Over 30 traditional rulers in Enugu State have presented “Offor staff” to the Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, with a warning that no one should remove him from his position or even dare harm him in any way.
The traditional rulers, who were at Ezeagu Local Government Area where the deputy Senate President officiated at the Ikeoha Foundation, Adult Literacy Day and 2015/2016 Scholarship and Bursary Award, had moved to the podium and handed over the “Offor staff”which is described as a symbol of justice to Ekweremadu.
One of the royal fathers, Igwe Hafford Agana, who made the presentation, while others circled him, said: “we are telling the whole world that nothing should happen to Ekweremadu. We have given him another Offor today.”
Emboldened by the traditional rulers’support, Senator Ekweremadu boasted: “I want to assure our people that nobody will remove me.
“It is not by my power, not by my might but by the special grace of God. It is not by our trajectory; so, they cannot do anything.”
Ekweremadu said that he would continue to partner with the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi led administration to better the lives of the people in the state, adding: “be assured that we will continue to support you; whoever is your friend will be our friend; whoever is your enemy will have us to contend with.”
This was even as Governor Ugwuanyi described Ekweremadu’s empowerment scheme as another milestone, stressing that “education is indeed the bedrock of any society. This is why as a government, we have continued to commit considerable resources to the provision of facilities.” [myad]
The Department of State Services ( DSS) has announced the arrest of the leader of the Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), Jones Abari, popularly called General Akotebe Darikoro.
Jones Abari, who was sadi to be the brain behind a plan to overthrow President Muhammad Buhari by the military, was arrested in Yenagoa on July 21. He was said to have confessed to have participated in other criminal activities which included a threat to launch missile attacks on selected targets in Abuja and Aso Rock.
A statement by an official of the DSS, Tony Opuiyo in Abuja on Saturday said that Jones Abari also confessed to have been part of such other criminal activities as writing of threat messages to the management of the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) demanding for N500 million and N250 million respectively. He said that the suspect also masterminded the vandalism of NAOC trunk line in Ogboinbiri, Southern Ijaw and bombing of SPDC oil pipeline.
This was even as the DSS also announced the arrest of a suspected terrorist, known as Bulama Ramat, at the Jabi Motor Park in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on July 21.
The DSS spokesman said that prior to his arrest, Ramat was planning to attack the FCT and its environs in collaboration with other elements of an extremist cell of the Boko Haram group.
Opuiyo said that the DSS also made other arrests within the month of July in Enugu, Ondo, Jos, Kaduna, Yenagoa, Port Harcourt and Kano states.
The statement asked all citizens and residents to remain vigilant and report all suspicious persons, parcels or vehicles to the nearest security formation.
“Members of the public are further called upon to see our societal and individual safety as our collective responsibility.”
It advised the public to support security and law enforcement agencies with critical information that would assist in providing a safe environment for all to carry out their legitimate businesses. [myad]
Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has opened fire on the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, saying that he would go to jail for stealing N1.2 billion he shared with Dan Orbih which is money meant for defence that he collected from Fidelity Bank.
Governor Oshiomhole, who spoke during the campaign rally of the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Godwin Obaseki, in Fugar, Edo state, said that Ize-Iyamu who was former Secretary to the Edo State Government would “go to jail” for alleged misappropriation of government fund.
“Ize-Iyamu will first of all vomit the N1.2 billion he shared with Dan Orbih which is money meant for defence that he collected from Fidelity Bank. After that, he will go to jail before he can probe me. Ize-Iyamu, Orbih and their fathers have confessed that they collected N700miilion and N500million to share during the election.
“They go to Port Harcourt every day to visit EFCC. Dan Orbih was taken from Port Harcourt to Benin with a black Maria where his house was searched. Today they are living in fear. But they must return the money. Look at the company, between Ize-Iyamu and Orbih, now they are singing like witches in the night how they shared that money. But they must be prosecuted like Metuh and others because that was how they stole in Edo for 10 years.”
The governor, who was flanked by Obaand his running mate, Philip Shuaibu, said that Edo had been subjected to hardship and underdevelopment under the administration of the PDP. He vowed to publish records of alleged looting by the PDP and its candidate.
“That money they shared was meant for defence, for roads. For 10 years they ruined the state but in seven and half years we have worked. Who was the Chief of Staff to PDP government that undeveloped Edo state? Ize-Iyamu. Who was the SSG and PA (Personal Assistant) to (Lucky) Igbinedion? Ize-Iyamu. This guy was the cook who was in the kitchen. While the people were waiting at the dining, both the pot and the soup disappeared.
