The Nation Newspaper

Tag: pains

  • Pains, gains of the road

    Pains, gains of the road

    The transport sector has never been the same again since May 29, when President Bola Tinubu removed petroleum subsidy. ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE writes on the decision that has shaped the administration’s trajectory

    Fuel subsidy is gone forever,” that quote taken during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s finest moments remained one that has continued to shape the nuances.

    As the catalyst for the economy, transportation, experts and academics averred, keeps the economy moving. The removal, however, made transportation difficult in the first 100 days as various state governments battled with taming a raging fare war that made nonsense of the wages of the average Nigerians. Fares have soared above 60 per cent of average salaries.

    Two sharp increases in the first 40 days of the administration was what it took the government to get out of its lethargy and roll out palliatives to help Nigerians cope with the pains of the increment.

    The administration, keeping to its promise of a listening ear and moderation, had stepped in last month as the naira took another plunge to N950, raising fresh fears of another impending hike in pump price of fuel. The government through the Nigerian Natioanl Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL) Nigeria’s sole fuel importer, assured that there’ll not be any other increment.

    While saluting Tinubu for the courage to stop the subsidy regime, experts described it as tokenism the Federal Government’s attempt at palliatives. However, labour insisted on going on strike to press home demand for realistic palliative that would resolve the prostate refineries that had lingered for too long in bad shape.

    The N500 billion earmarked for the palliatives intervention across agriculture, health, manufacturing, and wage increase, only N100 billion was voted for transportation. The government targeted providing 11,500 vehicles while state governments got N5 billion each as cash and grant intervention.

    While the experts and, especially Nigerians, continue to bemoan the impact of the subsidy removal on the micro level, the government insisted that there is no point looking back at the past quarter.

    Solomon Aster said Tinubu, rather than being vilified, ought to be commended for his courage to stop the subsidy.

    Tinubu had during a nationwide broadcast at the height of the subsidy crisis disclosed that the government had saved over N1 trillion in just two months of the new subsidy removal regime. For a government that inherited over N77 trillion debt; such, could only be a giant positive step.

    But taking stock of the trajectory of governance since May 29, some Nigerians have carpeted the government, insisting that what the government saved would soon be frittered down the cesspool of palliatives.

    With the soaring price of fuel, many Nigerians have been forced to abandon their cars at home preferring to go by public transportation. Even at that, The Nation’s investigations showed that owners of a minibus known in Lagos as Vanagon, spend N48,500 on fuelling daily, the minivans known as Korope, N28,000, while tricycles owners spend N8,000 and motorcycles N6,000.

    This is besides servicing, cost of replacement of spare parts, levies and rates collected daily at parks and other costs. “We hardly take anything home these days after a day’s work, and we are weary of increasing fares because of fear that people would stop patronising us,” Daniel Dimgba, a driver plying Oshodi-Agege Road, said.

    An operator, Etuk Victor, said life had been hard since May 29, adding: “Many of us are still in operation because there is nowhere to go.”

    That’s the reason Olajide Adeyemo, believed the government should play more role in the public transportation sector to offer Nigerians subsidised fares like Lagos, which directed the government-regulated systems to slash their fares by as much as 50 per cent.

    Adeyemo, a chartered surveyor, urged the government to fix Trunk A roads that are in deplorable state. He called for massive investment in the rail transportation.

    An On-Air Personality and radio presenter Abiodun Ojedeji, said more needed to be done by the administration for transportation as the sector is yet to recover from the removal of subsidy.

    “The impact of President Bola Tinubu in the last 100 days is nothing to write home about. Nothing is working because the cost of transportation is becoming unbearable and the rail system that the masses could fall back on is under attack by bandits,” said Ojedeji.

     A Professor of Transport Management Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, (FUTO) Imo State, Callistus Chukwudi Ibe, said the Tinubu administration inflicted the most savagery blow on itself when it went for the heart of transportation and removed fuel subsidy.

    This, he said, led to more spending on fares as average income Nigerians spend more than 60 per cent of their income on transportation.

    “The effect of this on the macro level is that the economy is shrinking.There has been reduction in journeys with transporters doing less runs, even when some of them now charge more, you discover that people are no longer travelling so the net income is shrinking,” Ibe, a former Dean School of Management Technology, said.

    He urged the government to do something urgently and ensure this does not continue in the next quarter as the public may take to the streets to protest the harsh living condition it has foisted on them.

    Former Lagos State Transportation Commissioner Dr. Kayode Opeifa, who spoke from Chicago, United States, said though 100 days is too short to rate the government, steps so far taken by the administration showed that transportation would be a very huge beneficiaries of the policies of the government.

    According to him, the eight-point agenda released by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy Mr Olawale Edun last Tuesday showed that transportation remains at the heart of the policy direction of the government, as it will drive food security, while investing as much as 11,500 buses for public transportation would be a catalyst to end poverty and trigger economic growth and create new jobs.

    Opeifa, the Executive Director, Centre for Sustainable Mobility and Access Development (CenSMAD), urged Nigerians to give the government more time to get its acts together as the people would be the greatest beneficiary of its interventions.

    “We would like to see what the core Ministry of Transportation has in store for the rail and road, just as aviation would come up with how to transform the air mode, while the new ministry of Marine and Blue Economy will drive innovations in waterways as a veritable means of transportation.

    “We would like to see how renewable and clean energy is introduced in the transport sector. We are looking forward to seeing the transformation as a result of technology. By and large, the real transportation agenda is best manifested in the drive towards mass transportation which one can see that the government is committed to.”

    Read Also: Nigeria needs effective leadership, youths’ reorientation, say governors, eminent Nigerians

    Former Dean, Lagos State University School of Transportation Prof Samuel Odewunmi, however, said given the critical role of the sector to the economy, it is sad that the government gave it no attention at all either in its eight point agenda or in the presidential directives.

    For him, this blind sided view of the sector is the reason there has been no coordinated focus in the roll out of palliatives.

    Odewunmi insisted fuel subsidy removal orchestrated the increase in transportation costs but rather than address relevant variables that will bring down the transportation cost, the government is doing giveaways that are just tokenism -distributing rice, fertiliser are just to give the impression of doing something.

    “In some instances a bag of rice is shared for a ward of more than 5000 people. Sharing spectacle is just too ridiculous.”

    However, this is not to say that the government has not been thinking on its feet. Some of the outcome of this quick thinking included the setting up of the committee on automotive sector. There is also the planned purchase of 11,500 gas powered vehicles and 55,000 auto gas conversion kits. In addition, N5bn has been allocated to each state to support palliative efforts which will include purchase of high capacity buses.

    A major decision taken by the administration, is to split the ministry of transportation by creating the ministry of Marine and Blue Economy which separates NIMASA, NIWA, Port Authority, from the mother ministry of transportation. This decision has its strengths and weaknesses.

