The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Task

  • A task that must be done

    A task that must be done

    Nigerians conversant with the history of the civil war will always be at home with the title of this piece, which was part of the maxim of the Nigerian Military leader, General  Yakubu Gowon in his desire to keep the then seceding Eastern Region within the Nigerian fold. “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done”

    This time around this task will not be done in the battlefields of Garkem, Eha Amufu , Obollo Afor or Abagana.  It won’t be a set of amphibious assaults  on the waters surrounding Bonny and other sister  islands, nay, it will be fought in the battlefields of the minds of the Nigerian child- in the classrooms.

    I have always been an advocate for public education, since it is cheaper and more accessible than what is obtained in private schools. It is my vision that one day students from say Nawfia Boys or Atunrase would compete with students from a number of private schools and even outdo such students. I am for the narrative that public schools should not be finishing schools for area boys and lowly artisans no, our public schools should be finishing schools for policy makers, captains of industries and what have you. We can’t talk about wanting to offer every child a chance in life and yet fail to give those in public schools a chance at getting a proper primary or secondary education.

    I was thus thrilled when The Minister of Education, Prof. Maman Tahir, revealed during a  quarterly citizens and stakeholders engagement that this administration has a plan to give public education an uplift via it’s 13 pillars of the education sector roadmap.

    While it is to early to be optimistic, I am happy that for once an administration understands that the challenges of education in Nigeria can be fixed and is walking the talk.

    Alongside the 13 pillars, the ministry has also developed a four-year strategic plan captioned ‘Education for Renewed Hope: Nigeria Education Sector Roadmap’ 2024 -2027.

    Delivering quality public education in Nigeria is a critical and complex task that requires a multi-faceted approach involving various stakeholders, including the government, educators, parents, and the community. Nigeria faces numerous challenges in its public education system, including inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, a lack of qualified teachers, and outdated curricula. However, with the right strategies and concerted efforts, it is possible to improve the quality of education for all students in the country.

    One of the key areas that need to be addressed to deliver quality public education in Nigeria is adequate funding. The government must prioritize education in its budget and allocate sufficient resources to ensure that schools have the necessary infrastructure, materials, and personnel to provide quality education. Adequate funding can help address issues such as overcrowded classrooms, lack of textbooks and teaching materials, and poor school facilities that hinder learning outcomes.

    Another critical aspect of delivering quality public education in Nigeria is teacher training and professional development. Teachers are the most essential component of the education system, and investing in their training and development is crucial to improving the quality of education. The government should implement comprehensive teacher training programs that equip teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively teach students and create a conducive learning environment.

    Furthermore, reducing class sizes can significantly impact the quality of education in Nigeria. Research has shown that smaller class sizes lead to better academic outcomes for students as teachers can provide more individualized attention and support to each student. Reducing class sizes in public schools can help address the issue of overcrowded classrooms improve the quality of teaching and learning.

    In addition to improving teacher training and reducing class sizes, enhancing school infrastructure is essential to delivering quality public education in Nigeria. Many public schools in the country lack basic facilities such as classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and safe drinking water. Investing in school infrastructure, such as building new classrooms, providing modern facilities, and ensuring the safety and security of students, can create a conducive learning environment and improve educational outcomes.

    Curriculum reforms are also necessary to deliver quality public education in Nigeria. The curriculum is an essential component of the education system, and regular updates and revisions are needed to ensure that it remains relevant and effective. The government should implement curriculum reforms that align with modern educational standards and practices, emphasize critical thinking and creativity, and equip students with the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

    Furthermore, promoting parental and community involvement in schools is crucial to delivering quality public education in Nigeria. Parents and communities play a vital role in supporting students’ learning and development, and their active participation can enhance the quality of education. The government should encourage parental involvement through initiatives such as parent-teacher associations, community engagement programs, and school-based activities that promote collaboration between schools, parents, and the community.

    Moreover, leveraging technology can also help improve the quality of public education in Nigeria. Technology can enhance teaching and learning, provide access to educational resources and materials, and facilitate communication between students, teachers, and parents. The government should invest in technology infrastructure in schools, provide training to teachers on how to integrate technology into their teaching practices, and ensure that students have access to digital tools and resources to enhance their learning experiences.

    Read Also: NERC tasks DisCos on migration of customers

    Furthermore, ensuring teacher accountability and performance evaluation is essential to delivering quality public education in Nigeria. The government should implement systems to monitor and evaluate teachers’ performance, provide feedback and support to help them improve, and hold teachers accountable for their effectiveness in the classroom. Performance-based incentives and recognition programs can also motivate teachers to excel and contribute to improving the quality of education.

    n conclusion, delivering quality public education in Nigeria requires a comprehensive approach that addresses various aspects of the education system, including adequate funding, teacher training, infrastructure improvement, curriculum reforms, parental involvement, technology integration, and teacher accountability. By implementing these strategies and prioritizing education, the government can make significant strides in improving the quality of education for all students in the country. Education is a fundamental right and a key driver of socio-economic development, and ensuring quality public education for all is essential to building a brighter future for Nigeria. Indeed, it is a task that must be done.

    Nigeria Will Succeed !

  • Task ahead of 9mobile’s new owners

    After a long process, Teleology Holdings Limited has emerged the preferred bidder for 9mobile. It has since paid the non-refundable completion deposit of $50 million for the transaction. This is a major development in the quest to sell the telco. But, it is not over yet for Teleology.  LUCAS AJANAKU writes that the new owners have a task to inject life into the telco.

    IT is no longer news that 9mobile has a new manager. What is news is the expectation of what becomes of Nigeria’s fourth largest carrier in the hands of Messrs Teleology Holddings Limited – the winner in the bid process to sell the troubled mobile telecommunication firm.

    The emergence of Teleology as the preferred bidder is a dream comes through for its promoter Adrian Wood, who was MTN Nigeria’s pioneer Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

    Six months after superintending over the first call on the global system for mobile communication (GSM), Wood confirmed that business had been good for the South African firm.

    It was believed in the sector that MTN, which paid $285 million for one of four GSM licenses in Nigeria in January 2001, hit profitability less than one year after it launched its operations in the country.

    Genesis of the crises

    Determined to boost its infrastructure in the ultra-competitive telecoms market that has MTN, Globacom and Airtel as competitors, Etisalat Nigeria approached a consortium of local lenders and got a $1.2 billion medium-term seven-year facility.

    The repayment modality for the facility was not in the public space until the economic downturn of 2015 which led to sharp devaluations of the naira, a trend that negatively impacted the value of the dollar-denominated loan. The situation was aggravated by a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy, which restricted access to foreign exchange.

    That policy forced many firms to abruptly closed shops.

    According to the telco, the outstanding loan to the consortium stood at $227 million and N113 billion, a total of about $574 million if the naira portion is converted to United States (U.S) dollars. By implication, almost half of the original loan of $1.2 billion has been repaid.

    Repayment glitches

    Etisalat continued to service the loan until February last year, when discussions began with the banks on how to restructure the repayment. The telco added that the $1.2 billion loan was efficiently serviced until the early days of this year.

    The firm’s engagements to renegotiate the terms of the loan went on for a while and were yet to be finalised, though at an advanced stage.

    Some of the options being considered included a restructuring of the shareholding/change in ownership. Final arrangements regarding ownership and board structure are still in development stage.

    Sequel to the negotiation, Etisalat Group had informed the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange of its intention to transfer its shares in the company to an appointed security trustee of the banks.

    The trustee is the vehicle employed by the banks to hold the shares on behalf of the consortium.

    What has effectively happened is a ‘change in ownership’, and not a receivership, bankruptcy or winding up, so, operations will continue to run and subscribers can continue to access services on the network as usual, the firm had assured.

    Banks root for investigation

    Sensing foul play, the banks urged the Federal Government to investigate the telco over the management of the loan.

    But the telco denied being under any investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over an alleged petition to “the Federal Government asking that Etisalat be investigated” on how the funds from the syndicated loans were utilised.

