A Philippine anti-graft court has sentenced former First Lady, Imelda Marcos to no less than 42 years imprisonment having been found guilty of graft, creating private foundations in Switzerland. She was also charged for having “financial interests’’ in companies while in office from 1968 to 1986.
However, neither Imelda nor any of her lawyers were present during the promulgation of the decision.
The Sandiganbayan court also ordered the arrest of the 89-year-old widow of ousted Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Imelda Marcos, nicknamed the “Iron Butterfly,” was sentenced to a minimum of six years and one month to a maximum of 11 years for each of the seven counts of the graft.
The court barred Marcos from holding public office as part of the sentence.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the 10 graft cases in 1991, while the court acquitted her in three counts of graft.
The court said Imelda had “financial interest’’ in the seven Swiss foundations they created pegged to amount to 200 million dollars.
Imelda was minister of human settlements from 1976 to 1986 and concurrent Metro Manila governor from 1978 to 1984.
The court said Imelda, now a member of the Philippine House of Representatives, can have a provisional liberty if she posts a cash bond while appealing the conviction.
Imelda is running for governor in Ilocos Norte, a province in the northern tip of the Philippines’ main Luzon Island, in the 2019 midterm elections.
However, she can still appeal the conviction.
The Marcos family has yet to issue a statement on the conviction.
Imelda is known for her ostentatious lifestyle, her thousands of expensive shoes and her collection of jewelry.
Ferdinand Marcos was elected as the president of the Philippines in 1965, but declared martial law in 1972 heralding a dictatorial regime.
Millions of Filipinos took to the streets in February 1986, deposing Marcos and his wife Imelda.
The Marcoses were forced to flee to Hawaii where the elder Marcos died in 1989.
Imelda returned to the Philippines in 1992 and campaigned for the presidency, but lost it.
However, in 1995, Imelda won election to the House of Representatives, representing the first district in her home province of Leyte.
The Philippine government is fighting dozens of suits abroad to claim art and property owned by Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vlisco Group, a world renown textile manufacturer, David Suddens has assured that efforts are being made by his company to move textile industry from Asia to Africa, with Nigeria as a hub.
He told President Muhammadu Buhari today, Friday when he visited him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja: ”I am convinced that it is time for the textile industry to move from Asia to Africa.”
He said that the 172-year-old company had concluded plan to use cotton grown in Nigeria for production, adding: ”I want a new strategy that brings Vlisco manufacturing to Nigeria. I want to change the supply chain from Asia to Nigeria.
”For the total supply chain for cotton, textile and garment industry from weaving, spinning, printing to retail, we want to use Nigeria cotton and we have already started to encourage the creative industries in the country to find a voice and give them a platform across the world.”
This was even as President Buhari pledged the commitment of his administration to revive the cotton and textile industry that will employ hundreds of thousands of Nigerians.
President Buhari expressed happiness with the proposed investment of $200 million by the company in Nigeria, which will, in turn, create 700,000 jobs.
”I am very much aware of your company’s effort, especially your investments in the textile industry, and it is one area that we are trying to develop because it will create employment and boost agriculture.
”To get cotton to grow again in the country is like going back to the good old days when the textile industry used to employ more than hundreds of thousands of people.
”I am very excited about the prospects of reviving the industry because it will keep farmers busy, create employment which brings more security, help the economy, transfer of technology and of course we have a large market to absorb the products.”
President Buhari reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to forging a stronger economic partnership with the Netherlands, assuring the Dutch investor that the Nigerian authorities will continue to do the utmost to keep smugglers at bay at borders.
Also speaking, the Dutch Ambassador to Nigeria, Robert Petri told President Buhari that the company’s visit was a follow-up to his successful visit to the Netherlands in July, during which he met with Chief Executive Officers of Dutch companies.
”Also during that visit, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between our two countries seeking more intensified cooperation. After that visit, there were more successive visits by top Dutch officials to Nigeria.
”This shows that we are seriously committed to furthering our collaboration.”
When people discuss anger, the first thing that comes to mind is to disparage it as a very negative emotion. Those who think that way do not see anything positive about anger.
