Ringim Quits, Articles | THISDAY LIVE
At last! the inspector general of police Hafiz Ringim has retired after several call by nigerian for his retirement. This is coming on the heel of the incessant bomb attack by Boko Haram and the precarious security situation of the country generally under his watch.
You will recall that on several occassion, police post and offices have been bombed by Boko Haram sect without any arrest made to that effect.
Recently, the suspected mastermind of the Christmas day Bombing who was arrested by the police was reported to have escaped under suspicious circumstances and who was said to be from the same village as the IG.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE CONTROVERSIAL FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL
I have observed with great interest the drama that has ensued between the government and us the people of Nigeria over the removal of fuel subsidy removal. Several people and loyalist have condemned the removal of fuel subsidy and at the moment, there is a confrontation between the people of Nigeria and the government.
I do not wish to join the various loyalists to challenge the government without proffering a way out.
Undoubtedly, the government with / through his representative the Finance minister and the petroleum minister as well as the CBN governor have failed to show or tell us, the people of Nigeria the other alternative methods that they could used in getting funds so required for developmental projects without making the people they govern worse off, a fundamental principle in welfare economics.
I, Seyi Pope, an economics lecturer with a private institution of learning in Nigeria hereby proffer two options- aside the fuel subsidy removal- which will not only make funds needed for developmental project required by the government available but also revert back the petrol piece to less than #65 per litre.
OPTION ONE
FOREIGN EXCHANGE PATHWAY
There are three major types of exchange rate system practice in the world namely;
1. Floating exchange rate system: In this system, the value of a currency is strictly determined by the invisible forces of demand and supply with no government intervention. As such, between any two given currencies, any one whose export in more than its import is expected to experience increase in value which is called appreciation, and any one of the two currencies whose import is more than the export is expected to experience a reduction in value otherwise called depreciation.
2. Fixed exchange rate system: In this system, the value of a currency against another is strictly determined by the government and is fixed at a value perpetually.
3. Dirty/ managed floating exchange rate system: This is the combination of both the fixed and the floating exchange rate system. In this exchange system, the government set a range for the value of a currency against another with both upper and lower limit. As long as the value of the currency is within the set range, the forces of demand and supply are allowed to operate in determining the value the currency would be, but as soon as the value get to or above/below either of the limits-upper or lower- the government intervene by ensuring the return of the value of the currency.
The Nigerian government through the CBN practices the 3rd exchange rate system.
Suffice it to say that had the government practiced the 1st exchange rate system, the value of the naira would have been higher than the dollar since our export is far greater than our import based on the BOP figures released by the CBN in its statistical bulletin of 2011.and beyond.
However, either through the instrumentality of the forces of demand and supply through the floating exchange rate system or through deliberate act of the government to revalue the naira, when the naira appreciates/ revalued to #50/ $1 , the economic implication would be that, the landing cost of the petrol would be #42.50k which is 85% the value of the dollar.
At this price, the government would not have to pay any amount of money for subsidy and Nigerians also would still be better off by then paying between #42:50k - #45 per litre of petrol. A whooping sum of #22:50k would have been saved by the people on every litre of fuel bought with the multiplier effect of further reduction on both the diesel, aviation fuel and the kerosene.
Indeed, this option is a win-win solution for both the government and the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
OPTION 2
LOCAL REFINERY PATHWAY
Suffice to say that the reason why the government of The Federal Republic of Nigeria is paying subsidy on fuel is because they could not ensure that our local refineries operate at full capacity. Therefore, if the government decides not to take the first option, then the government should be prepared to pay subsidy on imported fuel till they could ensure that all the four local refineries operate at full capacity. There-after, start refining locally which would automatically required no importation and by extension result in no payment of subsidy whatsoever afterwards.
N.B: The second option would cost government as much money on subsidy till they could complete the refineries. So the faster the government complete these refineries, the more fund they could save and continue to safe for other developmental projects.
BENEFITS OF SELECTING OPTION 1
Below are just a few of the numerous benefits accruable to both the people of Nigerian and the government as a result of government decision to select option 1:
ü 1. Faster and easier accumulation of assets and equipment for every small and medium scale entrepreneur whose equipment and machineries used in production are purchased from abroad.
ü 2. Reduction in brain drain going on in Nigeria as people would have little or no incentive for going abroad to work since the amount of money they could make abroad would not be as enticing after conversion to naira as it is presently.
ü 3. Reduction in cost of goods and services as both locally produced and imported goods would experience a decline in price as the cost of production/ importation would be reduced due to reduction in price of fuel and diesel.
ü 4. Increased in general standard of living of Nigerians as a result of reduction in prices of basic goods and services which would reduce the propensity to consume of the masses and increase their propensity to safe, thereby leading to development.
ü 5. Peace and tranquility.
ü 6. Increase in employment generation as the reduction in cost of production is a major inducement for Foreign Direct Investors who would not need to be begged to come in to the country to establish firms etc.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Hands Up, Yar�Adua, Game Over!
One of the wittiest expressions I have ever heard is: �What part of �no� don�t you understand?� Ever since President Umaru Musa Yar�Adua disappeared from Aso Rock on November 23, 2009, we�ve been told week in, week out that he would soon arrive. In fact, you would think the presidential jet, on its way to Abuja, had just stopped over in Cairo to refuel. At a time, we were told he would even perform the Hajj and climb Mount Arafat. We have been told all sorts of stories � he is eating, he is smiling, he is laughing, he is sitting, he is dancing. All sorts. But it does not take a genius to realise that all these stories were cooked up and spiced up to buy time � to tell us that the man would soon be back, to calm frayed nerves, to create the impression that there is nothing much to worry about. Obviously, we�ve been misled and fed with lies all along.
However, the writing on the wall is now very clear � this game of deceit and time-buying has come to an end. We do not have the capacity to tarry anymore. The ship of state cannot afford to anchor for too long. By failing to inform the National Assembly of his sick leave, Yar�Adua did not properly transfer power to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan. What that means, effectively, is that there is a limit to what Jonathan can do. We can go on deceiving ourselves about Justice Dan Abutu rulings and �delegation� of powers by the President, but it is very clear that some people are just having fun at our expense. The people holding us hostage do not want an Acting President but a �Delegated President�. It�s a joke. They want to go to Jeddah and come back and say �the President said�� � and then the VP will be asked to carry out instructions of doubtful origin. We say no, let the right thing be done.
What part of �no� don�t these people understand?