“How can somebody who has never worked before be living in a house that is as big as stadium. Where did he get the money. We are compiling how he looted Edo state and we will publish them. PDP failed woefully, they have been deceiving our people. Ize-Iyamu and Co sold Okpella cement through third party.” [myad]
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has said that plans are underway to launch a four year educational strategy in which the capacity of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems would be brought to levels where they could respond to multiple demands.
Adamu Adamu, who spoke at the 32nd combined convocation and Diamond Jubilee ceremony of the Kaduna Polytechnic on Saturday said that the new strategy be a guiding framework for transforming the sector.
“The aim is to give access to affordable and quality technical and vocational education and training for the acquisition of technical and vocational skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
“The Federal Government has identified the relevance of polytechnic education in the country’s socio-economic development and is aware of the big gully between the non-formal technical education and the formal TVET.
“Our conviction is that the national vocational framework will integrate the non-formal sector of vocational trade with the formal TVET for maximum result and impact.”
Adamu described education as “a veritable tool for the growth and development of any nation,’’ adding that all hands must be on deck for the country to be rated high in the comity of nations. The minister, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr. Masa’udu Kazaure, called on well-meaning Nigerians, the private sector and non-governmental organisations to support the government in funding the sector.
The minister asked the graduates to contribute their quota in stirring the country in the right direction and place it on the shoes of excellence in technology, high morals and unquestionable integrity.
“You must strive to leave your footsteps on the sand of time and make remarkable contributions to the development of this great nation.”
This was even as Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State said that no country would move forward without technical education.
El-Rufai said that Nigeria needed technical manpower with sound innovation, creativity and the ability to take risk in entrepreneurship to move the nation to greater heights.
He said that the current administration was aware of the myriad of challenges affecting the sector, adding that plans are underway to improve investment in the sector to put it on the right path.
The convocation was organized for 67,403 students who graduated from the institution from the 2005/2006 academic session to the 2014/2015 session.
The Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, said that out of the figure, 2,350 graduated with distinction, 15,680 with Upper Credit while the rest graduated with lower credit and pass.
“The polytechnic is highly cosmopolitan with students from all over Nigeria; from a modest figure of 158 students in 1961 to currently 40,000 students undertaking more than 140 programmes in 44 academic departments and with staff strength of 4,000 academic and non-academic staff members.”
Ibrahim said that arrangement has reached an advanced stage with the NBTE for the take-off of 12 new academic programmes, adding that during the period under review, 633 staff members were given opportunities to obtain additional qualification with 107 bagging Doctorate degrees, 150 Masters degrees and 416 first degrees and similar qualifications. [myad]
Chairman of the Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has vowed to continue to contribute towards the alleviation of poverty and sufferings in Nigeria through the Foundation.
“Dangote Foundation is committed to alleviating poverty and suffering of underprivileged by supporting social and economic change through investments and interventions that improve the lives of the less fortunate”
Dangote, who spoke through the Director of Health and Nutrition, Dr. Azeez Oseni while donating Dangote Sugar, Dangote Salt, Dangote Spaghetti, rice, Danvita and wheat meal to the vulnerable and the indigent in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, said that the Foundation is committed to alleviating poverty in Nigeria.
Amongst the beneficiaries of the latest Dangote’s largese include Abuja Children Home, Peoples with Disabilities Traders Union, Para Soccer Team FCT, Poorest of the Poor, Old People’s Home and Abuja Parasutes Association, among others.
The items, which were presented to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and received on his behalf by the Acting Secretary of Social Development, Bolanle Irene Elegbede, came just a few days after the Dangote Foundation also gave N2 Billion cash to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno state.
Aliko Dangote said that the Foundation will be focusing on Health and Nutrition, Education, Economic Development and the provision of relief materials during disaster even as he said that the Foundation is determined to reduce the number of lives lost to malnutrition and disease through access to quality nutrition and healthcare with a particular emphasis on children.
“It is also aggressively working towards the reduction of out-of-school children, while supporting talented under-privileged young people to achieving their potentials as well as educating girls and women on health related issues.”
He said that the Foundation’s cardinal objectives include: Health and Nutrition, education, economic empowerment and disaster relief.
The food distribution to the vulnerable and indigent during and beyond the season of Ramadan is one of Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s philanthropic activities directed towards helping the poor in the society.
The richest man in Africa said: “I will like to specifically thank the Social Welfare Secretariat Team and FCT Emergency management Agency for the Day-to-Day logistic support and planning on food distribution to the beneficiaries.”
