TheNewsGuru

Tag: Dakuku Peterside

  • Power begins with Voter registration – Dakuku Peterside

    Power begins with Voter registration – Dakuku Peterside

    By Dakuku Peterside

    It is a cliche to refer to youths as “future leaders of Nigeria”, ignoring the fact that they have a role to play now in the leadership of this country. Some youths are even wired to wait endlessly for a tomorrow that may never come. Little wonder we see an unprecedented level of political apathy amongst the youth. When youths get involved in politics, they sometimes allow themselves to be used as thugs to either truncate the process or create havoc on the electoral system. The political apathy of the youths denies them the front line role of designing, developing, and influencing the future they want. Other youths see politics and governance as dirty, risky, and unimportant. This anomaly must change if we are going to build a great country that will compete among the comity of nation-states in this 21st century. Youths, “your vote is your power” and that power begins with Voter registration .

    For Nigerian youths to make a difference in the long term, they must be engaged in formal political processes and have a say in formulating today’s and tomorrow’s politics and policies. Inclusive political participation is a fundamental political and democratic right and is crucial to building stable and peaceful societies and developing policies that respond to the specific needs of younger generations. For young people to be adequately represented in political institutions, processes, and decision- making, and particularly in elections, they must get involved. The first critical step is to get a voter’s card that enables them to become participants, decision-makers, and influencers. Criticising from the side-lines or on social media would not make much difference.

    Participation in the electoral process affords the young the power to decide on the quality of life for themselves and future generations.Nothing gives you power to make changes in policies and programmes like having a voter’s card and going out to vote. If young people do not vote, someone else will decide for them, and it may not be about their interest. The real power is in your one vote. The INEC continuous voter registration is the opportunity to get involved, take advantage of the changing demographics and champion a new vision for society. Future generations are depending on your ‘one vote’ to secure the unknown future.

    INEC recently commenced the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR). According to the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, intended registrants created 331 accounts on the CVR online pre-registration portal, launched at 7 a.m. on June 28. He claimed sadly that barely 24 hours after the launch, only 59,331 accounts have been created; 42,211 applications received, out of which 27,759 individuals applied for new voter pre-registration services. We expect a better uptake than this, and we implore every one of voting age, especially the youths, to engage actively in this process.

    Nigeria’s population is about 200 million people, and more than half of this number is within the voting age range. The country has, over recent times, been a hotbed for voter apathy. During the last general elections and the presidential election held in 2019,for the first time in history since the return to democracy in 1999, Nigeria recorded the lowest voter turnout rate of 34.75 per cent. This rate is the lowest of all recent elections held on the African continent. Data compiled by International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (I-IDEA), an intergovernmental organisation that supports sustainable democracy worldwide, reveals that the turnout of voters in that election happens to be thesecond lowestin the history of elections held in African countries, only slightly better than the 32.3 per cent recorded in the 1996 Zimbabwean presidential election.

    A look at other African countries helps to put the situation in better perspective. The top 10 countries with the highest voter turnout in their most recent polls are Rwanda: 98.2 per cent, Equatorial Guinea — 92.7 per cent, Angola — 90.4 per cent, Seychelles — 90.1 per cent, Guinea Bissau — 89.3 per cent, Zimbabwe — 86.8 per cent, Sierra Leone — 84.2 per cent, Kenya — 79.5 per cent, Liberia — 75.2 per cent, and Burundi —73.4 per cent.

    Understandably, several issues induce voter apathy amongst Nigerians. Some of these include pervasive insecurity, violence, incessant postponement of elections, poor planning and clumsy voting process. Many Nigerians see the days of elections as work-free rest days during which they can sleep , play football or engage in household chores.

    Another contributory factor to voter apathy is that most citizens have lost faith in the democratic process. Often, some of our political leaders end up disappointing those who stayed for hours in queues, under the rain and sun, to cast votes for them. These disappointed citizens would no longer be keen to go through the rigour for another round of elections. If democracy is delivering development to the people, it will increase voters’ turnout because there is a clear link between democratic development and campaign promises. When people’s lives are not improved, when poverty, misery, injustice, and inequality are institutionalised, people find it difficult to connect to the social contract they entered through voting and the deliverables from democracy.

    Another reason is the crisis of confidence in democratic institutions. Some elections held in the country in recent years have dampened citizens’ interest in the electoral process. Due to incessant rigging of elections by politicians, some Nigerians have concluded that their votes would never count. This problem is exacerbated by killings, arson, and the level of violence and ‘militarisation’ of the Nigerian electoral process and the campaign of calumny of which Nigerian political parties are known, which demeans the electoral process.

    Be that as it may, everyone, especially the youths, should not be put off voting and other forms of participation in the political process by these numerous electoral challenges . Voting is an inalienable right that every citizen must exercise. If participatory democracy is indeed the best form of government, every citizen must be involved in this process, especially the youths. Your voters card is your power to ensure continuity of excellent government or removal of bad government at the local, state, and federal levels.

    Elections have consequences, and the implications of poor voter participation in a democracy are dire. These implications are in terms of the policies, ideologies, and focus of the government. And it is improbable that the policies of the government will reflect popular interests unless the majority participate. It is arguably true that , in an ideal situation, an elected official or somebody running for office will not spend as much time focusing on the needs and interests of people who do not vote.They will most likely focus on the needs and interests of those who do vote because they are accountable to them during the voting process – they can be voted in or out by the voters.

    By voting, the voters exercise power to decide on the quality of life for themselves and future generations. Voting is the chance for the citizen to stand up for the issues they care about and affect their lives. It is a time for the citizens to decide what is best for them. The voters who do not vote give up their voice. The voters decide the election. When people do not vote, others will decide for them. The power of the citizen over the politician is the vote. By voting, the citizen chooses what public funds would be used for because they determine the candidate who best aligns with their philosophy, aspiration, and outlook.
    Besides, voting offers the citizen the opportunity to change the system. It is an opportunity for the citizen to impact and bring greater good to the community . The citizens have the chance to make their voices heard. Any other peaceful or violent way to change the system apart from elections is unconstitutional and a waste of time. Young people should desist from such wasteful protests demanding for change of government. Their weapon is their votes, starting from getting a voters card.

    Youths exercising their right to vote would never mean much if they do not weigh their options against their values and demands of leadership to elect representatives who can employ those values and leadership skills in their work for the common good. Therefore, before casting votes, youths should find out the strengths they want to see in a candidate and the weaknesses they hope to avoid. Simple research can help them find every candidate’s position on issues that affect their lives or are essential to them.

    Our youths should realise that the best way to impact government and governance is to be an integral part of the democratic process. They must be active participants in this process. Youths should spend more time and show more interest in the political process. Our youths’ political participation will exponentially increase if the attention they pay to social media sleaze and TV entertainment programmes (Big Brother Naija, Naija Got Talent, and the English Premier League) is shown to the political process. They will take back their future from the hands of the older generation, who unfortunately are making policy decisions that they will not be alive to see the consequences. Then, our youths will genuinely become “leaders of tomorrow.”