    Given that the road is basically under the Ministry of Works, while air is in the Ministry of Aviation intermodal coordination will suffer except the three ministries synergise, he said.

    He however said his expectation is to see that the palliatives be directed at addressing the mobility challenges created by the removal of subsidy which automatically raised the cost of transportation. First acquisition of high, medium and low capacity buses by the government to be operated by concession to private operators, unions and institutions from where the money will be recovered.

    Odewunmi for instance wanted all federal tertiary institutions to be given two to four buses to alleviate mobility challenges of the students. He also want the established transportation unions granted operations concession at stipulated repayment rates at the federal, state and local governments.

    Secondly palliative resources should be utilised in massive roll out of gas dispensing infrastructure throughout the country in at least 70 per cent of the petrol stations in the country. This must be done with massive gas conversion programme for all existing vehicles. The conversion kit must be subsidized from the revenue gains of fuel subsidy removal. There must be avenue to buy on credit and repayment through unions, cooperatives and even deductions from salaries of workers

    “We must set a  three-six months of gas conversion scheme to target 70% of all existing vehicles. This will immediately crash transportation cost which is the real issue.

    He called for the acquisition of boats and construction of jetties for riverine areas to promote inland waterway transportation.

    For him, the rail must be energized: both the narrow and the standard gauge. This will have immediate impact on transportation cost

    He carpeted attempts to turn the poor people to beggars as the sharing of the palliatives thus far had shown. “What the people want is what could reduce their suffering and ensue they get back to work. That should not be too difficult for the government that is bent on increasing the nation’s productivity and return us to prosperity,” he insisted

  • ‘Pains of slow reform bite sub-Saharan Africa’

    Without ‘drastic actions’ to boost growth, Africa will be home to 90 per cent of people living in poverty globally by 2030. This is the sombre conclusion of the World Bank’s latest regional outlook, in which it also cut the continent’s growth forecast from 2.8 per cent to 2.6 per cent.

    Uncertainty in the global economy is accentuating the effects of slow reform, according to the bank. Combined with the halving of average growth from around five per cent before the commodity price slump, to 2.5 per cent between 2015-2019, the prospects for poverty reduction are looking grim.

    On current trends, the bank warns, poverty ‘will soon become a predominantly African phenomenon’.

    It’s a striking, and predictable conclusion.

    For at least a decade there have been warnings that a general lack of structural economic reform has seen GDP growth have – at best – limited impact on poverty levels. In absolute terms, the number of poor people in sub-Saharan Africa actually increased from 278 million in 1998 to 416.4 million in 2015.

    Even if governments suddenly got serious about reform the odds of a change in trajectory are diminishing against a backdrop of fiscal tightening and soaring debt, further constraining their ability to tackle poverty.

    With global economic uncertainty and sluggish growth looking like they’re here to stay, the price of slow reform is becoming painfully obvious.

    This report reflects the views of the author alone, not those of How we made it in Africa.

    Ethiopia could give up majority control of its telecoms monopoly ‘in the future’, the director general of the country’s communications authority has said, as it gears up for much-anticipated liberalisation of the sector. The process is expected to attract significant interest from operators including South Africa’s MTN, Vodafone and Orange.

    Tunisia has released businessman Nabil Karoui, the runner-up in the first round of presidential elections in September, days before a runoff vote on October 13. Karoui will face Kais Saied, and independent, in the vote.

    Bloomberg has reported that Nigeria is looking to recover as much as $62 billion in past profits from international oil companies for failing to comply with a 1993 law entitling the state to a greater share of revenues if the price per barrel exceeds $20. If confirmed, the move will likely add to concerns about the country’s operating environment for foreign companies

  • Pains turn into Compost

    “ …And as you speak, a hundred billion galaxies are born….If the stars were made to worship so will I… if the mountains bow in reverence so will I…” the lyrics of this “Hillsong” worship are simply sparkling. I felt my heart strangely warmed with an enthusiasm which elevated me to heaven, as I woke up on Good Friday, relishing the savor of this awesome song. My attention was drawn to the essence of worship as a sweet-smelling sacrifice rendered unto the God of Grace…the centerpiece of Easter celebration. The worship of the God of creation encapsulates your thoughts, words, and actions at any moment in time, your whole being; body, spirit, and soul committed to giving him pleasure, no matter the weather. You may agree with me that it’s a lot easier to adore the Almighty in good times…this applies to even ordinary human relationships. Friends abound in good times, friends of the office perambulate and celebrate you for the favors they perceive they can get from your good office, but once you leave, they also make their way out of your life…no story! On the contrary, a worshipper is proven during bad times. When all hell breaks loose; people’s tones may hold a touch of vinegar but a true worshipper is loyal at all seasons. What really validates your worship is not the plenty words you say but rather the sincere words coming from a contrite heart.

    A few months back, my faith in God took a new turn when I met a very beautiful lady who is flawlessly fair complexioned, bi-racial; her mother originates from Belarus and her father from Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Gloria Udoh, a thoroughbred, graceful and strong…an epitome of class and finesse has a story which is unimaginable and multi-dimensional. She became a Christian at 15, as expected, the new spiritual birth meant new commitment. Though it was tough learning to crawl, walk and run as a young Christian, through grace, she grew in fervency and in service unto God. Then one day, on her way home from choir practice, she was accosted by four men and gang-raped…according to her, while she was been raped…she cried and asked God in her heart, “Father, where are you?”  She realized years later that He was actually with her because it appeared that they had most likely been out for ritual activities and she could have been killed that night but instead, the gang leader apologized when he found out from her that she was from Ikono in Akwa Ibom, coincidentally, he also hailed from Ikono! He escorted her to the main road…hmmm…wonders shall never end….and he asked her to forgive them. She said she died to self and preached the gospel of Christ to him.

    Without mincing words…that incident changed her life…for good! Yes for good…When she got home, she confided in the family she was staying with and was treated medically. She asked herself; “How could I ever deal with the fact that I lost my virginity through a gang rape?” Well, she did. A few days after the rape, sitting by herself on the bed, she suddenly felt an invisible blanket wrapped all over her body and sensed something she described as an invisible blanket of God’s abiding touch of LOVE. That was the supernatural experience that gave her a revelation of God’s love which is the foundation of her ministry today. She was completely healed…to love and be loved! Much more, the healing elevated her spiritually and qualified her to deal with a looming hurricane of trouble. A few years later, she got married and gave birth to three beautiful girls, then; her husband became very sick of cancer. She prayed and sought the Lord to heal…hmmm…he passed away, exactly a week after her own father died of a sudden heart attack! At this point, I burst into tears as I could not help but ask aloud, “Why did God allow you to pass through all these ordeals??” “How did you survive???….today you are a songwriter, worship minister, an author and founder of ‘At The Master’s Feet (ATMF) Ministry” (Visit the link- info@atthemastersfeet.org). She answered: “I got great support from my family, friends, and God actually became so real to me during those dark days, and I’m growing in love with him daily. I learned to see him as a father, friend, and husband…today, I count it all joy…through my pains, God has taught me how to worship: Now I understand that worship is my response to God no matter what I face in life, Worship is an attitude of surrender… my way of saying to God; I may not understand why I’m facing these troubles but I know you are on my side and working everything out for my good…What more can I say? Today, God has blessed me with an amazing gentleman who is my friend and who loves my children as his, and we are both fulfilling God’s purpose in our marriage”.