It would be recalled that within a spate of five years, the total amount donated to various camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), across the country by the Dangote Foundation has grown significantly to N6. 3 billion. [myad]
In spite of the difficult operating environment, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) has recorded a five percent turnover in its 2015 financial year.
The company’s Annual Report shows that despite the difficult business terrain and the contraction in the economy from 6.5 per cent in 2014 to around 2.5 per cent in 2015, NAHCO was able to maintain a consistent growth in its turnover earnings and dividends.
The report, which is due to be presented to the shareholders by the chairman of the company, Alhaji Suleiman Yahya, indicates that the company achieved a marginal improvement in its performance from N81.bn in 2014 to N8.5bn in 2015.
Despite the global challenges and Nigeria’s political economy, the company, according to the Report, grew its Profit Before Tax (PBT) from N769.5 million in 2014 to N796.8 million in 2015.
It said that the Board of the company has lowered the cost of doing business and shifted its funding structure from debt to equity, while approving the repayment of the N2bn Series 1 Bond from its Bond Cash Reserve Account which is due by the third quarter of 2016.
“These two steps will free up cash for future distribution to shareholders as enhanced dividend and to increase our cash buffer,” the chairman said in his statement due to be presented to shareholders.”
Meanwhile, the Board has recommended to the shareholders, a dividend of N324.8 million at 20 kobo per ordinary share of 50 kobo less withholding tax for the financial year end, December 31st 2015.
The Report shows that the company is investing in the NAHCO Agric Zone Project in 2016 even as it appointed Mr. Bamidele Adelaja as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). [myad]
Hillary Clinton has nominated a 58 year old Virginia Senator, Tim Kaine to be her running mate in this year’s Presidential election in the United States of America.
“I’m thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who’s devoted his life to fighting for others. -H,” she tweeted. Minutes later, Kaine tweeted: “Just got off the phone with Hillary. I’m honored to be her running mate. Can’t wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!” Clinton will introduce her new partner at a campaign rally Saturday in Miami, a recognition of Florida’s pivotal importance in the fall. It’s also a chance for Kaine, a fluent Spanish speaker, to introduce Clinton to Latino voters, a critical slice of the electorate in her quest to defeat Donald Trump. Clinton is hoping to seize the spotlight from Republicans after their convention in Cleveland. The site of Kaine’s first joint appearance with Clinton is Florida International University, where the student body is more than half Hispanic. Clinton’s decision to choose Kaine began when John Podesta brought the candidate two-dozen binders to her home in Chappaqua, New York, in April, according to a campaign aide. Last week, Clinton and Kaine spent 90 minutes together, followed by another meeting on Saturday that brought together the two families, including Clinton’s husband, daughter and son-in-law, as well as Kaine’s wife. Ultimately, Clinton was swayed by her personal comfort with Kaine, as well as the belief that the senator is fully prepared to do the job. On Friday, Clinton called Kaine around 7:30 p.m., then spoke with President Barack Obama. It may be an anti-establishment year, but Clinton’s running mate is an insider: A senator and former governor from the critical battleground of Virginia and a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Kaine, 58, has long been seen as a seasoned and safe choice for Clinton, who could help shore up support among white working-class voters. Her selection ended a long search that was conducted almost entirely in secret, a stark contrast to Trump’s vice presidential search. It reflected a strategic choice by Clinton: To go with a running mate who amplifies her argument that experience in government — not sizzle — is the best path to keeping the White House in Democratic hands. Kaine’s midwestern roots also run strong: Born in Minnesota, Kaine is the son of a welder who was raised in Kansas and graduated from the University of Missouri. He went to Harvard law school, but before graduating served a year as a missionary in Honduras. It was an experience that cemented his Catholic faith and strengthened his fluency in Spanish. Kaine was the first member to give an entire speech on the Senate floor in Spanish. It was during a debate in support of the bipartisan “Gang of 8” immigration reform package. At a joint campaign appearance last week in Virginia, which served as a final audition, Clinton stood side-by-side Kaine and beamed as he spoke of her virtues in Spanish. “Estamos listos para Hillary,” he declared. The Clinton campaign selected Kaine over a roster of at least three other senators and two Cabinet secretaries to Obama. Advisers to Clinton see Kaine as a stable force on the bottom of the ticket, foregoing the allure of a pick that could provide more star power in favor of one they are hoping will be void of drama. “We all know we need a bridge builder, not a trash talker,” Kaine said last week as he introduced Clinton at the Virginia rally. His resume is far more fulsome than when he was vetted as a potential running mate for Obama in 2008. With nearly three years of experience in the Senate under his belt, Kaine has beefed up his foreign policy credentials. He serves on both the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, emerging as a leading proponent of pushing the administration to consult with Congress before engaging in military action. Kaine is well known inside the Democratic Party, serving as its national chairman