    In conclusion, youths should translate their anger (against “political jobbers” and “political contractors” masquerading as leaders and seeking the political office) into participation in the electoral process. They should always vote or be voted for. They should eschew all forms of violence and never allow anybody to convince and use them to subvert the electoral system. They should become politically literate and never fall prey to the pernicious propaganda of ethnic bigotry and religious fanaticism. No matter where young people come from in Nigeria, their problems, pains, and aspirations are the same. A better Nigeria now and for posterity is the dream of all. I, therefore, implore all, but especially our youths, to engage actively with the INEC registration process and, in due time, use their votes to decide the destiny of this great nation.

  • Transcending the lean times – Dakuku Peterside

    Transcending the lean times – Dakuku Peterside

     

    By Dakuku Peterside

    Criticism makes leaders wake up, and it puts them on their toes. It is a natural component of leadership. We all acknowledge that it is always easier to criticise than to appreciate; hence Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers and a political philosopher, has this to say,”any fool can criticise, condemn and complain and most fools do “. However, when we see flashes of creative, courageous,and competent leadership, let us celebrate and encourage them. Amid challenges of acute insecurity, rising poverty levels and gloom and doom that have enveloped the country’s current climate and threaten the current administration’s legacy, some ministries, departments, and agencies have defied the odds to show that there is indeed hope for Nigeria. These MDAs’ and dedicated Nigerians have demonstrated innovation, courage, and hard work to meet leadership challenges.

    There are pockets of sweet tales here and there under this government that the man on the street feels is insensitive to his yearnings and aspirations. These tales of sweetness from a handful of Ministries, departments, and agencies prove that visionary and transformational leadership can deliver giant strides and dividends even in chaotic and beleaguered environments. It is also an affirmation that within the context of public service with bureaucratic challenges, it is possible to achieve a credible outcome that will significantly impact the socio-economic lives of the people. An X-ray of three of these MDAs, amongst others, will show that honest, focused, and visionary leadership is all we need to change our growth trajectory as a nation.

    The Federal Ministry of Transportation, through various rail projects, has been making immense strides in impacting the lives of Nigerians. Under the able leadership of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (a driver of change and a man who chose to do things differently), the ministry identified rail transport as a catalyst for economic development. Since the inception of the present administration, it has built 3,505km of Narrow Gauge (NG) rails lines; 186 km network of Standard Gauge (SG) lines, linking Abuja to Rigasa in Kaduna State; 302 km network of Standard Gauge (SG) rail lines from Itakpe, Kogi State to Warri, Delta State; and additional 185.5km Double SG Lagos to Ibadan Rail lines with extension to Apapa Sea Port nearing completion.

    These rail lines connect different parts of the country to prosperity. New rail lines have had a small but significant impact on the lives of ordinary people who have come to see new possibilities in our county instead of just gloom that pervades the land. Testimonials abound about how rail crisscrossing different parts of the country have affected many ordinary people’s economic fortune.

    The ministry also plans to build other Standard Gauge (SG) Routes from Ibadan to Kano, Kano – Kazaure – Daura – Katsina – Jibiya to link Maradi in Niger Republic, Port Harcourt-Aba-Enugu- Makurdi-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Maiduguri and Lagos-Ijebu Ode-Benin-Yenagoa-Port Harcourt-Aba-Uyo-Calabar (Coastal Rail Corridor). Even when some of these projects have not commenced, most citizens believe the Minister because he has demonstrated a track record of openness, dedication, and honesty in the discharge of his assignment.

    The ministry procured and received seven new SG Coaches commissioned in October 2019 for train service on the Itakpe-Warri line; received six new standard gauge Locomotives, nine freight Locomotives, two Diesel Shunters, two DMUs and 44 Coaches to ensure that the rail lines function effectively.

    The ministry also embarked on the modification and upgrade of Microwave Communication Equipment with 72 Repeater Sites to provide a backbone for the Automated Train Warranty (ATW) Signalling System; Intercom communication within the railway network; Passenger information, CCTV, and Internet services; deployed Walkthrough scanners at Idu, Kubwa, Jere and Rigasa Stations for improved security.

    There is also the Lagos Mass Transit Train, in which there are 12 Trains per day, moving about 13,000 passengers daily, and the Aba- Port Harcourt –Aba mass transit service.There is a Lagos – Kano –Lagos Train with the Intercity Passenger Service that runs once a week, moving about 2,500 passengers per week. The Offa – Kano – Offa Train, which plies once a week, carries about 2,000 passengers weekly. The combined effect of this rail revolution is the pursuit of the dream of a 21st century Nigeria that is logistically ready to compete in a continent-wide market.

    Another agency that has been quietly making an impressive impact is the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) under the leadership of Engr. Simbi Kasiye Wabote. The creation of NCDMB, as a regulator and facilitator of deepening Nigeria content, in 2010 marked a critical turning point in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry landscape.

    Engr. Wabote became the Executive Secretary in 2015, coming on board with clarity on the potential of Nigerian content to create jobs in a dimension never imagined by stakeholders. Since then, we have seen the Board embark on many ground-breaking transformative projects and interventions. These include constructing a 17-storey headquarters building in Yenagoa within an unprecedented record time of five years. The edifice, named Nigerian Content Tower, is now in full use by staff of NCDMB.

    His defining and intelligent leadership has also seen the construction and commissioning of a 10MW gas-fired Power Plant at Elebele, near Yenagoa, in partnership with Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), which provides 24/7days uninterrupted power supply to the edifice. Most importantly , the current management team of NCDMB has created over 50,000 jobs in the last six years through various interventions and projects in different parts of Nigeria. In many ways, Wabote’s leadership has challenged the old held belief that the oil and gas industry is too technical to absorb Nigerians in employment. He could do this because he dared to think outside the box and brought innovation to bear on a primarily regulatory assignment.

    The NCDMB has also partnered with Waltersmith and effectively catalysed the construction of the 5,000bpd Modular Refinery at Ibigwe, Imo State. This intervention has helped realise government policy on in-country hydrocarbon refining and utilisation, generating hundreds of jobs for teeming unemployed youths in the catchment area and other parts of the country. Indeed, the successful development of NCDMB/Waltersmith Modular Refinery has triggered a flurry of applications from other private investors for partnership with NCDMB to develop other modular refineries.

    Currently, the board is actively collaborating with three (3) other modular refineries investors under its Commercial Ventures Programme to streamline them before 2023. When it is evident to citizens that a leader is a man of his/her words, is effective and efficient, cooperation and collaboration will naturally follow. In different ways, the private sector and citizens have expressed explicit confidence in the quality of leadership Wabote provides.

    Engr. Wabote’s leadership of the NCDMB has also catalysed federal government policy on gas development and utilisation under Mr President’s Decade of Gas program. For instance, in furtherance of the 2020-year-of-gas and Decade of the Gas initiative of the government, NCDMB has formalised several partnerships with private investors to deepen gas penetration and utilisation.

    The NCDMB has also engineered the launching of the $350 million (USD) Nigerian Content Intervention Fund managed by the Bank of Industry (BoI). The initial value of the Fund when NCDMB created it in 2017 was $200million. The objective is to support vendor development through easy access to a single interest rate credit facility to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of Nigerian Oil and Gas Service Providers. Following the huge interest generated amongst service providers and in furtherance of the Federal Government Economic Sustainability Plan, NCDMB increased the size of the NCI Fund by adding $150million (USD), which brought the total Fund value to $350Million (USD) in 2020. This is complemented by a USD50m Nigerian Content research and development fund to drive development of home-grown solutions and innovation and foster collaboration between Academia and the oil and gas industry.