    Ibrahim Dikko, its former Vice President, Regulatory & Corporate Affairs, in a statement, had said: “Etisalat wishes to categorically affirm for the avoidance of doubt that the reports are patently false and most unfortunate, considering the damage such misleading information can have on not only our business, but on the telecommunications industry and the country as a whole.

    “A simple interrogation of the rigorous process for securing a syndicated loan from a consortium of reputable banks would have exposed the truth to the original writer of this story and other media channels who have subsequently re-circulated the falsehood without interrogation or verification.

    “Concerned parties have access to our books and do not require an investigation into how the loan sum was utilised. All of the infrastructure investment and services for which the loan was secured.

    “Contrary to the widely reported misrepresentations about Etisalat Nigeria’s debt obligation to the consortium of 13 banks, it has become pertinent to set the records straight. Prior to this time, Etisalat had in fact consistently and conscientiously met up with its payment obligations.

    “As at today, we can categorically state that the outstanding loan to the consortium stands at $227 million and N113 billion (a total of about $574 million if the naira portion is converted to U.S. dollars).

    “This in essence means almost half of the original loan of $1.2 billion, has been repaid. Etisalat continued to service the loan up until February 2017, when discussions with the banks regarding the repayment restructuring commenced.”

    CBN, NCC to the rescue

    The CBN and the NCC had moved in as regulators ensure that the loan deal was brought to a peaceful closure.

    Their intervention was designed to save over Etisatat’s 4,000 workers, avert asset stripping and maintain the stability of the sector in the eyes of foreign direct investors (FDIs).

    CBN’s spokesman Isaac Okorafor said in a statement: “Although it should ordinarily not be the role of a regulator to decide how individual bad loans are resolved, the CBN believes that Etisalat is a systemically important telecommunications company with over 20 million subscribers that if not well handled, may have negative implications for the banking system itself.”

    He said the banks might go ahead to downsize the company’s over 4,000 workers without the egulators’s intervention.

    Regulatory caveat

     The NCC had said its attention had been drawn to a planned takeover of Etisalat by a consortium of banks. Its Public Affairs Director Tony Ojobo said in a statement: “As a result of this planned action the Commission stated that it is aware of the indebtedness of Etisalat to the consortium of banks; in conjunction with the CBN, it had mediated by holding several meetings with the banks, Etisalat and other stakeholders with a view to finding a resolution. It lamented that these meetings did not yield the desired results.

    “The NCC wishes to reassure the over 21 million Etisalat subscribers that it will do all within its regulatory power to ensure that Etisalat.

    “The Commission has taken proactive steps to cushion the impact of any takeover, this is without prejudice to the ongoing effort between Etisalat and the banks toward negotiated settlement.

    “In view of the recent development, NCC wishes to reassure all stakeholders in the telecommunications sector in particular the subscribers on the Etisalat Network that the Commission will ensure that the integrity of Etisalat Network is not compromised.

    “Accordingly, the Commission has drawn the attention of the banks to provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 Section 38:

    “Sub-section 1 – The grant of a license shall be personal to the licensee and the license shall not be operated by, assigned, sub licensed or transferred to another party unless the prior written approval of the commission has been granted;

    “Sub-section 2 – A licensee shall at all times comply by the terms and condition of the license and the provision of this act and its subsidiary legislation.”

    The regulator assured subscribers that they will continue to enjoy the services provided by Etisalat for as long as it takes   the banks and the firm to resolve the issues.

    From Etisalat to 9mobile

    Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd. (EMTS), trading as Etisalat Nigeria later gave notice of the withdrawal of the brand name in the country while the board management, led by Hakeem Bello and Mathieu Wilshere stepped aside.

    That development changed Etisalat to 9mobile and the subsequent appointment of Barclays Africa as advisors to the telco. Its CEO Boye Olusanya, said the brand name change will not affect the quality of services to customers, adding that all its commitment to CSR will remain. He also said the telco had its windows opened for new investors.

    Reacting to the development, the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) said the development would put more pressure on the new management to find an immediate buyer for the company, as EMTS is effectively left without a recognisable brand name known in the industry.

    Its President, Olusola Teniola, spoke of the need to ensure that the services and products that EMTS delivers can replicate that unique experience.

    Teniola said: “The Etisalat brand name holds significant intangible assets to EMTS and this allowed the current subscriber base to hold faith with the international experience and good will that the Emirates brought to Nigeria.

    “It would be best for the new management to learn from the lessons already learnt from the various name changes that Econet went through to get to Airtel and ATCON seeks minimum impact on the subscribers if those lessons come to bear during this difficult period of transition for the company EMTS and the stakeholders in the industry, most especially the consumers.

    “Proactive effective messaging from EMTS is key to the success of any brand name change and to remove the uncertainty that surrounds any identify change. From customer care right, through to technical support, it is important that infrastructure that supports the company is reliably run and in place to cope with the deluge of calls requesting information on ‘what next’ for the subscribers. Remember the ‘Customer is King’ in this situation,” Teniola said in an email message note to The Nation

    Teniola who is the former CEO of  IS Internet Services and now Client Partner for Detecon International, a subsidiary of Deutsch Telekom Group, Germany, said ATCON had predicted the development, adding that other carriers must learn one or two lessons.

    He said: “We in ATCON predicted this outcome and need to see the precedent that this sets for the rest of the industry, in particular in the way and manner funds are used to deploy capital intensive infrastructure.

    “The relationship with the banks and our members need to reflect the current reality in this harsh business environment and it is best for all stakeholders to work together to find a permanent solution to the ‘funding gap’ that exists in the manner and way the industry attracts FDI or utilises debt to realise its ambition.”

     The bidders

    NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman Prof Danbatta said five firms had emerged as bidders for 9mobile. He listed the telcos as Globacom, Airtel, Smile Communications, Helios, and Teleology Holdings Limited.

    Initially, about 16 firms expressed interest and filed bids with Barclays of Africa, 9mobile’s financial advisor. They include MTN, ntel, Virgin Mobile from the United Kingdom and Vodacom of South Africa. Others are BUA Group, Morning Side Capital Partners, Obot Etiebet & Co, Blackstone Private Equity, and Hamilton and George International Limited.

    Dambatta said: “Five bidders have emerged for 9mobile. They have been allowed to access the data room of 9mobile in order to enable them access the financial situation of the company and subsequently make bids for the takeover of the company. But the takeover must be in a regulated manner.

    “The CBN and NCC are supervising what is going on through an interim board jointly appointed by the NCC and CBN. We are going to do due diligence on the financial capacity of any potential bidder as well as the technical capacity.

    “In the final analysis, we will like to see a 9mobile taken over by a bidder who has the financial and technical capacity to improve on the operations of the telco and add value in the delivery of qualitative telecom services in the country.”

    Judicial intervention

    The Federal High Court in Lagos nullified the appointment of an interim board for 9mobile. Justice Ibrahim Buba made the order based on an application by Spectrum Wireless Communication Ltd, which invested $35 million in 2009 in Emerging Markets Telecommunications Service (EMTS)/Etisalat, the fourth largest telecommunications service operator in Nigeria.

    According to the certified copies of the judgment endorsed by Alokpesi CN, registrar, the judge ruled: “An order is hereby granted discharging the ex-parte order made by this court in this suit in favour of the respondent on the 3rd day of July 2017.

    “The order made pursuant to motion ex-parte dated 3rd day of July 2017 was a nullity, made without jurisdiction and obtained by misrepresentation of facts. Same be and is hereby discharged and vacated as prayed.

    “The motion for stay is struck out, having set aside the order. The respondent shall reverse all steps taken by it since the order was a nullity.”

    The order nullified the appointment of Dr. Joseph Nnana of the CBN as chairman, Boye Olusanya as Managing Director, Mrs Funke Ighodaro as Chief Financial Officer, Seyi Bickersthet and Mr Ken Igbokwe on the EMTS board.

    The nullification followed Justice Buba’s dismissal of a preliminary objection filed by United Capital Trustees Ltd in response to the application by Spectrum Wireless, a shareholder of EMTS.