    Dear friend, I had to share this story with you because I have never ceased to be amazed at the beauty and glory of this gorgeous lady whose story is epical. Her faith and life is a great challenge for me. She is someone I could describe as an enigma whose pains have turned into compost. Literally, compost is a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land. At the simplest level, the process of composting requires making a heap of wet organic matter (also called green waste), such as leaves, grass, and food scraps, and waiting for the materials to break down into humus after a period of months. Composting is an aerobic method (meaning that it requires the presence of air) of decomposing organic solid wastes. It can, therefore, be used to recycle organic material.

    I encourage you to see your pains as the organic matter which in the process of time, ventilated by the air of the Spirit of God, will become manure to groom your God-given assignment. Paraphrased, your pain is the conduit of your purpose, the more you mature in God, the more manures are processed out of you…and the more people venerate you! I pray that as you make out time to reflect on this piece you will appreciate the manures coming out of you! Have a wonderful Easter season.

  • Gains, pains of multiple exchange rates, by IMF

    The exchange rate regime to be adopted by a country is dependent on many factors. They include the economic policy being implemented and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The regime adopted will come with benefits and consequences, an IMF report has said.

    The report titled: “Exchange Rate Regimes in an Increasingly Integrated World Economy”, obtained from the Fund’s website, said the choice of an appropriate exchange rate regime — floating, managed or fixed arrangements—for individual countries will have social and economic implications.

    It said these changes include the general increase in capital mobility and the abrupt reversals of capital flow to developing and transition economies.

    The report also said there is no single exchange rate regime that is best for all countries in all circumstances. “Member countries continue to have scope to choose the type of exchange rate regime that best suits their needs always with the proviso that the chosen regime must be credibly supported by policies consistent with the choice,” the report said.

    Continuing, the IMF document, which was posted on its website, said which exchange rate regime and associated policies are appropriate for a country depend on its particular circumstances.

    “While increased capital mobility has been leading an increasing number of countries to either end of the spectrum between firmly fixed rates (or monetary unification) and free floating, intermediate regimes are likely to remain viable and appropriate in many cases,” it said.

    However, Renaissance Capital (RenCap), an investment and research firm, has said foreign investors prefer to invest in countries with exchange rate, as against single exchange rate as being practiced in Nigeria.

    The investment and research firm, said many foreign investors are still worried about the multiple exchange rates operating in Nigeria, which remain a big challenge to foreign capital inflows.

    RenCap’s Global Chief Economist, Charles Robertson, who disclosed this during the RenCap ninth Annual Pan-Africa 1:1 Investor Conference in Lagos, said Nigeria will be better off adopting a single exchange rate.

    He said although the foreign investors have increased their interest in the economy, but the level of capital inflows would have been better were the country to adopt a single exchange rate.

    According to Robertson, “the main challenges for investors are on the front of liquidity: how can Ghana and Nigeria increase liquidity in the near future?” He said: ”Nigeria is looking better on most metrics, having accelerated growth, a stable currency and rising forex reserves, but needs to improve on bank lending which remains weak.”

    He added: “The cyclical story is again improving for much of Africa as commodities pick up. The credit rating downgrade cycle is basically finished. We think Nigeria will have one of the strongest growth accelerations in Africa in 2018, while the currency is well supported for 2018.”

    RenCap, an emerging and frontier markets investment bank, said the conference serves as a platform for closed door one–on-one meetings between top global and local investors from across the globe and over 30 corporate representatives to discuss investment opportunities in Nigeria and other fast-growing economies on the continent.

    The keynote speakers and panelists are Adedoyin Salami, a renowned Nigerian economist and Executive Director, African Business Research, and Mrs Patience Oniha, Director-General, Nigeria Debt Management Office, among other prominent business and opinion leaders.

    CEO Nigeria, Renaissance Capital, Temi Popoola, said: “This conference provides an opportunity to broaden and expand the narrative around investing in West Africa, a long term, broad objective of fulfilling our mission to providing client solutions and ensuring that we remain an innovative and ever-evolving partner to them. We hope to bring more visibility to the region and help facilitate increased capital inflows. We continue to believe Africa will be a $29 trillion economy in 2050, larger than the 2012 combined GDP of the US and the eurozone.”

    In her investor address, Oniha, said: “The combination of fiscal and monetary policy strategies adopted by the Federal Government has delivered results on several key parameters – GDP, inflation, external reserves, forex stability, etc. This trajectory is expected to continue. The reinforcement of the ongoing strategy through other policy measures, of which the focus is on generating non-oil revenues, is one of the factors that will boost economic indicators.”

     

  • Gains, pains of school feeding programme, others

    How has education fared under the present administration, which celebrated its third anniversary on Tuesday? Nigerians give their verdicts on some of its intervention programmes, particularly its feeding of pupils and N-Power. KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE reports.

    WHEN he assumed office in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari promised to feed pupils and provide jobs for youths. This gave birth to the Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) and the N-Power initiative in 2016 under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).

    The government allocated N1.3 trillion for the implementation of the two and other programmes (Government Empowerment and Enterprise Programme -GEEP) to provide zero interest loans for over 1.2 million artisans and Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) to provide N5,000 to the poorest households.

    While the school feeding programmes provided mid-day meals to pupils in early child care development education classes as well as Primary 1-3, the N-Power was designed to create jobs for 500,000 graduates and an additional 100,000 unemployed youths.

     

    HGSFP- Feeding pupils and enriching

    criminals?

    With Nigeria home to about 10.5 million out-of-school children nationwide – the highest in the world, the HGSFP is regarded as one of those programmes that can boost enrolment and keep children in school.

    As at last February, the Special Adviser to President on Social Investment, Mrs Mariam Uwais, said the HGSFP had surpassed its target of feeding five million children nationwide – achieving its twin target of boosting enrolment and nutrition.

    This is apart from creating markets for farmers to sell their produce, and jobs for cooks/food vendors and others along the value chain.