    Another shining light of the current administration is the Standards Organisation of Nigeria( SON),under the leadership of the incumbent Director-General/Chief Executive, Mallam Farouk A. Salim. One area of impressive achievements is in standards enforcement. In recent times, SON has confiscated over N600 million worth of substandard tyres in Ogun State and seized two containers of stuffed imported used tyres in Port Harcourt. They have also embarked on the prosecution of standards infractions relating to substandard lubricants, electric cables, forgery of SON clearing documents, mop-up of substandard LPG cylinders in Suleija and seizure of adulterated engine oils in Kano/Lagos. This enforcement of standards has resulted in citizens’ confidence in the quality of products available in the market. They now know that standard-setting and enforcement is no longer business as usual.

    Other achievements of SON under the Salim leadership include: the destruction of substandard products in Katsina State, LPG cylinders mopped up from different parts of Anambra State destroyed in Enugu in February 2021, six containers of stuffed imported tyres and substandard LPG cylinders intercepted from multiple sources got obliterated in Lagos in February 2021, and two containers of imported used, stuffed tyres seized in Port Harcourt, which were destroyed in Enugu in March 2021. Currently, the SON Legal Department is prosecuting about six standards infractions in courts across the country.

    As an expression of confidence in the Salim-led SON, Nigeria was elected to the standards management committee of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO). To raise awareness of the importance of product standards and encourage excellence in the Nigerian educational system, saw to the completion of 2019/20 ARSO Essay Competition For undergraduates in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions and kick-starting the 8TH ARSO Essay Competition for undergraduates in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions 2020/21.

    For a more professional SON, the current leadership of SON set up an independent 5-man committee to review and strengthen management practices in SON. They also convened a strategic leadership/management retreat where all the participants collectively resolved to strive towards making SON a high performing organisation capable of delivering high-quality services to citizens through renewed commitment and automation of their services, amongst others.

    In physical activities and structures to impact the Nigerian body polity, SON has embarked on re-equipping the National Metrology Institute, Enugu. Several state offices and laboratory are being upgraded or relocated . The agency has laid the foundation stone for constructing SON permanent office/laboratory and storage complex in Sokoto.

    These Nigerians in the three MDAs under review are making giant strides and lasting impact. They are employing dynamism and innovation to achieve measurable results. In a nation where we celebrate ineptitude, mediocrity and crass opportunism, any genuine ray of light making an impactful difference deserves to be noted and encouraged. It is a great motivator and a way of reinforcing our desire for excellence. These public servants are committed and resourceful leaders who care deeply about their impact on citizens’ lives, hopes, and dreams. These are success stories worth celebrating, from standard-setting and enforcement to Nigerian content enforcement and transportation services re-engineering. These leaders and their likes are the reasons why we still have hope in our country.

     

  • Zulumnomics, Civil service and Nigeria’s Economic revival, By Dakuku Peterside

    Zulumnomics, Civil service and Nigeria’s Economic revival, By Dakuku Peterside

    By Dakuku Peterside

     

    Nigeria is a country where there is a chasm between the leaders and the led. The distrust of the ordinary Nigerian for political office holders is such that most Nigerians celebrate when their leaders encounter tragic situations. If the governor takes ill in some states, a substantial proportion of the electorate would wish death on their state’s chief executive.

     

    The primary reason for this is that some Nigerians see their leaders as unconscionable tyrants who are pillaging their states’ resources to the detriment of ordinary citizens who suffer in poverty and destitution. Many of the led do not understand how a governor cannot pay workers their wages while living in luxury and moving around in a convoy of exquisite SUV’s and guarded by a coterie of security operatives.

     

    So, when nature or fate strikes in the form of illness, accident or death or other tragedies, the masses feel like the proverbial cow without a tail that relies on its gods to get rid of pestering fleas. So, they rejoice over the tragedy of their leaders.

     

    Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, the incumbent executive governor of Borno State, is still a first-term governor and is different. The overall impact and import of his superintendence over Borno state’s affairs can be best measured when he finally exits the governor’s seat in Maiduguri. However, there appears to be a consensus that the governor is one of the shining lights of governance in Nigeria today. His performance during the relatively short time he has spent at the helm of affairs in Borno State, perhaps the state most ravaged by the unending Boko Haram insurgency in the country, has been nothing short of remarkable. Little wonder his people love and support him.

     

    In his presentation at a lecture to commemorate my 50th birthday and the public presentation of my book titled: ‘Strategic Turnaround: The Story of a Government Agency’, the governor shared his thoughts on Nigeria’s national economic revival. What is striking about Prof. Zulum in the lecture is how he connected economy and security at both country and personal level, respectively. While he did not lay claim to being an economist, he got his economic fundamentals right. His message – increase productivity at all levels- then more citizens will gain employment and reduce criminality, was succinct.

     

    Tackling the problem of Nigeria’s almost total dependence on crude oil as a means of earning foreign exchange, Zulum argued that a litre of orange juice and other fruit juices cost more than a litre of fuel. He wonders why Nigeria must not produce significant quantities of these products and sell them to the world to earn foreign exchange. His use of these products is symbolic, and if we look inward, there are many products that, if Nigeria focussed on producing and exporting to the world, would create more revenue than crude oil.

    To illustrate this, a small country like Denmark makes a fortune from dairy products and eggs. Revenue in the Dairy Products and Eggs segment is estimated to amount to US$2,437m in 2021. The market is expected to grow annually by 2.16% (CAGR 2021-2025). In relation to total population

    figures , Per Capita revenue of US$419.16 is the estimate of what can

    be generated in 2021. In the Dairy Products and Eggs segment, volume is expected to amount to 751.7mkg by 2025. The Dairy Products and Eggs segment is expected to show a volume growth of 0.6% in 2022. The average volume per person in the Dairy Products and Eggs segment is expected to amount to 120.3kg in 2021.

    Just imagine that per capita revenue from a product line in Nigeria (Palm oil , dairy, rice, cocoa or any other product) is US$419.16, which means that the total revenue from that product or products will be USD 83,832m in one year. This alone is about a fifth of Nigeria’s 2020 GDP. The impact on Nigerian citizens’ lives and the multiplier effect would be too significant to ignore. Then think of other products that Nigeria has a comparative advantage in producing.

    Zulum further argued that these products’ production would create millions of jobs more than crude oil extraction , which has low job creation potential . With higher income from productivity comes infrastructure development, social re-engineering, improved quality of life, reduction in crime, and peaceful coexistence of different ethnic nationalities.

    Besides, he advocated for reducing the cost of governance by focusing on priorities, supporting the civil service so that they would become more professional and more productive and concentrating on education and putting in place infrastructure that will drive growth. The governor’s mention of effective civil service as imperative to national development brings to the fore a system that has been the bane of Nigeria’s development.

    Civil service is one of the primary agents of growth in any nation. The transformation of any society or system depends mainly on the effectiveness and efficiency of its civil service, particularly in developing countries. The civil

    service is probably the most critical institution of a state affecting citizens’ lives because of the roles it plays.