during the first years of the Obama administration. He jumped onto the Clinton campaign early — the second time around — announcing his support in 2014, a year before her announcement. His bipartisan roots, the Clinton campaign believes, could resonate with voters seeking an alternative to Trump. At Harvard, he met Anne Holton, the daughter of former Virginia Gov. Linwood Holton, a Republican. Kaine and Holton married and settled in Richmond where both practiced law and sewed the seeds of Kaine’s political future. After 10 years working as a civil rights lawyer and lecturer at the University of Richmond’s law school, Kaine mounted a successful campaign for city council from Richmond’s Northside. His political rise continued to the mayor’s office and a successful bid for lieutenant governor before being elected governor in 2005. His governorship was a study in practical decision-making and political maneuvering — qualities valued by the Clinton organization. He pushed through measures like an indoor smoking ban — popular with voters, but controversial in a state with a once robust tobacco industry. Virginia was the first state in the south to enact a ban of this nature. Kaine also earned high marks for his stewardship of the state after the Virginia Tech Massacre, at the time the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. In the wake of the Tech massacre, Kaine became a leading voice on reforming gun control laws, an issue Clinton has highlighted throughout her campaign. Early during his time as governor, Kaine took one his biggest political risks: offering a hearty endorsement to then-Sen. Barack Obama in his 2008 presidential bid. At the time Obama was the underdog to Hillary Clinton and Kaine was the first sitting governor to endorse his campaign. Obama returned the favor by naming Kaine one of his national co-chairs and after securing the Democratic nomination, he put Kaine on a short list as a potential running mate. Kaine was vetted by the Obama team, but in the end Obama chose Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware — someone with a deeper foreign policy resume, an issue at the time that was considered a weak spot for Obama. While Kaine is perceived as far more of political moderate, particularly with today’s liberal strain coursing through the party, he is often a reliable liberal vote in the Senate. Despite his Catholic faith, he is a staunch supporter of abortion rights. He is a defender of the Affordable Care Act and announced his support for same sex marriage in 2013. On guns he has an “F” rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA). By comparison, until the Sandy Hook Massacre of 2012, his counterpart Warner had an “A” rating from the NRA. While geography of a running mate seldom matters in recent presidential elections, the Clinton campaign believes he can certainly help secure Virginia’s 13 electoral votes. The state twice voted for Obama after a generation of solidly voting for Republicans in presidential elections. CNN. [myad]
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has called on the security operatives and other stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime industry to redouble their efforts towards eradicating criminality in the Nigerian maritime domain. Peterside particularly referred to the Nigerian Navy.
The NIMASA boss hosted the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai at the Agency’s head office in Lagos, decried the rise in piracy activities in the early part of this year called for strategic initiatives and synergy among stakeholders to arrest the trend.
“The operations report available to us is nothing to cheer about. While there is a drop in the number of vessels calling our ports, there seem to be a comparative increase in piracy activities. This means that operationally, both NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy must step up our game in order to guarantee continuous prosperity of Nigeria’s economy.”
Dr. Peterside commended the Nigerian Navy for the considerable reduction of criminal activities in the Nigerian territorial waters in the last three months, even as he charged stakeholders to do more in order to completely eliminate the scourge.
He acknowledged the existing partnership with the Nigerian Navy which he said has been mutually beneficial and said that the memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two Agencies is currently being reviewed to make it more effective and beneficial to the entire maritime industry.
“I am confident that the strategies being put in place by the Nigerian Navy including the launch of the FALCON EYE and partnerships with relevant stakeholders will go a long way in addressing the security challenges in our waterways.”
He pledged the Agency’s continuous collaboration with the Nigerian Navy in the task of promoting a friendly environment for maritime activities in Nigeria.
Earlier,, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai said he was in NIMASA for a familiarization visit after taking over the Western Naval Command and re-echoed the need for greater cooperation between the two Agencies for the overall interest of Nigeria.
He assured the Director General of the readiness of the Navy to partner with NIMASA, adding: “our doors are open for a sustained partnership with your Agency. And there should be no obstacles to our collaboration which should guarantee the unhindered movement of vessels doing legitimate business in Nigerian waters.”
A committee earlier set up with members drawn from NIMASA, the Navy and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for the development of a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Takwa Bay was also mandated to expedite action for the actualisation of the project. [myad]
Chairman of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO, Aviance), Suleiman Yahya has been appointed Ambassador for IDPNetwork in Nigeria.
