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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

THE NIGERIAN DEREGULATION DEBATE

THE NIGERIAN DEREGULATION DEBATE 
BY:FOLASADE ORIMOLADE

Since the Federal Government’s anouncement of its intention to deregulate the downstream oil sector, labour unions in the country have kicked against it.  Series of meetings and news briefing have been held to make their position known.  The Federal Government’s position is that it can no longer subsidies premium motor spirit otherwise known as petrol as more than one trillion naira is being spent annually as subsidies for petroleum products.  Furthermore government maintained that the current deregulation of the sector had slowed down development of the oil industry while arguing that deregulation will reduce the level of corruption in oil transactions and encourage more investment in the sector. Government’s position is also informed by the need to enhance efficiency in the sector thereby promoting price efficiency beneficial to consumers. The plan is to deregulate the sector in such a way that prices will crash as is being witnessed in the telecommunications industry. However, labour’s argument is that deregulation will bring further hardships to the populace particularly when government has not made any effort at cushioning the effect of the proposed deregulation. Rather than deregulate, labour calls for cancellation of demurrage on petroleum products in transits, dredging of the ports which will reduce the amount paid in subsidies to marketer, rehabilitation and expansion of Nigerian’s refineries.  It adds that more refineries should be built as the case in the Meddle East where more than one hundred new refineries are being built and expected to be functional by twenty-ten.  More importantly, labour wants government to reposition the economy and move away from dependence on oil and gas revenues.  To drive home its points as well as express its displeasure against deregulation, the organized labour in conjunction with the civil society coalition staged rallies in seven cities and rounded it up in Abuja.  The rally which had representatives of the union from across the country was conducted in most orderly and peaceful manner under the watchful eye of security agents. 

In a swift reaction to the rally, the Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili called for restraint over the protest stressing that survival of democracy should be collective responsibility of all citizens.   She expressed government’s willingness to negotiate and dialogue with the organized labour on ways of addressing the issue of deregulation and chant a way forward for Nigeria.   Worthy of commendation was the peaceful manner the rally was conducted bearing in mind that similar rallies in the past had been hijacked by hoodlums and street urchins who unleash terror on innocent citizens under the guise of demonstration. Although the rallies have come and gone time will tell weather it actually made the desired impact .Even then fears are being expressed by many stakeholders that deregulation would lead to increase in the prices of petroleum products. The fear is compounded by the fact that past increases in prices of petroleum products led to high rate of inflation and caused hardship to commuters most of whom had to pay higher fares to transport themselves. Another fear being expressed is that the sector will continue to be ineffective if deliberate steps are not taken to check the present high level of corruption in the oil and gas industry. AS these debates continue, government has come out again to say through the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA that it is still consulting on the proposed deregulation. It has therefore become necessary for the organized labour to take the opportunity to dialogue with the government on the situation. And just within the week the governor’s forum endorsed the proposed reforms in the oil sector. Earlier, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria with relevant stakeholders in a workshop in Lagos had backed the Federal Governments’ intention to liberalise the industry. Be that as it may, it has become highly imperative for government to ensure that the plight of the masses is considered when implementing the deregulation. The gains of such a policy must not be allowed to waste. Rather, more infrastructures should be put in place to enhance the welfare of the people. These include effective mass transit system, development of the rail system, and water transportation. Labours’ demand for an increase in wages should also be considered as appropriate. Mechanisms must be put in place to check persistent corruption in the sector. The nation cannot afford to allow a few unpatriotic, corrupt and greedy individuals to toy with its future and the future of upcoming generations. 


Recorded Live from FRCN.



Commentary on the life and times of Maryam Babangida



The Life and Times of Maryam Babangida


Mrs Maryam Babangida can arguably be described as an icon whose impact on the nation cannot be easily quantified. That she led a good life and left indelible footprints on the sands of time cannot be contested. In her Sixty One year sojourn on this earth, Mrs Maryam Babangida meant many things to many people. The announcement of her death has therefore been rightly met with an overwhelming outpouring of condolences from every strata of the society, both the low and the mighty. It is ironic that the personality which has touched the lives of millions of Nigerians and the world at large started on a very simple note. Mrs Maryam Babangida was born on November 1st 1948. She had what many would call a fairly humble beginning in her home town, Asaba in the present Delta state, where she received part of her early education before moving up north to Kaduna. Here she attended the prestigious Queen Amina College. The greatness which she would later attain was no doubt conceived in this college where she distinguished herself in all strata of the school. Mrs Babangida went on to graduate as a secretary at the federal training college kaduna and later obtained a certificate in secretary ship from the Laselle University, Chicago. USA. In September 1969, with two months to her 21st birthday, young Maryam took another giant step in the journey of life when she got married to Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, then a young Major in the Nigerian Army, who had to take a break from the battles of the then Nigerian Civil War. It was quintessential Maryam because at the time such cross cultural marriages were an exception rather than the norm. Here she was a young lady from the then Mid Western state of Nigeria, in the present Delta state, getting married to another Nigerian from the then North Western State, in the present Niger State. Hajiya Maryam then began the task of raising a home with the inimitable Major who will later have a great impact on the affairs of this great nation. The marriage was blessed with four children- Two boys, Mohammed and Aminu and Two girls, Aisha and Halima. Perhaps it was in 1983 that the nation began its love affair with Maryam when she assumed the mantle of President of the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association, NAOWA.
It was during her twenty month stewardship of this organisation that the leadership qualities of Mrs Babangida were brought to the fore. Maryam moved to the next step in the pedestal of her life when in August 1985 she became the first lady of the federal republic of Nigeria. It is without any doubt and equivocation the beginning of Eight years of glamour, colour, elegance, enterprise and adoration in the body politic of the nation. The office of the first lady which had hitherto been an unheralded appendage of the President was given a new lease of life. Maryam handled the office of the first lady with poise and gait comparable to most of her renowned peers in the world and in the process brought respectability to that office. She made the care of the underprivileged and the oppressed in the society her cardinal programme and this resulted in the establishment of the Better life for rural women programme in 1987. This programme was a pace setter in the efforts to better the lives of the underprivileged in the society. The programme focused on providing job opportunities for thousands of youths and women in the country, the care of the disabled, widows, and orphans.
Over ten thousand cooperative societies were established through the scheme. Despite criticisms from some quarters, the programme received international recognition when in 1988; Maryam was bestowed with the Harlem Women’s International Recognition Award in New York. Perhaps the greatest attestation to her tenacity and vision is the National Centre for Women Development in the central area of Abuja. In spite of the fact that the better life programme did not live beyond her term in office. Its sprit kept metarmophosising in various names and styles. It is a tribute to her unconquering spirit that she did not allow what befell her projects to overwhelm her. Maryam was a woman with strong family values which she brought to bear in raising four upright and disciplined children. She also founded and ran an educational institution, the El Amin International School in Minna. The passing away of Maryam Babangida is no doubt a sad loss for the Babangida Family, the entire nation and the world al large. Adieu this great mobiliser of women, an icon, a real mother and a model for Nigerian and African woman. May her soul rest in peace.