    The Nigerian civil service since the 1990s has become a cog in the wheel of the country’s development. These are some groups of people whose principal function is the implementation of government policies. Civil servants are not policymakers and thus cannot question government policies. Whenever the government makes a policy, it becomes the civil servants’ role to implement the policy the way the government of the day wants it to be.

    In ‘saner climes’, the civil service serves as a modern institution that revolutionizes and maintains an efficient way of organising society, organisations, and institutions. They are supposed to be a complex organisation with seemingly permanent officials appointed to

    assist executives in the formulation, execution, and implementation of the government policies in ministries and extra-ministerial departments. They play a crucial role in achieving the federal and state governments’ economic, social, and developmental objectives.

    These countries look up to the civil service to implement development goals and administer government policies on a day-to-day basis and play significant roles in formulating development strategies, policies, and programmes in such a way that will stimulate accelerated social and economic changes. Such desired changes include reduced unemployment, increased social products and more equitable redistribution of income. The anonymity attributes imply that civil servants should be seen and not heard, while characteristics such as neutrality, impartiality, and permanence enable the civil servant to be effective and productive.

    However, the Nigeria experience is different from the above. The Nigerian civil service currently appears antiquated and contributes little to attainment of national objectives. Its current state of disarray has impacted negatively on governance in the country. Many Nigerians regard the civil service as a theatre of sharing the proverbial national cake among the country’s major ethnic and sub-ethnic groups, instead of a veritable institution to help achieve national aspiration.

    The service suffers from undue politicization, lack of accountability, personalisation of governmental affairs, institutionalised corruption, indiscipline, and ethnicity. Bureaucratic bottleneck wrought mainly by lack of flexibility continues to bedevil the Nigerian civil service.

    It suffices that most of the problems of the Nigerian civil service are made worse by civil servants themselves. Take the issue of poor remuneration. Most of the Nigerian civil servants’ salary is still relatively low, which makes many of them resort to sharp and unethical practices for survival. Meanwhile, some civil servants live above their income as many of them demand bribes before performing their regular duties and defraud and embezzle government money earmarked for developmental purposes.

    The Nigerian civil service is also bloated. Some of our civil servants do not have specific responsibilities. They roam around aimlessly from day to day, and at the end of the month, their truancy is unduly rewarded with a salary for doing virtually nothing.

    There are also the problems of the use of obsolete equipment and lack of training for civil servants. In many public institutions in the country, civil servants would use outdated equipment suitable only for museums in many countries. Many civil servants in Nigeria cannot operate personal computers, and impact of multiple trainings organized for them are not felt .

    To get it right in Nigeria, we need to create a civil service that sees itself as a tool for promoting growth, peace, stability, development, and democracy. The Nigerian civil servant should receive training regularly, and they should be up to date with the use of modern equipment, techniques, and methods. This training must be compulsory and geared towards the achievement of specialisation and professionalism to improve productivity.

    Merit, long sacrificed on the altar of ethnic sentiments, religious considerations, crass favouritism, and sometimes prurient cravings, should be restored to the Nigerian civil service. If we are to meet modern national development challenges, appointments and promotions should be devoid of ethnicity, religion and undue favouritism and should be strictly on merit and qualification.

    Most importantly, the remuneration and other benefits of civil servants should be realistic and adequate. A situation whereby a graduate cadre civil servant earns a paltry N50, 000 every month is a misnomer as it should be clear to all concerned that without unethical practices, such a person would hardly survive on that salary. Government should strive to make the civil service attractive in all respects.

    Civil servants should be accorded greater recognition and responsibility. They should be motivated to stimulate them to put practical efforts because individual productivity capacity depends mainly on one’s psychological satisfaction level. This will increase the level of commitment, hard work, creativity, and disposition among the civil servants.

    Finally, in a dynamic, fast-changing, technologically driven world, the Nigerian civil service must imbibe the practice and culture of invention and innovation both in imagination and routine works and develop appropriate tools for anticipating change and challenges. It must be able to institutionalise change in modern governance and societal development.

    Nigerian civil servants must rediscover the cherished tradition of service, loyalty, and excellence that they were hitherto known for and complement them with integrity, credibility, leadership, innovation, and transparency in the performance of their duties and management of scarce resources.

    In summary, Zulum pointed to two essential things needed to foster new economic growth and social stability – Productivity ,and efficient and effective civil service. It is time we listened to reason and fundamental truths about improving every Nigeria’s lives and put in place the structures and systems that will make Nigeria work.

     

  • Rise of politics, fall of reason, By Dakuku Peterside

    Rise of politics, fall of reason, By Dakuku Peterside

    By Dakuku Peterside

     

    In a constitutional democracy, politics is the only legitimate route to governance. And the primary role of government is to provide security, the legal and social framework for economic enterprise, provide public goods and services, social welfare and maintain law and order.

     

    Politics is synonymous with competition. And the competitors deploy all manner of strategies to outwit each other. Despite the altruistic disposition of many elected politicians, the fact is that a good number seek political office for its accoutrements. Patriots in elected positions strive to serve their constituents through different means. It could be through political parties with different ideologies.

     

    In Nigeria, the leading political parties are not about ideology, and some of our politicians move from one political party to another like the barber’s chair. The overriding interest is to use whatever political party the politician finds himself as a vehicle to secure power and pursue whatever interests they may have.

     

    There have been debates on the role of politics in development and the impact of politicking on economic growth, and there are different schools of thought. However, there is a paucity of studies on politics, the flight of reason and economic development. Maybe because of the common assumption that overall good and not politicking should ordinarily guide the quest for economic growth by leaders and the citizens.

     

    Development should be devoid of partisan considerations as this is the only way to ensure sustained development that could result in growth.

    Development programmes should not be tools for retaining power for those who already have it, nor should they be manipulated for gaining power. When development plans are given political colourations, politics is taken too far, and the populace is usually the victims.

     

    Two recent developments present two models emerging from south-south states on the relationship between politics and politicking on the one hand, and development on the other.

     

    The first is the obvious cooperation between the government of Bayelsa State and Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources as exemplified in the recently completed Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board ( NCDMB) building. This is even when the heads of the two government institutions belong to different political parties.

     

    You could see and feel enlightened politics that makes a distinction between justifiable self-interest of and personal differences among the political class; and larger good of the citizenry. This contrasts with the scenario in nearby Rivers State, a theater of sorts in political competition among gladiators.

     

    A recent dramatic development in Rivers State regarding the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri Narrow Gauge Railway project and the Bonny Deep Seaport project may be an example of how partisan politics and parochial interests are fighting to deprive Nigerians of a much-needed developmental boost.

     

    The Port Harcourt – Maiduguri rail project entails the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the existing 1,443km Nigerian Eastern Railway Line from Port Harcourt in Rivers State to Maiduguri, Borno State traversing sixty-five (65) Local Government Areas in twelve States.

     

     

     

    The project, which is to be co-financed by a loan from a syndicate of Chinese financiers with a Federal Government contribution of 15% project cost, is being developed through direct investment by the conglomerate led by Messrs CCECC Nigeria Limited with a total investment portfolio of US$3.2 billion. Upon completion, it will add to the country’s emerging rail network.