I am ready to yield some ground to Yar�Adua. I am ready to believe that he actually wanted to send in a vacation letter last year but was persuaded by his advisers not to do so. I understand that he was told by one of his advisers to remember the case of the former Cameroonian President, Ahmadou Ahidjo, who was ill and travelled to France for medical treatment in 1982. The then Prime Minister, Paul Biya, took over as Acting President. To Ahidjo�s surprise, Biya began to run the state without recourse to him. Biya, according to the story told to Yar�Adua by this aide, stopped picking Ahidjo�s calls, always claiming to be in a meeting. The day Biya finally spoke to him, he advised Ahidjo to stay back and take care of his health. Effectively, Ahidjo was ousted as President. He eventually resigned and Biya became substantive President. This story, I was told, eventually persuaded Yar�Adua not to turn in a vacation letter.
But that was then. Seventy-six days without a president is not exactly what Nigeria deserves in this day and age. The country is too big for one individual � or his wife or associates, whoever they may be � to hold down for selfish reasons. There is an element of insult and contempt in this impunity. Almost everybody who is somebody in this country has spoken that the President should do the right thing. What part of �no� don�t these people understand? Even Nigerians who would otherwise have been advancing ethnic and regional positions have come out plainly to say Yar�Adua should send a letter to the National Assembly. Former heads of state have spoken. Senators have spoken. Some retired politicians, led by Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, have spoken. Civil society groups have spoken. Media owners have spoken. Editors have spoken. Even, belatedly, governors have spoken.
So what�s the game?
The last time we were told our head of state was �as fit as fiddle� � when he was actually not � was in 1998. General Sani Abacha was rarely seen in public those days. There were rumours that he was not in good health. But his Chief Press Secretary, Chief David Attah, told journalists his boss was �as fit as fiddle�. What happened? Only the Chief Security Officer (CSO), a certain Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, had access to Abacha. He would enter the room and come out and declare: �His Excellency said�� and that was law! It was so bad that generals and members of the Provisional Ruling Council were taking instructions from Al-Mustapha. Most of the state-sponsored assassinations, we later learnt, were without the knowledge of Abacha. Somebody kept issuing orders on his behalf. I have a feeling that this is what the Yar�Adua people want to do again. They want to keep the man locked up somewhere in Jeddah or Abuja and keep telling us �the President said�. No, enough of this.
I have heard some people criticise Jonathan for not seizing the initiative, for not acting in the absence of his boss. If he had been carrying out the duties of the President all along, nobody would have noticed the power vacuum, it has been argued. After all, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar did not wait for any letter to act whenever President Olusegun Obasanjo travelled out in those days in search of one foreign investor or the other. It is argued that if Atiku were Jonathan, nobody would have noticed the vacuum. To some extent, I agree with this argument. However, I cannot remember Atiku sending any bill to the National Assembly. I cannot remember Atiku swearing in Permanent Secretaries. I cannot remember Atiku signing the Appropriation Bill.
I cannot remember Atiku making a major policy decision such as deregulation or monetisation. So as good as that argument is, we also have to understand that naturally, there are limitations. Even if Atiku had taken all those decisions, would they have been legal?
I understand why Jonathan is also trying to be careful. All those pushing him to seize power and act beyond what the constitution permits him to do may also be trying to dig his grave. If Yar�Adua returns tomorrow, who says he would not move for the impeachment of Jonathan for breaching the constitution? All he would need to do is show that the man acted beyond his powers. What would be Jonathan�s defence? That he thought he had the powers? Those who are trying to argue that by Section 5 of the constitution, the President can ask the VP to do anything should also tell us what the President has so far asked the VP to do. If it becomes an impeachment case, can the VP provide any evidence to show that he was directed by Yar�Adua to carry out a particular task? How would he even be sure it is the President that issued such an instruction? Are we going back to the era of Al-Mustapha where the CSO was practically the President?
Whoever has access to the President � whether it is the CSO or his wife or the King of Saudi Arabia � should kindly inform him that the game is over. We have been deceived for over two months now that the President would soon come back, he would soon do video conference, NTA would soon put him on network news, he would soon send a letter� the truth is: we are sick and tired of this game. The destinies of 140 million Nigerians are a stake. The forward movement of this potentially great country is hanging in the balance. The economy is looking for direction.
They told us he signed the Supplementary Budget. If the signature was forged, the same forger should forge a vacation letter to the leadership of the National Assembly today. To be sure, I wish the President all the best. In fact, I want him to send in a vacation letter and face his health issues squarely for the next four months. What I find ridiculous is the attempt by some chaps to use his sickness as a ticket to rule Nigeria indirectly by passing on dubious instructions to the VP in the name of �the President said�. We say no to that. And, if I may ask, what part of �no� don�t they understand?
However, the writing on the wall is now very clear � this game of deceit and time-buying has come to an end. We do not have the capacity to tarry anymore. The ship of state cannot afford to anchor for too long. By failing to inform the National Assembly of his sick leave, Yar�Adua did not properly transfer power to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan. What that means, effectively, is that there is a limit to what Jonathan can do. We can go on deceiving ourselves about Justice Dan Abutu rulings and �delegation� of powers by the President, but it is very clear that some people are just having fun at our expense. The people holding us hostage do not want an Acting President but a �Delegated President�. It�s a joke. They want to go to Jeddah and come back and say �the President said�� � and then the VP will be asked to carry out instructions of doubtful origin. We say no, let the right thing be done.
What part of �no� don�t these people understand?
I am ready to yield some ground to Yar�Adua. I am ready to believe that he actually wanted to send in a vacation letter last year but was persuaded by his advisers not to do so. I understand that he was told by one of his advisers to remember the case of the former Cameroonian President, Ahmadou Ahidjo, who was ill and travelled to France for medical treatment in 1982. The then Prime Minister, Paul Biya, took over as Acting President. To Ahidjo�s surprise, Biya began to run the state without recourse to him. Biya, according to the story told to Yar�Adua by this aide, stopped picking Ahidjo�s calls, always claiming to be in a meeting. The day Biya finally spoke to him, he advised Ahidjo to stay back and take care of his health. Effectively, Ahidjo was ousted as President. He eventually resigned and Biya became substantive President. This story, I was told, eventually persuaded Yar�Adua not to turn in a vacation letter.
But that was then. Seventy-six days without a president is not exactly what Nigeria deserves in this day and age. The country is too big for one individual � or his wife or associates, whoever they may be � to hold down for selfish reasons. There is an element of insult and contempt in this impunity. Almost everybody who is somebody in this country has spoken that the President should do the right thing. What part of �no� don�t these people understand? Even Nigerians who would otherwise have been advancing ethnic and regional positions have come out plainly to say Yar�Adua should send a letter to the National Assembly. Former heads of state have spoken. Senators have spoken. Some retired politicians, led by Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, have spoken. Civil society groups have spoken. Media owners have spoken. Editors have spoken. Even, belatedly, governors have spoken.
So what�s the game?