    “Some 6,044,625 pupils are being fed daily in 20 states by 61,352 cooks in 33,981 primary schools,” she said in Lagos.

    Last week, the Presidency upgraded the number of children being fed daily to 8,260,984 pupils in 45,394 public primary schools in 24 states.

    The states are Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta, Abia, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Kaduna, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Imo, Jigawa, Niger, Kano, Katsina, Gombe, Ondo and Borno.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande, added that the initiative had also created over 80,000 direct jobs – with 87,261 cooks preparing the meals in the 24 participating states.

    He spoke of plans to extend the programme to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal capital Territory (FCT).

    Head Teacher of Local Government Nursery and Primary School, Jagunna, in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mrs Beatrice Daodu, said pupils in her school were being fed meals regularly.

    “Our kindergarten children and Primary 1-3 pupils are fed regularly.They had moimoin (bean cake) and eko (pap) today,” she said when The Nation visited last Friday.

    However, despite the benefits of the school feeding programme, it has been dogged by corruption.

    Bilyaminu Usman Bungudu took to the HGSFP Facebook page to complain of sharp practices in Zamfara State.

    “In Zamfara State, the programme is very poor due to the (activities of) politicians. They come in and put their wives and relatives in some schools in Zamfara (who do) not feed (but) share (the) money (among) (themselves). All the ATMs of vendors are (held) by their councillors. We need this organisation to come in and investigate the matter,” she wrote.

    Another resident of Zamfara, who worked as a monitor for the programme, Sharhabil Iyya, also lamented the fraudulent practices of the food vendors who reduced the food meant for the pupils.

    “I happened to be supervising the programme in some schools in one of the beneficiary states, but to no avail the programme manager discontinued us. Please tell Mrs Maryam Uwais to do something because there is massive fraud and connivance between the vendors and some head teachers and we have been able to exposed that, and also between the vendor’s and some influential peoples, especially in the villages. Because of the little allowances we are gaining, we did a tremendous work in fishing out erred vendors who refused to cook despite collecting money. Please the S.A. to the president on Social Investment Programme should do something. I so hope that this message reaches you,” he wrote.

    Mrs Uwais has admitted that corruption was the bane of the programme.  She said her office had received reports of diversion of funds by government officials meant to disburse to the cooks in many states and called for help from civil society organisations to monitor the programme.

    “We are struggling to battle with some issues.  In one state, state officials went as far as diverting 80 per cent of the cooks’ money from their account to a special account in connivance with the banks. In many schools, the programme is working well.  But we need feedback so we can catch the culprits,” she said.

    Mrs Uwais added that her team was aware of the need for collaboration to catch corrupt officials, but was hampered by lack of funds to mobilise independent monitors to support in monitoring the programme.

     

    N-Power

    The N-Power programme has a target of giving work to 500,000 graduates in education, agriculture and health sectors (for the graduates), and providing Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills for an additional 100,000 non-graduates.

    Vice President Yemi Osinabjo said so far, the N-Power programme had employed 200,000 youths and has plans to recruit 300,000 more.

    The participants are paid a monthly stipend of N30,000 for two years that the programme would last.  The hope is that they are able to move on to more stable employment or income-generating ventures afterwards.

    In the process of recruiting graduates for the programme, Mrs Uwais said the National Social Investment Office (NSIO) has been able to screen 2.5 million unemployed graduates, providing a veritable database for future planning for youths.

    “The N-Power portal, having processed over 2.5M applicants, hosts a database of unemployed graduates seeking employment and as such provides a veritable platform for engaging graduates for the country; private and public sector alike, with data providing details of qualifications, BVN, age, numbers, interests, etc,” she said.

    Challenges facing the programme include delay in deployment and payment of beneficiaries.  Many have complained about being owned backlogs of stipends or not knowing when payment would be made.

    Checks by The Nation revealed that a website, https://www.firstcalljob.com.ng/npower-monthly-salarystipend-latest-20172018-news-update/ which provides information by N-Power programme and deployment, was bombarded by beneficiaries seeking to know why their stipends were delayed in February.

    Some lawmakers have also been critical of the National Social Investment Programme, claiming the programme was poorly implemented.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje claimed that Nigerians did not feel the impact of the programmes.

    However, Mrs Uwais said not all the funds were released to the office.

    She said though N500 billion was appropriated for the NSIP last year, only N90 billion was released and this year, only N85 billion.

  • Gains, pains of economic revival

    The government initiated the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) for the economy’s restoration after the country came out of recession. To hasten up the job, an Efficiency Unit has been created in the Federal Ministry of Finance. The unit is to optimise public finance management and ensure efficient utilisation of revenue to help the government realise its goals. But its implementation, argues Senior Correspondent COLLINS NWEZE, remains a challenge.

    The Federal Government recently unfolded its Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which outlined how the country will get out of recession and attain stability and growth. The economic blueprint itemised the economy’s potential and how it can be harnessed for economic growth, development and the citizens’ good.

    The ERGP recognised that Nigeria has the potential to become a major player in the global economy by virtue of its human and natural resource endowments. However, this potential has remained relatively untapped over the years.

    Analysts said the content of the ERGP showed that government was already approaching the solution to the nation’s economic challenges with the same will  and commitment it had demonstrated in the fight against corruption and economic development.

    The belief that the ERGP had brought together all the sectoral plans for agriculture and food security, energy and transport infrastructure, industrialisation, among others means  it can actually be used to revive the economy.

    Besides, after a shift from agriculture to crude oil and gas in the late 1960s, Nigeria’s growth has continued to be driven by consumption and high oil prices. “Previous economic policies left the country ill-prepared for the recent collapse of crude oil prices and production. The structure of the economy remains highly import dependent, consumption driven and undiversified,” the ERGP said.

    The EERGP, a Medium Term Plan for 2017 – 2020, builds on the Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP)and has been developed for the purpose of restoring economic growth while leveraging the ingenuity and resilience of the Nigerian people – the nation’s most priceless assets.

    It is also articulated with the understanding that the role of government in the 21st Century must evolve from that of being an omnibus provider of citizens’ needs into a force for eliminating the bottlenecks that impede innovation and market-based solutions.

    The plan also recognises the need to leverage science, technology and innovation (STI) and builds a knowledge-based economy. The ERGP is also consistent with the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) given that the initiatives address its three dimensions of economic, social and environmental sustainability issues.

    However, stakeholders believe that cost reduction strategies for achieving greater macro-economic strategy and realising the goals of ERGP.

    President, the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), Sola Salako, said every Nigerian will benefit from efficiency in implementation of available resources. She said efficiency in the management of resources will help achieve the ERGP goals, and save more funds for implementation of more projects. “Government should be seen as business of service and not means of acquiring wealth. The ERGP is key in helping government realise its objectives,” she said.