Recorded live from FRCN

DIMEJI BANKOLE


DIMEJI BANKOLE COMMENTARY BY EBOMHIANA MUSA



With the success of the transition to another civilian dispensation in 2007, many of the nation’s citizenry placed much hope on the ability of the elected representatives to deliver the dividends of democracy. The House of Representatives, which is part of the National Assembly, constitute a critical element in the quest to achieve good governance. When this present house was inaugurated in 2007 with Hon. Olubunmi Etteh as Speaker, there was great joy across the nation being the first ever female speaker. But that was short-lived as a crisis soon broke out that led to her removal.  Following this, The House on November 1, 2007 for the first time in its history overwhelmingly elected its Speaker without any external influence in the person of, 37 years old Oladimeji Sabur Bankole, who promised to make the House of Representatives the “House of the Nigerian People” through robust debates and a faithful discharge of its constitutional responsibilities. Since that time, THE HOUSE has set a new pattern for the discharge of its role which has ensured minimal conflict with the executive. The first major task and test of the new house was the 2007 Appropriation LAW.  Its scrutiny of the bill led to the discovery of unspent fund of 450 billion NAIRA from the 2007 Budget in sharp contrast to the about N25 billion presented in the budget.  Also, in 2009, 350 billion Naira was returned as unspent fund.  Hitherto, these unspent funds are pocketed through bogus end-of-year contracts or some frivolous capacity building spree. The House under the current dispensation has passed 88 Bills affecting all areas of our national life. Among them are two Appropriation Bills, the Revolving Loan for Industry Bill, the Local Content Bill for the oil sector, the Tobacco Smoking Bill and the National Assembly Budget and Research Office (NABRO) bill among others. This level of bill passage is no mean feat compared to previous houses. Perhaps, it is in the area of oversight activities that the House has achieved most popular acclaim. Following a resolution it commenced an investigation to the purported $16 billion appropriated for Power without commensurate results between 1999 and 2007. The high drama and publicity of the investigation revealed to Nigerian the level of rot, and misappropriation of funds in that sector. The investigation was no doubt fruitful.
In the same vein the House Finance Committee investigation into the finances of government discovered the startling fact that in the last five years alone over N3 Trillion was not remitted to the Federation Account by ministries, departments and agencies, as they should constitutionally.  Other major oversight activities of the House are in the area of Ad-Hoc Committee on Niger Delta, Capital Market, NNPC, where it was discovered that Nigerian was losing billions of Naira in corrupt practices. The recommendations of these investigations are setting the pace for reforming these sectors of our national life.  In the period under review the speaker established the Constituency Outreach Committee that ensured member’s presence in the constituency through the establishment of functional offices and the allocation of projects to each constituency.  This has resulted in a marked improvement in the level of implementation of budgets. By the end of the third quarter, the country for the first time achieved a 45% budget implementation instead of the yearly range of between 25% - 30%. On another level, Bankole has taken representative function of the House to greater heights in passing resolutions of the House addressing masses oriented issues like communication, Nigerians in Diaspora, ethnic and sectarian crises and personal and workers welfare issues. On the international scene, the speaker recently, lead a delegation of Nigeria legislators to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The speaker’s leadership qualities were recognized when he was early this year elected as the President of the Afro-Arab Parliamentary Union.   Hon Bankole has also made a difference in the area of capacity building.  Hon Bankoles personal bill on Government Accountability and Audit Office passed its second reading stage. The creation of new Standing and Ad-hoc Committees of the House has further improved its standing. The achievements of the last two years have come with minimal confrontation with the executive arm. There is now a constructive engagement between the legislature and the executive. Mr. Speaker has also ran an orderly House where national interest, peoples welfare are the prime motivators of members. As the House enters another year under the leadership of HON BANKOLE , the major challenges are the constitutional amendment and electoral reforms, for which substantial progress has been made.  And with the firm promise on delivering on these two key issues, this present House may yet be the most definitive in advancement of people’s interest, good governance and consolidation of our democratic experience.
 Recorded live from FRCN. 

Saturday, January 16, 2010

THE CHALLENGES OF THE Niger DELTA

THE CHALLENGES OF THE Niger DELTA


BY

EBUTE RAPHAEL (A student of the National Missionary Seminary of St. Paul Gwagwalada)



A visit to the creeks of Ojobo and Torugbene towns in Delta State would show how the communities in the entire Niger Delta are blessed with enormous natural resources but still live without basic amenities, such as electricity, pipe-bone water, roads and others necessities which make life comfortable. Ojobo, like many other communities in the Niger Delta, is an oil rich community which is supposed to enjoy electricity and other amenities because of the oil exploitation activities which is the major source of income to the country; but the reverse has been the case. The only means of transportation for the people in and out of the creeks is the speed boat which is very costly. The people of the area can not think of buying cars not because some may not be able to afford it but because there just no roads to drive cars. Due to the high cost of transportation, the prices of things are very high compared to other parts of the country. The big River that cut across the communities is the source of drinking water and other domestic activities and yet it also serves as toilets for the people. It is something unthinkable that the people drink that unhygienic water. But it is the reality. Owing to the fact that area is swampy, whenever it rains, the entire land is enmeshed with mud and the people find it difficult to move without wearing a rain boots, and even at that, one is afraid of being drowned in the mud. The rivers often overflow their banks the banks and invade the houses in the area; a situation that has become natural after so many years of neglect. It is however heartwarming to note that Government has embarked on steps to turn things around in the area. President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua has listed the problems of the Niger Delta amongst his seven point agenda and to have a first hand experience of the area, the President has visited some states in the area. On his last visit to Bayelsa State in July this year, the President commissioned some roads and flagged off the construction of an Airport. Mr. President has since created the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs which is working tirelessly already for the development of the area. The ongoing Amnesty Programme towards solving the problem of militancy in the area is another strong indication of government’s resolve to find a lasting solution to the problems of the Niger Delta. But there is still much work to be done. For instance there is need for the urgent construction of a road from Tuomo down to Ojobo, extending to Burutu to link up the communities and reduce the high cost of water transportation. This would make it easier and faster to move within the area. Roads should also be constructed within communities to curb the difficulties encountered in walking through the muddy paths. The provision of Pipe-born water would also help the people in getting clean water to enhance their health. There is also serious need for electricity to boost the social and commercial life of the people. Drainage channels and embankments should be constructed around the river banks which would help to check the problem of flooding. It has been argued that the activities of militants in the area is a product of many years of neglect and injustice; but having accepted the Amnesty granted by the Federal Government, it is expected that the militants would refrain from violence and wait for positive changes in the area. Also, THERE is NEED for public officials in the Niger Delta to make judicious use of governments’ allocation to the area. There is no such thing as a hopeless situation; therefore let Nigerians not loose hope over the development of the Niger Delta and the entire nation in general; rather let all hands be on deck as a sign of our collective will to make our nation great!

Recorded Live from FRCN

POVERTY REDUCTION AMONG THE VULNERABLE GROUP IN THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY





POVERTY REDUCTION AMONG THE VULNERABLE GROUP IN THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY


OVER the years the challenge of unemployment has bedevilled the nation. The growing number of the unemployed necessitated the need for urgent government intervention. As part of efforts to tackle the challenge the federal government, in 1986 decided to establish the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) with the clear mandate to promote self-employment through skills acquisition and business training. Over the years it has put in place various programmes and schemes aimed at creating jobs for the teeming unemployed people of Nigeria. Unemployment as it were, is no respecter of persons. If able bodied individuals with requisite skills and qualifications can hardly secure gainful employment, the physically challenged no doubt have a herculean task finding a dignified source of livelihood. Recent figures indicate that between 19-23 million Nigerians are physically challenged in one form or the other.

These Nigerians are mostly left to fend for themselves and compete unequally with the rest of the labour force to earn a living. In the past two years the NDE under the leadership of Mallam Abubakar Mohammed took a bold step at training the physically challenged and indeed other vulnerable groups in the society in vocational trades. These groups include Widows, Orphans, Internally displaced persons, Persons living with HIV/AIDS, Commercial Sex Workers who have a big opportunity to acquire vocational skills with a view to becoming self reliant. This window of opportunity for persons with special needs is intended to impart marketable skills to its beneficiaries in order to reduce unemployment, street begging, armed robbery and other violent crimes; as well as the removal of disillusionment among vulnerable and or disabled persons; and ensure they have a sense of self-worth and self-confidence through the acquisition of marketable skills. THE beneficiaries were to be fully integrated into the socio-economic mainstream of the society thereby reducing poverty.