    United Capital comprises a consortium of local banks that provided funding for Etisalat.

    Spectrum Wireless claimed that the order was obtained through the misrepresentation of facts that alienated its interests in the company.

    The interim board of EMTS, which enjoyed the CBN and NCC support, received bids from the five bidders in its intended sale of the company, which would have been concluded by December 31, last year, but was moved to January 16.

    Spectrum Wireless Communication’s lawyers warned that any institution or company who transacts business for the purpose of sale or acquisition of EMTS or 9mobile does so at his or her own risk.

    Following the exit of Etisalat and its directors in June 2017 from EMTS, United Capital obtained the ex-parte order of July 3, 2017, to appoint a transitional board to superintend over the company’s affairs.

    The transitional board rebranded the company 9mobile and announced a bid for its sale to interested investors. Concerned that United Capital’s action did not consider their stake in EMTS, other non-bank investors in EMTS, led by Spectrum Wireless, challenged in December last year, the ex-parte order granted United Capital.

    Justice Buba nullified the order approved for the board’s appointment on the grounds that it was granted based on misrepresentation of facts.

    Spectrum Wireless accused the NCC of not taking the interest of non-bank investors in the telco into consideration before deciding to put it on sale.

    The firm which owns 17.5 per cent shares in the firm, said its interest and that of two others, were not taken care of in the process leading to offering the telco for sale.

    Specifically, solicitors to Spectrum Wireless, J.A. Achimugu & Co and Dr R. O. Atabo & Co, all Kaduna based, lamented that its client invested $35 million in Etisalat since 2009, adding that no profit was declared.

    Dr. Reuben Atabo of Dr. R O Atabo & Co, who spoke in a telephone interview, said several letters were written to the regulator with a view to notifying it of the need for all shareholders in the telco to be carried along, lamenting however that nothing was done.

    According to Dr Atabo, his clients and about two others invested $100 million in Etisalat for building of infrastructure, lamenting however that when the telco went to raise loan from a consortium of local lenders, they (shareholders) were not informed.

    Bid submission, result

    Airtel pulled out of 9mobile bid. Globacom and Helios Investment Partners, LLP submitted bids but failed to attach any cash for the troubled telco to Barclays Africa.

    Teleology Holdings Limited submitted a bid in excess of $500 million while Smile Telecoms Holdings quoted close to $300 million.

    Effectively, only two companies made financial offers by the January 16 deadline. Going by the financial bid submitted by the two firms, Teleology Holdings Limited natural emerged the preferred bidder and Smile Telecoms the reserved bidder.

    Airtel, Smile kick

    Airtel’s U-turn came as a surprise to industry experts who had expected the company to push all the way through in order to become the largest operator in the land.

    It would have automatically grown from being number three to number one by increasing its subscribers to 52 million for voice and 33.5 million for internet if it had emerged the preferred bidder.

    Airtel allegedly decided to pull out because “many things are not too plain with the entire process”.

    “Airtel is not interested in 9mobile because it sees little value in the company,” a source revealed.

    Another source said the Indian carrier did not have sufficient information to make an informed bid.

    “Airtel believes too many things are hidden about the health of 9mobile, and that it is too risky for anyone to buy the company. Things became compounded with the court case by Spectrum Wireless. Remember the Strive Masiyiwa case over the ownership of Econet which hurt the company for a long time,” an insider said.

    Spectrum Wireless, a shareholder of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Service (EMTS) — which owns the 9mobile licence — went to court against United Capital Trustees Limited — representatives of the debtors — in order to stop the constitution of an interim board for 9mobile after the take-over in July 2017.

    Although it lost the case, the Federal High Court later nullified the ex parte order, and United Securities has now gone on appeal.

    Smile Telecoms Holdings Limited decried the tardy manner in which Barclays Africa handled the sale of 9mobile. It called for a process review to uphold transparency.  Smile wrote a letter addressed to Barclays Africa dated February 21, 2018 and signed by Templars; the company’s solicitors.

    Smile expressed surprise and disappointment at the manner in which the selection process for the Preferred Bidder and Reserve Bidder was conducted.  Of particular concern, to Smile, was the fact that the selection of the preferred bidder was announced before the stated deadline of February 26, 2018 as set out in the process letter.

    The company urged Barclays, to as a matter of fairness and urgency, provide a practicable, with verifiable (and preferably third-party authenticated) proof that the party that has been selected as the preferred bidder has indeed satisfied all the conditions precedent to that selection.

    However, in its reply of February 26, Barclays Africa promised to “be in touch with Smile to discuss any updates on the transaction, to the extent considered necessary”.  It expressed gratitude for Smile’s continued interest in the transaction but noted that its clients exercised their rights at their sole discretion to pursue an alternative path to completion of the transaction.

    Barclays restated its willingness to explore transaction completion with Smile should the pending process not reach a satisfactory conclusion.

    Smile argued that Barclays Africa’s letter evaded the critical issues of due process and eligibility of the announced preferred bidder, wondering if the preferred bidder was able to meet the laid down requirements for the transactions that required it to reach agreement on any required financial accommodations with the syndicate lenders and the trade creditors.  The requirement also entails the preferred bidder to have firm, unconditional and committed funding for any cash payments and to provide a binding offer that is unconditional, excluding the formal licence approvals.

    It’s not yet over

    It would be recalled that the NCC has reassured that only investors with the required technical expertise and financial muscle will buy 9mobile.

    Ojobo said in a statement that the Commission will ensure that all relevant statutory and regulatory processes are duly complied with in the process leading up to the emergence of new owners for the company.

    NCC’s intervention came on the heels of news that Teleology Holding has emerged the preferred bidder for 9mobile.  The announcement was greeted with protests in some quarters. A non-governmental organisation, Business Renaissance Group (BRG), protested against the process, accusing Barclays Africa of sending the letter to Teleology in a hasty and preemptive manner.

    The group stated that Barclays Africa jumped the gun in announcing a preferred bidder.  It noted that in a meeting held with the interested bidders on January 26, 2018, Barclays gave the two finalists in the bid process: Teleology Holdings and Smile Telecoms Holdings the opportunity to increase their bid for 9mobile within 30 days which brought the deadline date to February 26, 2018.

    The group wondered why Barclays could not wait till the agreed date before its preemptive announcement of a winner. Alleging bias against Barclays in the handling of the 9mobile sale, BRG recalled that Barclays had earlier affirmed that any preferred bidder on selection will need to sign a Sales Purchase Agreement (SPA) immediately and will have to instantly pay a non-refundable deposit of $50 million.

    It decried a situation where Barclays has now given its preferred bidder 21 working days to pay the non-refundable fee of $50 million.  The group further underscored its allegation of a less than transparent handling of the entire bid process by Barclays Africa by recalling that some of the earlier entrants, among them two major GSM network operators, had opted out of the process, alluding to lack of transparency.

    It also claimed that at least, two major vendors of 9mobile rejected the financial offers of the preferred bidder and had no confidence in the weak and unrealistic business plan it presented.

    The group wondered how such a bidder with questionable business plan would be able to sustain and improve the operations of 9mobile. BRG contended that the precipitated announcement by Barclays is indicative that the preferred bidder did not satisfy any of the precedent conditions.

  • Ambode, others task youths on wealth creation

    Ambode, others task youths on wealth creation

    The Lagos state governor, Akinwumi Ambode has impressed on the youths the need to be self-reliant rather than wait on government’s lean resources for socioeconomic empowerment.Ambode gave this charge yesterday when he delivered the keynote address at a public forum tagged: ‘Lagos Money Conference’ with the theme, ‘Financial Literacy: Antidote to Economic Recession.

    The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti was however quick to add that the parlous state of the economy notwithstanding, there are lots of opportunities for businesses, especially startups. He said the state government is doing everything within its limited resources to create opportunities for the financially excluded in order to support their quest for economic empowerment.

    According to him, Lagos state he said has approved N4.9b loans for over 6000 micro, and small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). These modest efforts, he maintained, is to assist the teaming population of youths out there just as he implored the youths to make the most use of opportunities like volunteering rather than staying idle.