    An Economist, Henry Boyo, said government can be efficient in a productive process. He said having a progressive economic plan provides opportunity for government to be efficient, adding that the economy needs to be diversified and real sector promoted for the real benefits of ERGP to be realised.

    “For the economy to grow, the real sector has to be promoted. There is need to manage inflation, reduce cost of borrowing and have efficient exchange rate for the economy to thrive. Government has to implement budget efficiently for it to realise set objectives,” he said.

    In the Federal Ministry of Finance, the newly created Effeciency Unit is tasked with reviewing all government overhead expenditure, to reduce wastages, promote efficiency and ensure quantifiable savings for the country.

    The unit works across all ministries, departments and agencies to identify and eliminate wasteful spending, duplication and other inefficiencies. It also identifies best practices in procurement and financial management and share such knowledge with the MDAs to ensure its adoption.

    “Findings of the Efficiency Unit will be formally communicated accordingly and will be enforced through establishment of expenditure guidelines, undertaking follow-up reviews and spot checks. Other measures that will ultimately checkmate wastage across all areas of Federal Government expenditure will also be adopted, ’’  the statement said.

    According to the statement, the development is based on the fact that presently, the nation’s recurrent expenditure completely dwarfs capital expenditure by a ratio of 84/16. “This includes non-wage related overhead expenditure such as travel costs, entertainment, events, printing, IT consumables, stationery,” it said.

    The ERGP also indicated that oil accounts for more than 95 per cent of exports and foreign exchange earnings while the manufacturing sector accounts for less than one percent of total exports.

    “The high growth recorded during 2011-2015, which averaged 4.8 per cent per annum mainly driven by higher oil prices, was largely non-inclusive. Majority of Nigerians remain under the burden of poverty, inequality and unemployment. General economic performance was also seriously undermined by deplorable infrastructure, corruption and mismanagement of public finances. Decades of consumption and high oil price-driven growth led to an economy with a positive but jobless growth trajectory,” it said.

    According to the report, after more than a decade of economic growth, the sharp and continuous decline in crude oil prices since mid-2014, along with a failure to diversify the sources of revenue and foreign exchange in the economy led to a recession in the second quarter of 2016.

    “The challenges in the oil sector, including sabotage of oil export terminals in the Niger Delta, negatively impacted government revenue and export earnings, as well as the fiscal capacity to prevent the economy from contracting. The capacity of government spending was equally constrained by lack of fiscal buffers to absorb the shock, as well as leakages of public resources due to corruption and inefficient spending in the recent past,” it said.

    It said the current administration recognises that the economy is likely to remain on a path of steady and steep decline if nothing is done to change the trajectory. It is in this context that since inception in May 2015, government has made several efforts aimed at tackling these challenges and changing the national economic trajectory in a fundamental way.

    “The earliest action was the prioritisation of three policy goals: tackling corruption, improving security and re-building the economy. Consequently, the Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) for the 2016 Budget of Change was developed as a short-term intervention for this purpose. Visible successes and achievements have been recorded. However, it is recognised that more needs to be done to propel the country towards sustainable accelerated development,” it said.

    It said the ERGP differs from previous plans in several ways. First, focused implementation is at the core of the delivery strategy of the Plan over the next four years. More than ever before, there is a strong political determination, commitment and will at the highest level.

    “Whilst all the MDAs will have their different roles in implementing the Plan, a Delivery Unit is being established in the Presidency to drive the implementation of key ERGP priorities. The Ministry of Budget and National Planning will co-ordinate plan-implementation and for this purpose will, amongst other things, build up its capability for robust monitoring and evaluation,” it said.

    The plan outlines bold new initiatives such as ramping up oil production to 2.5mbpd by 2020, privatising selected public enterprises/assets, and revamping local refineries to reduce petroleum product imports by 60 percent by 2018. Other initiatives include environmental restoration projects in the Niger Delta, which demonstrate the Federal Government’s determination to bring environment sustainability to the forefront of its policies.

    “As part of this plan, oil revenues will be used to develop and diversify the economy, not just sustain consumption as was done in the past. The economy will run on multiple engines of growth, not just the single engine of oil. The Plan focuses on growth, not just for its own sake, but for the benefits it will bring to the Nigerian people. This plan also places importance on emerging sectors such as the entertainment and creative industries,” it said.

    Besides, the ERGP builds on existing sectoral strategies and plans such as the National Industrial Revolution Plan, and the Nigeria Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan. Rather than re-inventing the wheel, the ERGP will strengthen the successful components of these previous strategies and plans while addressing challenges observed in their implementation.

     

  • Arthritis:Joint pains ( 2)

    Moreover, from pain to swelling or limited use of the joints, may follow other frustrations such as poor sleep, depression, anxiety, irritability, anger and aggressive behavior. The sufferer will discover that other daily or usual functions become difficult. Example may include inability to move about in the home, inability to shower, cook, have sex, play with children, inability to drive, engage in writing and attend meetings of peers. If the joints of the mouth and jaws are affected (temporomandibular joint arthritis), talking and chewing may be severely curtailed.   Some arthritis, of say the hand and hips may lead to disfigurement and hence embarrassment. Some body parts may shorten leading to visible abnormalities. Social standing in the society may begin to suffer. Further, arthritis may affect one’s profession and leading to early retirement or simply limit one’s ability to earn an income. There are many sufferers that had given up on their profession because of the crippling nature of their arthritic diseases.  How could a surgeon operate if his hands are crippled with arthritis? How can a bricklayer, driver, writer, a professional boxer, athlete and so forth operate to earn a living when their hands or legs are severely disabled by arthritis?

    Now, that we have discussed the many faces of arthritis. Arthritis, as we saw earlier, is clearly not what the popular opinion and beliefs are. It goes far and beyond the usual migratory joint pains. We saw also that arthritis can cause a lot of disabilities such as pain, joint pains, swelling, poor joint movements, body disfigurement, loss of income, loss of profession and careers.  We also saw that arthritis may lead to social and biological disenga-gements.

    Now, we will take a look at what you along with your doctors, can do to relieve the condition of arthritis.

    In our traditional way of lives, our grandparents may have applied cold or warm water and menthol to the joints which may actually have given a limited relief. There are other traditional remedies which may have helped as well. As we saw under the causes of arthritis, such superficial treatments may not have addressed such serious illnesses as blood cancers or such disease entities as sarcoidosis,  systemic lupus, sickle cell diseases and under-performing thyroid diseases.

    The first step in finding solution to the problem of arthritis is to admit you have a problem and you need solutions. While arthritis caused by malaria and typhoid may go away when those illnesses are treated, arthritis caused by osteoarthritis and overacting hormones such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes may not so readily disappear.