     

    Ancillary to the project is the construction of the Port Harcourt Railway Industrial park. The park, essentially an industrial hub, will have the necessary infrastructure (Power, Water, Waste Disposal, ICT, Gas distribution) and transportation, logistics centres, and ancillaries.

     

    Then there is the Bonny Deep Seaport project, which entails constructing a deep seaport with a capacity of 100,000DMT container vessel and 50,000DWT bulk vessel on a total land take of 275.22 hectares in Bonny Island of Rivers State. The Bonny Deep Seaport would have a container terminal of 500,000 TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) per annum capacity and 100,000 DWT (Deadweight tonnage) Berth.

     

    It is unarguable that these projects would be of immense benefit to South-South, and South-East geopolitical regions and the entire country when completed. Let us take the rail project as an example. As envisaged by the federal government, the rail project serves transportation and supply chain network for domestic needs and export and support imports into the country’s hinterland through the new deep seaport in Bonny Island.

     

    The government is also optimistic that the improved port would lead to a regional and international transport hub. In line with global trends, the Railway Industrial Park will have the capability to process exports of raw materials with value addition and export of locally made goods.

     

    The country has been paying a colossal price for the lack of functional rail transport infrastructure. All over the world, rail transportation has become one of the most important, commonly used, and very cost-effective modes of commuting and goods carriage over long and short distances. This system runs on metal (usually steel) rails and wheels, it has an inherent benefit of lesser frictional resistance, which helps attach more load in wagons or carriages.

     

    Most developed nations are known for having an efficient and effective rail transport system, which has emerged as one of the most dependable modes of transport in terms of safety. Compared to other transport mechanisms, trains are fast and the least affected by usual weather turbulences like rain or fog.

     

    In most countries, rail transport is better organised than any other transport medium with fixed routes and schedules. Its services are more specific, uniform and regular compared to other modes of transportation.

     

    In the United Kingdom, rail transport is an enabler of economic progress, used by the British to mobilise goods and people. The country’s rail adaptations that include passenger railways, underground, urban metro railways and goods carriages play a vital role in the country’s economy, directly contributing £870 million annually to the economy.

     

    It also supports an output of £5.9 billion, over six times its natural turnover. Rail freight in the UK transports goods worth around £30 billion annually.

     

    In addition to these, rail transport can be cost-effective as shippers who convert long-haul freight from road to rail can save 10-40% in cost . Experts affirm that rail has lower fuel costs than road transport, especially when shipping a high volume of freight. Rail also has fewer costs associated with drivers and the capability to handle large volumes of freight as one double-stacked train can hold approximately the same amount as 280 trucks.

     

    They are more environmentally friendly than road transportation, and due to specialised routes and the advent of fast trains, they can be quicker than road transportation in a lot of cases.

     

    With all these immense benefits, what could be an acceptable reason why Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State would want to play unnecessary politics with the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri Railway project that directly impacts twelve states?

     

    Gov Wike’s attack on the need or desire of Rivers people for Bonny Deep seaport/PH- Maiduguri rail line is suspending reason and taking “street politics” and politicking to essential matters of national development.

    His main arguments are five-fold: First, that Bonny Deep seaport is not what Rivers people need now (as if the port is purposely designed to serve Rivers people only).second, PH- Maiduguri rail line and the Railway Industrial Park are not urgently needed; third, the projects are politically motivated and a case of “politics of 2023” taken too far; fourth, the projects are deliberately designed not to take off before 2023 and therefore planned deceit; fifth, it is disingenuous for the Federal Government to commence a narrow gauge rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri at a time the rest of the world was building standard gauge railway.

     

    Fortunately, both narrow and standard gauge rail lines have their advantages and disadvantages. The choice is always a product of studies and recommendations of experts on which one is most suited for the particular terrain.

    So, what does Rivers people need? Do they need more short overhead bridges that may not make much meaningful impact on their lives? What has Rivers State got to lose from a project that will cost the state virtually nothing but would be a boost to the economy and immense benefit to the people of Rivers State and the entire country?

     

    Understandably, the Governor may be hostile to the project because of the perception that it is spearheaded by his predecessor. This should not lead to a flight of reason and compromise of the long-term development interest of the people whom Wike swore to protect.

     

    Governors enjoy undue influence in setting development agenda in their areas of jurisdiction. Still, when a governor does not understand the concept of development or his understanding is warped, society suffers dire consequences of underdevelopment. Poor leadership is one of the prices to pay for having the head of a mob lead a decent society.

     

    Governor Wike, like some of his colleagues who have chosen politics over development, is faced with at least four consequences: a) with the Governor’s mindset focused on politics and politicking, it is obvious there will be no significant engagement on issues of socio-economic development in his state for the rest of his tenure; b) he will try to confront rather than engaging the Centre, which may deny his State the much needed federal support in a structure that is more unitary than federal – the complementarity between the federal and component states is key to the pursuit of development; c) Greed and an insatiable appetite for political advantage would displace the desire for the genuine socio-economic development of the State; d) the Governor, due to poor understanding of the components of development, cannot create the enabling environment for the private sector to operate and bring in investment thereby denying the people employment opportunities.

     

    This last point is particularly important as government cannot, of its own accord, create all the jobs for all its citizens. The world over, most governments are doing everything humanly possible to put in place world-class infrastructure to attract investment and grow their economy. Rivers State and the likes of Wike cannot be doing the opposite.

     

    The Rivers State people should not be victims of naked, primordial politics by a Governor who is more of an absolute monarch than a facilitator of development. Their interests should be of utmost importance to their leaders. The game of politics should not be taken too far – to the extent that it begins to undermine development.

     

  • Herdsmen and the Security Challenge – Dakuku Peterside

    Herdsmen and the Security Challenge – Dakuku Peterside

    By Dakuku Peterside

    In the South West ,Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho has recently been in the news. The self-styled Yoruba activist gained popularity (or notoriety) recently in the country after he led an attack against a Fulani community leader in Oyo whom he accused of harbouring Fulani herders engaging in criminal activities. Following persistent attacks in Ibarapa area of Oyo State by suspected Fulani herdsmen, Mr Adeyemo issued an ultimatum to the herdsmen to vacate the area.

     

    When the ultimatum expired, he led some youth to the house of the head of the Fulani community in Igangan town , Abdulkadri Saliu, chased him out of the community . The Fulani leader, called the Seriki Fulani has since relocated to Kwara State with his family. Mr Adeyemo subsequently visited Ogun State and ordered herdsmen out in his self-appointed mandate of chasing Fulani herders out of Yorubaland.

     

    In the South East on December 12, 2020, leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, announced the formation of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Eastern Security Network (ESN). He claimed the purpose of the ESN is to protect Igbos against Fulani raiders. Unwilling to countenance the formation of a non-state-sanctioned paramilitary organisation on its territory, the Nigerian government was said to have deployed the army to locate ESN camps.

     

    On January 22, Nigerian soldiers invaded Orlu in Imo State to search for ESN operatives. The resulting fracas caused the burning of buildings and death and injury of both soldiers and ESN members. On January 28, more than 400 Nigerian soldiers including Nigerian Air Force planes, were deployed to oust the ESN. The state government declared a curfew which caused civilians to flee the city in large numbers.