In the implementation of this scheme, the DIRECTORATE engaged VULNERABLE groups in a range of trade including Tie & Dye, Shoe & leather works, Soap and/or body cream making, Beads stringing and Candle making. Other trades taught include Hair dressing, production of Polythene bags as well as Industrial tailoring which goes beyond the traditional tailoring to products such as quilted bed sheets, handbags, shower accessories, pyjamas and car seat covers. This wide range of vocational trades provides the intending trainees with the opportunity to choose what they can easily fit into. Under the programme each state 5o recruits .They are provided with stipends to facilitate their transportation to and from the training venues. On completion of training, the outstanding graduates are considered for resettlement in collaboration with NGOs, Local and State Governments, politicians and other public spirited individuals. This is aimed at launching them into self employment and to discourage them from begging, and living a life of despondency.

Records show that this initiative had been pilot-tested in Kaduna and Ekiti states with remarkable success, and has now been extended to all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. Statistics from recent evaluation of the first set of resettled graduates of this scheme shows that over 98% are in gainful self-employment while the rest are in paid employment. It is gratifying to note that none of the graduates has gone back to street begging. In the course of the training and the resettlement of the beneficiaries, major stakeholders in employment and poverty reduction have expressed satisfaction with the scheme. They can now assert to mobilize and sensitize all tiers of government as well as private agencies and non-governmental organizations of the need to help the less privileged in the society. The message of the DG OF NDE, Mallam Abubakar Mohammed, is THAT THERE IS ability in disability. It is therefore imperative that more efforts are channeled into providing the necessary platform for the realization of the potential in persons with special needs or the vulnerable groups in the society, the quest to reduce poverty and to create wealth will soon be achieved. All well meaning Nigerians, philanthropists, non-governmental organizations, State and Local governments should collaborate with the NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF EMPLOYMENT IN TACKLING THE UNIQUE FORM OF UNEMPLOYMENT. THE MOST VULNERABLE GROUPS DESERVE ALL THE SUPPORT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE IMAGE OF UNEMPLOYMENT FROM THEM.

THE NEED FOR THE SUPER EAGLES TO EXCELL AT ANGOLA 2010

THE NEED FOR THE SUPER EAGLES TO EXCELL AT ANGOLA 2010.
BY
NDUBUEZE CHIDOKA




Nigeria’s glorious moments in the history of the continent’s premier competition for senior teams the Africa Nations Cup remains in 1980 when she hosted and won and in Tunisia ’94. The tournament in Tunisia was very significant because it was a year Nigeria also played her First World Cup in the United States of America in 1994, where the Super Eagles surprised the World by making it into the second round and narrowly lost 1-2 to Italy in the round of 16 games. However, when the draw for the finals in Angola took place on the 20th of November 2009 in Luanda, Nigeria was not seeded amongst the big four in Africa and had to settle in group C where she will battle it out with Cup holders Egypt, Benin Republic and Mozambique.

One may consider it right at this point to say that a lot is riding on the performance of the Super Eagles at the 27th Africa Cup of Nations in Angola both on and off the field of play. Having made it to the finals of the World Cup taking PLACE IN South Africa, the nation’s Senior national team the Super Eagles cannot afford to slip up in Angola if they are not to give Nigerians the impression that they are just going to South Africa to make up the numbers. Beside this, coach Amodu Shaibu has promised to take the team to atleast the Semi final of the nations cup, knowing fully well that his world cup fate is tied intricately to the performance of his boys at the nations cup. Should the Eagles fail woefully like the last edition in Ghana 2008 even the hardest of his supporters will have little left to make a case for coach Amodu retaining his position at the biggest stage in June. The Foreign 23 players selected by Amodu to represent Nigeria are also not immuned from what is at stake at the first nations cup in the new decade.

A poor outing by the team will likely see the Eagles being overhauled before the World Cup finals, as was the case with the team that made it to the Semi-Final of Mali 2002 but were still disbanded. Incidentally, twice champions the Super Eagles will kick of their Jubilee nations cup campaign for a third Nations Cup title against the strongest side in group C. the pharaohs of Egypt who are five time champions of the biennial competition. The Super Eagles have a fairly decent record against the defending champions with the Eagles losing only twice in 13 previous clashes. The Eagles have won five times scoring 21 goals past the North Africans while letting in 17 goals. The Super Eagles record against the Pharaohs in the nations cup is even more impressive with only one loss in Seven meetings. Will this supremacy continue as the two teams clash in the group opener? Only time will tell after the game at the 25,000 Seater Complexo da Sr da Graca in Beguela on the 12th of this month. Nigeria has triumphed 9 times out of the 14 meetings with the Squirrels of Benin Republic, Scoring a total of 38 goals while conceding only 8.
The Super Eagles need to be on top of their game to secure the all important three points against their neighbours, considering how the team managed to upstage Benin 2-1 in the final group games of Tunisia 2004. against the Black Mambas of Mozambique in the last group game, it is still fresh in mind of the nations soccer fans as the Mambas proved that they have something to offer in Angola after beating Tunisia !-nil in Maputo to qualify for the nations cup, on the 14th of November, 2009. the meetings in the 2010 World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers in Maputo and Abuja remains the two clashes with the team that nearly beat the Eagles in Maputo and unfortunately lost 0-1 in Abuja Courtesy of Obinna Nsofor’s late goal in the game. At the competition proper, how well the big teams fair against he so called minnows may determine if they progress to the knock out stages. There is no gainsaying the fact that the Super Eagles need all the encouragement they can possibly get from government and Nigerians.

The National Sports Commission, the presidential Task Force on the team’s World and Nations Cup campaign and the Nigeria Football federation have succeeded in instilling a family atmosphere in the team which seemed to be lacking in the past tournaments. The issues of unpaid match bonuses and other allowances due the players have been soughed-out and Nigerians are now looking-up to the 23 man team selected from over 80 million Nigerians to play as a team, defend well good ball distributions and passes and above all learn to be more prolific in front of the goal to ensure that Nigeria enjoy another glorious moment in the nation’s football history. A good outing oat the Nations cup in Angola will no doubt propel the Super Eagles to greater heights even as the World Cup takes centre stage in South Africa in June.

Recorded live from FRCN.

Monday, January 11, 2010

NIGERIA’S DIASPORA AS A CRITICAL NATIONAL RESOURCE

NIGERIA’S DIASPORA AS A CRITICAL NATIONAL RESOURCE


By Mike Ekunno



A recent World Bank report shows that Nigerians in the Diaspora remitted the sum of ten billion US Dollars to Nigeria in 2008. This represents 4.7 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. The report ranks Nigeria as the sixth highest recipient of Diaspora remittances in 2008. The end of year season is one in which many foreign-based Nigerians return home. There can therefore be no better time to talk about their contribution to national development than now. The remittances highlighted by the World Bank Report happen to be just one of the many ways the Nigerian Diaspora has positively impacted national development. Today members of Nigeria’s foreign legion contribute to Nigerian newspaper as columnists and opinion writers.

Thanks to the internet, the dividing line that existed between home-based and foreign readership of newspapers has been blotted out. The opinions and perspectives brought to bear on national issues by these off-shore contributors are invaluable national resources. Members of the Nigerian Diaspora also provide an automatic pool of supporters whenever the national football team is playing an away match. By this, they complement the efforts of the team’s Supporters’ Club. As the FIFA World Cup in South Africa approaches, the strong Nigerian expatriate presence in that country is already warming up to support the national team. Over the years Nigerians in Diaspora have contributed to community development in the areas of medical facilities, scholarship schemes and other poverty alleviation initiatives especially in places where they hail from.

Perhaps it is now expedient to explore more areas of encouraging them to do more like involving them during the nations’ elections. Who says they cant vote from overseas anyway? In times past, the Diaspora referred to the Jewish dispersion away from their homeland. Overtime, this Jewish Diaspora comprising captains of industry, college faculty members and influential businessmen became a strong pressure group and foreign outposts of Israeli diplomacy.