The last time we were told our head of state was �as fit as fiddle� � when he was actually not � was in 1998. General Sani Abacha was rarely seen in public those days. There were rumours that he was not in good health. But his Chief Press Secretary, Chief David Attah, told journalists his boss was �as fit as fiddle�. What happened? Only the Chief Security Officer (CSO), a certain Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, had access to Abacha. He would enter the room and come out and declare: �His Excellency said�� and that was law! It was so bad that generals and members of the Provisional Ruling Council were taking instructions from Al-Mustapha. Most of the state-sponsored assassinations, we later learnt, were without the knowledge of Abacha. Somebody kept issuing orders on his behalf. I have a feeling that this is what the Yar�Adua people want to do again. They want to keep the man locked up somewhere in Jeddah or Abuja and keep telling us �the President said�. No, enough of this.
I have heard some people criticise Jonathan for not seizing the initiative, for not acting in the absence of his boss. If he had been carrying out the duties of the President all along, nobody would have noticed the power vacuum, it has been argued. After all, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar did not wait for any letter to act whenever President Olusegun Obasanjo travelled out in those days in search of one foreign investor or the other. It is argued that if Atiku were Jonathan, nobody would have noticed the vacuum. To some extent, I agree with this argument. However, I cannot remember Atiku sending any bill to the National Assembly. I cannot remember Atiku swearing in Permanent Secretaries. I cannot remember Atiku signing the Appropriation Bill.
I cannot remember Atiku making a major policy decision such as deregulation or monetisation. So as good as that argument is, we also have to understand that naturally, there are limitations. Even if Atiku had taken all those decisions, would they have been legal?
I understand why Jonathan is also trying to be careful. All those pushing him to seize power and act beyond what the constitution permits him to do may also be trying to dig his grave. If Yar�Adua returns tomorrow, who says he would not move for the impeachment of Jonathan for breaching the constitution? All he would need to do is show that the man acted beyond his powers. What would be Jonathan�s defence? That he thought he had the powers? Those who are trying to argue that by Section 5 of the constitution, the President can ask the VP to do anything should also tell us what the President has so far asked the VP to do. If it becomes an impeachment case, can the VP provide any evidence to show that he was directed by Yar�Adua to carry out a particular task? How would he even be sure it is the President that issued such an instruction? Are we going back to the era of Al-Mustapha where the CSO was practically the President?
Whoever has access to the President � whether it is the CSO or his wife or the King of Saudi Arabia � should kindly inform him that the game is over. We have been deceived for over two months now that the President would soon come back, he would soon do video conference, NTA would soon put him on network news, he would soon send a letter� the truth is: we are sick and tired of this game. The destinies of 140 million Nigerians are a stake. The forward movement of this potentially great country is hanging in the balance. The economy is looking for direction.
They told us he signed the Supplementary Budget. If the signature was forged, the same forger should forge a vacation letter to the leadership of the National Assembly today. To be sure, I wish the President all the best. In fact, I want him to send in a vacation letter and face his health issues squarely for the next four months. What I find ridiculous is the attempt by some chaps to use his sickness as a ticket to rule Nigeria indirectly by passing on dubious instructions to the VP in the name of �the President said�. We say no to that. And, if I may ask, what part of �no� don�t they understand?
Friday, February 12, 2010
NAFDAC Introduces Phone Service to Checkmate Counterfeiting
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in collaboration with an indigenous pharmaceutical company, BIOFEM, yesterday launched Mobile Anti-Counterfeit System (MAS) as part of measures to minimise incidence of drug faking in the country.
The new service which operates like the Global System Mobile (GSM) will enable consumers to have access to a designated customers� service unit to confirm whether the drug for sale is genuine or fake.
Just like the GSM, there is 12 digits number in a scratch card placed on each of the drug packages from the point of manufacture for the consumer to text through a short-code �38353� on the MTN, GLO and Zain networks.
By this new formula, consumer can right at the point of purchase of a drug confirm whether the drug in question is genuine or not by simply sending text from the scratch number on the drug through the code number and immediately a SMS response will be received indicating genuineness or otherwise of the drug.
Speaking at the launch of the new service, Director-General of NAFDAC Dr. Paul Orhii explained that the new concept which is the first of its kind throughout the world will assist in winning the war against counterfeiting of drug in Nigeria.
He noted that the idea of the new service came after series of meetings with stake holders in the country�s drug manufacturing sector on how to move forward in the bid to fight the war against drug faking to a logical conclusion.
He said at one of the meetings, BIOFEM agreed to make one of its products available as 'guinea pig' for the pilot project and thus the company�s diabetes drug, Glucophage was tested and serves as the first drug in the country that can be confirmed through the use of MAS verification for authenticity.
Orhii warned the public that the new service which is based on technology from a United States of America (USA) company, Sproxil Incorporated, whose Nigerian subsidiary have developed the solution with NAFDAC and BIOFEM is not available for all drugs in the country yet but assured with the success on the pilot drug, all other drugs will soon enjoy the same service.
The Director General said the service would be carried out with no extra cost to consumers and will still enable consumer to assist the agency to detect any pharmacy shop selling counterfeit drug, as such customer would only need to call the attention of NAFDAC to any shop where counterfeit drug is being sold if the response from SMS indicates that the drug is fake.
The new service which operates like the Global System Mobile (GSM) will enable consumers to have access to a designated customers� service unit to confirm whether the drug for sale is genuine or fake.
Just like the GSM, there is 12 digits number in a scratch card placed on each of the drug packages from the point of manufacture for the consumer to text through a short-code �38353� on the MTN, GLO and Zain networks.
By this new formula, consumer can right at the point of purchase of a drug confirm whether the drug in question is genuine or not by simply sending text from the scratch number on the drug through the code number and immediately a SMS response will be received indicating genuineness or otherwise of the drug.
Speaking at the launch of the new service, Director-General of NAFDAC Dr. Paul Orhii explained that the new concept which is the first of its kind throughout the world will assist in winning the war against counterfeiting of drug in Nigeria.
He noted that the idea of the new service came after series of meetings with stake holders in the country�s drug manufacturing sector on how to move forward in the bid to fight the war against drug faking to a logical conclusion.
He said at one of the meetings, BIOFEM agreed to make one of its products available as 'guinea pig' for the pilot project and thus the company�s diabetes drug, Glucophage was tested and serves as the first drug in the country that can be confirmed through the use of MAS verification for authenticity.
Orhii warned the public that the new service which is based on technology from a United States of America (USA) company, Sproxil Incorporated, whose Nigerian subsidiary have developed the solution with NAFDAC and BIOFEM is not available for all drugs in the country yet but assured with the success on the pilot drug, all other drugs will soon enjoy the same service.