For sure, uncontrolled anger is the source of many a mistake, ranging from mild indiscretions to irredeemable tragedies. Most times, anger is impulsive, flying out in unintended rage which could destroy long-built friendships between individuals or corporate relationships among business partners and countries. Whichever it is, it is because the consequences can be very far reaching that people are usually admonished to eschew anger.
The above is one side of the equation. Time and again, circumstances force even the most sober mind to erupt in anger, to remove the veil and allow another party to witness the redness of one’s eyes, the bitterness in the person’s tongue or the grimace that wells up from the stomach. I believe that that was what transpired recently when Minister of Transportation, the Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, undertook his usual monthly inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project.
According to reports, Rotimi Amaechi had expressed outright displeasure with the pace of work at the Lagos end of the project. His anger was stirred by the imminent failure of the subcontractor charged with relocating pipes at the Lagos end, to deliver the job on the scheduled date of November 2, 2018. The minister would not accept the subcontractor’s excuse of discovering other utilities underground. His words rang out lucidly. Typical of Amaechi, there was neither padding nor diplomatic nicety about it: “The excuses are not obtainable. I have told them to speed up the work,” he said with all the emphasis he could command.
Amaechi’s anger was justified. It possibly stemmed from his experience over the years. As speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly for eight years and governor of the state for the same number of years, at various times between 1999 and 2007, Amaechi should know why projects suffer not just incurable delays but, often times, painful abandonment. The list is mind-boggling. The projects span every level of government: local, state and federal. Some of these projects have been on-going for God-knows how long. A typical example is the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. Since the major reconstruction work was awarded to a foreign multinational firm in the mid-nineties, several construction firms have taken turns to work on the road. What is the result? The road remains a nightmare to commuters who are exposed to accidents and insecurity facilitated by the several bad spots that give bandits the opportunity to rob, kidnap and even kill travellers. Yet nobody is held accountable for the humongous funds that are usually allocated to the road. By the way, should a road project go on endlessly? Are there no timelines that should be observed in project delivery?
Amaechi’s holy anger may well change the narrative. We have already witnessed that with respect to the Abuja-Kaduna rail line. It was inherited from the Jonathan Administration and completed by the Buhari Administration. How I wish that successive administrations completed all the projects they inherited from their predecessors. Ajaokuta Steel Project would have been completed instead of acting as a conduit for siphoning funds. The various power projects would have been completed instead of endless promises that confine the people to darkness with no indication of a flicker of light in the giant climate of despair that has been their lot.
What cannot be denied is that most times, apart from poor funding and lack of capacity, many projects fail because contractors are poorly supervised or not supervised at all. Besides, there is also the possibility that where corruption has been built into the contract, government functionaries would lack the moral fiber to raise a finger against a non-performing contractor. By Amaechi’s public display of courage, nobody needs to be told that this is not business as usual. To buttress this point, not long ago he had admonished the people to show greater interest in projects that concern them, to take ownership of these projects.
The clarification needs to be made that ownership should not translate to harassing contractors (omonile-style) as is the practice in some places; it does not mean stealing strategic inputs as happens in some communities. On the contrary, it means jealously guarding the assets of the contractors, shielding their staff from kidnappers and interrogating the contractors, government functionaries and their legislators when jobs get stalled.
Relating to the Lagos-Ibadan rail project, Amaechi’s insistence on certain deliverables gives hope that, under the Buhari Administration, the governance environment of contract administration would have been so overhauled as to make accountability a way of life. For instance, at his insistence, it is understood that the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company, CCECC, the main company handling the project, is meeting the local content requirement for engineers. Amaechi was very clear on that given that, for him, technology transfer should not just be a jargon but an existential imperative for the country. His words were very clear on that. “I have instructed the contractor and the project consultant to have local engineers on site…The construction of beams which is ongoing is a strategic part of the project which should be understudied by Nigerian engineers to be able to carry out the project in future”. Amaechi is right. However, on this, nothing must be given to chance. For it to succeed, rigorous benchmarking is acutely imperative in two areas: recruiting the right people and drawing up a mentoring template that actually exposes the engineers to the nitty-gritty of the business in a manner is acceptable to the government.