INSEAD is a graduate business school with campuses in Europe; Fontainebleau, France, Asia (Singapore), and the Middle East (Abu Dhabi).
INSEAD which is in the category of Havard Business School, was founded in 1957 by venture capitalist and Harvard professor Georges Doriot, along with Claude Janssen and Olivier Giscard d’Estaing.
The school offers various academic programmes, including a full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme, Executive MBA (EMBA) programme, a Master in Finance programme, a PhD in management programme, and a variety of executive education programmes.
In a correspondence to Yahyah, the IDPN Committee said that the appointment as Ambassador is for an initial period of one year.
Responding to the letter of appointment, Yahyah told newsmen that this is an opportunity for him to bring INSEAD and campus to Africa, and to broaden the awareness of INSEAD in Africa.
Yahyah who bags a First Class Degree in Economics and a Master of Philosophy in Economics from Cambridge University England is also the chairman of Lafarge Ashaka Cement Plc, a leading cement producer in Nigeria. He also chairs the Abuja Business Council.
The new Ambassador is an advocate of best practice in Corporate Governance. He is the first African to be certified as a Corporate Governance Director of INSEAD. [myad]
Fellow Nigerians, let me start by saying nothing worries me more than the intractable problems of our dearly beloved country. There are times I wish I could just mind my own business but it seems I’m addicted to the issues and problems of Nigeria.
Lately, I have come up with different theories about why we are where we are. One of them is to go superstitious and believe we are jinxed and we’ve been jazzed by some fiendish demons. Or how does one explain the fact that no government has been able to find a practical and workable solution to our incredible challenges.
My second theory is that we actually hate our country but just pretend to be patriotic which is best seen in our words and not, of course, in our action.
An average Nigerian spends a large proportion of his time daily lamenting about Nigeria and regurgitating the same simple facts and seeming solutions that would ultimately lead to no grand denouement because nothing is done about them. We talk, talk and talk and that’s where it ends. If we truly love our country as much as we claim, we should have arrived at our Eldorado by now given the plethora of sometimes practical and workable solutions that we proffer.
My third theory is that we have a cultural problem that requires a cultural revolution. Our culture turns a once simple human being to an unrecognisable monstrosity in little or no time. One begins to wonder what suddenly caused the 360-degree transformation. Leaders in Nigeria at all levels live and act like emperors. Even the most enlightened ones among us behave like victims of hypnotism and accept whatever was in place before, and continue the madness.
One of them is the over-ceremonial nature of governments. Every leader over-dresses, over-militarises security, and over-spends on personal comfort and so on. I must commend the simplicity of the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo as he seems to be able to buck this trend and dress simply in Kaftan and suits as he has always done. Governor Olusegun Mimiko is another leading politician who imbibes the simple culture.
The one I find most baffling is how many times Governors have to travel to Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal character for all manner of meetings and ceremonies. States keep properties at home (including guest houses, more like abattoirs) and then replicate the same in Abuja and in Lagos.
The Federal Government has properties scattered everywhere in choice locations lying fallow most times. Our Presidential fleet is competing with that of America and they must be maintained by all means. So, how can we complain about under-development when leaders are not ready to compromise on expensive lifestyles?
My fourth theory is that a society gets the type of leaders it deserves. We are largely docile and accept our leaders’ excesses. If you complain too much, they would ask “is it only you that knows how to talk?” I watched closely as Wole Soyinka, Tai Solarin, Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Balarabe Musa, and others struggled so much for a thankless nation. They were regularly harassed by government and frequently abused by the same people they were trying to protect. Their families suffered in silence without any of us asking how they fared. And as popular as they were, none except Balarabe Musa could win major elections. Gani Fawehinmi was a Presidential candidate and he lost resoundingly. Femi Falana tried to be the Governor of Ekiti State but it was an impossible mission. Our society moves on regardless of what happens to these social and welfarist gladiators.
Where then do we go from here? There are no easy solutions to these problems. None springs out as being the most practical and necessary. My suggestion however, is that we must start from somewhere. We cannot just resign ourselves to fate and do nothing.
I have received some impetus lately from my experience in Ghana. Anyone following me on social media would have noticed my romance with the old Gold Coast. The country has demonstrated that we can surmount our problems once we make up our minds to start the journey. My advice is that we should never feel too big to learn from others, even from those we feel are smaller to us. The story of Ghana should impress and not depress us.