    Speaking earlier, Mayowa Adeduro, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Anchor Insurance Company Limited, who spoke on ‘Uncommon strategies for financial inclusion’ regretted that over 112million Nigerians, which represents 70% of the entire population of over 180million, are living below poverty line. He tasked youths to be ready to take up any opportunity that comes their way rather than daydream about hitting it big.

    Fielding questions from journalists, Pastor Ola Adejube, the convener of the conference said he is convinced that if they youths are equipped with the right skills set and knowledge their worldview will change for the better.

  • Akoko monarchs task Akeredolu on development

    Traditional rulers in Akoko Southwest Local Government Area of Ondo State have urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) to assist their communities in infrastructural development and security.

    They pledged to support his administration in its effort to develop the state.

    The monarchs spoke at the weekend when they hosted the Commissioner for Agriculture, Adegboyega Adefarati.

    The commissioner was on gratitude visits to the monarchs for their support.

    The Olubaka of Oka-Akoko, Oba Yusuf Adeleye, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, hailed Akeredolu for embarking on laudable projects since his assumption of office in February.

    The projects, the monarch said, included the six blocks of classrooms at St. Peter’s Primary School at Oba-Akoko and construction of roads from Supare to Ayegunle Oka.

    He expressed delight at the news that the state governor had awarded the contract for the construction of the Iwaro-Okeoka Road.

    They also expressed appreciation for the appointment of Adefarati and other indigenes of the local government into the State Executive Council (Exco).

    The royal fathers urged the administration to pay more attention to the area, particularly in infrastructural development.

    The monarchs described the commissioner as a replica of his father and former Governor Adebayo Adefarati, who they said had passion for the development of his community and other parts of the state.

    On the entourage of the commissioner were the Caretaker Chairman of Akoko Southwest, Augustine Oloruntogbe; All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Akogun Gbenga Omole; ward chairmen, supervisors and other APC leaders in Akoko Southwest.

  • Task before Yoruba’s new leaders

    With the bitter supremacy struggle between revered Afenifere battle-fatigued fathers and their sons  operating  under ARG, acronym (Afenifere Renewal Group) finally laid to rest with the defeat in the Yoruba nation of Jonathan, the former’s choice for the last presidential election, I think it is time for rapprochement between fathers and sons. After all, what warring fathers and sons have always wanted is a government that guarantees freedom, promotes justice and fairness. With the inauguration of Buhari/Osinbajo administration in May, the sons have compensated their thoroughly-drained aggrieved fathers with a victory that had eluded them despite their 55 years in the trenches. The battle ahead will require all hands on deck after 55 years of abridged progress, eight years of Obasanjo vindictiveness against his own people, and six years of Jonathan’s politics of subterfuge that deliberately marginalized the Yoruba nation.

    Buhari will no doubt provide a level playing ground for all to thrive. His war on corruption and the battle against economic saboteurs have taken off in earnest. From there, one hopes he would move to tackle the greatest threat to nationhood- political restructuring which is what has been used for sustaining corruption by those benefiting from a unitary system fraudulently called federalism; for undermining   the security of the nation by those who reap political dividends from unimpeded infiltration of thousands of Fulani herdsmen, ranchers and cattle rustlers across north-eastern borders; for sabotaging the nation’s economy by militants sponsored and armed by Niger Delta ‘vultures’ that feed  on the blood of those who look up to them for protection; and for dumping of fake drugs and expired products on the street of Lagos by unpatriotic elements who hide under the anonymity of ‘no man’s land’ to commit heinous crimes against Nigerians.

    Since we know Buhari will not stand on the way of those who intend to fashion out a better future for themselves and  their children, I think it is time Bola Tinubu returns to Lagos to confront headlong the current political crisis facing the Yoruba nation. It was his failure and that of his ACN that a big stick was not wielded when ex-Governor Fayemi and  Opeyemi Bamidele, his friend embarked on their ego quarrel that paved the way for the emergence of an embarrassment called Ayo Fayose who was on record as thanking Bamidele for making him governor after his dubious victory. Tinubu and his colleagues will now have to find answers to Fayose who has become a national and international embarrassment.

    It is on record that he invaded courts with thugs to beat up judges presiding over his case, shredded their judgment sheets; chased out 19 opposition lawmakers and inaugurated an assembly with six PDP lawmakers; chased opposition members out of town with the help of thugs during the election that produced the current assembly members. It got more bizarre last week when Fayose invaded the state assembly with his supporters and went on to personally present and approve a budget whose contents were unknown to the hapless lawmakers who watched Fayose’s theatrics as the rest of the nation did, courtesy of Channels television.

    While the bemused lawmakers sat with folded arms, Fayose bellowed: “those who want the budget passed, say aye”! His supporters who outnumbered the lawmakers responded with a thunderous aye. Then focusing his gaze on the obviously scared lawmakers sitting down like rain-beaten chickens, he again bellowed: “those who don’t want the content of this budget passed, say nay”; the assembly hall was like a grave-yard. There upon, Fayose brought out what many have described as a carpenter’s hammer from a small bag held by one of his aides, struck  the table thrice and declared ‘budget passed’, to the thunderous applause of his supporters. Some of the lawmakers with mournful look on their faces later told reporters they ‘owed their positions to Fayose’. The South-west is sick if a part of it is sick.

    It is an irony that Fayose, to demonstrate he is a grass root man has been going to market to personally buy “pomo”, cow skin and imported iced fish in a Western Region led between 1952 and 1959 by highly educated and talented visionary leaders who among other things had a policy on agriculture that supported self sufficiency.  Over 60 years ago, Awo and his group pointedly told the Yoruba they would not eat cow meat except they domesticate their own cows. To implement the policy, Awo’s government imported cows for domestication from Argentina. Femi Alana recently reminded me that many households domesticated their own cows popularly called ‘Elila’ in the fifties and early sixties. Sixty years after the west experienced self-sufficiency in chicken and eggs production through the farm settlement programme executed by products of primary school trying to save enough for their secondary school education, Governor Fayose is still in court facing EFCC allegation of frittering away N19b of taxpayers’ money on fraudulent chicken poultry project that never produced an egg.

    Apart from Segun Oni who tried to rehabilitate a cattle ranch established in Otun Ekiti by Adekunle Ajasin in the Second Republic, no South-west governor revisited the 1952-59 laudable agriculture policy since 1999 including ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi, who admitted spending about N3billion to build a governors house in a state where there is no private house worth half a billion. That his government house was the least expensive in the country was besides the point. Two billion naira pumped into the Ajasin-initated Otun Cattle Ranch and managed by experts will make the whole of South-west less dependent on cattle from the north.

    Our new political leaders must also pay attention to Ondo. This is not because it is ruled by PDP. After all the Yoruba always say, ‘you don’t all sleep with your head turned to the same direction’. Dissent is rooted in the Yoruba culture. But what has been happening under Governor Mimiko reflects neither Yoruba culture nor the subculture of a proud Ondo people that often call a spade by its name. Mimiko was Jonathan point-man on ‘stomach infrastructure’ through which traditional rulers and various groups were allegedly bribed in dollar denominations. The variant of Mimiko politics is alien to a people who were at the forefront the ‘Agbekoya’ uprising of the 60s as well as the protest against NPN’s fraudulent ‘landslide and sea slide’ victories of 80s.

    In neighbouring Osun State, Aregbesola needs help. He is a governor who still thinks and acts as an activist. It is alleged by his political detractors that he speaks first and last at Exco meetings where his word is law. They claim his populist policies are often not backed up with rigorous intellectual debate that often accompanied policy initiatives 60 years ago. This they said accounts for why he almost ran the economy of the state aground before the federal government’s recent bail out.