     

    In the North Central, in a video clip that has gone viral on social media, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, accused the Federal Government of protecting the interest of armed herders despite the atrocities they commit in different parts of the country worsening the security situation in Nigeria. The governor stated that there is insecurity propelled by armed herdsmen from North West, North East, North Central, South East, South West, and South-South. He argued that the Miyetti Allah leaders must be arrested and prosecuted for the crisis and the government must openly criticise, arrest, and prosecute Fulani herdsmen carrying AK47. He accused the federal government of playing Ostrich with the herdsmen crisis.

     

    The above incidents are snapshots of some Nigerians’ security concerns and sentiments in the past few weeks across the country . They are baffling as they are harmful. Since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, the country has been grappling with various security challenges – insurgency, kidnapping, and the herder-farmer conflicts. The herdsmen/farmer crises have demonstrated high potential to exacerbate the insecurity in rural and urban communities in Nigeria. Violence between Fulani herdsmen and farmers is one of Nigeria’s most persistent security problems and has left thousands of people dead in the past few years. This is part of the general security challenges in the country and the focus of today’s discourse.

     

    The prevalence of the country’s security crises has become a significant concern for the well-meaning Nigerians considering the impact on the nation’s peace, security, and economy. Destruction of lives and properties arising from farmer-herder clashes has almost become an everyday affair in different parts of the country. These crises have led to acute instability, creating a fearful atmosphere that harms the economy as it discourages investors, both domestic and foreign.

     

    In recent times, the herder-farmer clashes have taken a new dimension as host communities accuse the herdsmen of kidnappings, rape, murder, and all manner of criminal activities. They are perceived as a severe security threat in many communities in the North Central and Southern parts of the country. Today, the herdsmen’s actions might be viewed by many as the greatest threat to Nigeria’s corporate existence.

     

    The origins of the farmer-herder imbroglio are well known. Farmer-herder crises in Nigeria occur due to resource scarcity; there is a growing scarcity of arable land, impending desertification of the Sahel-Savannah, and scarcity of water essential to sustain crop cultivation and cattle herds. The increasing desertification and the effects of climate change have further increased the herdsmen’s drive to move further south in search of grazing land and pasture for their livestock.

     

    These southward movements always pitch them against farmers and the host community whose crops are regularly invaded and destroyed by the cattle during this seasonal movement. The result of this is increased conflict, death, displacement, and the destruction of properties. Cattle rustling, the advent of heavily armed criminal herdsmen and the increasing cultural differences among ethnic groups that predominantly farm, or graze cattle further exacerbate the crisis.

     

    The current situation would not have gotten worse if the government did not abandon the grazing reserve system created by the Northern Regional Government in 1965. Then, the government created over 417 grazing reserves in the north. Under the grazing reserve system, the government provided space, water, and vaccinations for the livestock while the herdsmen paid taxes to the government in return.

     

    As it is often in Nigeria, this working system was upended by oil discovery in the country. Oil exploration and export made Nigeria an oil economy, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s. Nigeria abandoned the grazing reserve system due to the agricultural sector’s neglect as the mainstay of its economy.

     

    Consequently, grazing reserves which were under a neglected agricultural sector was not sustained. It received little or no attention from succeeding administrations. As a fallback, herdsmen began to resort back to their traditional and seasonal grazing routes, currently interrupted or interfered with by industrialisation, urbanisation, demographic, and other natural factors. This leads to clashes and conflict with farmers and host communities.

     

    The ‘herdsmen crisis’ persists because the government has not demonstrated the much-needed political will to end the crises. For a conflict that has the capacity of tearing the country apart, it is instructive that political leaders have failed to invoke appropriate legislation and executive actions capable of tackling the issue.

     

    Unfortunately, some politicians have sought to capitalise on the crisis. It is indisputable that some local leaders who have been unable to provide good governance to their people resort to ethnic chauvinism by literally pouring fuel on the farmer-herder conflict to ramp up support amongst the local populace enhancing their popularity.

     

    On its part, the federal government might not have shown the right political will to enforce laws that can end the crisis. The government is perceived rightly or wrongly from some quarters as sympathetic to the herdsmen’s activities. This perception is likely because the President is Fulani, the same ethnic group that dominates the cattle business. The government must correct this impression and firmly show that it does not link itself to criminality and conflict, regardless of ethnicity.

     

    Many Nigerians are shocked that the federal government does not seem to deal with the herdsmen-farmer conflicts in different parts of the country with the same strength and determination it shows in similar internal security issues in other parts of the country. Impunity reigns supreme as some criminal herdsmen, especially those engaged in kidnapping, apprehended by security agencies are allegedly released shortly afterwards. The government must show Nigerians its scorecard on dealing with the herdsmen-farmers conflict. Nigerians should know where the government stand on the issue and must see the government as enforcing law and order , whether on the side of herdsmen or farmers.

     

    The herdsmen crisis is a human security issue. There are four main issues of policy and politics invoked in this problem. The first is the adjusting of the mode of the business of cattle rearing from primordial herding system to the present system of ranching as seen in other climes globally. Roving cattle grazing in the age of industrial ranching and mechanized meat production should be discouraged and the culture modified. Secondly, herdsmen are carrying sophisticated weapons freely and are posing threat to life and property, especially when there are laws forbidden this. This impunity should be immediately discouraged, and appropriate laws enforced.

     

    Thirdly, if any herdsman would veer away from the escort of their cattle into kidnapping, rape, armed robbery, they should be viewed as outright criminals. Law enforcement should deal with herdsmen criminals according to law. Fourthly, the clashes between herdsmen and the various communities where they operate poses a challenge of diversity management for the state and federal governments. The government should not allow sentiments and politics to becloud matters of enterprise regulation and crime control.

     

    There is a need to encourage community policing, taking advantage of the already existing vigilante system in most states of the country. Community policing will help intelligence gathering about criminal herdsmen, and other undesirable elements and mischief-makers in our communities while civil police would respond to such threats. This will help address the challenges of waiting for the federal government to deploy security to states when there is farmer-herder conflict.

     

    The federal and state governments should strengthen conflict resolution and peacebuilding mechanisms at state and local government levels and within rural communities, particularly in areas most affected by farmer-herder conflict. The idea that some ethnic nationalities in Nigeria are incompatible is a fallacy. What is lacking is the sense of fairness and equity which brings about suspicions, apprehension, frustration and consequently conflicts.

     

    The government should establish grazing reserves in consenting states and improve livestock production and management to minimise contacts and friction between herders and farmers. The government will be able to do this by revisiting the 1965 Northern Region Government’s Grazing Reserve System and remodelling it to deal with contemporary threats. The grazing reserves will be situated in the northern states where governments have already earmarked lands for this purpose.

     

    In addition to this, the government should also seek the cooperation and support of all parties involved in the ‘herdsmen crisis’ – herdsmen, farmers, state, and local governments, to accept the idea of modern ranching as an alternative to traditional migration of herders which causes friction and other associated threats.

     

    In conclusion, security is crucial to a nation’s sustainable development. The government’s seeming failure to solve the people’s security needs is what has led to non-state actors such as Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu/ESN to seize the initiative, which ends up creating more problems than solutions and driving the country to the threshold of disintegration. It is what has led a state governor to engage in ethnic profiling openly. It is what will lead to more mayhem unless something is done to solve the security problem now. The federal government must rise to the challenge of bringing an end to the farmer-herder crisis.