I have had the privilege of watching President John Dramani Mahama build and transform Ghana into a modern nation state. We, therefore, don’t have to travel far to borrow examples. I know that in our usual bravado we may dismiss this innocuous call as arrant nonsense but I wish to beg our leaders, in the name of all that is good, to treat this as a clarion call. There is ample evidence that Ghana is working and there is no reason why Nigeria cannot work. Ghana has fewer resources than Nigeria but it has managed to properly harness and enhance these resources over the years. More recently, President Mahama has taken up the gauntlet and done a lot more to make Ghana a progressive, buoyant economy with significant infrastructural development.
The first reality check is to accept that no leader can do it all. No leader has the monopoly of wisdom and nobody should try to pin that on any of our leaders and seek to transform them into what they are not. Once we understand that the President is not a magician or sorcerer, we can begin to appreciate his limitations and not be overly expectant of miracles.
Nonetheless, President Muhammadu Buhari can still do much more in the under two years that he has left before he decides to seek re-election or not. His first task is to prioritise the activities of his Government having substantially dealt with his primary agenda of fighting corruption. I am sure that the President knows that the fight against corruption is just one of the foundations upon which the monument of development and progress will be based. Unfortunately, added to the traditional features of progressive development like the economy, education, health, agriculture and social welfare, Nigeria has added security and insecurity. All of these need to be given proper consideration and prioritised in order to ensure that the elusive well-being of our people is achieved.
I will never get tired of reiterating this fact; Nigeria will never make substantial progress until we upgrade our educational institutions. This is one area Ghana is doing very well. Ghana today has about 60,000 educational institutions from primary to tertiary institutions. I know that Nigeria has many more but it is in the quality and the detail that Ghana emerges superior. Enrolment in the various levels of Ghanaian institutions is about ten million out of a population of about 26 million. I am aware that Nigeria falls far short in this regard.
In 2013, close to 32 million exercise books were distributed by Government to nearly five million pupils. About two million school uniforms have gone out to pupils since 2010. In 2013, 12.5 million Maths, English and Science text books were distributed to government basic schools. An average pupil in Ghana has access to about four textbooks. Osun State has taken a welcome lead by its controversial Tablet, called Opon Imo which features several textbooks.
School feeding Programme is approaching about two million children. 60,000 laptops have been given out to Basic School pupils while about 50,000 teachers received ICT training. 10,000 locally made sandals went to underprivileged pupils. Teacher Training institutions now have well equipped science laboratories in order to improve the teaching of Science and Maths. Massive library facilities have been undertaken even in rural areas. Technical schools are thriving where artisans are trained for performance and efficiency.
Tertiary institutions are receiving special boosts. The University of Ghana has nearly completed a 617-bed teaching hospital complex for the training of medical students and nurses. Government is providing Distance Education ICT centres for all ten regions of Ghana equipped with video conferencing and lecture auditoriums. Kwame Nkrumah University of Technology in Kumasi has ultra-modern laboratories with latest gadgets such as “high capacity nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, mass spectrometers and analysers… petroleum engineering laboratories with drill simulators…” There is a new Veterinary hospital equipped to be the most advanced in West Africa. Polytechnics are being rebranded into Technical Universities. Just imagine how many billions of dollars Nigeria would save on foreign education if we can improve the quality at home drastically. Whilst it is laudable that the Nigerian Government is allowing entrepreneurs and religious organisations to invest in education, Government cannot and must not abdicate its responsibility to them. Government owes a duty to see the proper educational advancement and development of its children. It must take the lead and show the way and not wait for such private institutions to provide the foundation for our industrial development. Happily, some of these institutions like the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin which has an Engineering Faculty that has equipment capable of producing a fire engine and race cars in the not too distant future have taken up the challenge.
Health they say is wealth. Nigeria would do extremely well if we can return to the days of old when our medical facilities were world class. Ghana has set up an ambitious plan to deliver 6,000 new hospital beds soon and some of the projects have advanced so much in the past two years because about two billion dollars has been invested by the Mahama government covering “two Teaching Hospital projects, three Institutional Hospitals, four Regional Hospitals, 14 District Hospitals, dozens of polyclinics and scores of health centres…” The beauty of it is that, the government is reaching out to many rural areas in the distribution of facilities. Looking through the Ghana Green Book containing the endless accounts of developmental projects garnished with crispy pictures one could see a country fully and gloriously at work for the improvement of the lives of its people.
On the international and tourist front, the small but efficient Kotoka International Airport Accra is being upgraded. The general ambience has improved with about 26 Immigration cubicles equipped with cameras and finger-printing machines. There are new conveyor belts, elevators, escalators, etc. The cargo section is heavenly. A new terminal is being added because of the economic expansion and development that is attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Ghana. All this has been achieved within a very short period. On the contrary, our airports remain horrible.