It exerts enormous influence on media and public opinion in their host countries such that at election times, the non-antagonism of the Jewish lobby is often the beginning of wisdom. With the increasing numerical and financial clout of the Nigerian Diaspora, nothing prevents it from fulfilling this diplomatic role for Nigeria. One area where this can be put to good use will be in reversing the negative image associated with our country, Nigeria and her citizens. It is a fact that much of Nigeria’s negative image is un-merited and unwarranted. It is a product of media stereotyping. The Re-branding Nigeria Project of the Federal Government is therefore geared TOWARDS exposing the positive side of Nigeria to avail critics a more balanced basis for their opinions.

While this battle for the minds of men is being waged internally, the Nigerian Diaspora can leverage on this to become the foreign outpost of the Re-branding Nigeria Project whose motto is Nigeria – Good People, Great Nation. The recent negative publicity generated by the alleged ATTEMPTED BOMBING of an American aircraft by a Nigerian terrorist, Farouk ABDULMUTALLAB should not deter our good people all around the world from being proud Nigerians wherever they may be residing. Good enough, the Family of the misguided young man has come out openly to condemn the act without reservation. AND the Federal Government, through the Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili has declared its intention to cooperate with the US authorities on the matter. Members of the Nigeria Diaspora in different parts of the world should use the opportunity of their home visit at THIS FESTIVE SEASON to avail themselves of samples of Re-branding materials which they may then go back and mass produce in their countries of abode.

These materials which proclaim: Nigeria, Good People, Great Nation should serve as triggers to challenge wrong perceptions about the country. New York City, for example, has millions of T-shirts emblazoned with “NY” its acronym, and worn by people around the world. Nigeria can surely afford to do the same with her Re-branding campaign. Global multi-lateral agencies released rankings in the past have Nigeria in unenviable positions. In comparison, the World Bank Report on Diaspora Remittances is like a breath of fresh air.

Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries

THE NEED FOR PARENTS TO WATCH, WHAT THEIR CHILDREN WATCH

THE NEED FOR PARENTS TO WATCH, WHAT THEIR CHILDREN WATCH.


BY:

JAMES EMEH





Television, its accessories such as the DVD, Cable Satellite, and Internet, could be described as one of the technological wonders of the 20th century. Indeed, it is not difficult not to be impressed by these medium of art, culture, education and music. Its power and reach are so pervasive, penetrating and overwhelming – especially among the adolescents. It exerts enormous power and influence over its viewers and has dramatically altered the way they think, talk, walk and work. Like opium, television moves and sedates slowly, by degree, not degree, not sudden. The television’s alluring strength, experts posit, lies in its audio –visual elements that captivates and glue the viewer(s) to the screen. Its’ kaleidoscopic nature could eb accountable for its overpowering pull on viewers.



Other attractive aspects of television border on the opportunity it affords viewers to watch in near graphic details events taking place thousands of kilometers away, in the confines and comfort of their homes. The television has turned the world into a global village that, today, we could conveniently, talk about a globalize human family. Today courtesy of the television, human kind could be said to now “espouse” one culture, one value, one habit. Unfortunately, most of what the television beams into our living rooms and bedrooms are often harmful to our cultural values.

Though it has changed the rhythm of global human existence, its unbridled influence on the impregnable minds of our youths and family can not be over stressed. Parent and care givers need not assume that, with the television, all that glitters, is gold since its influence, cannot be touched, felt or easily grasped by the mind. Undoubtedly, the TV has helped to foster family unit by ensuring, that, at least, members are always, around, to watch favourite programmes.

During such period, every one is seated and absolute silence elevated.

With the TV, communication that is meant to be a dialogue becomes a monologue. Indeed, the TV sedates and hypnotizes. It removes most traces of human affection and communal participation. Rather than being physically present, people prefer to watch on the television. Admittedly, the television has made many realize there’s a whole vast world out there, beyond ones’ immediate environment.

It has fostered negative images, dysfunctional feelings behaviours, thus given rise to compromised values and ethics, which parents find strange and tough to explain, handle and curtail on their children/wards upbringing. What this portends is that parents must always intervene and decisively too. As, there’s irresistible pressure on children to confirm, and act out, what they see on the screen. TV has become a still box that traps children – their emotions and feelings. A latter-day baby sitter and toddler care giver, in the absence of a nourishing caring and warm parenthood. In other climes, parents are concerned about the detrimental impact of TV addiction on their children.

They appreciate, the crisis in childcare, the mystery box has brought about. But, here, the reverse is the case. Rather than being bugged by their children’s curiosity and inquisitives, parents prefer stationing their children right in front of the television-unmindful of the effect of such act on the child’s sight, conversational skills, social relation and community participation. Also, obsessive television viewing, report has it, dulls logical ability, shortens attention and creates incoherent thought patterns in children. According to psychologists, addiction to TV does effect the development of adolescents.

In this regard, what is paramount is for parents/guardians to engage in constant content audit of what programmes that suit their emotional and mental development of their children or wards. The programmes must, be fitting, proper and suitable to the child’s person. So, parents must elect to spend quality time with their children, and not abdicate their responsibility to. As the TV can never be a substitute for the parental live and attention children need. Consequently, parents need a great deal of watching, supervising, conciliating and correcting to do. Similarly since parents have the tool and resources to combat negative media influence, they must be vigilant by watching what their children/wards watch.

Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries

THE NIGERIAN MEDIA AND THE CHALLENGE OF ELECTORAL REFORMS.

THE NIGERIAN MEDIA AND THE CHALLENGE OF ELECTORAL REFORMS.


BY

DR. TOM ADABA
Nigeria experienced its first election into a representative assembly over 50 years ago. Complicated as it was then, it still stood out as a welcome variety from the village square system of participating in the choice of leadership. Elections into the system were not quite rancor free. There were complaints of lack of transparency in some quarters though nowhere near our recent past experiences.

The military who erroneously thought they could do it better came but also failed woefully. The worst complaints and elections petitions were inflicted on this nation after the 2007 General Elections. The election observers generally expressed strong reservations on the 2007 exercise saying it was nowhere near an election. The instruments of massive rigging were perfected by some politicians. Names of Americans like Mike Tyson even had to appear in our voters register when it was very obvious that the renowned boxer had not sought to naturalize in Nigeria.

This shows to what shameful extent some people could go to achieve their selfish objectives. With great sense of humility and responsibility, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on inauguration on May 29th 2007, said he would ensure that the experience of the 2007 exercise would never happen again. He indeed honored his pledge by setting up the Electoral Reform Panel headed by Nigeria’s retired Chief Justice Mohammed Uwais.

The Panel’s report was a true reflection of the aspirations of Nigerians. It is however odd and sad that today that panel report which should have been passed with a resounding applause has become an object of controversy in the National Assembly with executives bills pending. For the Media, the 14 points in the report are simply natural, fair, just, ethical and professional if we are to promote peace and high electoral standards in Nigeria. In all the recommendations that have been made in the report, the Media is bound to play a crucial role in ensuring their success.

The civic, moral and political education to inculcate “norms and values of God consciousness, has a lot to do with the Media. The programmes they set out and transmit could have a tremendous impact on the politicians and the electorate. Dispassionate reportorial, editorials or commentary of events without sensationalizing or distorting them give credibility to the media houses. There is the possibility that some anti-reform elements would want to whittle down and make nonsense of these noble recommendations made for the enthronement of electoral and democratic norms in the country.

The media have a sacred role to passionately champion the realization of the patriotic visionary contents of the report. From experience, the Nigerian media has displayed commendable virtue for effective reporting of events. However, there are a number of other relevant areas that cry for attention. If the media are gate keepers and agenda setters, these must be manifest in their treatment of major events including the Electoral Reform report. There are usually yawning gaps between reports of an event and follow-up investigations. Many times, event that were reported with such pomp and glamour get consigned to history without the citizens being informed of what happens after. The media owe it a duty to revisit some of these, especially where the citizens are shortchanged or defrauded.