The Director General said the service would be carried out with no extra cost to consumers and will still enable consumer to assist the agency to detect any pharmacy shop selling counterfeit drug, as such customer would only need to call the attention of NAFDAC to any shop where counterfeit drug is being sold if the response from SMS indicates that the drug is fake.
US Gives Nigeria Four Conditions
Nigeria would have to meet four conditions before it could be removed from the list of 14 �countries of interest�, a group whose nationals are under heavy scrutiny by the United States for potential terrorist activities.
And in another development, Britain has commended Nigeria for the way it resolved the political crisis caused by President Umaru Musa Yar�Adua�s prolonged hospitalisation in Saudi Arabia.
Removing Nigeria from the terror blacklist is being seen as a major challenge for Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, revealed the conditions given by the US during a meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday.
The conditions, he said, are: public condemnation of any form of terrorism anywhere in the world; improvement of security in the nation�s airports; deployment of air marshals on board aircraft and passing legislations geared towards combating terrorism in the country.
Although the meeting held behind closed-doors, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Honourable Bature Umar, said it was convened to get an update on the December 25, 2009, botched bombing of an American airline by 23-year-old Nigerian, Farouk Umar AbdulMutallab.
Nigeria was placed on a list of �countries of interest� shortly after the attempted bombing incident.
During the meeting, Maduekwe was said to have briefed the lawmakers on how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been handling the diplomatic row that followed after Nigeria was listed.
Maduekwe also briefed the committee on issues of common interest to the US and Nigeria, particularly the deployment of troops in Sudan; the transformation of the Africa Union (AU) and the recent controversy over the failure of the Nigerian Embassy to pay about $16 million tax on its property located in New York.
The interaction, Bature said, had put paid to insinuations that the inclusion of Nigeria on the watch list makes it a terrorist country.
According to him, �Nigeria was listed as a �country of interest� which requires that anybody flying from or through Nigeria to the United States should be subjected to extra security check irrespective of his citizenship.�
Meanwhile, the resolution by the National Assembly empowering Jonathan to take over as Acting President pending the return of the president has been commended by the United Kingdom.
Maduekwe, announced UK�s statemnent yesterday at an interactive session with the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Maduekwe said that the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, called him to express the British Government�s profound appreciation at the effective management of the crisis by the National Assembly, the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF) and the entire leadership of the country.
He also confessed at the session that Yar�Adua�s absence made his assignment in diplomatic circles very difficult.
�Just before I came in here, the British Foreign Secretary called me and he expressed his government�s profound appreciation that a challenging time like this is being managed very well by the National Assembly, by the Executive Council of the Federation, by the entire leadership; that Nigeria has justified the confidence many of Nigeria�s friends have in this country,� the foreign minister stated.
In response to a question on the difficulty encountered in managing diplomatic relations during the period, Manduekwe stated that �One cannot divorce the issue of diplomacy from the issue of the domestic situation.�
He stressed that �all over the world, wherever I go, the challenge is made even more difficult for me with the unfortunate indisposition of the President�.
He added: �Of course, the Vice-President himself cannot travel. Where the President should normally be and he is unable to be there, it should be the Vice-President.
�But if the President is outside the country, it means the Foreign Minister will be instructed through the then Vice-President, now Acting President to represent the nation.
�So, through my encounters with presidents, prime ministers, they asked about their brother, our President, and I had a very difficult challenge to explain things to them, to assure them that Nigeria is going through a very difficult moment.
�We miss our President but the country is not about to implode as they all think. Of course, that has its own security implications.
�But I assured them and the National Assembly has vindicated me in that assurance. I assured them that whatever happened, the constitution of the country; that the robustness of our democracy is intact and that we will come out of this strong, respected, appreciated and will play very vital role in how this country will move forward.�
According to him, �When the National Assembly took the historic decision they took a few days ago, not only did it bring stability to the nation, it also assisted the Foreign Minister in his task of engaging the rest of the world.�
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Jibril Aminu, had told Maduekwe that the Senate Committee on Appropriations had rejected the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed miscellaneous budget of N2.4 billion.
He said the Appropriations Committee had maintained its position on working within the framework of the budget and had advised that the Ministry should consider areas of its N44 billion budget where adjustments could be made.
And in another development, Britain has commended Nigeria for the way it resolved the political crisis caused by President Umaru Musa Yar�Adua�s prolonged hospitalisation in Saudi Arabia.
Removing Nigeria from the terror blacklist is being seen as a major challenge for Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, revealed the conditions given by the US during a meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday.
The conditions, he said, are: public condemnation of any form of terrorism anywhere in the world; improvement of security in the nation�s airports; deployment of air marshals on board aircraft and passing legislations geared towards combating terrorism in the country.
Although the meeting held behind closed-doors, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Honourable Bature Umar, said it was convened to get an update on the December 25, 2009, botched bombing of an American airline by 23-year-old Nigerian, Farouk Umar AbdulMutallab.
Nigeria was placed on a list of �countries of interest� shortly after the attempted bombing incident.
During the meeting, Maduekwe was said to have briefed the lawmakers on how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been handling the diplomatic row that followed after Nigeria was listed.
Maduekwe also briefed the committee on issues of common interest to the US and Nigeria, particularly the deployment of troops in Sudan; the transformation of the Africa Union (AU) and the recent controversy over the failure of the Nigerian Embassy to pay about $16 million tax on its property located in New York.
The interaction, Bature said, had put paid to insinuations that the inclusion of Nigeria on the watch list makes it a terrorist country.
According to him, �Nigeria was listed as a �country of interest� which requires that anybody flying from or through Nigeria to the United States should be subjected to extra security check irrespective of his citizenship.�
Meanwhile, the resolution by the National Assembly empowering Jonathan to take over as Acting President pending the return of the president has been commended by the United Kingdom.
Maduekwe, announced UK�s statemnent yesterday at an interactive session with the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Maduekwe said that the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, called him to express the British Government�s profound appreciation at the effective management of the crisis by the National Assembly, the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF) and the entire leadership of the country.
He also confessed at the session that Yar�Adua�s absence made his assignment in diplomatic circles very difficult.
�Just before I came in here, the British Foreign Secretary called me and he expressed his government�s profound appreciation that a challenging time like this is being managed very well by the National Assembly, by the Executive Council of the Federation, by the entire leadership; that Nigeria has justified the confidence many of Nigeria�s friends have in this country,� the foreign minister stated.
In response to a question on the difficulty encountered in managing diplomatic relations during the period, Manduekwe stated that �One cannot divorce the issue of diplomacy from the issue of the domestic situation.�
He stressed that �all over the world, wherever I go, the challenge is made even more difficult for me with the unfortunate indisposition of the President�.