Where there is work in progress like the extensions at at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja and Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos the work has been done at snail speed. This is not good enough for the giant of Africa. Something must be done urgently to stop this disgrace. The airport is always the first point of contact with most countries for visitors and investors. For whatever reasons, our airports have remained our worst PR edifices as a nation.
President Buhari has urgent work to do. It must start now by first deciding the way forward after the corruption battle. [myad]
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In spite of the difficult operating environment, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) has recorded a five percent turnover in its 2015 financial year.
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has called on the security operatives and other stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime industry to redouble their efforts towards eradicating criminality in the Nigerian maritime domain. Peterside particularly referred to the Nigerian Navy.
How To Move Nigeria Forward, By Dele Momodu
Lately, I have come up with different theories about why we are where we are. One of them is to go superstitious and believe we are jinxed and we’ve been jazzed by some fiendish demons. Or how does one explain the fact that no government has been able to find a practical and workable solution to our incredible challenges.
My second theory is that we actually hate our country but just pretend to be patriotic which is best seen in our words and not, of course, in our action.
An average Nigerian spends a large proportion of his time daily lamenting about Nigeria and regurgitating the same simple facts and seeming solutions that would ultimately lead to no grand denouement because nothing is done about them. We talk, talk and talk and that’s where it ends. If we truly love our country as much as we claim, we should have arrived at our Eldorado by now given the plethora of sometimes practical and workable solutions that we proffer.
My third theory is that we have a cultural problem that requires a cultural revolution. Our culture turns a once simple human being to an unrecognisable monstrosity in little or no time. One begins to wonder what suddenly caused the 360-degree transformation. Leaders in Nigeria at all levels live and act like emperors. Even the most enlightened ones among us behave like victims of hypnotism and accept whatever was in place before, and continue the madness.
One of them is the over-ceremonial nature of governments. Every leader over-dresses, over-militarises security, and over-spends on personal comfort and so on. I must commend the simplicity of the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo as he seems to be able to buck this trend and dress simply in Kaftan and suits as he has always done. Governor Olusegun Mimiko is another leading politician who imbibes the simple culture.
The one I find most baffling is how many times Governors have to travel to Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal character for all manner of meetings and ceremonies. States keep properties at home (including guest houses, more like abattoirs) and then replicate the same in Abuja and in Lagos.
The Federal Government has properties scattered everywhere in choice locations lying fallow most times. Our Presidential fleet is competing with that of America and they must be maintained by all means. So, how can we complain about under-development when leaders are not ready to compromise on expensive lifestyles?
My fourth theory is that a society gets the type of leaders it deserves. We are largely docile and accept our leaders’ excesses. If you complain too much, they would ask “is it only you that knows how to talk?” I watched closely as Wole Soyinka, Tai Solarin, Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Balarabe Musa, and others struggled so much for a thankless nation. They were regularly harassed by government and frequently abused by the same people they were trying to protect. Their families suffered in silence without any of us asking how they fared. And as popular as they were, none except Balarabe Musa could win major elections. Gani Fawehinmi was a Presidential candidate and he lost resoundingly. Femi Falana tried to be the Governor of Ekiti State but it was an impossible mission. Our society moves on regardless of what happens to these social and welfarist gladiators.
Where then do we go from here? There are no easy solutions to these problems. None springs out as being the most practical and necessary. My suggestion however, is that we must start from somewhere. We cannot just resign ourselves to fate and do nothing.
I have received some impetus lately from my experience in Ghana. Anyone following me on social media would have noticed my romance with the old Gold Coast. The country has demonstrated that we can surmount our problems once we make up our minds to start the journey. My advice is that we should never feel too big to learn from others, even from those we feel are smaller to us. The story of Ghana should impress and not depress us.
I have had the privilege of watching President John Dramani Mahama build and transform Ghana into a modern nation state. We, therefore, don’t have to travel far to borrow examples. I know that in our usual bravado we may dismiss this innocuous call as arrant nonsense but I wish to beg our leaders, in the name of all that is good, to treat this as a clarion call. There is ample evidence that Ghana is working and there is no reason why Nigeria cannot work. Ghana has fewer resources than Nigeria but it has managed to properly harness and enhance these resources over the years. More recently, President Mahama has taken up the gauntlet and done a lot more to make Ghana a progressive, buoyant economy with significant infrastructural development.