As the report clearly points out, there has not been any singular case of sanctions of electoral offences. The media must follow up on such criminal actions as to make it impossible for such people to ever attain any leadership heights in the political arena. It is the media that would refresh the voters’ limited sense of history or deliberate forgetfulness.

If the media must be agenda setters, they must be visionary, honest and committed. Publicized national debates on key issues and dialogues are in the domain of the media. In the words of the report, “the 85 – year old history of Nigeria’s elections shows a progressive degeneration of outcomes. Thus the 2007 elections are believed to be the worst since the first elections held in 1922”.

 Let us now hope and pray that Nigeria has seen the very worst and will now begin to gather the ashes and reconstruct itself for a vibrant democratic future. The media have tremendously helped the process of Nigeria’s independence, united this country even during and after the civil war, driven out some military dictatorships, promoted and enhanced democratic tenets through the years. The Media has done it before; she can do it again.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Food Security and National Development in Nigeria

Food Security and National Development in Nigeria
by Dare Olorunfemi


According to a Yoruba dictum, when hunger is removed from poverty, the remaining features of poverty are bearable.

This saying underscores the import of hunger in defining poverty. To a great extent, one of the most unmistakable indices of poverty in any home or nation is insufficient food.

The quality of the food a people eat is a reflection of the quality of their lives.

Thus, one of the primary achievements of a man in the African setting is his ability to provide quality food for his family.

By extension, a country that is self-sufficient in food has reasons to boast in the comity of nations.

Considering the abundant agro-opportunities around the country, Nigerians have no justifiable reasons to constitute part of the over one billion people currently facing the danger of hunger across the world.



No wonder, then, that the Yar’adua administration has brought to focus the issue of food security as one of the components of the 7-point agenda in the effort to reassert Nigeria ’s status as the giant of Africa .

It is worthy of note that of all the items on the 7-point agenda, food security appears the easiest to attain, with just little co-ordinated efforts to utilize the abundant human and natural resources to reposition Nigeria on the map of the world. Most of what Nigeria needs to be a leading food producer and exporter are within her reach.

Compared with any geographical region of the world, Nigeria has one of the best climates and land resources to cultivate for consumption, exportation and industrialization a wide range of crops in which it enjoys comparative advantages.

Achieving food security in Nigerian is pivot to the success of the Yar’adua administration because this will foster the other six of the 7-point agenda. It is said that a hungry man is an angry man. An angry man is a danger to his neighbourhood and, in fact, a displeasure to himself.

Therefore, a nation with a fragile food security will have a fragile internal security, as it will breed nothing but a population of people with bottled anger, awaiting explosion.

It is a common knowledge that good food enhances immunity and good health. A well-fed child develops intellectually to justify investment in his education.



Besides the nutritional values and industrial potentialities, food is an international identity, as world-class exported food tends to become a cultural ambassador for a country and its people.

On the long run, success in food security as part of the 7-point agenda will affect other efforts to make Nigeria one of the 20 most industrialized nations in the world by the 2020.

It must be reiterated that no government in Nigeria has displayed ignorance of the possibilities of food security in national development.

Whether the policies and programmes have been mere white elephant or paper tiger, whether they are blueprint or mere political statements, whether they are genuine intentions or mere channels of siphoning public money are what Nigeria has found it difficult to give accurate definition.

However, the fact remains that the Nigerian agriculture is still too feeble to compete with the forces of nature and the dynamics of the international market.

The farmer is incompetent to contend with the challenges of the erratic climate change. Whether with too little or too much rains, the Nigerian farmer is still a loser, because he has no stabilizing factors to cope with two extremes. The farmer still largely depends on traditional implement, operated with bare hands.

The Nigerian farm is still a model of incompatible marriage between new ideas such as improved crop varieties and crude age-long working tools of bare-foot old farmer. With so many agricultural universities, faculties and research institutes, Nigeria hardly needs more paper works or theories to attain a comfortable level of food security.

Who does not know that Nigeria needs to change from manual to mechanization?

Who does not know that machine can produce better than the bare hands of the fast-aging population of the poverty-ridden rural dwellers struggling to feed over one hundred and fifty million people? Who does not know that much easier access to one-digit credit facilities will empower the Nigerian farmer to use the abundant land to produce food for local use and export?

The contradiction between what we know and what we choose do in the opposite direction is the great obstacle to attaining food security and other agenda in national development.

Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries

TREATMENT OF VICTIMS OF GUNSHOT AND POLICE REPORTS IN NIGERIA

TREATMENT OF VICTIMS OF GUNSHOT AND POLICE REPORTS IN NIGERIA
By Emperor N. Iwuala

The issue of rejecting gunshot victims by hospitals has been raging for sometime now in the country. There have been series of reports and claims by helpers of gunshot victims, medical practitioners and hospitals, especially private hospitals, that they are harassed by the police for giving medical attention to victims of gunshot without first obtaining police reports. On their part, the police have always denied these allegations.

However, In a recent debate on a bill for compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshot the Chairman of Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Umaru Dahiru unequivocally confirmed that there exists a police circular precluding medical doctors from treating gunshot victims without police reports.

Many Nigerians have condemned this policy. Be that as it may, the truth remains that, because of the prevalent belief that majority of gunshot victims are either armed robbers or hoodlums. Consequently, thousands of victims of gunshots in the country have lost their lives because of this ugly situation. A typical example is the callous and inhuman treatment meted out to the Late Assistant News Editor of the Guardian Newspaper, Mr. Bayo Ohu who was brutally shot by unknown gunmen in his house in Lagos few months ago. Ohu, according to reports, was rushed to one of the hospitals in Lagos after he was shot and was left to bleed to death because there was no police report on him.

Painful cases like these happen daily in nooks and crannies of the country especially among the poor masses that may not be given the privilege of self recognition. Incidents of assassination, kidnapping and armed robbery are now very high in the country and on several occasions, these hoodlums shoot innocent citizens indiscriminately to get what they want. Such incidents sometimes happen in places and in circumstances where it is always very difficult to access a police report as quickly as possible. While medical practitioners continue to shy away from treating them for fear of police harassment, such victims are usually allowed to die in their own pool of blood while waiting for police reports.
Ironically, it is the primary duty of the police to protect lives and properties. Section 303 of the Criminal Code imposes a legal duty on medical practitioners who undertake to administer medical treatment to any person to use reasonable care in doing so. It further provides that a medical practitioner who causes a patient’s death is guilty of manslaughter if, by his negligence his actions constitute such a disregard for life and safety. In addition, refusal or rejection of gunshot victims is a crime and contravenes section 10/4/Z of the Federal Road Safety Code and it attracts a fine of N50, 000.00 and above.

Interestingly, the Federal Government has recently issued a directive that all hospitals across the country must treat gunshot victims or face criminal charges. Also, there is a bill currently in the Senate for the compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshots. The bill, when passed into law, would render production of police reports before treatment of gunshot victims illegal. With all these provisions it is now clear that there is no justification in insisting for a police report before a gunshot wound is treated.

We must acknowledge that there are moral, divine and legal provisions any where humans beings exist for the sanctity and dignity of the human life. Therefore, citizens, medical practitioners and the police in this country should rise up to stop this obnoxious practice which has lead to the sad and unjust deaths of many. Nobody knows who may be a victim tomorrow, as an Igbo proverb say, ‘he who sees a fowl using it legs to trample on excreter with its leg, should chase it away because nobody knows who would eat leg of the chicken when it is cooked’

Source FRCN.Recorded live from daily commentaries

THE NEED FOR ATTITUDINAL CHANGE AMONG NIGERIANS

THE NEED FOR ATTITUDINAL CHANGE AMONG NIGERIANS
BY


HARUNA IDRIS


In contemporary times, the term democracy has assumed different connotations. However many agree that certain basic traits must be met as a precondition for ensuring a stable and enduring democratic polity. For these set of observers therefore, democracy means governance in which adult citizen’s PARTICIPATE through their freely elected representatives, governance in which the rights of citizens are encouraged and allowed.