    Ajimobi’s endless wars with his party men as well as his political enemies tend to deprive his government of the needed energy to focus on government policies. A focused Oyo State can serve as the food-basket of the South-west. The winners-take-all policy of Governor Amosun of Ogun State which led to the recent exit of Segun Osoba, a founding father of AD, ACN and APC in the state underscores the need for the APC party oligarchy to let governors know that  ‘democracy is a game of compromise even when the power of coercion’ is available. Without resolution of these political problems, regional integration will remain a forlorn hope even with the best of intentions and efforts of Yoruba statesmen and intellectuals.

  • Task before Health Minister

    SIR: Every sector of the economy requires men of integrity to manage what has already damaged. Leadership is not a maintenance role; one cannot lead people to where they already are. The leader who really wants to make a difference will make things different and do things differently.

    Health is wealth; it is the reason the health ministry is very sensitive and technical. It is not just to have good men in the system but the system be firmly established with policy framework and code of ethics.

    Nigeria needs world class hospitals to cater for all manner of sicknesses and diseases with equipment for diagnosis meeting up to 21st century standard. It is a shame that  many health issues  and challenges carry Nigerians to India for treatment and hence contribute to boosting the foreign exchange reserves of that country.

    We need to rekindle the sense of patriotism and nationalism of doctors and paramedical personnel. Fake drugs abound in Nigeria because the barons behind their importation are not punished. There is need for appropriate mechanisms to ensure that pharmaceutical companies produce effective drugs and any attempt to produce below specification must be met with stringent punishment.

    The minister should ansure that obnoxious laws inhibiting health-care delivery are done away with.  Imagine road users offering help to a victim of road accident being treated as offenders by the police. How does one explain the situation where a doctor would first request for the ID card of a student that was electrocuted before administering treatment?

    We like to do many things simultaneously which make a lot of things to be left undone. The minister must know that the process of re-branding the health ministry must imply a break with the past. Wisdom demand available resources be used for world class hospitals where other countries can visit to increase our foreign exchange earnings. A total stop must be put to brain drain in health sector by improving the standard of remuneration and working condition of health-care personnel. There must also be training and re-training to meet up with current realities .

    Four years is around the corner when you will give account of your stewardship. Legacy is not leaving things for people; it is leaving things in people. Think through and define the mission of the sector, set up a code of ethics against any division and prudently manage available provision for efficient and effective management. God will make you a change agent to meet our expectations. Your character in office is the summary of your life.

     

    • Ezekiel Oluwole Kolawole

    Ikotun, Lagos

  • Nigeria: Nationhood still a daunting task at 55

    Nigeria: Nationhood still a daunting task at 55

    A Professor of History from University of Texas, Austin, Toyin Falola, has said Nigerians representative of the emotional attachment to their ethnic origin rather than national interest has continued to constitute a setback to attainment of nationhood 55 years after independence.

    He was the guest speaker at the Golden Jubilee of the Department of History University of Lagos.

    He spoke on the theme: “Ethnicity: Its organ and intestine,’ at the Afe Babalola Hall of the university.

    At the event were the university’s Vice-Chancellor Prof Rahman Bello, Prof Chukwu Obinnaya.

    Others were Dean of Faculty of Arts, Prof Yomi Akinyeye and the Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Imota Prof Ayodeji Olukoju.

    According to Falola, ethnicity has been too embedded in the collective psyche of Nigerians, which has made an average Nigerian  to see himself more as first belonging to his ethnic cleavage before being a Nigerian.”

    As a result, Falola said the task of attaining nationhood had remained a challenge since Nigeria’s independence for nearly 60 years.

    The fallout out of this, among other factors Falola explained, is the merit based progression in the social and political circuits which is now being supplanted by the quota system. According to him, the need to avoid dominance of one group against the other has forced decision makers to compromise standards in the quest to ensure that all segments of the country have access to power and social amenities.

    “In Nigeria, contestation for power by political gladiators in the nation’s political space has further accentuated the problem associated with ethnicity. The choice made by voters is mainly driven by the concern for how a given political party will serve the interest of a given ethnic nationality rather than the collective good of Nigeria. This trend presupposes that electorate will most likely form, organise and identify with any political platform that tends to accentuate and perpetuate their quest to dominate others,” he said.

    Falola lamented that some political space had been dominated by a particular group to the exclusion of others, thus bringing with it resentment and security issues that further threaten the nation’s collective fibre as a coercive and progressive unit.

    To Falola, ethnicity, which is now a commonplace syndrome in Nigeria, is also prominent in the creative sector as it has really helped in defining the persona of the Nigerian traditional being. He listed such areas to include music, film and literature.

    “The world has come to identify more with numerous works of creative arts from Nigeria majorly because the creators themselves rooted their creativity in the numerous cultures within the Nigerian landspace,” Falola explained.

    “The whole world celebrates the works of great literary icons like Professor Wole Soyinka and Professor Chinua Achebe because their works were rooted and steeped in the environments that produced and nurtured them. If you remove the cultural contents from the works of these icons, I don’t think there is anything the world will hold on to as being unique in their works,” Falola said.

    The Head of Department of History Prof Olufunke Adeboye said despite the challenges, the department has achieved a lot over the last 50 years.

    In order to remain more creative and relevant, the department designed new programmes aimed at to meeting up with trends.

    She said: “You don’t expect that we have to be where we were 50 years ago. Today, we have adapted to the reality of global trends in the way we carry out our mandate.

    “For instance, we had to change the name of the department from being Department of History to Department of History and Strategic Studies to cope with global trends, which emphasis the need to bring diverse focus to the study of history.”

    The nomenclature, Adeboye stressed, has paid off as enrolment surged at both undergraduate and postgraduate cadres.

    “Owing to the improvement in the course module for the areas of studies that we have had to focus on, the calibre of students that come to study here range from security agents, policy maker, who have found the courses very attractive thus enriching the pool of our alumni base.

    “Apart from these people that readily come to mind, I can confidently tell you that our products are doing well and holding their own in the different areas of society that they find themselves,” she added.

     

  • The task ahead of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.)

    The task ahead of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.)

    The political landscape of the country shall put on a new look on May 29, 2015, when the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Governmentis inaugurated. The inauguration will effectively put an end to the 16-year reign of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which once called itself the Africa’s largest political party. APC would then be Nigeria’s new ruling and dominant party. Although,many did not see this coming, but it is now a reality that PDP, which many of its followers have vowed that it would be in power for 60 years is about to become an Opposition Party.

    While the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) is warming up for his inauguration, Nigerians, home and abroad have high hopes and expectations about him and the leadership of the APC. It is not going to be an easy task for the President-elect. However, it must be put on record that Nigerians who came out on March 28, 2015 to cast their votes for Gen. Buhari (rtd)  were the ones that brought about the real change in government and not only the President-elect or the leadership of his Party, APC. They voted for him because they believed that his leadership would bring about positive changes in governance. Therefore, it must be clear that Nigerians would no doubt use the same approach they used in sending President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP out of power if the APC does not meet their expectations.

    However, it is gratifying to note that the APC has promised to be a governing party and not the ruling party as we have had under the PDP-led Federal Government. That in itself is a remarkable signpost of what to come. If indeed it would be a governing party, then it is safe that the incoming government takes a lesson from the fall of the PDP-led Federal Government, where the rulers lord themselves over the rest of us.

    To have a successful tenure as the President, Gen. Buhari (rtd)should come up with his set priorities. He should not set many targets for himself. He should simply choose what Nigerians want him to do, and what we want him to do is to put Nigeria in its rightful place.

    Firstly, Nigerians would like to know how President Jonathan and his team spent government revenue under their watch. It is our right to know how the money was spent, and we would not accept anything less from the incoming administration. To achieve this task in a country like Nigeria where corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of her government, I would suggest thatthe President-elect should simply go through the books. For instance, the claim by a former Governor of the Central Bank, now Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, that $20bn, that was supposed to be remitted by the NNPC to the federation account should be looked into, and those who are involved should be allowed to face the music. The N255m car scandal of the former aviation minister, now a senator-elect, Stella Oduah should be properly investigated. Although, she has already been indicted by the committee that was set up by President Goodluck Jonathan, yet the presidency is yet to take any decisive action on her.