    Look for a registered doctor of your choice who will listen to your story in detail. It’s highly likely that the attending physician will examine you thoroughly, take blood for relevant tests which may probably include as for in our environment:  scleroderma, systemic lupus and infections such as TB. The doctor will also keep an eye on various likely cancers that may cause you joint pains. I elaborated on causes of joint pains last week.  If there is associated fever, the doctor will determine if typhoid or malaria is the cause of joint pains especially if the pain is of recent origin. Other tests may include X-Ray of joints or CTScan of the relevant area of the body. This is even so especially if the joint pain, neck pain or back pain is either long standing or of recent occurrence.

    Therefore, don’t be amazed if you attend your doctor and he informs you of a battery of tests that need to be done. Unattended, joint pains can, as we have seen, cause considerable disability in the sufferers.

    Options for Management of Arthritis. Let me say right away that, heaven helps those who helps themselves. There is no doubt that your doctor will do all that he or she can to help you get well. As we shall see below, you may need to go further and be proactive in dealing with arthritis especially arthritis that is long standing or one that may someday become long standing. My advice will be that you should nip the disease in the bud.

    Based upon the cause of the joint pains, physicians are likely to prescribe medications to relieve you of the pain. Not just pan killer, specialist doctors may be called for and such doctors may prescribe disease modifying drugs to help you deal with arthritis.  That is only the starting point. Having been relieved, you may have a false impression that your arthritis is healed. It’s not except if the original disease like malaria that caused the arthritis is no more existing.  Thus, you may need surgery to correct a deformity and remove a growth.  Further, you may require food, herbs and mineral supplements in addition to changing your diet which a nutritionist may advise. Other means of dealing with arthritis include cold and hot media treatments, electrical stimulation and massage.

    I found one method of dealing with arthritis (especially osteoarthritis) particularly useful, readily available, free to some extent and highly flexible: That is exercise which to be effective, must be structured, confront the pain and be regular. Exercise can be combined with hot or cold treatment, pain relief, massage, surgery, nutritional change and mineral supplementation.

  • Arthritis:Joint pains ( 2)

    Moreover, from pain to swelling or limited use of the joints, may follow other frustrations such as poor sleep, depression, anxiety, irritability, anger and aggressive behavior. The sufferer will discover that other daily or usual functions become difficult. Example may include inability to move about in the home, inability to shower, cook, have sex, play with children, inability to drive, engage in writing and attend meetings of peers. If the joints of the mouth and jaws are affected (temporomandibular joint arthritis), talking and chewing may be severely curtailed.   Some arthritis, of say the hand and hips may lead to disfigurement and hence embarrassment. Some body parts may shorten leading to visible abnormalities. Social standing in the society may begin to suffer. Further, arthritis may affect one’s profession and leading to early retirement or simply limit one’s ability to earn an income. There are many sufferers that had given up on their profession because of the crippling nature of their arthritic diseases.  How could a surgeon operate if his hands are crippled with arthritis? How can a bricklayer, driver, writer, a professional boxer, athlete and so forth operate to earn a living when their hands or legs are severely disabled by arthritis?

    Now, that we have discussed the many faces of arthritis. Arthritis, as we saw earlier, is clearly not what the popular opinion and beliefs are. It goes far and beyond the usual migratory joint pains. We saw also that arthritis can cause a lot of disabilities such as pain, joint pains, swelling, poor joint movements, body disfigurement, loss of income, loss of profession and careers.  We also saw that arthritis may lead to social and biological disenga-gements.

    Now, we will take a look at what you along with your doctors, can do to relieve the condition of arthritis.

    In our traditional way of lives, our grandparents may have applied cold or warm water and menthol to the joints which may actually have given a limited relief. There are other traditional remedies which may have helped as well. As we saw under the causes of arthritis, such superficial treatments may not have addressed such serious illnesses as blood cancers or such disease entities as sarcoidosis,  systemic lupus, sickle cell diseases and under-performing thyroid diseases.

    The first step in finding solution to the problem of arthritis is to admit you have a problem and you need solutions. While arthritis caused by malaria and typhoid may go away when those illnesses are treated, arthritis caused by osteoarthritis and overacting hormones such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes may not so readily disappear.

    Look for a registered doctor of your choice who will listen to your story in detail. It’s highly likely that the attending physician will examine you thoroughly, take blood for relevant tests which may probably include as for in our environment:  scleroderma, systemic lupus and infections such as TB. The doctor will also keep an eye on various likely cancers that may cause you joint pains. I elaborated on causes of joint pains last week.  If there is associated fever, the doctor will determine if typhoid or malaria is the cause of joint pains especially if the pain is of recent origin. Other tests may include X-Ray of joints or CTScan of the relevant area of the body. This is even so especially if the joint pain, neck pain or back pain is either long standing or of recent occurrence.

    Therefore, don’t be amazed if you attend your doctor and he informs you of a battery of tests that need to be done. Unattended, joint pains can, as we have seen, cause considerable disability in the sufferers.

    Options for Management of Arthritis. Let me say right away that, heaven helps those who helps themselves. There is no doubt that your doctor will do all that he or she can to help you get well. As we shall see below, you may need to go further and be proactive in dealing with arthritis especially arthritis that is long standing or one that may someday become long standing. My advice will be that you should nip the disease in the bud.

    Based upon the cause of the joint pains, physicians are likely to prescribe medications to relieve you of the pain. Not just pan killer, specialist doctors may be called for and such doctors may prescribe disease modifying drugs to help you deal with arthritis.  That is only the starting point. Having been relieved, you may have a false impression that your arthritis is healed. It’s not except if the original disease like malaria that caused the arthritis is no more existing.  Thus, you may need surgery to correct a deformity and remove a growth.  Further, you may require food, herbs and mineral supplements in addition to changing your diet which a nutritionist may advise. Other means of dealing with arthritis include cold and hot media treatments, electrical stimulation and massage.

    I found one method of dealing with arthritis (especially osteoarthritis) particularly useful, readily available, free to some extent and highly flexible: That is exercise which to be effective, must be structured, confront the pain and be regular. Exercise can be combined with hot or cold treatment, pain relief, massage, surgery, nutritional change and mineral supplementation.

  • Pains of a failed state

    SIR: If corruption does not kill your spirit in Nigeria, it will be because you hope to survive to see the corrupt perish.  Leaders have sold their conscience to the devil just so they can amass public wealth for themselves.  Projects that enhance social well-being of the citizens are abandoned because officials compromise their responsibilities for personal gain.

    People suffer and die because their fellow beings have stolen the wealth that should be sufficient to provide a decent living standard for all. Travelling on the highways is like living a nightmare.  Broken down roads have turned drivers into redeemers.  They stay alert while driving like cats dodging and jumping potholes.  Meanwhile, their eyes are beaming the distance watching for armed robbers.

