militating against speedy clearing of goods have also been eliminated. He said the command is already working towards completing the clearing process in less than one hour.

    Dosunmu, however, lauded the CGC for the improvement the command has recorded in its operations, adding that it was due to the provision of adequate logistics by the headquarters. He pleaded for more encouragement to make the area to perform better.

     

     

  • Jonathan ‘yet to decide’ on 2015 presidential election

    Jonathan ‘yet to decide’ on 2015 presidential election

    The Presidency on Monday maintained that President Goodluck Jonathan is yet to decide whether to run for the 2015 Presidential election or not.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, made the remark while speaking on a radio programme, Factfile on Raypower.

    He was reacting to the allegation that President Jonathan’s 2015 ambition is heating up the polity.

    According to him, the President is focusing on delivering dividends of democracy to Nigerians while some people who are concentrating on politics are bent on distracting him.

    Stressing that the Jonathan’s administration is doing well on the mandate given to him by Nigerians, he said that nobody has been able to dispute the mid-term report presented to Nigerians.

    On 2015, he said: “Well to the best of my knowledge the President has never at any time discussed 2015. He has never at any time say this is his position on 2015. His position has been consistent and straight forward and that has been the president saying look let’s focus on governance.”

    “If the Nigerian people have given you an assignment, it is your duty to deliver and move the country forward, that is what we want to focus on. And that was the statement about the mid -term report that was publicly presented.”

    He continued: “Two years down the line the President presented to the Nigerian people scorecard of what they have been able to do. He said I took over and now two years down the line I have moved the country forward, this is the evidence. Nobody has been able to dispute the evidence. So we must be able to make a distinction between politicking, the fact and reality.”

     

  • CHAN 2014 TICKET Erico celebrates Nigeria qualification

     •Says “don’t say we managed to qualify’’

    •Tasks team to tidy lose ends

     

    Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Joe Erico has expressed delight over Nigeria’s qualification for Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).

    Although the Stephen Keshi tutored side failed to find the net in Abidjan, the former NEPA of Lagos safe hand said holding on to avoid conceding beyond two goals was a good enough.

    “Please don’t say we managed to qualify. We qualified that is the main thing. I am happy about that and what need to be done now is to tidy loose ends ahead of the championship proper,” he said.

    Asked to attempt reasons why Eagles who dazed their Ivorian counterparts 4-1 a fortnight ago failed to discover their scoring magic in the Ivorian capital, Erico said it is possible that the team played with a lot of caution.

    “Unfortunately I didn’t watch the match but I think the players may have played with a lot of caution, trying to avoid being booked on one hand and conceding goals on the other “he told SportingLife on phone.

    With Saturday’s result Super Eagles thus advance on 4-3 aggregate. Some however opine that Eagles would have performed better if they had enjoyed the supporters club in their full glory.

    The Nigeria Football Supporters Club arrived Abidjan Saturday morning, after a 12-hour delay in Ghana.

  • I spend my spare time to watch films with my family

    Sir Anthony Akhimien is a household name in the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria, Africa and beyond. He served on virtually every position that exists in the industry before he eventually rose to become the president of the society in Nigeria.

    After a meritorious service to the growth of the society, the world governing body saw in him the qualities that were needed in the person that should represent it on the African continent, and was consequently chosen to be the president of the African Pharmaceutical Forum.

    With the benefit of hind sight he recalled his experience. “I passed through what you can call a process and I appreciate what it takes to be self-made. That is what I would say I am. Raising the capital to start my business came from prudent management of the little resources that I had. I joined a company after I finished my university education. After working for them for seven years, I saw the need why I should be on my own.

    “I didn’t have up to N500, 000 as at the time I started my business that consumed over N2million as at that time. But then, people were ready to help me. I give kudos to some of my senior old boys. After paying the two year rent for the place I wanted to use for my business, I didn’t have any money to put stock on the shelf. I paid the rent and waited for almost one year before I could raise the fund. You can imagine how difficult it was. I even went to my village meeting here in Lagos to ask for financial assistance but could not get any help.