    Secondly, on the Nation’s economy, Nigerians would like to know its true state. According to the British Member of Parliament (MP) and Shadow Secretary for international Development, Mr. Ivan Lewis, Nigeria is too rich for its people to live in ‘’extreme poverty’’ and deprivation. Butthe truth of the matter is that Nigeria is broke. Unfortunately, in an interview with CNN’s Richard Quest, the Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Okonjo-Iweala, denied this by saying that the country is not broke despite the cash crunch currently being experienced.

    Thus, the President-elect must let Nigerians know their true status. Nigerians voted for him, and a lot of people died in the course of ensuring that they effected the real change in the nation’s economy.

    Thirdly, the President-elect must cut deep all the excesses in government. There is no doubt that the cost of governance in Nigeria is not sustainable.Thus, we do not deserve a President who will continue with the status quo. Nigerians do not need forty two ministers and countless number of SAs in Buhari’s government. Thus, he should reduce the size of his cabinet. He should also implement the recommendations of the Oronsaye committee on restructuring of Federal Ministries, Agencies, parastatals and commissions.  The committee, while submitting its report on 16th April, 2012, said government would save over N862 billion between 2012 and 2015 if the recommendations of the committee were implemented. Unfortunately, President Goodluck Jonathan did not implement any of the recommendations made by the Committee.

    The President-elect will need to look into the 25 percent of the recurrent expenditure of the Federal Government’s budget which is being allocated to the National Assembly of just 469 members every year. He should put the sensitivities, wishes and aspirations of Nigeriansin the front burner of his government. That is the only way he can earn the respect and confidence of the people.

    The President-elect should alsoaddress the issue of oil subsidy. Despite the fact that price of oil has gone down at the international market, Nigerians are still buying oil at the same amount that they used to buy it before the price came down. Excesses like these have caused untold hardship to the common man who seems to bear the full wrath of the rotten government alone.

    Finally, the President-elect must ensure that he get his team right. We do not want ministers or technocrats who will not share the goals and aspirations of the common man. He should look at the pedigree, qualifications and makeups of people he wants to appoint. He must ensure that they are as conservative and radical as he himself is. He must also ensure that it is only those who appreciate and have genuine love for the country that are appointed as ministers in the coming administration.

    Governancemust wear a new look starting from May 29, 2015. It must be taken as a serious business and not the usual tea party. The welfare of the people should be the driving force of government policies and programmes.

    No doubt, if the President-elect can achieve these within the next four years of his administration, it will surely bring sanity back to the country. It will also restore our pride and dignity in the International community.  That is why we are all calling on Gen. Buhari (rtd) to Bring Us Hope And Restore our Integrity.

     

     

    Olawole Oladeji (Mr.)

    Staff Associate

    DAWN (Development Agenda for Western Nigeria) Commission

    Ibadan

  • Task ahead for incoming APC govt

    Task ahead for incoming APC govt

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has made history by defeating the ruling Peoples Demoratic Party (PDP) that has run the country since the return to civil rule 16 years ago. The President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, must now begin the process of translating his vision into reality. In this piece, Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI and Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examine the task facing the incoming administration.

    ONE of the factors that aided the election of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the belief that it will not be business as usual from May 29, 2015, under a new government headed by the General. The electioneering campaign threw up a lot of issues on the economy, the security and welfare of Nigerians. Buhari’s position on corruption, insurgency in the Northeast and his vision of building a new Nigeria appear to resonate well with the people.

     

    Beyond rhetoric

     

    But, having been given the mandate by the electorates, the President-elect is expected to move beyond rhetoric and start serious preparations for the tasks ahead. According to analysts, it is important for the incoming government to mobilise Nigerians to close ranks for the task ahead. This is because the election that gave Buhari the mandate is the first one since 1999 that politicians were confronted with the painful realisation that sovereignty belongs to the people, as stipulated in Section 14 (2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

    Hitherto, the political class only paid lip service to this important provision of the constitution and as such the level of impunity has been very high. There was also a marked absence of internal democracy and so-called party members had no hand in choosing those who represented their parties in elections. As such, the political space was saddled with characters who did not prepare for the task of governance. After taking over the reins of power such characters turn important political positions into kindergarten schools where the valuable four-year mandate is utilized to start learning the ropes of governance.

    But, the emergence of the APC as a viable opposition introduced an element of competition into the political arena. Today, the election that gave Gen. Buhari the mandate is widely regarded as the “first” democratic election since the advent of the Fourth Republic. Nigerians believe that their votes have started counting. Naturally, they would not hesitate to kick-out any government that fails to live up to their aspirations in future. This is the reason why it must not be business as usual for the incoming APC government led by Gen. Buhari and Prof. Osinbajo.

    Now that the incoming administration is preparing to take over the reins of power on May 29, the onus is on it to begin to translate its visions into reality. Nigeria is currently faced with two critical challenges that have to do with her economic security and the security of the homeland generally. Unlike in the past, the dip in global oil prices and its impact on the country’s revenue profiles is not the only problem the country has to deal with. There is also the tricky situation of market loss – the market for Nigeria’s oil, according to experts in the oil trade, has dried up significantly. In the past, oil prices might fall, but in spite of the shortfall there would still be demand for Nigeria’s oil, and sales. This situation is quite different today because the United States, which used to be the chief importer of Nigeria’s oil, is now awash with her own oil.

     

    Diversification, blockage of leakages

     

    Stakeholders have started setting their own agenda for the incoming administration. For instance, manufacturers and members of the organised private sector have spoken of the need to address the nation’s fiscal outlook through effective implementation of diversification agenda, blockage of fiscal leakages, prioritisation of government’s expenditure to boost investments in critical infrastructure. The above requests, it is hoped, will help to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

    Besides, the stakeholders have emphasised the need to increase the momentum of the war on terrorism and insurgency, following the effects of such acts on business activities, while also enhancing a level-playing field for all investors across all sectors with regard to import tariffs, funding opportunities, and tax incentives.

    The President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Frank Jacobs, said it is incumbent on the incoming administration to embrace and sustain policies that aid the industrialisation of the country. He said: “The incoming government should set on whatever good policy the outgoing administration had put in place, especially in the area of trying to diversify the economy. This is particularly important now that we are having challenges with the price of crude oil in the international market.

    “The outgoing government has come with the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) which is a very good policy that has been put together by the public and the private sector. The incoming government should sustain that effort and implement policies in a way that will help empower manufacturers. We have to recognise the importance of manufacturers in generating employment and other issues that affect this country. Therefore the issue of manufacturers’ empowerment should be given attention so that they would be able to address the problem of employment in the country.”

    The priority of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is for the incoming administration to address fundamentals like the high cost of doing business and low productivity, which could be ascribed to macroeconomic factors, institutional challenges and structural issues. The chamber said in a communique: “The plummeting oil price and the impact on the fiscal outlook present a significant challenge to the incoming administration. It is therefore critical to manage expectations at this time. The outlook for many macroeconomic indicators is not bright with foreign reserves dropping below $30 billion and persistent pressure on the naira exchange rate.”

    On industry intervention, the LCCI stated that investment incentives should be of universal application to all investors in a given sector. According to the communiqué, “The incoming administration should improve the scope and depth of financial intermediation for the benefit of all investors, irrespective of size. Guidelines for accessing intervention funds should also be reviewed and made less stringent.

    “They need to ensure a level playing field for all investors across all sectors with regard to import tariffs, funding opportunities, tax incentives, among others, ensure the sustainability of selected policies and programmes of the present administration which currently offer value to the economy and ensure robust consultation with the private sector bodies for inputs into policy formulation processes.”

     

    Nigerians must close ranks

     

    Given the array of problems facing the country, there is a consensus among observers that the incoming administration must assemble the best brains, irrespective of political party affiliation, to give the country a new direction. Respondents may have put it in different ways, but the consensus is that Nigerians must close ranks for the task ahead.