    Stressed out citizens antagonize each other for the misery of their lives.  They engage in useless cursing and fighting.  The devils that mastermind their destitution mask themselves in white kaftan and jolly faces preaching the gospel of restructuring and indissolubility of the nation.  They distance themselves from the anguish of the masses by providing maximum comfort for them and their families at society expense.

    Thunder and lightning will fire with vengeance while the hypocrites are obsessed and mired in their complacency.  The people are suffering from high price of food items in the market and the rogues are failing to realize that a hungry man is an angry man.  It will flash in their eyes when the mob goes on rampage. The sky will be burning with disgust.

    Sweet talk of the wicked will not appease the appetite for disaster by the resurrected cannibals they created from their mischief making. When talking to the ear and it turns deaf when the head is chopped off, the ear goes with it. The despondent populace has given up faith in their leaderships to protect their interest. Officials at every level are viewed through the murky lens of corruption.  Anarchy incubates in rumbling quarters.

    The hammer will fall to shatter to pieces the glass wall.  Despair in society cannot be contained when the oppressors are dancing naked in gaudy mansions.  It is an indisputable fact that the brew of frustration will boil over.  When in every direction one look hopelessness abounds, spirit of judiciousness will grow wings and fly into the wild.

    The bottom has fallen out of the system and the rot must be allowed to empty into the ocean. The mind-set of corruption has pervaded the national landscape. Torrential rainfall with catastrophic flooding of a hurricane will sweep through the land to cleanse the nation.

    Doom looms like fear of danger from climate change. Devastation of the structures of government by the privileged does not give recourse to intellectual redeeming of the system. Where is hope for the ordinary Nigerian?

     

    • Pius Okaneme,

    Umuoji, Anambra State.

  • ‘El-Rufai’s policies inflicting pains on people’

    ‘El-Rufai’s policies inflicting pains on people’

    Senator Shehu Sani is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts. In this interview with TONY AKOWE, he speaks on his feud with Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, the anti-corruption battle, frosty legislative/executive relationship and other issues.

    Two years of the current National Assembly,  how has it been? 

    The legislature began on a turbulent footing with the internal crisis in the APC about the election of Dr. Bukola Saraki as the Senate President. That crisis significantly affected the unity, the solidarity and the progress of the party for a long time. It also affected  the ability and the capacity of the party to perform at the national level. There were acrimonious and bitter feelings among the senators and members of the House of Representatives as a result of that crisis. But later, resolutions sets in as a result of the Senators coming together to resolve their personal political differences especially those from the APC.  That became a plus and a positive point to which the legislature started this new journey. In the last two years, there have been achievements and failures as well as challenges. The achievements has to do with the number of bills passed by the 8th senate which is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria. There were relevant motions which reflects the nation’s socio economic and political sphere and motions that addresses lives and livelihoods of Nigerians. This is also unprecedented in the history of the National Assembly. At the beginning,  there was a discord between the legislature and the executive arm of government which later smoothen to a good working relationship. But there are a number of challenges,  one of which was the trial of the Senate President at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. This seriously created a situation of uncertainty in the heart and mind of many members of the National Assembly. Also, the friction that existed between the legislature and the executive arm also created am atmosphere of distrust. The processes of the non confirmation of some appointed and nominated public office holders, the crisis with the EFCC Chairman and the Custom boss, Hamid Ali was also another sore point between the legislature and the executive. However, the most important thing is that the Senate has been able to prove that it is not a rubber stamp senate, but a Senate that is prepared and committed to asserting it’s independence as an arm of government and a senate that can stand up to the excesses of the executive. So, these are some frame work of success, challenges and failure that can be said to be the narrative of the 8th senate in the last two years.

    There are those who believe that the current fight against corruption is lopsided. What is your take on this.

    First, I will say that no nation can develop in an atmosphere of corruption. A corrupt ruling elites see power as a means to personally enrich themselves and undermine the economy of the country and impoverish the people. Corruption in post independent Nigeria has been the exclusive preserve of Nigerian’s elite political ruling class. We could have gone far beyond our present position if not for the cancer of corruption.  We could haven achieve the height of economic progress and prosperity if not for corruption. Nigeria would have been a leader in the emerging economic powers like Malaysia, Indonesia and Brazil as well as South Korea if we had a patriotic,  corrupt free political ruling establishment that have the vision, mission and govern the country well. But since 1999, the expectations of Nigerians have moved from hope to despair. If we must fight corruption,  we can only fight it if we have no sacred cows and it is all encompassing and all reaching. If we are to fight corruption, let it be that the same intensity you do it with Senators and members of the house of Representatives will be the same intensity you fight against civil servants, ministers and state governors. Nigerian’s anti corruption crusade is mostly focused on people outside the executive arm of government. That was why I brought the formula of deodorant and insecticide. When the issue of the plunder of IDP funds was brought before the national Assembly and I was tasked with the responsibility of chairing a committee to investigate it, one thing that came to my mind was that this will be a test case for this government to prove whether the anti corruption crusade is about fighting corruption in Nigeria or fighting political enemies and people that are outside the executive. From what has happened, it is very clear to me and the whole country that the report which indicted the SGF and made it clear how people in position of authority are enriching themselves was a text case which would have completely destroy the reputation of the Buhari administration. There were attempts to white wash the people indicted which could not be done as a result of protests by Nigerians as well as the facts and figures that were attached to the final report which we presented. One thing we should have at the back of our mind is that we live in a country where there is more emphasis on anti corruption at the Federal level than at the state level.  You can never known how much is stolen in the states until the governors are out of power and exist as ordinary citizens.

    Are you satisfied with the implementation of your committee report? 

    I am not satisfied because our recommendations was that people who looted the treasury,  diverted funds for IDP should be relieved of their positions and tried. But all we have heard from the executive arm of government is that the SGF is suspended and they are waiting for the President to take a final decision. Why can’t the acting President take a decision? When you are acting, you can sign a budget, sign a cheque and do other things.  So, as Acting President, you should be able to act on this.

    You head the Senate Committee on foreign and local debts.  From information available to you, what is the actual debt profile of Nigeria?