He added: �Of course, the Vice-President himself cannot travel. Where the President should normally be and he is unable to be there, it should be the Vice-President.
�But if the President is outside the country, it means the Foreign Minister will be instructed through the then Vice-President, now Acting President to represent the nation.
�So, through my encounters with presidents, prime ministers, they asked about their brother, our President, and I had a very difficult challenge to explain things to them, to assure them that Nigeria is going through a very difficult moment.
�We miss our President but the country is not about to implode as they all think. Of course, that has its own security implications.
�But I assured them and the National Assembly has vindicated me in that assurance. I assured them that whatever happened, the constitution of the country; that the robustness of our democracy is intact and that we will come out of this strong, respected, appreciated and will play very vital role in how this country will move forward.�
According to him, �When the National Assembly took the historic decision they took a few days ago, not only did it bring stability to the nation, it also assisted the Foreign Minister in his task of engaging the rest of the world.�
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Jibril Aminu, had told Maduekwe that the Senate Committee on Appropriations had rejected the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed miscellaneous budget of N2.4 billion.
He said the Appropriations Committee had maintained its position on working within the framework of the budget and had advised that the Ministry should consider areas of its N44 billion budget where adjustments could be made.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Who Wants the Constitution Amended?
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in case you don’t know, is a determined and calm man. Recently in Abuja, I tried to wind him up on the proposed amendment of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I asked the Deputy Senate President, who is also Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution: “To the best of my knowledge, the ruling political class is not really interested in any review of the constitution because it is not in their interest. Are you lawmakers not just trying to keep the political firmament a little bit busy by this constitution amendment talk? Are you really interested in it?”
He smiled. “I’ve heard that,” he replied. “But from day one, we decided – in fact, nobody prompted us – to make the amendment of the Constitution one of our legacies. We’re mindful of the challenges ahead of us but we are determined to do it. Early enough, the Senate constituted its committee for this purpose. What actually set us back was that it took the House of Representatives three months to set up its own committee. We were trying to find a convenient date with the House to commence the job. Eventually, we set up the Joint Constitution Review Committee. But controversy ensued. Time passed by.”
The “controversy” was that the Representatives started an argument about who should chair the joint committee. From nowhere, a fire was started about which of the chambers of the National Assembly was superior. This curious controversy made many people believe that the House was working in tandem with those who were against the amendment of the constitution, an allegation the Lower Chamber denied. But it left a sour taste in the mouth that the substance of constitution amendment was relegated to the background while a seemingly peripheral issue of “seniority” took the centre stage.
With the controversy unresolved, the two chambers decided to part ways. There is nothing in the constitution that says a joint committee is needed for the amendment. “We believed we would save cost and time if we worked jointly,” Ekweremadu told me. “But we moved on all the same. Our plan is to take it to a level and make it irreversible so that everyone will take it seriously and come to our aid. We have developed a timeline and our objectives. We will break out into geo-political zones to collate views from across the country. Like our public hearings, it will be shown live on TV. We will then set up committees for the specific issues. They will look into the details and advise the main committee appropriately. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is helping us with consultants whom they will pay. We’ll seek the best possible advice across the world so that for every proposal we make, we can look at what country it has worked and why we believe it’s going to work in Nigeria.”
My cynicism was not enough to deter the Deputy Senate President from outlining his committee’s calendar. “By February 2010, we believe we will be done with this work. We will submit our recommendations to the Senate. By June 2010, we expect that the amendments will be passed. We’ll then move it to the House and see what compromise we can reach on areas of differences. We can then send it to the State Houses of Assembly for concurrence,” he said with all enthusiasm.
There is suspicion that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is not too keen on the amendment – just as it is also believed that the Senate is trying to kill the amendment bills sent to it by the President. Ekweremadu quickly dismissed the first allegation – “The President has been very supportive,” he declared – and went on to explain what the Senate has done or is doing to the bills sent by the President. “Presidency has proposed six bills,” he said. “The first is on the Land Use Act. The Executive is proposing an amendment so that land owners can use their land as collateral for loans without requiring Governor’s consent. Although this has nothing to do with the election, we need to empower our people to create wealth.
“The second is party registration. Presidency is proposing a commission to register and regulate parties, in this age when people are talking about the need for small government. Nigerians fought for the removal of hindrances to the registration of parties. Why do we need another bureaucracy, another body, which would only increase the cost of running government? Already, we have over 50 parties. Senators took a look at this bill critically. It died on Second Reading. The third is on electoral matters. It proposes independent candidature. It also deals with the appointment of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This one has passed Second Reading. We are still working on it.
“The fourth is the INEC Act of 1998. It was enacted just to provide a legal instrument to the elections leading up to handover in May 1999. It’s a ‘spent legislation’. The decree created INEC. All the provisions have been transferred to the 1999 Constitution. Nothing is left in the Act. All you need now is to amend the constitution. The fifth is the Police Act. The Executive bill is aimed at amending the Police Act to strengthen security during elections. The amendment says there should be security for election materials and electoral officers. As a lawyer, I know that the Police Act is all about security for all. So, I ask: Is the life and property of INEC different from others? Who advised the Executive in respect of this bill? The last is a bill seeking to create a commission to try electoral offenders. We’re going to look into it. I have gone this length to explain because Nigerians may not know the reasons why some of the bills are being thrown out.”
He spoke at length on another touchy issue – state creation. “Our aim now is to provide the atmosphere for credible elections in 2011. We have to look at incremental changes. We cannot put everything in the basket at a go. We’ll look at all those bills, consider the Uwais report and collate the views of Nigerians,” he said, explaining that it would be more beneficial to make a law that will simplify state creation processes because of the ambiguities contained in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution.
“Look at Section 8 very well and you’ll see that it’s ambiguous. It is also very strenuous. Unlike other constitutional changes which require two-thirds of the National Assembly, state creation requires four-fifths. Pursuant to the 1979 Constitution, there is the 1982 State Creation and Boundary Adjustment Act which was meant to support the constitution on state creation. Yet, things are still ambiguous. It says a referendum must be conducted on a request for state creation and that two-thirds of the federation must support it. Now this is confusing. Who conducts the referendum? What is two-thirds of the federation? Is it two-thirds of the entire population of Nigerians or two-thirds of elected representatives or Houses of Assembly? All these are ambiguous,” he explained.
What way forward then? Ekweremadu says his committee wants to make things simple enough so that the processes of creating a state will be started by the people who desire it. He explained again: “We need to streamline the processes. Amending the Act will help us push the process to the agitators. The first step is for them to make a request. This should be signed by their elected representatives covering the area of the proposed state. Then they can send it to the National Assembly to secure two-thirds approval. Then a referendum will be conducted before it is now sent to State Houses of Assembly for concurrence. It can now come back to the National Assembly for two-thirds approval. A state is then created. It doesn’t need executive assent. You shouldn’t need anybody to create state for you anymore. You start the process yourself. If it is only to remove ambiguity, that would be an achievement for us.”