Thankfully, though the CCECC is the major contractor, the default identified in execution of the project is not their fault. In reality, according to insiders associated with the project, reaching agreement with the Lagos State Government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other project affected entities was so herculean that the minister was forced to make several trips to Lagos with the aim of getting the project underway. Such hands-on approach by the minister of transportation is the way to go if we really want to get value for our money.
There should not be any doubt that the CCECC, from China, will deliver. Even in his anger, the minister admits that “there is a huge improvement in the level of work carried out on Abeokuta axis where some bridges had been constructed including the one on Ogun”.
So why is he angry? Here are my guesses: He is angry because he realizes that to be a minister is a serious responsibility. He is angry because the President cannot discharge the mandate given to him by the electorate if he does not deliver on key infrastructure projects. He is angry because the country cannot return to the “Egypt” of failed and abandoned projects. He is angry because for far too long, the promise of a great nation has been scuttled by executive inertia, indifference and rampant selfishness. He is angry because without infrastructure, economic development will remain a mirage and the quality of life of the people greatly diminished. And if he must offend a contractor to achieve the objective, so be it.
It is better to blurt out to contractors than to face the anger of voters. It is better to speak out transparently than to face the wrath of the President. It is better to be brusque and serve the people well than to face the judgement of God. His anger can find justification in the words of Dr. Karen Habib, a licensed psychologist and organizational consultant, who said: “Anger is an energizing motion…it calls people to action. When channeled correctly, it is a fuel needed for change. It fuels assertiveness, problem-solving and activism. It can be the energy and motivation required to change what is not working”. Need I say more?
– Mr Agu is an Abuja-based journalist and public commentator.
Media men covering the activities of President Muhammadu Buhari and presidency in the Aso Rock, Abuja, have expressed bitterness with colleague who leaked an off-record information given to them by the minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on the Federal Government’s handling of the leader of Shiites, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky who is in detention at the Department of State Security (DSS).
One of the media men, in a group WhatsApp chat today, Thursday, expressed displeasure with the leakage of the conversation by one of their colleagues.
“Dear colleagues, a very grievous mistake has been made. I will support the idea of in-house discipline. Jacob is not the only one guilty of this.
“We have moles who write for Sahara reporters and other insensitive media organizations across the world domiciled in the SHPC. We need to enforce discipline. Anyone who breaks the rules should be heavily sanctioned. This embarrassment is not only for the government but for all of us.
“Nobody in this Government will trust us with anything confidential. We need to self regulate ourselves. Somebody has broken a story but our reputation collectively has been broken. I suggest we set up a disciplinary committee to handle issues like this and going forward, we need standing rules on issues of this nature. My view.”
Another reporter responded by saying: “Lai Mohammed begged us not to use this story and we complied but one of us gave it out to OakTV even as another responded: “my point exactly. And Amaechi was warning him not to divulge anything but he claimed we were his friends.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has declared a state of emergency on Nigeria’s water supply, sanitation and hygiene sector.
The President said the declaration has become imperative to reduce the high-prevalence of water-borne diseases in different parts of the country, which has caused preventable deaths.
Inaugurating the National Action Plan for Revitalization of Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Buhari directed government at all levels to redouble efforts and work towards meeting the nation’s water supply and sanitation needs.
The President described statistics on open defecation, access to piped water services and sanitation in the country as ”disturbing”, warning that henceforth, Federal Government support to State Governments will be based on their commitment to implement the National WASH Action Plan in their respective States and to end open defecation by 2025.
”Access to piped water services which was 32 percent in 1990 has declined to 7 percent in 2015; access to improved sanitation has also decreased from 38 percent in 1990 to 29 percent in 2015.
”Our country now ranks No 2 in the global rating on Open Defecation as about 25 percent of our population are practicing open defecation.
”WASH services at the rural areas are unsustainable as 46 percent of all water schemes are non-functional, and the share of our spending on WASH sector has been declining from 0.70 percent of the GDP in 1990 to about 0.27 percent in 2015 which is far below the 0.70 percent at the West African regional level.”