     

     

     

  • Peterside Tasks New Service Chiefs’ To Justify Appointment By Buhari

    Peterside Tasks New Service Chiefs’ To Justify Appointment By Buhari

    The immediate past Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of new service chiefs.

     

    This is just as he has tasked them to justify the confidence reposed in them by the president in ensuring that there is synergy in the battle against insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping.

     

    According to him, naming new helmsmen to head the various military formations has once again proven that the president listens and acts within the confines of his mandate.

     

    He noted that President Buhari has once again risen to the occasion by appointing new top military personnel to provide added impetus in determined efforts by the federal government to make Nigeria more secure.

     

    Dr. Peterside called on the new service chiefs to do all within their powers to arrest remnants of insecurity in parts of the country, in addition to working with the civil society and collaborating across agencies and institutions.

     

    According to him, “the new service chiefs are coming in at a time when Nigerians are demanding more decisive actions against insurgents, bandits, and kidnappers. They sure have their works cut out; it is obvious that they will be under pressure to perform.

     

    “The president has responded to the yearning of Nigerians by bringing fresh hands on board. We must all support them to succeed. Security is for all of us and we must contribute our quota by assisting them in whatever way we can.

     

    “We must also commend the outgone service chiefs. They gave their best in the fight against crime and criminality. It now behooves on their successors to consolidate on what they meet on the ground and build upon it.”

     

  • Covid-19 reloaded – Dakuku Peterside

    Covid-19 reloaded – Dakuku Peterside

    By Dakuku Peterside

    That Nigeria currently battles with a second, more deadly wave of Covid-19 is no longer in doubt. The numbers are dire. In the first week of January, the country had about 10,000 positive tests reported in just seven days obviously linked to the festivities . One in every six persons (16 per cent) tested for COVID-19 during that period tested positive for the virus. As cases rise, so do fatalities. The country in just over three weeks had 146 deaths because of COVID-19 complications .

    These numbers are alarming because the country’s capacity for testing is still poor. This is despite the fact that, according to NCDC ,120 new laboratories have been activated since last year and a new private sector led four star laboratory Analytics Diagnostics will soon open its doors in Port Harcourt. It is believed that most fatalities resulting from Covid-19 go unreported. Clear evidence of the severity of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria is how our healthcare facilities are being overwhelmed. Bed spaces for those sick from Covid-19 are scarce, and government hospitals now admit only those with severe symptoms. Scientific knowledge available says novel coronavirus is a respiratory disease, and the most affected patients are usually short of oxygen. The booming black-market business for oxygen in Nigeria tells you much about the severity of the second wave of the virus.

    There are reports about some hospitals charging as much as N5m as deposit for Covid-19 patients. Some patients are spending as much as N500,000 per day on treatment, especially those in need of oxygen. No hospital seems to bother about those who test positive to Covid-19 but are asymptomatic as they are advised to go home and self-isolate.

    Gone are the days of contact tracing, those days when if someone tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the government will trace everyone with whom he or she had met to ensure that they all self-isolate to curb the spread of the virus. These days, there is a recognition that community transmission drives this second wave and efforts to curtail the spread seem rooted more in faith than strategy.

    Despite the deadly second wave of Covid-19 upon us, most Nigerians carry on as if nothing is amiss. There seems to be total abdication of individual responsibility in containing this virus . In the ever-busy streets of Lagos and other major cities across the country, people move around without facemask and do not adhere to social distancing procedures. Our markets operate with no or little compliance to the virus protocols. Weddings, burials, birthdays, and other events occur as if there is no pestilence in our midst. Our public transportation systems are as they have always been – people are cramped together in busses and taxis with no adherence to recommended safety measures against Covid-19.

    Our churches and other worship centres are not left out. Religious services hold as they were pre-2020 with the pastors and other ‘men of God’ presiding over potential Covid-19 super spreader events in the name of church services. Many countries have shut down worship places for good reasons based on pattern recognition on the spread of the virus. God will understand if we must worship him from home if it is necessary.

    The government and NCDC are doing their best to curb the spread, but the situation still seems helpless and hapless. The leadership of Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and NCDC have so far demonstrated that Nigerians can get things done if you hand over the task to committed and competent persons. We are now faced with threats of another lockdown, but the attendant economic impact would likely be very devastating. The recent prevarication of the Federal Ministry of Education over whether to reopen schools across the country or not is a sign of government’s predicament. University lecturers were pushing against the resumption of academic activities, but the federal government and most state governments have authorised the reopening of primary, secondary, and tertiary learning places.

    The fact is that Nigeria’s current reality was not inevitable. There were warnings by scientists that without urgent action shortly after Nigeria relaxed most of its restrictions to mitigate the risks, this kind of current situation would likely happen. But the exigencies of governance and the contextual realities of the Nigeria socio-economic situation made the government either play the ostrich or downplay the imminent risk.

    There are no easy solutions to the second surge of Covid-19 in Nigeria. Much has been said about a second lockdown. However, the coronavirus pandemic is a devastating blow for the world economy, and Nigeria is not an exemption. It is on record that Nigeria’s economy contracted by 6.1% year on year in the second quarter of 2020. The dip follows thirteen quarters of favourable but low growth rates. The 6.1% decline is also Nigeria’s steepest in the last ten years. By November 2020, the Nigerian government announced that the country has slipped into a recession, the second since 2015, after its gross domestic product contracted for the second consecutive quarter.

    Economists believe that even though Nigeria’s long tottering economy risked slipping into recession even without the Covid-19 pandemic, the recession was exacerbated by the lockdown occasioned by the pandemic.

    The fact is that while the initial lockdown last year across the globe was needed as an emergency solution to contain the spread of Covid-19. A second lockdown by all intents and justifications is not necessary for now, especially in the face of sustained recession, which most world economies now face due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    It has also been proven that there may be no strong correlation between the spread of Covid-19 and lockdowns as a complete solution. Instead, the lockdown seems to have immense adverse effects on the global economy, affecting government revenue and consequently expenditures, and adversely affecting household incomes.

    The summary is that the economic wreckage wrought by lockdown restrictions is usually devastating. However, the situation is worsened by mismanagement of the lockdown as economics, and human health hardly operate in isolation. When people die from the pandemic, they are not economically productive, and thousands of sick people in hospitals, quarantine and isolation centres consume resources without participating in economic activities. Added to these, a substantial spike in the number of Covid-19 cases also puts people with other health issues at increased risk.

    The most viable means to bring the Covid-19 pandemic to an end is through herd immunity brought about by effective vaccination. Reports have it that Britain has vaccinated 4.6m people with two doses of the vaccine under three months and Israel as at January 19 has vaccinated 25.6 percent of its population. These two cases are successful due to their vast advanced health infrastructure. Effective vaccines have been developed, but it would still take months to have them available in Nigeria and years to have them administered to a substantial population to ensure herd immunity and decapitate this deadly virus. Our vaccination case will not be helped by our non existent or decrepit health infrastructure.