Ekweremadu is very determined to accomplish this task. After the Kaduna Retreat, public hearing will commence on Tuesday, with former Presidents and Heads of States invited to make presentations. I believe rather than spend eternity complaining about how “bad” our constitution is, it would make sense to engage with the process constructively. This is another chance for us.
By: Simon Kolawole Live!, Email: simonkolawole@thisdayonline.com,
He smiled. “I’ve heard that,” he replied. “But from day one, we decided – in fact, nobody prompted us – to make the amendment of the Constitution one of our legacies. We’re mindful of the challenges ahead of us but we are determined to do it. Early enough, the Senate constituted its committee for this purpose. What actually set us back was that it took the House of Representatives three months to set up its own committee. We were trying to find a convenient date with the House to commence the job. Eventually, we set up the Joint Constitution Review Committee. But controversy ensued. Time passed by.”
The “controversy” was that the Representatives started an argument about who should chair the joint committee. From nowhere, a fire was started about which of the chambers of the National Assembly was superior. This curious controversy made many people believe that the House was working in tandem with those who were against the amendment of the constitution, an allegation the Lower Chamber denied. But it left a sour taste in the mouth that the substance of constitution amendment was relegated to the background while a seemingly peripheral issue of “seniority” took the centre stage.
With the controversy unresolved, the two chambers decided to part ways. There is nothing in the constitution that says a joint committee is needed for the amendment. “We believed we would save cost and time if we worked jointly,” Ekweremadu told me. “But we moved on all the same. Our plan is to take it to a level and make it irreversible so that everyone will take it seriously and come to our aid. We have developed a timeline and our objectives. We will break out into geo-political zones to collate views from across the country. Like our public hearings, it will be shown live on TV. We will then set up committees for the specific issues. They will look into the details and advise the main committee appropriately. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is helping us with consultants whom they will pay. We’ll seek the best possible advice across the world so that for every proposal we make, we can look at what country it has worked and why we believe it’s going to work in Nigeria.”
My cynicism was not enough to deter the Deputy Senate President from outlining his committee’s calendar. “By February 2010, we believe we will be done with this work. We will submit our recommendations to the Senate. By June 2010, we expect that the amendments will be passed. We’ll then move it to the House and see what compromise we can reach on areas of differences. We can then send it to the State Houses of Assembly for concurrence,” he said with all enthusiasm.
There is suspicion that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is not too keen on the amendment – just as it is also believed that the Senate is trying to kill the amendment bills sent to it by the President. Ekweremadu quickly dismissed the first allegation – “The President has been very supportive,” he declared – and went on to explain what the Senate has done or is doing to the bills sent by the President. “Presidency has proposed six bills,” he said. “The first is on the Land Use Act. The Executive is proposing an amendment so that land owners can use their land as collateral for loans without requiring Governor’s consent. Although this has nothing to do with the election, we need to empower our people to create wealth.
“The second is party registration. Presidency is proposing a commission to register and regulate parties, in this age when people are talking about the need for small government. Nigerians fought for the removal of hindrances to the registration of parties. Why do we need another bureaucracy, another body, which would only increase the cost of running government? Already, we have over 50 parties. Senators took a look at this bill critically. It died on Second Reading. The third is on electoral matters. It proposes independent candidature. It also deals with the appointment of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This one has passed Second Reading. We are still working on it.
“The fourth is the INEC Act of 1998. It was enacted just to provide a legal instrument to the elections leading up to handover in May 1999. It’s a ‘spent legislation’. The decree created INEC. All the provisions have been transferred to the 1999 Constitution. Nothing is left in the Act. All you need now is to amend the constitution. The fifth is the Police Act. The Executive bill is aimed at amending the Police Act to strengthen security during elections. The amendment says there should be security for election materials and electoral officers. As a lawyer, I know that the Police Act is all about security for all. So, I ask: Is the life and property of INEC different from others? Who advised the Executive in respect of this bill? The last is a bill seeking to create a commission to try electoral offenders. We’re going to look into it. I have gone this length to explain because Nigerians may not know the reasons why some of the bills are being thrown out.”
He spoke at length on another touchy issue – state creation. “Our aim now is to provide the atmosphere for credible elections in 2011. We have to look at incremental changes. We cannot put everything in the basket at a go. We’ll look at all those bills, consider the Uwais report and collate the views of Nigerians,” he said, explaining that it would be more beneficial to make a law that will simplify state creation processes because of the ambiguities contained in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution.
“Look at Section 8 very well and you’ll see that it’s ambiguous. It is also very strenuous. Unlike other constitutional changes which require two-thirds of the National Assembly, state creation requires four-fifths. Pursuant to the 1979 Constitution, there is the 1982 State Creation and Boundary Adjustment Act which was meant to support the constitution on state creation. Yet, things are still ambiguous. It says a referendum must be conducted on a request for state creation and that two-thirds of the federation must support it. Now this is confusing. Who conducts the referendum? What is two-thirds of the federation? Is it two-thirds of the entire population of Nigerians or two-thirds of elected representatives or Houses of Assembly? All these are ambiguous,” he explained.
What way forward then? Ekweremadu says his committee wants to make things simple enough so that the processes of creating a state will be started by the people who desire it. He explained again: “We need to streamline the processes. Amending the Act will help us push the process to the agitators. The first step is for them to make a request. This should be signed by their elected representatives covering the area of the proposed state. Then they can send it to the National Assembly to secure two-thirds approval. Then a referendum will be conducted before it is now sent to State Houses of Assembly for concurrence. It can now come back to the National Assembly for two-thirds approval. A state is then created. It doesn’t need executive assent. You shouldn’t need anybody to create state for you anymore. You start the process yourself. If it is only to remove ambiguity, that would be an achievement for us.”
Ekweremadu is very determined to accomplish this task. After the Kaduna Retreat, public hearing will commence on Tuesday, with former Presidents and Heads of States invited to make presentations. I believe rather than spend eternity complaining about how “bad” our constitution is, it would make sense to engage with the process constructively. This is another chance for us.
By: Simon Kolawole Live!, Email: simonkolawole@thisdayonline.com,
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
MANY FACES OF CORUPTION IN NIGERIA (1)
I have heard and read many write ups and statements from both people in leadership positions in this Great country of Mine- Nigeria- and other fellow citizens talked about corruption and its impact on Nigeria’s growth and development. I am in agreement with them that this ugly giant corruption is the bane of Nigeria’s lack of development and success.