    Nigerian’s total debt, both domestic and foreign stands at over 62 billion dollars. 40 billion dollars of that is domestic debt, while the rest is foreign debt. Actually, foreign debt stands at about 10.2 billion dollars. With the approval before us for different infrastructural projects and from states applying for loans, we may shoot up to as high as between 80 to 90 billion dollars. That is why we have to be very careful.  Our experts will say that we are within the safe treshood of debt. But we should also know that this could skyrocket to an unbeatable limit. So far, almost all the 36 states have applied for approval from the national Assembly through the Presidency for loans. We will be guided by a number of things.  First is expert opinion on these loans applications, then conditions attached to the loans, the payment plans and public opinion. We should know that debt is a new form of colonialism where the western developed world are colonising us by making sure that we are pinned down to debt. Most of these debts is still about us, our children and our grand children irrespective of who is giving it. When I took office as Chairman of Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt, I found out that almost all states of the federation have, in the last 20 to 25 years collected so much money as loan that you cannot verify the kind of project they have used it for. If we cannot leave behind for our children and grand children verifiable projects for their socio economic development,  we must not leave for them a legacy of debt that they have to spend the rest of their lives paying. That is why we will not rush this country into more debt. Many of the governors collected money simply to settle political cronies and dispensed it as largese and many of the projects that the money was supposed to have been spent on can not actually be verified. This is why, this time around, we have to be very careful.

    Many of these states seeking approval for foreign loans received the bail out fund from the Federal government and also collected the Paris loan refund and yet are unable to pay salaries.  Is the senate not worried about this?

    Well, it is worrisome because the Paris loan refund is not money that will continuously come from Paris to our state coffer. This is money we got by accident of history, which could have been put to good use.  The concern is that when you continue to borrow to pay salaries, there will be a time when you will no longer be able to borrow or pay salaries. We need to fundamentally restructure governance in Nigeria in such a way that we can only be responsible for things we can afford to take care of.

    There is this belief your constant friction and criticism of Governor El Rural is because you have your eyes on the governorship in 2019. What is the true position.

    You are a journalist who spent over two decades in Kaduna and within those periods, you were witness to history of how I have, over the years spoken out against injustices, bad governance, corruption and tyranny both at the local and national levels. Anyone who know the history of Shehu Sani know me as an activist. I am not an activist for child rights only, I am not an activist against corruption and medicare. I am a civil rights activist and has consistently spoken out against injustice. Shehu Sani spoke out during the time of Babangida against tyranny and corruption, spoke out under Abacha administration and even against Shonekan.  I have led protest match and strike action against different governments at the national levels.

    At the state level, right from 1999 when Makarfi was in power to when Namadi Sambo was there as governor to Yakowa and Ramallan Yero,  I never remained silent in speaking out against injustice.  So, who is El Rural? He came and met me in my crusade against tyranny,  bad governance and against inhumanity.

    Nobody knew El Rufai before 1999. It was from 1999 that his name started ringing bell. But everyone knew that Shehu Sani has been in the terrain. So, speaking out against El Rufai’s policies and programmes is in line with my principles and ideology, my belief and what I have been known for. I don’t need to be a Senator to speak out against injustice which I have spoken out against before I became a Senator.  I don’t need to be a governor to speak out against injustice. My position and submission on issues of Kaduna state has to do with protecting the rights of the people I represent.

    What I want everyone to understand is that the governor of Kaduna state is a convertee to change and a convertee to the anti corruption crusade by being a member of the APC. He came from the PDP, he is part of the PDP and an alumnus of the PDP. I have never been an alumnus of the PDP. APC provided a cover for people from all backgrounds in its quest for power in 2015. Part of the quarrel within the party has to do with the fact that we came from different political tendencies and ideologies, united with the common aim of removing the PDP and injecting Jonathan from power.

    After doing that, our personal differences and political divergence and differences came to the fore. My submissions against him has to do with the fact that his policies are not in tandem with the promises we made to the electorates in Kaduna state. His policies are anti people, stands antagonistic to the concept and philosophy of change.  His policies inflicts pains and hardship on the poor and under privileged.  His policies has to do with appeasing an elitist few and imposing the crude form of Adam Smith philosophy against the people that has toiled day and night and suffered to bring us to power.

    Whatever I say about him and his policies may not be fair because it is coming from me seen to be his opponent. If you want to get the true picture of Shehu Sani and El Rufai, you have to go and ask the common people on ground in Kaduna and I believe that you are also part of Kaduna state and so knowledgeable to know their views. In the last two years under the El Rufai administration, we have proven to be a bad alternative to the people we removed from power. Have you heard any PDP member decamping to the APC in Kaduna in the last two years? There is non because he has destroyed the party.

    The Chairman of the party in the state recognised by the national secretariat is not the one he recognised as governor. Many people who worked hard to enthrone this government are marginalised and now, the party is on crisis. The revelations of how billions of naira worth of contract was awarded to family members, friends and political cronies in the state also tells you the way government operates in Kaduna. The question I have asked is, when have you ever seen the President in Kaduna to commission any project?  or have you seen any multi million naira project being completed in Kaduna in the last two years?There is virtually none. Most of his governance is about propaganda in the media. The unfortunately thing is that Journalists in Kaduna now behave like cawards because of the tyranny of El Rufai. In the last two years,about seven Journalists have been sent to jail for writing stories considered unfavourable to the government of the state. Some of them are even going to court presently.  It has reached such a bad point that some them receive directive on what to write from the government house. This is what journalism has become in Kaduna state today. They don’t write stories critical of the governor, but fabricate stories to remain in the good books of the governor.

    What is the implication of this on the party in the state in 2019

    Well, if the party is divided against itself and the chance of winning remain very slim. But we also know very well that the PDP in the state is not in a very good and healthy position. So, the task is before the national secretariat of the party to reconcile and address the issues and save the party from destruction. If not, we are not going anywhere. How can a whole state governor demolish the house of an APC National Vice Chairman because he think that the man is in support of Shehu Sani. That is wrong and is no democracy.  The PDP has never demolished any body’s house in Kaduna because of personal or political difference.  So why should we do that against our own?  This is to show you the level of acrimony in the party

    What is your take on the quit notice and counter notice to Nigerians by Nigerians

    First I condemn the Biafran separatist agitation.  This country is indissoluble and people who are campaigning for the Independent state of Biafra will fail. I also condemn the quit notice against the Igbos living in the north because if the Igbos living in the north share the Biafra dream, they will not be living in the north. The fact that they live in the north show that they are a pillar for a united Nigeria.  However,  in as much as Igbos in the north must be protected,  so also Hausa people in the southern part of Nigeria and Fulanis must be protected.  I will not accept the killing of an Igbo man in kano and will also not accept the killing Hausa man in Shagamu, Asaba or in Enugu.

    If an Igbo man can have a certificate of occupancy in Kano, Kaduna or Katsina, a hausa man should also be given one where ever he lives. Also, states that are coming out with laws that target Fulanis people are doing the wrong thing. If you make laws that seeks to combat the criminality and murderous activities of the herdsmen, that is right. But if you make laws that generalises and criminalises the whole Fulanis, deny them the right of residency and freedom of movement, that is wrong and that is as evil as the quit notice given by the Arewa youths.