    The second wave of Covid-19 can only be checked by a determined and purposeful government and a responsible citizenry. It is a shared responsibility and we all have to be responsible.The government should re-instate bans on large gatherings like burials, weddings, birthdays, parties, and other social events. Our markets should only operate within Covid-19 safety guidelines; our public transportation should be Covid-19 compliant, and our worship centres should only be allowed to open if they observe adequate safety protocols.

    Schools are potential places for super spreaders. As the government has allowed schools to reopen, they must ensure that school administrators comply with government directives on ensuring students’ safety. Regular inspection of educational institutions by NCDC officials is crucial, and they should sanction those who do not comply.

    The government should also step-up efforts on public enlightenment on safety measures to protect against the virus and the appropriateness and efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine, which in the current milieu, will face serious challenges when it eventually becomes available in the country. Virulent superstitions and unfounded speculations around the virus amongst the citizenry are so high that most Nigerians will not take the vaccine whenever it is available if there is no social re-orientation.

    On the part of the citizenry, the solutions are simple and straightforward. We should continue washing our hands, wear our face masks and maintain physical and social distancing. Get tested when you get sick or when you come in close contact with an infected person and make sure you self-isolate if you test positive whether you have symptoms or not.

    Nigerians did away with large gatherings – burials, weddings, birthdays, etc., for an extended period in the Year 2020 with minimal impact on relationships. Why can’t we do the same in the Year 2021 until the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is over? One of the positives of the Covid-19 pandemic is that people began to appreciate the essence of virtual meetings, conferences, and other events. The effect of lack of physical interactions on productivity was not much.

    The spike in cases and deaths from Covid-19 in the Western world is mostly because of the cold weather. Therefore, we expect that as the weather gets warmer and with increased vaccination, the situation in these places will get better. However, this is not the same case with Nigeria. The second wave of the COVID 19 spread maybe because of neglecting the gains made in the first wave or expanding on them and a citizenry that threw caution to the winds.

    The solution to the pandemic requires governmental and individual responsibility. The government should proactively and intentionally provide information campaigns, and health interventions whilst individuals must adhere to all COVID-19 protocols. If the government and the people do not take adequate measures to curtail this second, more deadly wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, we may find ourselves trapped in a big mire when the rest of the world is already out of the woods. We must not let this happen.

  • Ex-NIMASA DG, Dakuku Peterside’s tell-all book to hit stand January 2021

    Ex-NIMASA DG, Dakuku Peterside’s tell-all book to hit stand January 2021

    Safari Books Limited will release the long-expected book, Strategic Turnaround: Story of a Government Agency, by Dr. Dakuku Peterside, former CEO of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in January 2021. The book will be released in hardcover, paperback, digital and audio book editions. The 300-page book is a straightforward narrative of events, and turnaround initiatives embarked upon in the Agency in the four years of Dakuku’s management that changed NIMASA from a laggard institution to one of the most respected and admired government agencies in Nigeria.

    The book critically explores leadership and management principles, both theoretically and practically, in a public sector setting, which anyone serious about improving performance in governance must pay attention to. More than a story of successes and failures, the book highlights critical lessons for those desirous of renewing, repositioning or reforming public sector organisations.

    This 13-chapter book expounds on strategic turnaround and performance optimisation in public sector settings. Readers will gain unusual insight into how government and regulatory agencies work and the complexities of achieving an extraordinary result in the face of the challenge of bureaucracy and multiple stakeholders with varied interests.

    Strategic Turnaround: Story of a Government Agency is equally a detailed piece about excellent goal setting in parastatals and agencies and how to achieve the set goals. Every chapter gives the reader ideas on how to move from goals to results.

    The book will not only heighten readers’ curiosity from the first page, but will also leave them with lessons that will make them think differently at the end of every chapter.

    Copies of the book will be sold on African Books Collective website, Amazon marketplace and in reputable bookshops nationwide. A six-city leadership coaching and speaking programme around the country in June 2021 will follow the release of the book.

    Dr. Dakuku Peterside is a columnist, scholar and management practitioner. He has served at all levels of government and two arms of government. He is one of the best-known reform-minded public sector leaders around.

  • Dakuku Mourns With Wike Over Aide’s Death

    Prominent Rivers son and seasoned administrator, Dr Dakuku Peterside says the death of Special Adviser to Governor Wike on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu is a huge loss to the media industry, Governor Wike and his family.

     

    Dr Peterside expressed shock over Nwakaudu’s death, saying it has created a vacuum in Wike’s administration especially as all hands are required on deck to battle the Coronavirus pandemic and beyond.

     

    He described the deceased as being very loyal to his principal and passionate about his responsibilities.

     

    The immediate past Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said Governor Wike has lost a trusted ally and staff, who was a gentleman and professional in his carriage.

     

    He prayed God to grant the deceased family the fortitude and perseverance to bear such a big loss at a time when his fatherly disposition and admonitions were most needed.

     

    “I may have on a couple occasions disagreed with the principles and politics of his Principal but I have my greatest for him as a thoroughbred professional.

     

    “Let me expresses my deepest condolences to Governor Wike over this sad loss. He has lost a good ally and I pray for God’s grace and guidance over the wife and children he left behind,” he stressed.

  • Wike has blossomed into full blown dictator – Dakuku

    …condemns illegal demolition of buildings

    The immediate past Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has condemned in strong terms Sunday’s demolition of two hotels in Rivers State by Governor Nyesom Wike over alleged violation of an Executive Order.

    Peterside, who says he had long observed the dictatorial tendencies of Wike, declared that the latest action of the governor was “wicked, insensitive, irresponsible and unlawful.”

    According to him, Wike has left no one in doubt as to his lack of concrete pursuit of how to fight Coronavirus with solid policies and programmes but has rather resorted to brute force, a show of strength and muscle-flexing with imaginary enemies.

    “Last week, Governor Wike made two broadcasts, where Rivers people expected him to lay out well-determined plans of how to ensure mass testing following the inauguration of molecular laboratories in UPTH and RSUTH with achievable timelines, while also strengthening other areas.

    “However, no such thing was heard from the governor but threats upon threats as to how he would dethrone traditional rulers, how he will sack local government chairmen, how he will summarily arrest violators of the executive order and punish them, how he will auction their vehicles, amongst other threats. Governor Wike is not a law unto himself and cannot be the law.

    “For good measure, the governor rounded up by saying he would demolish buildings or hotels found wanting in implementing his orders without recourse to the due process of law and natural justice that confers the right of fair hearing on the accused.

    “Governor Wike’s utterances do not suggest that he is fighting the coronavirus pandemic alone. His actions suggest that there is more than what he is telling Rivers people. He has become a dictator whose words must be obeyed or be damned,” he stressed.

    Dr. Peterside explained that the fascist attitude of Wike was capable of leading to the breakdown of law and order, as those who bear the crude method of the governor and their families could resort to mass protest, capable of exposing the state further.

    “This crude method of governance and law enforcement is obsolete, counterproductive and will put Rivers State and her people in bad light before the right-thinking members of society.

    “While we all support the governor to ensure that the state is free from coronavirus, his transformation into a dictator and a god that must be worshipped will be challenged by all well-meaning Rivers people and Nigerians at the appropriate time.

    “Governor Wike must change from this destructive path and follow that of responsible leadership that has a human face and not one that will turn him to a demi-god that must be offered sacrifices to assuage his anger, vengeance and greed,” he summed up.