However, I strongly believe that there is one major lacuna that is being overlooked by most people which I believe is an important factor in curbing corruption, and that is the different sources of corruption which I have aptly tagged, ‘The many faces of corruption”. So in this write-up, I am going to take time to reveal these different sources of corruption in Nigeria with the hope that the various anti corruption agencies in each of these various sources will rise up to their responsibility and ensure that corruption is reduced to minimum level if not totally eradicated. There is a common saying amongst the Yoruba’s that says “Ti Olorun bati fi ota eni wonni, kole panimo” that means when one has been able to identify his/ her enemy, your enemy can’t kill you again. So I believe that we can’t fight or kill corruption in any system if we don’t really know the various sources of corruption in that system, otherwise if known and nothing is done, it then means that we are only hypocritical about the issue and are not really ready to nip corruption in the bud.
Firstly, permit me to quickly list out all the various sources of corruption identifiable by me before I go into its analysis. The various sources of corruption paramount in Nigeria today are in: (1) Education (2) Energy (3) Family (4) Religion (5) Corporate business environment (6) Civil services & (7) Government. It is obvious that the most harped among these is the corruption in governance, but the truth is that corruption in government is an extension of other major sources of corruption.
I shall briefly try to analyse each of these sources with the help of shedding light on it to enable the anti corruption agencies in each sector to rise up to their challenges to curb this ugly giant once and for all.
Corruption in the education sector: I have been in the education sector now for eleven years and in all these years I have witnessed all sorts of unscrupulous activities that make me cry. For the lack of time, I will quickly say he that there are two major areas where corruption has almost become a tradition in our education sector. The first is in the secondary level of our education. No one can dispute the fact that our secondary school leavers are no longer reading for their exams, all they now rely on is expo or leakages or direct assistance from external people during exams. When I was young, the usual practice is to look for people who have past question in each subject we are about to sit for in exam and start practicing the questions in those past question and even after exams you will be obligated to keep your exams question papers for junior student coming behind you as they will come knocking for it sooner than later. Apart from that, you may also enrolled for extra mural lessons to augment whatever you have learned and taught in your regular school, and of course, the rate of success in those years were far better than what is obtainable now. But these days, the reverse is the case, in fact it has become so bad that the few students who are ready to read are totally discouraged from reading. For instance, virtually in every part of this country you will get special SSCE/ GCE centres, in fact they are so conspicuous that they have become normal, and what is special about these centres you may ask? They are ready source of expo or “chukwuli” as they now call it. At these centres, the students have options. They could either just registered for expo in the exam halls which is the cheapest ranging from between two thousand naira to four thousand naira per subject or be register for personal assistance in which case, those students in these category will be put in a special room within the school used for the exam usually the vice principal or principal’s office where the exam will be answered and photocopied for each student to be copied. This also range from between four thousand to ten thousand naira per subject and of course the most expensive option they refer to as “non appearance” in which case the students won’t even bother sitting for the exam as the centre will help arrange for another person who will sit for the registered students for all the papers that the students registered for. Of course these range from between ten thousand naira to twenty thousand naira per subject, and these fees so to speak would have been paid before the commencement of the exam otherwise “no show”. Now if these are not corrupt practices, then I want to know what they are.
The most annoying part of these is that these special centres are known by each exam bodies and I mean both WAEC and NECO directly or indirectly and I will give you my Facts. Since the beginning of this millennium, these exam bodies have put up various technological process of registration (even though these is also a form of corruption as you will discover soon) by which each student is expected to log in to the organisation’s website and register. The major reason put forward by these bodies for doing this is to curb exam malpractice such that when each students register, his or her data will be captured in the organisation’s data based and the system will automatically be given a random centre for the examination closer if not closest to the area of residence of the applicant, is that not so? Well not to worry as each of these centres (and I am speaking from what I have personally experience them do) have special codes given by officials of these exam bodies that once inputted, all the applicant they (the special centre admin) will thereafter register will automatically be in the same centre which the code belong to and of course, these so called special centres are not supposed to know these codes. So tell me if this is not corruption!!
In fact, I have seen parent going to register their wards/ children for lesson and the very first thing they will ask you is if you have special centre/ assistance that will be given to their wards. If you answer them in the negative, you will never see their break light as they will immediately go look else were and they are sure to get! Each of these special centres of course pays some money to their partners in crime who are inside these exam bodies. If we are truly sincere in eradicating corruption, why are these centres on the increase? Why have not the minister and commissioner for education not come out and begin arresting these centres? Less you are confused about what I am saying, most privates secondary schools these days are also used as special centres, in fact these has been on the increase in the last five years, before then only private lesson or tutorial centres were involved but now, most private secondary school, have joined the bad wagon. A teacher friend of mine once told me he had to resign when he was called to come and solve exam questions in the special room to be photocopied and given to the school students writing May/ June WAEC. To these private secondary school, their expenses is reduced by half as all the student registered through the school is automatically expected to write the exam in the school premises, as such, the school do not have to have insider in the exam bodies to achieve their aim. The attendant result of all these atrocities is that the students are now relaxed and have become more indolent than usual as they are not so much bothered about reading to pass their examinations as they know that their school will help them out.
This is not only applicable in final secondary school exam, from the JSS1 to JSS 5, the same happens. If you are a teacher in any of these private schools and you are sincere you will agree with me that these private schools have an unwritten law of not failing any student. How this is to be done is left for the subject teachers. You do not need any clairvoyant power to know that the more private schools we have, the more the failure rate of students in their final exams, this is because these students have been spoon fed and packaged right from their first year in secondary school. The most unfortunate being that these schools are now using this inflated success to cajole the gullible parents into paying more school fees, in fact the parents have been made to believe now that the higher the school fees, the more successful their wards and or children will become, what a pity!!
I can go on and on but time will fail me to unravel the various cans of worms paraded with impunity in our secondary education.
When you come to the tertiary level of our education, you will find the same. You have to pay through your nose to get admitted into any of our public and private schools. You will pay more than ten different charges before you are pronounced a student in Nigeria. From the initial application scratch card to result checking scratch card to registration scratch cards to acceptance fee, to medical fee to departmental fee to etc. all of which is unique and different from actual school fees, the list is endless. Once accepted as a full student, you will begin to contend with lecturers who are more than happy to ensure that you do not graduate with good grade. Some will boldly tell you to you face that no matter how brilliant you are, you can never graduate with a second class upper, some will even vow to you that you will never graduate out of the school if you don’t do their biddings. All this are the monster that are militating against the standard of education in this country, they are all one form of corruption or the other. How will a product of such corrupt process be expected not to be corrupt? How will such a one be void of corruption when he or she becomes a leader? It is a circle of what goes around coming around!!