These rights include the freedom of speech, religion, opinion and association, the assertion of the rule of law, majority rule accompanied by the rights of the minorities. Above all it also entails a society in which there is treatment of each other by citizens as equals and with the distinct absence of class feelings and discrimination. From the above characteristic therefore, it can be DEDUCED that enduring democracy can only be attained by evolution. For this to be achieved, it is the supreme duty of all in a polity, particularly opinion leaders to show and exhibit greater interest in the affairs of the state.

The behavioural traits exhibited by Nigerians as reflected in the teething challenges faced by the nation’s democracy do not portend good signs for the future. More than ten years since the nation’s return to democracy, not much has been achieved in terms of inculcating the right values to ensure seamless transition. Among the political class rigging and all sorts of electoral malpractices still abound, aggrandisement, violence, corruption and other vices are their stoke in trade.

Among the populace indiscipline, the get rich quick syndrome and the enthronement and acceptance of mediocrity seem to bedevil every part of the society. All these have contributed in ensuring that the nation’s political development is still in its infancy. Infact many analysts have contended that Nigerians would have to remedy those behavioural traits which have made outside commentators to look at events and developments in the country from unfavourable stereotypes.

For as is indeed correct, the nation’s image abroad derives mainly from the successes or failures we have made of our domestic affairs. There is therefore the need for Nigerians to move away from the current negativism about our nation.

As one prominent citizen observed recently and I quote ‘We curse our land, we curse our leadership, we curse our government, we curse our people, and we curse the strangers and guests among us. The older generation curses the youth. And finally we end up cursing ourselves. What is needed at this point in the nation’s history, more than ever before, is a reversal of the current wave of negativism that seems to pervade our national psyche.

The present situation in which the nation finds itself is not palatable. Alienation, aloofness and cynicism are poor remedies for our present condition. What is more, Nigerians have the brain power that can easily transform the nation into a politically stable and economically prosperous nation.

What is needed is the will to work together and to share experiences. Despite our observable shortcomings, despite the catalogue of failures in the past, despite injustices suffered by some citizens and neglect, there is a compelling need for all Nigerians to come together, forget the past, and exhibit an air of tolerance and forgiveness towards each other. Only then can we begin to evolve the tenets of civilisation which can guarantee democratic principles.

Our destiny is in our hands for us to survive as a nation.

We must resolve to salvage the nation from its current problems there is a real need for attiudinal change among nigerians. The whole world is watching and we must rise up to the supreme responsibility with courage and serenity.



Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries

IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND RANKING OF NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND RANKING OF NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
BY


GABRIEL ALUM





It is a well known fact that ninety percent of what exist today as universities in Nigeria could simply be regarded as mere glorified secondary schools.

This is because most of the nation’s universities are characterized by infrastructural decay and paucity of fund for research purposes. Perhaps, these and other factors may have been sources of the current quagmire and face off between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. In swift response to the demands of the striking lecturers, the federal government recently announced plans to upgrade thirteen institutions including six universities with the sum of forty-seven billion naira ETF funds Of this amount, thirty-three billion naira was earmarked for universities, excluding amounts set aside for research, scholarly publications, journals and text books. These undoubtedly, account for the inability of the nation’s universities to fall within the fifty in Africa, while internationally, none in the top one thousand.

This laudable decision of government was said to be informed by the need to improve the quality of education in the tertiary institutions and boost the continental and global rating of Nigerian universities, against the backdrop of their continued poor ratings in Africa and the world at large. This reality is in the least consideration worrisome and embarrassing to a country that prides itself as the giant of Africa and which is trying to position itself in the top twenty economies of the world by the year 2020. There is no doubt, universities are very important to the overall national development.

It is recognized by all including policy makers that the quality of education across the entire spectrum has fallen to almost irredeemable levels.
This has led to several calls for a declaration of emergency in the sector, underscoring the level of decay in the system. This decline is amply reflected in the poor performance of Nigerian graduates in simple aptitudes and basic tasks, complaints about competence of professionals such as medical doctors and also the rejection of Nigerian graduates and by many foreign institutions.

Various factors have been adduced as contributing to the sharp decline in quality, including the strong voice of the former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Professor Peter Okebukola. These have been identified to include poor quality of students, quality and quantity of academic staff, poor state of teaching, learning and research infrastructure such as laboratories, equipment, classrooms, lecture theatres, studios, obsolete books and journals, staff and students welfare in the forms of housing, hostels, water supply, electricity etc.

The decline in quality is being increasingly manifested by ascending of mediocrity in research, award of higher degrees and even promotion to professional chairs. In may universities for instance, the primary imperative for management is to produce more PhDs, Senior lecturers and Professors to meet NUC accreditation requirements in order to avoid the stigma and embarrassment of denied programmes. The International paradigm for accreditation and rating entails collecting data of indicators of quality which are then weighed for each institution.

They include staff-student ratio, percentage of foreign students and staff, research output, students retention rates, average amount spent on each student, alumni donations, graduates job prospects, students selectivity, number of publications and their impact factors and citations.

There are however indicators which are difficult for most Nigerians universities to meet such as number of publications in elite journals such as nature and science, number of nobel prizes won, number of highly cited researchers and peer review by international panel of experts.

Also of great concern is the caliber of professors turned out by the nation’s universities. This is because the award of professorship is often politically motivated. It is indeed disheartening to listen to some of the nation’s so called Professors speaking in the public or presenting lecturers during seminars or conferences. Their standard of English is nothing to write home about.

Moreover, the rate at which professorship is awarded needs to be reviewed. How could one be awarded such an enviable title without outstanding researches and publications? The Nigerian university has been in a free fall since the late eighties, spanning over three decades.

Therefore fixing the ailments is a kin to a chronic disease which requires not only strong medicine but prolonged treatment over a long time. Again, crucially important in raising standards and quality of a university is the academic capacity to conduct cutting edge research which has been replaced over the decades by pedestrian and mediocre research activities and publications.

Simply put, the nation’s PhDs and Professors and nowhere close to international standards particularly in the basic, applied and physical and engineering sciences.

Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PA FRESH JOHNNY DUDAFA

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PA FRESH JOHNNY DUDAFA
BY


OKPOITARI DIONGOLI


It is exactly twenty years today when the lights went out for Pa Fresh Johnny Dudafa. Pa Dudafa, one of the leading lights of his generation, came, saw and conquered the challenges of life leaving in its trail sweet memories of a great father, disciplinarian, businessman, community leader, Nationalist and a peace-maker. He was born in 1919 at Ayibabiri town Kolokuma in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area to Mr. and Mrs Dudafa Ligha.

He had his Primary education at the prestigious Proctor Memorial Primary School, Kaiama and at the age of eighteen the young Johnny Dudafa set out of the shores of Ayibabiri in search of greener pastures. His first port of call was Lagos and later Gold Coast now Ghana where he came face to face with the harsh realities of life. As a man of courage and determination, he quickly adjusted and started life as a house-keeper and rose through the ranks to become a cook and later Steward in the service of the then Colonial Administration.

The situation did not deter him neither did it blur his sense of vision and mission to attain greatness in life. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Chief Fresh Dudafa enlisted with the West African Frontier Force and was deployed to fight for the allied forces. Chief Fresh Johnny Dudafa’s military exploits took him to several countries in the West, East and Southern parts of Africa, Europe and Asia. At the end of the war, he went to South Africa where he was eventually discharged from the military and was honored and decorated with several medals. While in South Africa, Chief Dudafa was trained in Blacksmithing and later in Mechanical Engineering and acquired a Diploma in Anatomy.