    “By and large, because there was prudent management and discipline in the business, we sell and put the money back into the business. We made sure we only needed money for the basic thing, which was to feed. Of course, I had paid my rent for two years and also paid the rent for our accommodation.

    “For me, we are content with what we have. Having risen to the position of where I am, as the former president of the pharmaceutical society of Nigeria and currently the president of African Pharmaceutical Forum, one may think that I would be so rich, but there is nothing like that. It is all about service to my profession and my colleagues.”

    In spite of the height he has attained through dint of hard work, he still works with diligence, and making sure that he finds the space to relax despite is very tight schedule.

    In a chat with The Nation, he said: “It is difficult to talk about relaxation. But one must find time to do so. I listen to news very well and sometimes I listen to music. These days it is difficult to take the children out because most of them are not around, but when they are around, I find time to take them out on a weekend. As somebody who runs a retail pharmaceutical business, we spend good part of our day in the pharmacy than even in the house. But the little time we have, like I said we use it to watch some films or listen to music. I don’t do any sporting activity but like I said I like to listen to news about happenings within and outside the country and compare notes.”

    With his enviable success in life, one may be lured into believing that he had a privileged family background that contributed to his growth. He said: “I came from a very poor background. I am the first graduate in my family, even though I am the sixth child. You can understand what it takes to be the first graduate in the family. Everybody had to join hands to raise funds. That is why I give kudos to the late Awolowo. With his wisdom and foresight, he gave free education to the then mid -west states. Otherwise people like us would have been great farmers or rotten back in the villages. It was that offer of free education that gave people like us the opportunity to go to school. I wasn’t born with silver spoon. My parents didn’t go to school, they were peasant farmers.”

    From his experience, he said any business man would need the combination of discipline, courage and strong financial base to succeed in the country.

    “The business environment in Nigeria is neither here nor there. But you have to be disciplined, you have to be courageous and you have to have a strong financial base. I said this with all sense of humility and experience, because the basic utilities that ordinarily should grow business are not there. As a result of this, people go extra mile to do any business. For whatever business you want to go into, you need to generate your own power. You must have at least two generating sets- one that runs in the morning and another that runs in the evening, especially in a retail business that I do. You need to have supply of water and sometimes you may have to assist the government to grade the road. And again, because of the security situation in the country, people have to make provision for security. All these add to cost. I don’t know of any business person who would want to package all these and pass them to the consumer.”

    Analyzing the challenges facing the pharmaceutical business in the country, he said: “We have drug policies in Nigeria, and those policies are favourable to the production of drugs and importation and circulation of drugs in the country. The national drug policies on drug are so specific about who should import and dispense drugs. If we follow two-third of that document, we will be okay. Drug production is a very expensive venture. Those days, there were so many drug producing companies in the country, but the environment wasn’t favourable. Suddenly, you heard about the merger. GlaxoSmithkline and another merged with Welcome. They merged because they could not cope with the unfavorable climate in which we do business here in Nigeria. How come that some of these companies left Nigeria and are producing drugs in Ghana?

    “When I was the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, I called on the government to place a ban on about 15 to 20 products that we can produce locally. I do not see why we should be importing paracetamol or B complex. When you place such a ban, give about five years, and say for anybody that brings these things, the cost will be very prohibitive. Then companies would be encouraged to go and bring machineries, they will bring labour, and they will produce these things. The situation we find yourself right now is such that manufacturers start operations by 8 o’ clock and close by 5 o’clock. That is no production. The production I knew about was such that you run three shifts. When a batch of paracetamol is to be produced, you can’t stop the machine for 24 hours.

    “Few years ago, Ghana banned about 13 products. Three years ago, they had about 35 products that you can’t bring into their country. They are producing those drugs now and exporting them to other West African nations and beyond. That is the kind of thing that we should do. Our cassava starch is about the best in the whole world, but there is nobody here to produce it to the level that it can be used to produce drugs. A lot of raw materials can be sourced from the petro chemical industry that can be useful to the production of drugs but where are we? Tariff should be reduced for those that are ready to produce locally. It should also be increased for those that are importing.”