However, I strongly believe that there is one major lacuna that is being overlooked by most people which I believe is an important factor in curbing corruption, and that is the different sources of corruption which I have aptly tagged, ‘The many faces of corruption”. So in this write-up, I am going to take time to reveal these different sources of corruption in Nigeria with the hope that the various anti corruption agencies in each of these various sources will rise up to their responsibility and ensure that corruption is reduced to minimum level if not totally eradicated. There is a common saying amongst the Yoruba’s that says “Ti Olorun bati fi ota eni wonni, kole panimo” that means when one has been able to identify his/ her enemy, your enemy can’t kill you again. So I believe that we can’t fight or kill corruption in any system if we don’t really know the various sources of corruption in that system, otherwise if known and nothing is done, it then means that we are only hypocritical about the issue and are not really ready to nip corruption in the bud.
Firstly, permit me to quickly list out all the various sources of corruption identifiable by me before I go into its analysis. The various sources of corruption paramount in Nigeria today are in: (1) Education (2) Energy (3) Family (4) Religion (5) Corporate business environment (6) Civil services & (7) Government. It is obvious that the most harped among these is the corruption in governance, but the truth is that corruption in government is an extension of other major sources of corruption.
I shall briefly try to analyse each of these sources with the help of shedding light on it to enable the anti corruption agencies in each sector to rise up to their challenges to curb this ugly giant once and for all.
Corruption in the education sector: I have been in the education sector now for eleven years and in all these years I have witnessed all sorts of unscrupulous activities that make me cry. For the lack of time, I will quickly say he that there are two major areas where corruption has almost become a tradition in our education sector. The first is in the secondary level of our education. No one can dispute the fact that our secondary school leavers are no longer reading for their exams, all they now rely on is expo or leakages or direct assistance from external people during exams. When I was young, the usual practice is to look for people who have past question in each subject we are about to sit for in exam and start practicing the questions in those past question and even after exams you will be obligated to keep your exams question papers for junior student coming behind you as they will come knocking for it sooner than later. Apart from that, you may also enrolled for extra mural lessons to augment whatever you have learned and taught in your regular school, and of course, the rate of success in those years were far better than what is obtainable now. But these days, the reverse is the case, in fact it has become so bad that the few students who are ready to read are totally discouraged from reading. For instance, virtually in every part of this country you will get special SSCE/ GCE centres, in fact they are so conspicuous that they have become normal, and what is special about these centres you may ask? They are ready source of expo or “chukwuli” as they now call it. At these centres, the students have options. They could either just registered for expo in the exam halls which is the cheapest ranging from between two thousand naira to four thousand naira per subject or be register for personal assistance in which case, those students in these category will be put in a special room within the school used for the exam usually the vice principal or principal’s office where the exam will be answered and photocopied for each student to be copied. This also range from between four thousand to ten thousand naira per subject and of course the most expensive option they refer to as “non appearance” in which case the students won’t even bother sitting for the exam as the centre will help arrange for another person who will sit for the registered students for all the papers that the students registered for. Of course these range from between ten thousand naira to twenty thousand naira per subject, and these fees so to speak would have been paid before the commencement of the exam otherwise “no show”. Now if these are not corrupt practices, then I want to know what they are.
The most annoying part of these is that these special centres are known by each exam bodies and I mean both WAEC and NECO directly or indirectly and I will give you my Facts. Since the beginning of this millennium, these exam bodies have put up various technological process of registration (even though these is also a form of corruption as you will discover soon) by which each student is expected to log in to the organisation’s website and register. The major reason put forward by these bodies for doing this is to curb exam malpractice such that when each students register, his or her data will be captured in the organisation’s data based and the system will automatically be given a random centre for the examination closer if not closest to the area of residence of the applicant, is that not so? Well not to worry as each of these centres (and I am speaking from what I have personally experience them do) have special codes given by officials of these exam bodies that once inputted, all the applicant they (the special centre admin) will thereafter register will automatically be in the same centre which the code belong to and of course, these so called special centres are not supposed to know these codes. So tell me if this is not corruption!!
In fact, I have seen parent going to register their wards/ children for lesson and the very first thing they will ask you is if you have special centre/ assistance that will be given to their wards. If you answer them in the negative, you will never see their break light as they will immediately go look else were and they are sure to get! Each of these special centres of course pays some money to their partners in crime who are inside these exam bodies. If we are truly sincere in eradicating corruption, why are these centres on the increase? Why have not the minister and commissioner for education not come out and begin arresting these centres? Less you are confused about what I am saying, most privates secondary schools these days are also used as special centres, in fact these has been on the increase in the last five years, before then only private lesson or tutorial centres were involved but now, most private secondary school, have joined the bad wagon. A teacher friend of mine once told me he had to resign when he was called to come and solve exam questions in the special room to be photocopied and given to the school students writing May/ June WAEC. To these private secondary school, their expenses is reduced by half as all the student registered through the school is automatically expected to write the exam in the school premises, as such, the school do not have to have insider in the exam bodies to achieve their aim. The attendant result of all these atrocities is that the students are now relaxed and have become more indolent than usual as they are not so much bothered about reading to pass their examinations as they know that their school will help them out.
This is not only applicable in final secondary school exam, from the JSS1 to JSS 5, the same happens. If you are a teacher in any of these private schools and you are sincere you will agree with me that these private schools have an unwritten law of not failing any student. How this is to be done is left for the subject teachers. You do not need any clairvoyant power to know that the more private schools we have, the more the failure rate of students in their final exams, this is because these students have been spoon fed and packaged right from their first year in secondary school. The most unfortunate being that these schools are now using this inflated success to cajole the gullible parents into paying more school fees, in fact the parents have been made to believe now that the higher the school fees, the more successful their wards and or children will become, what a pity!!
I can go on and on but time will fail me to unravel the various cans of worms paraded with impunity in our secondary education.
When you come to the tertiary level of our education, you will find the same. You have to pay through your nose to get admitted into any of our public and private schools. You will pay more than ten different charges before you are pronounced a student in Nigeria. From the initial application scratch card to result checking scratch card to registration scratch cards to acceptance fee, to medical fee to departmental fee to etc. all of which is unique and different from actual school fees, the list is endless. Once accepted as a full student, you will begin to contend with lecturers who are more than happy to ensure that you do not graduate with good grade. Some will boldly tell you to you face that no matter how brilliant you are, you can never graduate with a second class upper, some will even vow to you that you will never graduate out of the school if you don’t do their biddings. All this are the monster that are militating against the standard of education in this country, they are all one form of corruption or the other. How will a product of such corrupt process be expected not to be corrupt? How will such a one be void of corruption when he or she becomes a leader? It is a circle of what goes around coming around!!
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