The President used the occasion, attended by State Governments and development partners, to reiterate that the provision of potable water supply, adequate sanitation and hygiene are primarily the responsibilities of State and Local Governments.
”However, these are not being given the required attention judging from the high prevalence of water-borne diseases that are being reported in different parts of the country.
”We cannot and will not continue to allow these preventable occurrences to decimate our population.”
President Buhari told the gathering that he was aware that Nigeria did not meet the MDG targets for Water Supply and Sanitation that ended in 2015.
”The Sustainable Development Goals (MDGs) targets (6.1 & 6.2) for WASH are even more demanding as they require WASH services to be provided in adequate quantity and quality on premises at affordable prices.
”This cannot be achieved if we continue with ‘a business as usual’ approach.
”It is on this premise that I fully endorse the decision taken at the meeting of the Federal Executive Council in April this year to declare ‘a State of Emergency on our WASH Sector’.
”I call on all State Governments to complement this effort by according the sector similar recognition to enable us work together to achieve the SDG targets for WASH by 2030.”
At the Federal level, the President pledged that his administration would continue to place priority on infrastructure development including those of water supply, sanitation and hygiene services towards ensuring a better life for Nigerians.
According to him, this is being demonstrated through faithful implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) – which is the present administration’s blueprint for infrastructure and economic development.
”From the inception of this administration, we have demonstrated serious commitment to the development of the Water Sector by preserving the Ministry of Water Resources and subsequently approving the 15-year roadmap developed for the sector.
”The transformation being witnessed in the sector since then is highly commendable.
”I have no doubt that the on-going initiatives including the implementation of the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) in the Ministry will take the water sector to improved performance and supply, thereby meeting the national aspirations as well as the SDGs.”
The Presidency had reminded the Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar that the 2019 election will not be won on the basis of constant attack on President Muhammadu Buhari.
“As for those who have latched onto the concocted controversy to play cheap politics, we appeal to them to remember that elections are not won through loquaciousness, and trying to demean the President at every drop of a hat.”
In a statement today, Thursday, reacting to reports in some media that President Buhari has reneged on earlier acceptance of the N30,000 recommended as the new National Minimum Wage for Nigeria workers by the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee, the Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina said that the Presidency is not surprised as Atiku and his party have nothing else to sell to Nigerians if they don’t ride on the name of the President.
“Stiff judgment awaits them at the polls.”
Femi Adesina said that when the committee presented its report on Tuesday, President Buhari, acknowledged the concerns raised by government on affordability and labour’s focus on meaningful increase and said, in a speech, which was made available to the media: “in a way, both arguments are valid. I want to assure you all that we will immediately put in place the necessary machinery that will close out these open areas.
“Our plan is to transmit an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for passage within the shortest possible time. I am fully committed to having a new National Minimum Wage Act in the very near future.
“As the Executive Arm commences its review of your submission, we will continue to engage you all in closing any open areas presented in this report. I, therefore, would like to ask for your patience and understanding in the coming weeks.”
Adesina said that from the above, and throughout the report-submission ceremony, the President never mentioned any figure.
“What he committed himself to was a new minimum wage, and only after the Report of the committee has been reviewed by the executive and legislative processes of government and an appropriate bill presented to him for assent.
“Until the proposed minimum wage has gone through the whole gamut of law-making, President Buhari, who is a stickler for due process, will not be caught in this unnecessary web of controversy, which amounts to putting the cart before the horse and hair-splitting.
President Donald Trump has caused the White House accreditation of a CNN Reporter, Jim Acosta to be revoked after the reporter engaged him in a heated exchange during a news conference.
“As a result of today’s incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice,” White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters.
Acosta also tweeted that he had been denied entrance to the White House, where he was scheduled to film a spot for CNN, a network Trump has repeatedly targeted as “fake news.”
“I’ve just been denied entrance to the WH. Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8pm hit
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018
He also shared video of the incident.