In 1947 he returned to Nigeria and worked briefly at the specialist hospital in Choba, Port-Harcourt. By reason of his exposure and experience, he was appointed Chief to the Native and later Customary court at Oloibiri in 1956 by the colonial administration until the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil war in 1966. By 1967 he was engaged in the services of the Shell British Petroleum as a security Chief. In 1976 Chief Fresh Johnny Dudafa was employed in Metalloplastica in Port-Harcourt as a site Controller and later Personnel Manager a position he held until retirement in 1984 to Ayibabiri where he settled as a trader until his passing away on October, 11, 1989. Pa Dudafa also had a rich political career as he was a front line member of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroon (NCNC).

Similarly, by 1978 when the military commenced the process to return the country to Democratic Governance, Pa Dudafa again played a vital role in the formation of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) which eventually won the elections in 1979. He laid a solid educational foundation for his children to STAND tall wherever they find themselves. The seed of discipline and industry Pa Dudafa instilled in his children has marked the Dudafas out in virtually all fields of human endeavors.

His children have collectively carried the barner of the Dudafa dynasty with dignity; excelling in their various fields and contributing to the Bayelsa state as well as to national development. For the late quintessential Pa Fresh Johnny Dudafa, a grand remembrance event has been planned to take place in the state. Friends and well wishers are enjoined to use the opportunity to reflect on the good, hardworking and patriotic legacies of Pa DUDAFA.

Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

MIMIKO’S STRATEGY FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC REVOLUTION IN ONDO STATE

MIMIKO’S STRATEGY FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC REVOLUTION IN ONDO STATE
BY: AMOS OLATOYE

It is six months since Ondo , the sunshine state, was set on the path of restoration following the appeal court sitting in Benin which upheld the earlier verdict of the Justice Garba Nabaruma-led tribunal confirming Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of the labour party as the rightful winner of the April 2007 Governorship election in Ondo State. Having been given the mandate to lead his people, Governor Olusegun Mimiko wasted no time in wiping the tears of anguish from their faces by opening a new vista of hope. The governor unveiled a 12-point programme christened “A caring Heart” –the key to unlocking the potential of the state.

To actualize his massive rural transformation vision, Dr. Mimiko initiated the “Quick win”, project through community “Change Agents”. The “Change Agents” in less than two months traversed 80 communities across three local government areas. Eighty projects were identified at a cost of Five Million Naira each per community for which N350 Million has been earmarked. This wholesome novel idea billed for execution within two months enables each community to identify and choose its own project in the area of felt-need. In the education sector, Governor Mimiko, within few days in Office approved the 27.5% Teachers’ salary Structure (TSS). Nine secondary schools Principals were elevated to the position of Tutors-General, a Permanent Secretary’s status in the civil service to rekindle commitment and re-assure teachers that reward should start here on earth. Governor Mimiko broke the logjam at the State government owned Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, by paying all the ten months arrears of salaries owed the staff. The institution which was earlier shut down is now re-opened.

A prompt intervention in the Health sector saw Governor Olusegun Mimiko establishing a Mother and Child hospital within a month in office. Apart from decongesting the Akure State Specialist Hospital , the Mother and Child hospital with five large wards and specialized Medicare will be available free to the highly vulnerable group - the pregnant women and children, from zero age to five years including surgeries where needed.

This is in addition to the re-opening of the General Hospital at Igbotako which was shut many years ago. Following the foot-steps of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo who expressed concern over primitive system of farming” Dr. Mimiko ordered an increase in tractors for farmers and procured over N200 Million agricultural input with 30% subsidy for sale to farmers. In the first 100 days, 40 solar-powered boreholes were completed to cater for the immediate needs of some critical segment of the society and emerging residential layouts in Akure. As part of its housing policy the Mimiko administration, the first set of 350, out of the 1,500 housing units designed for Akure are being completed at Oba-Ile and Oda road. Some moribund industries such as the Cocoa Catalytic Industry in Idanre and the Alpha D Industry in Ikare have received new lease of life and are almost resuming production. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to produce a gas master plan has been signed with Shell. Hence gas is to be piped to an industrial village to be centrally located at Ore.

A real manifestation of a Caring Heart was the prompt response of Governor Mimiko to the plight of residents of more than 350 houses who were rendered homeless after a devastating rainstorm. In the same week, Fifty Million Naira was released to provide trailer loads of relief materials and cash gifts, including restoration of electricity to the affected areas. In another vein, the Governor took, headlong, the reconstruction of the failed portion of the Ogbese/Owo federal road including massive drainages on both sides of the roads to save Thousands of lives at risk on the busy highway. The State Government has also begun a massive reconstruction of all roads starting from the capital city, Akure. Governor Olusegun Mimiko released the sum of fifty Million naira for over 200 groups of market women under the Special Market Women Improvement Loan Scheme (SMILES) with only 9% interest rate and without any collateral.

So far, 700 individual market women have benefited across the 3 senatorial districts of Ondo State in the first phase. Close to the heart of Governor Mimiko is the transformation of the State into one in which its wealth is equitably distributed. It therefore behooves on all to begin to see a New Ondo State, where dreams are becoming realities and words are fast turning into action; a state where every action of government is people–centered. As, the Governor declared. “The reason why we are in government is because of the people. We must make our people in Ondo State Happy”.

Source FRCN.Recorded Live from the daily commentaries

SPECIAL FEATURE ON COMMODORE AMADI GUY IKWECHEGH (OFR)

SPECIAL FEATURE ON COMMODORE
AMADI GUY IKWECHEGH (OFR)
By Joseph ANYIM

Commodore Amadi Guy Ikwechegh, OFR will no doubt CONTINUE TO enjoy the privilege of occupying the centre stage in Nigeria’s military hall of fame on account of his diligent and patriotic service to the nation and the Nigerian Navy in particular for over 33 years. A man of indomitable spirit, strength, character and discipline, Retired Commodore Ikwechegh would always be remembered for his integrity, hard work, patriotism and courage in the service to both man and God.

The passing on of Commodore Amadi Ikwechegh, former member of the Provisional Ruling Council in the USA and reactions that trailed the news have once again unmistakably laid bare the high value of his service to the nation. Born on 25 February 1951 into the family of Late Chief and Mrs. Oturu Ikwechegh of Amakpo Autonomous Community, Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, IKWECHEGH attended Igbere Central School Igbere and Aba Township School FOR HIS PRIMARY EDUCATION. Between 1963 and 1966 he passed through the Nigeria Military School Zaria and later Government College Umuahia WHICH was interrupted by the Nigerian Civil War in 1967.


Commodore Amadi Ikwechegh was however undaunted as he was admitted into the Nigeria Defence Academy in July 1971 and subsequently commissioned a Sub Lieutenant in January, 1974. While in service, Commodore Ikwechegh attended several military and civil courses including the Britannia Royal Naval College United Kingdom and graduated with a First Class, Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic School Sydney and the United States Naval Oceanographic School. He ATTENDED the Prestigious Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji between August 1985 and July 1986 and was a member of the National War College Course 5. Other Academic credentials of Commodore Amadi Ikwechegh included a Diploma in Hydrographic Survey and Oceanography and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan.


THESE laurels and awards prepared him to serve the Nation creditably in different capacities. For instance, he commanded NNS LANA the Nigeria Navy Survey Ship and carried NNS Erinomi for ECOMOG peace keeping operations in 1991 during which time he also acted as the Commander Naval Task Force and Chief of Naval Operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Commodore Amadi Ikwechegh also held a unique record of commanding three of the Navy operational bases namely Beecroft, NNS ANANSA and NNS OKEMINI, NNS Victory and NNS Pathfinder respectively. He was appointed Military Governor of the Old Imo State in 1986, which revealed his rare administrative acumen, courage and professionalism in handling state affairs. He built on the foundation laid by his predecessors in office and largely contributed to changing the Infrastructural development of Owerri, the state capital and other major towns and communities. Commodore Ikwechegh was also a recipient of the National Honour of Commander of the Order of Mono Republic of Togo in 1987. He was happily married to Nwamaka and BLESSED WITH Children. Commodore Amadi Guy Ikwechegh had a vision for the Nigerian Navy and made contributions that have had profound salutary effects on the Navy. Even after his retirement in 1999 he continued in the time honoured path of duty and selfless service to the nation. Burial arrangements RELEASED INDICATE THAT there will be a service of songs at his residence in Port Harcourt on Tuesday 15th December, 2009 by 6pm and a requiem mass at Mater Miscericodian Catholic Church, Rumuomasi Port Harcourt on Wednesday at 10 am.