    As a civil society activist and President of Nigeria Voters Assembly (VOTAS), Comrade Mashood Erubami, aptly puts it, “the clamour for Buhari as the catalyst for real change is not an end but a means to achieving a better end of democratic consolidation for a new dawn in the life of Nigerians.” Therefore, he said Buhari must commit himself to building on the legacy of global democratic order, by ensuring that the constitution of the new government is just, fair, people driven.

    The civil society activist wants Buhari to set up a “multi stakeholdership government” that will invigorate the already weak naira, boost the morale of Nigerians who are victims of the 16 years of unimpressive governance of the PDP.

    His words: “The election of Buhari has thrown up a new phase of politics in Nigeria which must be accompanied by new style of governance that considers the  concrete reality of mass unemployment of youths and productive adults, lack of electricity, scarcity of fuel and bad governance.

    “By choosing him, the electorates believe that, given his pedigree and antecedents, Buhari possess superior capacity to manage the economy and that he will not give spurious excuses for failing. Having been giving the chance, he should set up an innovative ‘multi-stakeholdership government’ as interface programme to bring about the much-desired change in the country, so that Nigerians can end the years of misery and hunger in the midst of plenty.”

     

    Anti-corruption crusade

     

    Besides, the issue of corruption was put on the front burner during the campaign for the last presidential election and Gen. Buhari presented himself to Nigerians as an anti-corruption czar who has the magic wand to curb the growing menace within the ranks of those in the corridors of power.

    Indeed, from the perspective of the Southeast Secretary of Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr. Jerry Chukwuokolo, the dilemma facing Buhari is how he would curb corruption within the ranks of top APC functionaries who are going to play significant roles in the administration. Chukwuokolo warned Buhari to tread cautiously, saying that in history those who come in amidst the kind of high expectations that aided his election usually fail his people. “This is because the expectations are so high and there is no way he can meet up to that level of expectation.”

    In Erubami’s view, what Nigerians want to be topmost on the anti-corruption agenda of the Buhari administration will be the formation of a government standing on a tripod of fairness, human rights and social justice. The civil society activist said it would be imperative to evolve new policies that would bring about discipline and ethics in government and private practices, in line with his “War Against Indiscipline (WAI)” of the 1984/1985 military regime.

    He said: “This new WAI should be directed at changing the general attitude in the social, economic, political realm and environmental aptitude towards ensuring that people move to the attitude of change. Citizens should still be re-assured that Gen. Buhari will never run a unilateral government nor will he be vindictive, instead he should take the country along with Nigerians on the path of recovery, genuine change and progress.

    “These programmes should serve as the new foundation on which the creation of employment, power generation governmental ethics and socio, political discipline will be erected. With the new Charter of Human and Socio-economic and Political Rights of the APC, it is certain that the new administration under Gen. Buhari will not espouse a ‘winner-take-all’ policy; his government will represent the interest of all regardless of their political affiliation, sex and ethnicity.

    “Instead of concentrating efforts on arresting, prosecuting and sentencing corrupt elements in the past government, leaving no time for constructive governance, the Buhari government should be pre-occupied with how the country’s loan profile to be inherited will be defrayed without affecting the capacity to stabilise foreign reserve for emergencies arising from unforeseen socio-economic challenges.”

     

    National integration

     

    On insecurity, Chukwuokolo said Buhari should work towards national integration, by trying to instill the spirit of nationalism in Nigerians. He said: “Whether we like it or not, this country is very much divided today. The issue of re-integration is very important. This is because I don’t see the reason why an Igbo man in Kano has to run away because an election is coming up and thereby he is disenfranchised.”

    Civil rights activist Mr. Osita Kelechi said the incoming administration must give priority to security. He said the insecurity in the country has restricted movement from one part of the country to the other. “In a situation where goods and services are restricted because of fear of safety does not augur well for the overall development of the nation,” he said.

    On the economy, Chukwuokolo said the incoming President should be disciplined enough to hire those who would help him reposition the economy. “The first step is to work towards having a stable power supply in the country. One fact no one can refute is that the Jonathan administration has laid a solid foundation for stable power supply in Nigeria. What Buhari needs to do is to build on Jonathan’ power sector reforms,” he said.

    In the view of a finance and investment consultant, Mr. Akintunde Maberu, the incoming administration needs to look at those things that have constituted an obstacle that has prevented Nigeria from having stable power supply. He said the desire for a progressive government has been long and arduous. He added: “So, there are quite a number of things that Nigerians have been yearning for, which they would expect under the new government. Education is key. Education is one of the programmes emphasized in the APC manifesto. In the manifesto, the party has promised to provide free and qualitative education from primary to secondary school level.”

    Maberu also wants the government must look into the policies of the developed world in the area of healthcare, particularly that of Britain and adopt the welfare system that will enable Nigerians to have access to cheap but qualitative healthcare facilities. “The government should also strive to build infrastructure in the healthcare sector that will make it unnecessary for Nigerians to go abroad for treatment,” he noted.

    On the economy, he said it is imperative for the incoming APC government to open up other sectors of the economy, especially agriculture and solid minerals.

    Renowned economist Henry Boyo said the problem with the Nigerian economy lies with faulty monetary framework. He said there is urgent need for a fundamental restructuring of the country’s monetary framework. “So that our economy can be rapidly transformed to induce vast expansion in industrial activity with single digit lending rates, increase employment opportunities, lower single digit of inflation and a market determined mechanism. The government’s efforts to achieve these parameters, reduce poverty and enhance the social welfare of our people in the last 30 years have evidently failed woefully,” he explained.

    Boyo added: “Indeed our economy appears trapped in a paradox of deepening poverty with increasing export revenue. It is inexplicable, for example, that Nigeria became listed among the poorest nations of the world. A careful analysis of the process infusion of our export earnings into the economy will show that this anomaly was made inevitable by the Central Bank’s practice of capturing export dollar revenue and substituting naira at its unilaterally determined rate of exchange before payment of consolidated naira allocations to the three tiers of government.”

     

    Creation of job opportunities

     

    On how the economy could be propelled to create job opportunities, Boyo said: “the stronger naira exchange will bring down the cost of imported raw materials and machinery, and this together with low interest rates will energise the industrial and services sub-sector, and reduce unemployment and greater consumer demand. The local manufacturers will also be protected by a discriminatory tariff regime to favour patronage of locally produced goods in place of imports.

    “Increased commercial and industrial activities will provide a huge revenue base for government taxes. More workers will inevitably mean more income tax revenue for both state and federal government agencies. The stronger naira will not only bring down the cost of production, but will also reduce annual inflation to not more than two per cent, and consequently increase the purchasing power of low income group.

    “The increased job opportunities will increase employment and engender a conducive environment that will reduce strikes and other work stoppages. The enhanced economic growth and improvement in social welfare with increased purchasing power brought about by a stronger naira will begin to reverse the deadly infection of brain drain, as Nigerians in the Diaspora will return home to make valuable contributions and enjoy better life in their fatherland.

    Erubami said the APC government under the Buhari should be concerned with how to use fiscal and monetary regulatory policies to stabilise and mitigate the volatility of the country’s currency in exchange for other foreign currencies and notwithstanding the currently dwindling revenue, more monies should be generated to reflate the economy and bring about good welfare.

    He said: “Above all, substantial fund should be derived from blockages of prodigal spendings on frivolity, unnecessary celebrations and aimless interventions either internally or outside the country to be deployed into the building of useful and functional infrastructures and other sustainable human development projects for the comfort and welfare of the people.”

    The VOTAS President wants the incoming President to initiate efforts to stamp out Boko Haram for all time and create conducive environment for healthy living and sustainable industrialisation, which would lead to massive employment for the teeming unemployed youths and adults.

    He added: “He should provide adequate power and energy to power the nation and empower the citizens. These will provide energy for the industry and power to generate gainful employment, reviving and transforming the economy through heavy investment in agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and infrastructural development, so as to set strong foundation for general development through standard, qualitative and functional education for all.

    “Corruption should be fought seriously, using the House of Representative report on oil subsidy as a head start to send right signals to culprits mentioned in the House Ad-hoc committee investigation as signs that he is ready to fight corruption.

    “Nigerians need a leader as Buhari, a person with honour, dignity and selfless passion for public service delivery to humanity, a courageous, committed and knowledgeable individual with quality and strong leadership imbued with character of integrity who is sincere and loyal to his country.”

    The VOTAS President is also of the view that the incoming President should also initiate new electoral reforms strategy that will revisit the Uwais report, “as first rung on the ladder of institutionalisation of democracy and good governance.”

     

    Long-term solution

     

    In the long term, Nigerians expect the incoming administration to work towards restructuring or discentralising governance, resource control and fiscal federalism and reducing the cost of governance. Experts say the incoming administration must revisit the issue of resource control and fiscal federalism, and ensure that more money is allocated to the states, if it wants to bring out about the desired change. Resource control has remained contentious issue since the return of civil rule. Before independence, the colonial government, with the consent of the regional governments appointed the Fiscal Commission to look into the functions and powers of the legislative and determine the percentage of revenue the regional government will need to carry out their functions and the percentage that will go to the Federal Government. That was how government at independence up to the time of Murtala/Obasanjo followed the fixed constitutional formula of 20 per cent to the Federal Government, 50 per cent to state of origin and the remaining 30 per cent to distributive pool to be shared among the regions or states was established. But, today, the Federal Government takes 54 per cent.

    Former Minister of Works and Housing, Alhaji Femi Okunnu could not understand why the Federal Government’s share of the Federation Account should jump from 20 per cent to 54 per cent when the functions of the states are getting bigger. He suggested that the Federal Government should go down to 25 per cent if not 20 per cent as before; state of origin at least 25 per cent if not 35 per cent and the remainder should go into distributive pool.

    Okunnu is of the view that the present sharing formula is not fair to the oil-producing states. He said: “The retention of 13 per cent of the profit from the sales of petroleum and agricultural products to state of origin under the 1999 Constitution is grossly unfair to the states of origin of minerals and agricultural products. There are minerals in different parts of Nigeria, which are yet to be tapped.”

    The elder statesman bemoaned the neglect of agriculture. He added: “We see no more of Kano groundnut pyramids and cotton. No more huge production of palm oil and palm kernels where Nigeria led in the production as number one and three in the world 40 years ago. We have reduced ourselves to marginal world production of cocoa, timber and rubber.”

     

  • Epe monarch, residents task Ambode

    Epe monarch, residents task Ambode

    Barring any last minute development, the Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, an indigene of Epe, is poised to emerge as the next governor of the state. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI, who monitored the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the coastal town, asked residents what they expected Ambode to do for the town.

    The Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has thanked the people of Lagos for coming out peacefully to cast their ballot last Saturday, saying he would deliver on his promises of positive change and an improvement in the living standard of Lagosians, if elected into office.

    Ambode, who spoke to reporters in his ancestral home in Epe after casting his ballot, said he is very optimistic that he would win the election. He said now that his party would be controlling the government at the centre, his administration would be able to take advantage of the benefits and support from the Federal Government to make life better for the people of Lagos.

    He said: “There are two things that government is expected to do: to guarantee the safety and the wellbeing of the citizenry. We are going to have safer Lagos; we are going to have a Lagos that would make more people more prosperous. That’s the essence of governance and that’s what the APC stands to give the people of Lagos.”

    On what his reaction would be if he loses the contest, Ambode said what matters is the will of the people as expressed in the voting. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that he would the win the election. He said: “This is democracy; there is always a winner and a loser in a democratic election. What is important is to let our people speak and make their choice. We would respect their choice. Once we are able to do so, we’re on our way forward in the country.”

    Ambode said the conduct of INEC in this governorship and House of Assembly elections is an improvement on what was witnessed two weeks ago. He said the turnout in his polling unit is higher than that of two weeks ago and that the report he is getting from other polling units suggests that the turnout is impressive elsewhere in the state.

    The traditional ruler of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun, said he expects the APC governorship candidate, if elected, to complete the projects already started by the outgoing administration of Babatunde Fashola. “We know he has been part and parcel of the APC administration in the state and he knows what to do,” he said.

    Oba Animashaun enumerated the demands of the people of Epe as: “One, electricity; two, water; three, roads; and, four, creation of employment opportunities for youths. We also want Ambode to facilitate the completion of the development projects initiated by the outgoing administration in and around Epe. These include: the Lekki-Epe International Airport project, the Lekki Free Trade Zone and the Lekki Deep Seaport.

    “We also expect Ambode to support Dangote to complete the refinery project. Once all these projects are completed, there would be a lot of rooms to create jobs for our youths.”

    Some residents of Epe equally urged the incoming governor to prioritise the development of infrastructure in the area if elected governor. Mr. Jamiu Agbaje, a community leader said the people of Epe deserved a special attention because of long neglects by the previous government.

    According to Agbaje, Epe Local Government Area deserves such attention as one of the oldest council in the state, which would determine who becomes the next governor of the state. He urged the incoming governor to consolidate on the achievements of Governor Fashola.

    He said both Ambode and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje are familiar with the developmental needs of Epe and so they should not shirk their responsibility to the people.

    Indications are that the election was marred by low turnout in most polling units in Epe.

    From about 11am, most polling officers were idle, because prospective voters were coming for accreditation in trickles. A businessman, Mr. Otun Rafiu, attributed the low turnout to the tension associated with the mutual rivalry between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) prior to the election.

    But, he believes the APC will win at the end of the day. He said the APC flag bearer Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory two weeks ago will help the party to carry the day. “Otherwise, the PDP could have gone ahead to win this governorship,” he said.

    Rafiu, who is a card-carrying member of the APC, said there was a little acrimony within the ranks the party members in Epe during the presidential election, which affected the performance of the party in Epe. But, he said the loopholes had been plugged before the current election.

    Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) performed better in the governorship and House of Assembly elections than it did two weeks ago. It appeared to have sorted out the transport logistics problems that nearly marred the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    INEC officials were on ground before 8am in all the polling units visited in parts of the town by our correspondent. Accreditation started promptly in almost all the polling units. But, unlike two weeks ago when people turned up in large numbers as at 8am, prospective voters took their time last Saturday.

    Besides, the tension that gripped the town two weeks ago appears to be absent. People sat in clusters in front of their houses, discussing. Others, particularly women, were busy with household chores. As at 8.30am however activities were already in full swing in most polling units.

    Ambode noted that the performance of INEC improved, compared to two weeks ago and that if it is sustained throughout the state, the election would be more credible.

    His words: “The last time we came for the presidential election, even as at 9am, we had actually not started. But, today, as at 8.30am, about 40 persons had been accredited already and I have already been accredited myself. I give kudos to INEC, so far, so good.”

    The Executive Chairman of Epe Local Government Hon. Ahmed Seriki alleged that there were reported cases of ballot boxes snatching at Ibeju Lekki. He said: “We received a report from Ibeju Lekki that ballot boxes were snatched from INEC officials. I’m trying to get in touch with the Area Commander, to ensure that police gets there to keep peace, because we learnt that PDP thugs snatched ballot boxes from INEC officials, to prevent them from going to their polling units. This can lead to chaos in that area; that’s why I’m alerting the police,” he said.

    Against the background of the boat mishap on the day of the presidential and National Assembly elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) provided over 300 life jackets for its workers going to riverine communities.

    The Electoral Officer of INEC in Epe, Mr. Okpighe Henry, said the commission also made provision for quality canoe and flying boats to convene workers outside the land to riverine.

    According to him, it was imperative to keep improving the nation’s electoral process for the integrity of the governance process and for deepening democracy in the country. He said: “l pledge to all Epe indigenes that we will continuously do our best under all circumstances to ensure free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.

    “We have done our best under all circumstances and we have realised that a large number of indigenes utilized the opportunity and came out to exercise their franchise,” he said

    Henry lauded the contributions of a number of stakeholders to the successful conduct of the presidential elections. He said INEC had made adequate transport arrangement to convey workers and electoral materials with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).