The first reality check is to accept that no leader can do it all. No leader has the monopoly of wisdom and nobody should try to pin that on any of our leaders and seek to transform them into what they are not. Once we understand that the President is not a magician or sorcerer, we can begin to appreciate his limitations and not be overly expectant of miracles.
Nonetheless, President Muhammadu Buhari can still do much more in the under two years that he has left before he decides to seek re-election or not. His first task is to prioritise the activities of his Government having substantially dealt with his primary agenda of fighting corruption. I am sure that the President knows that the fight against corruption is just one of the foundations upon which the monument of development and progress will be based. Unfortunately, added to the traditional features of progressive development like the economy, education, health, agriculture and social welfare, Nigeria has added security and insecurity. All of these need to be given proper consideration and prioritised in order to ensure that the elusive well-being of our people is achieved.
I will never get tired of reiterating this fact; Nigeria will never make substantial progress until we upgrade our educational institutions. This is one area Ghana is doing very well. Ghana today has about 60,000 educational institutions from primary to tertiary institutions. I know that Nigeria has many more but it is in the quality and the detail that Ghana emerges superior. Enrolment in the various levels of Ghanaian institutions is about ten million out of a population of about 26 million. I am aware that Nigeria falls far short in this regard.
In 2013, close to 32 million exercise books were distributed by Government to nearly five million pupils. About two million school uniforms have gone out to pupils since 2010. In 2013, 12.5 million Maths, English and Science text books were distributed to government basic schools. An average pupil in Ghana has access to about four textbooks. Osun State has taken a welcome lead by its controversial Tablet, called Opon Imo which features several textbooks.
School feeding Programme is approaching about two million children. 60,000 laptops have been given out to Basic School pupils while about 50,000 teachers received ICT training. 10,000 locally made sandals went to underprivileged pupils. Teacher Training institutions now have well equipped science laboratories in order to improve the teaching of Science and Maths. Massive library facilities have been undertaken even in rural areas. Technical schools are thriving where artisans are trained for performance and efficiency.
Tertiary institutions are receiving special boosts. The University of Ghana has nearly completed a 617-bed teaching hospital complex for the training of medical students and nurses. Government is providing Distance Education ICT centres for all ten regions of Ghana equipped with video conferencing and lecture auditoriums. Kwame Nkrumah University of Technology in Kumasi has ultra-modern laboratories with latest gadgets such as “high capacity nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, mass spectrometers and analysers… petroleum engineering laboratories with drill simulators…” There is a new Veterinary hospital equipped to be the most advanced in West Africa. Polytechnics are being rebranded into Technical Universities. Just imagine how many billions of dollars Nigeria would save on foreign education if we can improve the quality at home drastically. Whilst it is laudable that the Nigerian Government is allowing entrepreneurs and religious organisations to invest in education, Government cannot and must not abdicate its responsibility to them. Government owes a duty to see the proper educational advancement and development of its children. It must take the lead and show the way and not wait for such private institutions to provide the foundation for our industrial development. Happily, some of these institutions like the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin which has an Engineering Faculty that has equipment capable of producing a fire engine and race cars in the not too distant future have taken up the challenge.
Health they say is wealth. Nigeria would do extremely well if we can return to the days of old when our medical facilities were world class. Ghana has set up an ambitious plan to deliver 6,000 new hospital beds soon and some of the projects have advanced so much in the past two years because about two billion dollars has been invested by the Mahama government covering “two Teaching Hospital projects, three Institutional Hospitals, four Regional Hospitals, 14 District Hospitals, dozens of polyclinics and scores of health centres…” The beauty of it is that, the government is reaching out to many rural areas in the distribution of facilities. Looking through the Ghana Green Book containing the endless accounts of developmental projects garnished with crispy pictures one could see a country fully and gloriously at work for the improvement of the lives of its people.
On the international and tourist front, the small but efficient Kotoka International Airport Accra is being upgraded. The general ambience has improved with about 26 Immigration cubicles equipped with cameras and finger-printing machines. There are new conveyor belts, elevators, escalators, etc. The cargo section is heavenly. A new terminal is being added because of the economic expansion and development that is attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Ghana. All this has been achieved within a very short period. On the contrary, our airports remain horrible.
Where there is work in progress like the extensions at at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja and Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos the work has been done at snail speed. This is not good enough for the giant of Africa. Something must be done urgently to stop this disgrace. The airport is always the first point of contact with most countries for visitors and investors. For whatever reasons, our airports have remained our worst PR edifices as a nation.
President Buhari has urgent work to do. It must start now by first deciding the way forward after the corruption battle. [myad]