“The US Secret Service just asked for my credential to enter the WH. As I told the officer, I don’t blame him. I know he’s just doing his job.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018
CNN, yesterday, Wednesday described the White House action as “unprecedented decision” based on “lies.” The news outlet said Acosta had the network’s full support.
“It was done in retaliation for his challenging questions at today’s press conference,” CNN communications said in a statement posted to Twitter. “In an explanation, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders lied. She provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened.
“This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better,” the company continued.
At the White House news conference yesterday, Wednesday, Trump called Acosta a “rude, terrible person” when he refused to sit down after asking the president about a racist anti-immigration ad, his re-election campaign had paid for and promoted ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Acosta refused to give up the microphone when a White House intern tried to grab it from him, infuriating Trump.
“I’ll tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them … You shouldn’t be working for CNN,” Trump said to Acosta.
In a series of statements on Twitter, Sanders characterized Acosta’s actions as “placing his hands on a young woman,” though video of the exchange shows Acosta turning away from her as the intern reaches over his arm to take the microphone from his hand.
“This is a lie,” Acosta tweeted back at Sanders.
Reporters quickly began defending Acosta and denounced the accusation Sanders lodged at him.
President Muhammadu Buhari has stressed the need for Africa nations to treat education, especially for girl-child as part of human right that must be pursued with vigour.
He declared: “Education should not be seen as a government programme only, but as a human right and a social imperative.”
The President, who declared open today, Thursday, in Abuja, the 73rd Session of the Executive Committee and the 41st Conference of Speakers of the African Parliamentary Union, noted that educating girls would increase the probability of having more women innovators, entrepreneurs and Chief Executive Officers.
He recalled that a few months ago, four girls from a high school in Anambra State, in South East of Nigeria, won the first prize for innovation at an international competition held in the United States of America.
“The success of these girls, some as young as 14, is a success for Africa as a whole. But more importantly, it is a demonstration of what can happen when the girl child is given the opportunity.”
Buhari is delighted that the focus of the APU Committee of Women Parliamentarians will be the promotion of girls’ education as a way to address early marriages, adding that this is another subject that requires close attention even as he assured them of the support and cooperation of the government of Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has cursed Journalists who published and broadcast the information he gave them in confidence with request that it should be treated as off record, regarding the Federal Government handling of the leader of Shiites, Ibrahim Elzakzaky.
The minister, in a statement by his spokesman, Tunde Ipinmisho, said that such Journalists deserve to face the journalism equivalent of a firing squad.
He recalled how he addressed a group of journalists at the presidential Villa yesterday, Wednesday, on some national issues, including that of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
The Minister said that he talked on a few things that were already public knowledge.
“However, at a point during the conversation, I told the reporters that I was talking OFF RECORD. I then went on to say, among others, that the government was spending N3.5 million monthly to feed the Shiite cleric who has been in government custody since December 2015.
“A video clip of that statement is now making the rounds on the internet. So much has been said by various commentators about my statement on the cost of feeding El-Zakzaky but those comments are beside the point.
“That that forbidden information got to the public is an indictment of the Nigerian media and puts a huge question mark on the quality of the mind of many of those who now parade themselves as journalists.
It amounts to gross professional misconduct for a journalist to go ahead and publish or broadcast information he was given in confidence and was asked to treat as off record material.
“The question is why do sources give off record information? They do so, mainly to enable the journalist understand the wider context of the issue at hand. Such knowledge, expectedly, is meant to enrich the treatment of the subject by the journalist in his report and commentary.
“Usually, if you are recording a source and he indicates at any point that he is speaking off record, all tapes and cameras are supposed to be switched off from that moment. They would only be switched on again when the source expressly says he wants to be put on record again. So who recorded the Lai Mohammed’s off record clip and who released it to the public?
“Whoever did that inflicted an unmitigated damage on journalism. It amounts to a gross betrayal of trust. Such a source will necessarily dry up. There’s no way he will ever again entrust sensitive information to the media. By such unprofessional conduct, reporters rob their audience of the rich background information that enhances the depth and quality of the news, opinions and analyses published in the print or broadcast by the electronic media.
“Importantly, unauthorized disclosure of off record materials expose the source to grave danger and in many cases could trigger instability in the society. “That of course is in addition to promoting the low esteem in which the media and their practitioners are held in certain quarters.
“Whoever leaked that off record information by Lai Mohammed deserves to face the journalism equivalent of a firing squad.”
Oak television has committed a professional and ethical blunder against the Nigerian Minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed but quickly tendered a written apology to the minister.
Information reaching us showed that the minister had, during media briefing shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday, Wednesday at the presidential Villa, confided in the media men about the Federal government handling of the case of Shiites leader, Ibrahim Elzakzaky.
It was gathered that the minister had repeatedly appealed to the media men that the information was a privileged one and should be treated as “off record.”
It was learnt that Oak television’s Cameraman who recorded the confidential information forwarded the video to his newsroom unedited.
Report had it that immediately Oak television aired the news, it went viral, with social media, online media and other information outlets fielding on it.
Amidst such confusion, the management of the medium sent a written apology to the minister. The letter which was addressed directly to the minister reads:
On Wednesday, November 7, 2018, Oak TV made some errors in its reporting regarding a conversation with the Minister of information.
This is an error which we regret. All team members involved have been sanctioned, and would do more to tighten our gatekeeping responsibilities.
We apologize/and regret any encouragement this might have caused the Minister.
Please be assured of our highest esteem and regards.
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A Philippine anti-graft court has sentenced former First Lady, Imelda Marcos to no less than 42 years imprisonment having been found guilty of graft, creating private foundations in Switzerland. She was also charged for having “financial interests’’ in companies while in office from 1968 to 1986.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vlisco Group, a world renown textile manufacturer, David Suddens has assured that efforts are being made by his company to move textile industry from Asia to Africa, with Nigeria as a hub.
President Muhammadu Buhari has declared a state of emergency on Nigeria’s water supply, sanitation and hygiene sector.
President Donald Trump has caused the White House accreditation of a CNN Reporter, Jim Acosta to be revoked after the reporter engaged him in a heated exchange during a news conference.
Rotimi Amaechi’s Anger Good For Nigeria, By Emma Agu
When people discuss anger, the first thing that comes to mind is to disparage it as a very negative emotion. Those who think that way do not see anything positive about anger.
For sure, uncontrolled anger is the source of many a mistake, ranging from mild indiscretions to irredeemable tragedies. Most times, anger is impulsive, flying out in unintended rage which could destroy long-built friendships between individuals or corporate relationships among business partners and countries. Whichever it is, it is because the consequences can be very far reaching that people are usually admonished to eschew anger.
The above is one side of the equation. Time and again, circumstances force even the most sober mind to erupt in anger, to remove the veil and allow another party to witness the redness of one’s eyes, the bitterness in the person’s tongue or the grimace that wells up from the stomach. I believe that that was what transpired recently when Minister of Transportation, the Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, undertook his usual monthly inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project.
According to reports, Rotimi Amaechi had expressed outright displeasure with the pace of work at the Lagos end of the project. His anger was stirred by the imminent failure of the subcontractor charged with relocating pipes at the Lagos end, to deliver the job on the scheduled date of November 2, 2018. The minister would not accept the subcontractor’s excuse of discovering other utilities underground. His words rang out lucidly. Typical of Amaechi, there was neither padding nor diplomatic nicety about it: “The excuses are not obtainable. I have told them to speed up the work,” he said with all the emphasis he could command.
Amaechi’s anger was justified. It possibly stemmed from his experience over the years. As speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly for eight years and governor of the state for the same number of years, at various times between 1999 and 2007, Amaechi should know why projects suffer not just incurable delays but, often times, painful abandonment. The list is mind-boggling. The projects span every level of government: local, state and federal. Some of these projects have been on-going for God-knows how long. A typical example is the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. Since the major reconstruction work was awarded to a foreign multinational firm in the mid-nineties, several construction firms have taken turns to work on the road. What is the result? The road remains a nightmare to commuters who are exposed to accidents and insecurity facilitated by the several bad spots that give bandits the opportunity to rob, kidnap and even kill travellers. Yet nobody is held accountable for the humongous funds that are usually allocated to the road. By the way, should a road project go on endlessly? Are there no timelines that should be observed in project delivery?
Amaechi’s holy anger may well change the narrative. We have already witnessed that with respect to the Abuja-Kaduna rail line. It was inherited from the Jonathan Administration and completed by the Buhari Administration. How I wish that successive administrations completed all the projects they inherited from their predecessors. Ajaokuta Steel Project would have been completed instead of acting as a conduit for siphoning funds. The various power projects would have been completed instead of endless promises that confine the people to darkness with no indication of a flicker of light in the giant climate of despair that has been their lot.
What cannot be denied is that most times, apart from poor funding and lack of capacity, many projects fail because contractors are poorly supervised or not supervised at all. Besides, there is also the possibility that where corruption has been built into the contract, government functionaries would lack the moral fiber to raise a finger against a non-performing contractor. By Amaechi’s public display of courage, nobody needs to be told that this is not business as usual. To buttress this point, not long ago he had admonished the people to show greater interest in projects that concern them, to take ownership of these projects.
The clarification needs to be made that ownership should not translate to harassing contractors (omonile-style) as is the practice in some places; it does not mean stealing strategic inputs as happens in some communities. On the contrary, it means jealously guarding the assets of the contractors, shielding their staff from kidnappers and interrogating the contractors, government functionaries and their legislators when jobs get stalled.
Relating to the Lagos-Ibadan rail project, Amaechi’s insistence on certain deliverables gives hope that, under the Buhari Administration, the governance environment of contract administration would have been so overhauled as to make accountability a way of life. For instance, at his insistence, it is understood that the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company, CCECC, the main company handling the project, is meeting the local content requirement for engineers. Amaechi was very clear on that given that, for him, technology transfer should not just be a jargon but an existential imperative for the country. His words were very clear on that. “I have instructed the contractor and the project consultant to have local engineers on site…The construction of beams which is ongoing is a strategic part of the project which should be understudied by Nigerian engineers to be able to carry out the project in future”. Amaechi is right. However, on this, nothing must be given to chance. For it to succeed, rigorous benchmarking is acutely imperative in two areas: recruiting the right people and drawing up a mentoring template that actually exposes the engineers to the nitty-gritty of the business in a manner is acceptable to the government.
Thankfully, though the CCECC is the major contractor, the default identified in execution of the project is not their fault. In reality, according to insiders associated with the project, reaching agreement with the Lagos State Government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other project affected entities was so herculean that the minister was forced to make several trips to Lagos with the aim of getting the project underway. Such hands-on approach by the minister of transportation is the way to go if we really want to get value for our money.
There should not be any doubt that the CCECC, from China, will deliver. Even in his anger, the minister admits that “there is a huge improvement in the level of work carried out on Abeokuta axis where some bridges had been constructed including the one on Ogun”.
So why is he angry? Here are my guesses: He is angry because he realizes that to be a minister is a serious responsibility. He is angry because the President cannot discharge the mandate given to him by the electorate if he does not deliver on key infrastructure projects. He is angry because the country cannot return to the “Egypt” of failed and abandoned projects. He is angry because for far too long, the promise of a great nation has been scuttled by executive inertia, indifference and rampant selfishness. He is angry because without infrastructure, economic development will remain a mirage and the quality of life of the people greatly diminished. And if he must offend a contractor to achieve the objective, so be it.
It is better to blurt out to contractors than to face the anger of voters. It is better to speak out transparently than to face the wrath of the President. It is better to be brusque and serve the people well than to face the judgement of God. His anger can find justification in the words of Dr. Karen Habib, a licensed psychologist and organizational consultant, who said: “Anger is an energizing motion…it calls people to action. When channeled correctly, it is a fuel needed for change. It fuels assertiveness, problem-solving and activism. It can be the energy and motivation required to change what is not working”. Need I say more?
– Mr Agu is an Abuja-based journalist and public commentator.