The remains of Commodore Amadi Guy Ikwechegh will depart Port Harcourt on Thursday 17th Dec. 2009 for his home town Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State with flag stops at his Port Harcourt Residence, Multi Purpose hall, Owerri and Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia. There will be a funeral service for the departed statesman at Igbere Secondary School Field before interment on Friday 18th December, 2009. The Nation will surely miss Amadi as a courageous, disciplined and professional Naval Officer and Administrator, who served his Fatherland WITH PATRIOTISM.

Source FRCN.Recorded Live from the daily commentaires

CIVIC EDUCATION AND ETHICAL REVOLUTION IN NIGERIA

CIVIC EDUCATION AND ETHICAL REVOLUTION IN NIGERIA
BY:


FIDEL AGU


The NEED TO re-engineer the process of INCULCATING civic education in our primary and secondary schools has become very OBVIOUS in the face of FAST dwindling national consciousness, social harmony and patriotic zeal. As far back as the 1980s, it became painfully evident that the lack of civic education and patriotic orientation had led to disorientation in schools and the larger society. The consequences were being felt at all strata of our society.

That was probably, why the Political Bureau set up by the Babangida administration recommended, in March 1987, the establishment of a Directorate for Social Mobilization MEMSER which eventually transformed into the National Orientation Agency NOA. Events of the recent past have indicated that Nigeria is facing the threat of loosing its much cherished sense of nationhood, cultural identity and indeed, hospitable spirit.

Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries

The prevalence of trend of corruption, indiscipline, disrespect for both elders and the rule of law, indifference to duty are some of the manifestations of negative trends in the Nigerian society. There is therefore need for urgent value re-orientation because of their far reaching impact on national development. In all these, the school can not be left out.

The efforts of the National Orientation Agency and the National Technical Committee on Civic Education in initiating the writing of textbooks on Civic Education for Nigerian schools should be commended. The importance of Civic Education in the entire social re-engineering process cannot be over-emphasized especially in our country’s desire to further deepen democracy, encourage the qualitative participation of the average Nigerian in the process of governance well as promoting people driven democracy.

Furthermore, it underscores government’s commitment to address the issue of ethics and values as well as the socialization of Nigerian children through citizenship education.

The recent botched bombing of a US airliner by a young Nigerian is a challenge to the nation particularly in this regard. The incidence has among other issues thrown up the question of our national value system. Hardly would it have been fathomed that a Nigerian would want to embark on suicide mission.

More challenging is the fact that the misguided Youngman got the radical orientation from foreign countries where he had gone to school. Despite that the NOA and other relevant agencies have a serious task before then in unraveling and finding ways of preventing re-occurrence because no matter how we look at it the mud is on us as a nation. Indeed, civic education has the potential of producing a labour force with the right kind of value that will enhance industrial growth and development.

To say the least, this ethical reform programme is a critical element in the Human Capital component of the President’s Seven-Point-Agenda. Speaking at the public presentation of the books in Abuja, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Alhaji Idi Faruk said the next phase will be the capacity building process for teachers who are expected to carry out the appropriate dissemination of the contents of the books in the classrooms.

To this end, teachers are very critical to the success of this bold initiative. Theirs is to inculcate the right kind of values through effective teaching of civic education. It is gratifying therefore to note that the National Orientation Agency working in collaboration with other members of the Technical Committee will undertake a capacity building programme for teachers at all levels for the sustainability of Civic Education in the Nigerian School Curriculum.

It should ALSO be noted that the evolvement and sustenance of appropriate levels of social and national consciousness is the responsibility of all AND sundry. While government provides the opportunities for individuals and groups to make valid contributions to reviving a value-based nationalistic spirit, it is important to note that education and conscious positive information sharing hold the key to ensuring that citizens exhibit acceptance standards of socialization. IT IS THEREFORE A JOB FOR ALL. Parents should also be an integral part of the process as they constitute the first socialization contact for children.

Inclusion of Nigeria on U.S. list for tighter screening



BY:


STANLEY NWOSU


Following the botched attempt to bring down a Northwest Airlines Airbus A330 by a Nigerian Omar Faruk Abdulmutallab, several issues have arisen. Prominent and most worrisome is the inclusion of Nigeria on a U.S list of terrorism prone nations.

Despite Nigeria’s assurances of co-operation with local and international security agencies, the Transport Security Administration in Washington went ahead to administer tighter security measures AGAINST Nigeria and thirteen other countries which include Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Cuba, Yemen and Sudan.

Others are Algeria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Syria. According to the statement, all passengers flying into the United States from abroad will be subject to random screening or the so-called “threat-based screens”. It further mandated that every individual flying into the U.S. from anywhere in the world, travelling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism would be required to go through enhanced screening. The truth of the matter is that no individual or country will blame the U.S. government for taking extra steps to protect its people and property from foreign aggressions.

At the same time, no individual or country would want to join issues with America on the matter. Nigeria is also not unaware that in matters such as this, the law ought to take its course. But in investigating the matter or passing judgement on Farouk Abdulmutalab, or even in the inclusion of Nigeria in its terrorist watch list, America should put into consideration, a lot of factors.

In fact, the Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili was very apt to tell foreign and local media in separate interviews, within the week, that America’s decision to include Nigeria on its list for tighter screening is unfair as the country does not have or intend to have terrorists tendencies.

The Minister put it very clearly and the U.S must bear this in mind for whatever action it would take on this issue, that Farouk Abudulmutalab’s action was a one off thing. That the young man was neither influenced nor trained or even recruited in Nigeria, and therefore couldn’t have been supported whatsoever in Nigeria.

According to the Minister, it will be very unfair to discriminate against over one hundred and fifty million people because of the behaviour of one person. In other words Abdulmutalab’s behaviour is not reflective of Nigerians. INDEED Nigeria is a peace loving country WITH CITIZENS THAT LOVE GOOD LIFE AND ABHORS aggressive attack on any country. Leading credence to voice of reason was the former president Olusegun Obasanjo with words of caution for US and her allies against criminalising the rest of Nigerians over a single MISGUIDED act of AN individual. America should as a matter of fact, put into consideration in the course of its investigations and in enforcing strict security measures on Nigeria, the need to uncover any individual, group or country that served as an accomplice in the act.

All this will go a long way in enabling the U.S. pass a fair and balanced judgement on Nigeria as a country and perhaps, see reasons to dismiss Farouk’s act as a misguided one, as a result of NEGATIVE foreign influence. The ENTIRE nations’ since facts began to emerge had been united in condemning the act and the blacklisting of Nigeria by the US. HOWEVER, there is the need for a multi – media campaign including using international media to convince the world that although Farouk had been allegedly caught trying to commit a crime, Nigeria as a nation does not have terrorists tendencies.

The Federal Government should as a matter of urgency, use diplomatic approaches to convince the U.S. and the entire world that Nigeria is a peace loving country and would not have ventured into anything that would halt its bilateral relations with other countries. Apparently, it is not going to be an easy task, given the prejudicial statements most WESTERN commentators have made, but it is important FOR EVERY NIGERIAN HOME AND ABROAD TO INSIST ON THE NATION’S INNOCENCE IN THIS MATTER. Nigerians should stand up in one accord and defend their COUNTRY.


Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries