TONY ITA ETIM
AND THE MALLAM DIED.
“Mallam” Saadu was one of the security men that watch over the premises that houses Champion Newspapers office in Port Harcourt, River State. Thursday evening, May 30, Saadu went across the road to take tea and as he was returning to the premises he was hit by a car. The driver took him to the Rivers state government-owned Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, BMH, Port Harcourt.
I was in the office that evening when the Hausa men raised alarm that a car hit Saadu and the driver took him to an unknown destination. We entered a vehicle in pursuit but not knowing the direction the vehicle took, we decided to check Teme Clinic, run by Doctors without Borders, but we were informed there was no such case. Our fear was that the driver might have taken the victim only to dump him somewhere and escape but this was a different Nigerian, a man with conscience, compassion and fear of God.
We decided to check at BMH and behold Saadu was there and the driver of the car later identified as Frank. Though the doctors and nurses on duty were slow to attend to the victim, we were confident that since he made it to the hospital, he would survive. But when Frank’s brother came to the hospital he was angry with his brother for bringing Saadu to BMH instead of Teme. He recalled how he lost his daughter last year in the hospital due to careless attitude of the staff. He was bitter and one can see bitterness oozing out of his veins.
There is a sign in BMH emergency ward that accident victim should not pay anything within their first 24 hours in the hospital but this was not the case with patient Saadu. There were even telephone numbers of the CMD and another official designated as Coordinator that people can call and complain but that night I tried their lines and none went through. All the drugs, cotton wool, bandage, hands gloves and other medical consumables used in treating Saadu were paid for, cash, by Frank, who was ready to pay anything or even pay for the victim to live if it was possible.
The doctors and nurses were just callous; they did not care whether the patient lives or die. But trust Nigerians they may have their own reasons and excuses for behaving the way they did. At a point we were begging them for pillow for the victim and one of them asked why we did not come with a pillow, so we should be carrying pillows about in case of emergency? Frank even offered to buy a pillow if one is available for sale. It was at this point that they brought a pillow about 12.30 am Friday, May 31 for a patient that was brought in about 8 pm Thursday. We were about leaving when we discovered that Saadu was quaking seriously we have to call the attention of the doctors and nurses to attend to him. By 6 am my phone rang and the caller, Andrew Ebu of Thisday broke the news of Saadu’s death. He was buried that Friday morning according Muslims rites in Port Harcourt. Saadu who married about six months ago left behind a young wife and a heartbroken mother, among other relations. One can not really say whether Saadu died of neglect from the hospital or injuries from the accident. But the consensus is that if it were Teme, he would have survived. What is the magic about Teme? BMH should go and learn from them.
The Rivers State government in the last couple of years has sunk billions of naira into BMH to improve and upgrade equipment and facilities. The hospital even carries the tag of a specialist. But the staffs of the hospital are notorious for poor attitude towards their jobs and the patients who are the reason for setting up the hospital in the first place and why they were employed to work there. Jobs in the medical fields are more of a humanitarian calling than a career for prestige. The prestige that goes with these professions must not translate to arrogance and insensitivity. A doctor or a nurse must have compassion for human lives. That they have seen many deaths should not make them harden to a point that one more death does not matter. Every life is important. They maybe doctors and nurses but who knows when and where their own emergency may occur, and at first, those treating them may not know they are doctors and nurses, would they be happy if someone treat them or their relations the same the treat others? One does not need to be a Very Important Personality or know one doctor or nurse before he is treated fairly. People who are not ready to serve the public should not seek jobs in public institutions. Since they are “big and important people” they should establish their own clinics and treat patrons the way they do in public hospitals and see who would patronize them.
It is not enough for government to establish such facilities or institutions but there should be strict supervision and monitoring to see that the right thing is done and at the right time. It is a waste of tax payers’ money for such a hospital to be established and funded but the workers are not discharging the services that should be offered to the public. Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries, once in a while should visit these facilities unannounced and see things for themselves. Those who are appointed to manage these public institutions should check the performance of their staff. Staff of BMH, I would suggest, need some re-orientation, change in their attitude to work and how they relate with the public that they are employed to serve.
Have the staff and management of BMH ever heard of SERVICOM? I am afraid the may not going by their attitude to work and patients visiting the hospital. Stories about the hospital and how they treat their patients are not complimentary. Or is it a deliberate ploy to discredit the hospital so that patients can be referred to private health facilities owned by the staffs? Why should individual manage their private businesses well only to turn around a make a shipwreck of public institutions? God dey!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
LETTER TO OUR GOVERNORS
TONY ITA ETIM
LETTER TO OUR GOVERNORS
Our dear governors, congratulations for clocking one year on the saddle! I decided to write you through this medium because it would not be possible for me to have one on one interaction with you, remember you are a busy person, and even if you would like to see me your “loyal aides” may not make it possible. Sir, this period does not call for celebrations, parties and popping of champagne and other exotic wines. This is a period for sober reflections and honest self analysis. Don’t mind the various congratulatory messages and the supplements on your “achievements” in the past one year. These are just to massage your ego and to attract your attention and patronage. Even your enemies can do these just to show their “loyalty”. In the midst of all these fanfares, please find time to look back on what you have done or have not been able to do in the past one year. Sir, listen to your inner man and in all honesty accept what it tells you. Be sincere enough to tell yourself the truth and accept the truth from your inner man. Only the truth can make you free from bad advisers and praise singers.
This anniversary is also part of our “Democracy Day” celebration; please think deep, are we really practicing democracy? In the past one year have your actions and decisions meet the democratic norms. Democracy, they say, is government of the people, by the people and for the people, which means people of your state are supposed to be the centre- point, focus or concern of your administration and policies. Permit me sir, in the past one year; did the interest and voice of the people supercede that of your political god fathers and party caucuses? The elected councilors and local government chairmen in your state were they really products of the people participation in the electoral process? Did the various party congresses conducted during your administration really a reflection of what your party members desire?
During your electioneering campaigns, you promised our people that dividends of democracy would surely get to them, one year after we are still waiting for the dividends. This celebration is supposed to be like an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of our state where you will declare the performance of your administration and tell us whether we are entitled to dividends. Please, kindly play according to the rule and don’t tamper with the account books, we would like to know how healthy our state is. Like in every company’s AGM, each share holder is suppose to go home with dividends no matter his political leaning, if you have manage the state well in the past one year. Yes community A or B did not vote for you but you are now the governor of our state and not of your party. You took an oath of office to serve the entire state and not members of your political family.
My Executive Governor, there is hunger in the land. We, the people who supposedly elected you into power, are caught in a potentially dangerous food crisis. May we know what you doing for us to have, at least, two meals a day? People no longer desire three square meals. They are praying for just two. Many in your domain have not eaten a good meal in the past one year except in their dreams. What, in tangible terms, are the content of your agricultural programmes and how sincere and committed are you to their implementation? Who are the beneficiaries of your subsidized fertilizers, are they the genuine farmers or the political and portfolio farmers? Does the fertilizer gets to the people at the right time or is it a case of “medicine after death”? Sir, are your people able to feed themselves or do they look forward to the night seasons to have their dream meals? Do you sleep well when you realize that your people are going to bed without food not because they are lazy or they are fasting but that they cannot afford the ever increasing cost of foodstuffs?
The people’s governor, you are supposed to be our servant but we are afraid that less than 10 per cent of the entire population of our state is feeling the impact of your administration. Like we use to say, 10 per cent is too poor, your administration is suppose to do good to the greatest number of the citizens, you may not achieve 100 per cent of your promises or meet the need of all the people but satisfying 70 per cent of the populace is simply distinction.
Sir, what about the social problem of unemployment and crime in our society what have gone to reduce unemployment because the devil finds job for the unemployed. We learnt that the Poverty Alleviation Programme of your government have been hijacked by some members of your party. And that those who benefit from the programme are not the poor or unemployed but party stalwarts and even civil servants, who are already on government payroll. Is it a case of taking from those who have little and adding to people who have much?
To say that our schools are in a state of disrepair is to over flogged the issue, what have you done in the past one year to improve the state of infrastructures in our public primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state? Can, His Excellency sincerely send his child to attend any of his alma mater, taking into consideration the state of things there? Sir, education is the foundation for development, growth and progress in life and there cannot be mass participation of the public in politics without education. The various orientation, sensitization, and mobilization programmes of your administration cannot yield fruits without educated citizens. Education makes it easier to mobilize they people and sell government ideas and policies to them. Democracy cannot be government of the people without the active participation of the masses and they cannot participate when they don’t understand what is going on, we need good schools, quality teachers and adequate facilities to prepare our people for future challenges in a dynamic world that is shrinking daily into a global village.
What is the state of our health centres and hospitals? Prevention is, said to be, better than cure. We need more primary health centres in our state to check infant mortality, and other common diseases which can be handle at this level. Because when there is complication and we are refereed to secondary and tertiary health care facilities, majority of your people cannot afford the cost? We need potable water, motorable access road to enhance communication, mobility and the evacuation of our farms products to the city. Sir, as the rains intensifies many of our communities are cut off from the rest of the world as a result of bad roads, erosion and flood. We are not being greedy, we need electricity.
We learnt some people are already strategizing for your second, term and even third term, in office. Sir, these are distractions, please first seek ye the kingdom of good governance and all the terms you need would be given unto you. Power belong to God and he is the one that lifted one up and brings another down, if your are diligent in this first tenure, the second tenure would be a mere walkover. The voice of the people is said to be the voice of God, if the people are happy with your administration, God will be happy with you. Meet the needs of your people and the rest would be history. There are cases of some of your predecessors who concentrated so much on furthering their political interests at the detriment of their states, today in states where they held sway they are now pariahs, the can’t walk freely. The same people who were dinning and winning with them, arranging all manners of awards and honors for them are the ones who now accused them of wasting their state resources. Their former cheer leaders are now at the forefront of laying various allegations and accusations against these former “Most Dynamic Governor,” “Platinum Governor”, “Best Governor in Sub Sahara Africa,” “Best Performing Governor” among many amorphous awards, titles and recognitions.
Please be wise and learnt from the mistakes of your predecessors: follow their good ways and avoid their evil parts. Strive to do the best you can for the highest number of people in your state. Go back and study your manifestoes and electoral promises and work towards fulfilling them. May the Lord give you strength? Happy Celebration! Once again congratulations!
LETTER TO OUR GOVERNORS
Our dear governors, congratulations for clocking one year on the saddle! I decided to write you through this medium because it would not be possible for me to have one on one interaction with you, remember you are a busy person, and even if you would like to see me your “loyal aides” may not make it possible. Sir, this period does not call for celebrations, parties and popping of champagne and other exotic wines. This is a period for sober reflections and honest self analysis. Don’t mind the various congratulatory messages and the supplements on your “achievements” in the past one year. These are just to massage your ego and to attract your attention and patronage. Even your enemies can do these just to show their “loyalty”. In the midst of all these fanfares, please find time to look back on what you have done or have not been able to do in the past one year. Sir, listen to your inner man and in all honesty accept what it tells you. Be sincere enough to tell yourself the truth and accept the truth from your inner man. Only the truth can make you free from bad advisers and praise singers.
This anniversary is also part of our “Democracy Day” celebration; please think deep, are we really practicing democracy? In the past one year have your actions and decisions meet the democratic norms. Democracy, they say, is government of the people, by the people and for the people, which means people of your state are supposed to be the centre- point, focus or concern of your administration and policies. Permit me sir, in the past one year; did the interest and voice of the people supercede that of your political god fathers and party caucuses? The elected councilors and local government chairmen in your state were they really products of the people participation in the electoral process? Did the various party congresses conducted during your administration really a reflection of what your party members desire?
During your electioneering campaigns, you promised our people that dividends of democracy would surely get to them, one year after we are still waiting for the dividends. This celebration is supposed to be like an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of our state where you will declare the performance of your administration and tell us whether we are entitled to dividends. Please, kindly play according to the rule and don’t tamper with the account books, we would like to know how healthy our state is. Like in every company’s AGM, each share holder is suppose to go home with dividends no matter his political leaning, if you have manage the state well in the past one year. Yes community A or B did not vote for you but you are now the governor of our state and not of your party. You took an oath of office to serve the entire state and not members of your political family.
My Executive Governor, there is hunger in the land. We, the people who supposedly elected you into power, are caught in a potentially dangerous food crisis. May we know what you doing for us to have, at least, two meals a day? People no longer desire three square meals. They are praying for just two. Many in your domain have not eaten a good meal in the past one year except in their dreams. What, in tangible terms, are the content of your agricultural programmes and how sincere and committed are you to their implementation? Who are the beneficiaries of your subsidized fertilizers, are they the genuine farmers or the political and portfolio farmers? Does the fertilizer gets to the people at the right time or is it a case of “medicine after death”? Sir, are your people able to feed themselves or do they look forward to the night seasons to have their dream meals? Do you sleep well when you realize that your people are going to bed without food not because they are lazy or they are fasting but that they cannot afford the ever increasing cost of foodstuffs?
The people’s governor, you are supposed to be our servant but we are afraid that less than 10 per cent of the entire population of our state is feeling the impact of your administration. Like we use to say, 10 per cent is too poor, your administration is suppose to do good to the greatest number of the citizens, you may not achieve 100 per cent of your promises or meet the need of all the people but satisfying 70 per cent of the populace is simply distinction.
Sir, what about the social problem of unemployment and crime in our society what have gone to reduce unemployment because the devil finds job for the unemployed. We learnt that the Poverty Alleviation Programme of your government have been hijacked by some members of your party. And that those who benefit from the programme are not the poor or unemployed but party stalwarts and even civil servants, who are already on government payroll. Is it a case of taking from those who have little and adding to people who have much?
To say that our schools are in a state of disrepair is to over flogged the issue, what have you done in the past one year to improve the state of infrastructures in our public primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state? Can, His Excellency sincerely send his child to attend any of his alma mater, taking into consideration the state of things there? Sir, education is the foundation for development, growth and progress in life and there cannot be mass participation of the public in politics without education. The various orientation, sensitization, and mobilization programmes of your administration cannot yield fruits without educated citizens. Education makes it easier to mobilize they people and sell government ideas and policies to them. Democracy cannot be government of the people without the active participation of the masses and they cannot participate when they don’t understand what is going on, we need good schools, quality teachers and adequate facilities to prepare our people for future challenges in a dynamic world that is shrinking daily into a global village.
What is the state of our health centres and hospitals? Prevention is, said to be, better than cure. We need more primary health centres in our state to check infant mortality, and other common diseases which can be handle at this level. Because when there is complication and we are refereed to secondary and tertiary health care facilities, majority of your people cannot afford the cost? We need potable water, motorable access road to enhance communication, mobility and the evacuation of our farms products to the city. Sir, as the rains intensifies many of our communities are cut off from the rest of the world as a result of bad roads, erosion and flood. We are not being greedy, we need electricity.
We learnt some people are already strategizing for your second, term and even third term, in office. Sir, these are distractions, please first seek ye the kingdom of good governance and all the terms you need would be given unto you. Power belong to God and he is the one that lifted one up and brings another down, if your are diligent in this first tenure, the second tenure would be a mere walkover. The voice of the people is said to be the voice of God, if the people are happy with your administration, God will be happy with you. Meet the needs of your people and the rest would be history. There are cases of some of your predecessors who concentrated so much on furthering their political interests at the detriment of their states, today in states where they held sway they are now pariahs, the can’t walk freely. The same people who were dinning and winning with them, arranging all manners of awards and honors for them are the ones who now accused them of wasting their state resources. Their former cheer leaders are now at the forefront of laying various allegations and accusations against these former “Most Dynamic Governor,” “Platinum Governor”, “Best Governor in Sub Sahara Africa,” “Best Performing Governor” among many amorphous awards, titles and recognitions.
Please be wise and learnt from the mistakes of your predecessors: follow their good ways and avoid their evil parts. Strive to do the best you can for the highest number of people in your state. Go back and study your manifestoes and electoral promises and work towards fulfilling them. May the Lord give you strength? Happy Celebration! Once again congratulations!
THE BLAME GAME
TONY ITA ETIM
NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT AND THE BLAME GAME
Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, Secretary to the Government of the Federation has blamed the neglect, devastation and underdevelopment of the Niger Delta Region on political and community leaders from the area. Kingibe made this declaration in a key-note address at a conference organized by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) with the theme “Law, Peace and Development in the Niger Delta Region.”
According to Kingibe, “The vast majority of the people in the Niger Delta have only the same aspirations that all other Nigerians have to lead a normal life, have enough food to eat, roof over their heads, educate their children, access affordable medical care, pursue their livelihoods in peace and security and pay their bills. The resources are there for these aspirations to be reasonably met. Why then are they not met? While rightly holding the Federal Government to its responsibilities, so should they hold their governments in the region and their community leaders to account?” One may ask Kingibe with the abundant resources that Nigeria is blessed with has the central government meet the needs of her citizens outside the Niger Delta? The failure of the Niger Delta political leaders is a reflection of the collective failure of the nation’s political leadership since independence.
Though Kingibe may want us to believe that his views are that of the federal government, but we dare say that those opinions are those of the Northern oligarchy. The Niger Delta problem was first identified by the Willink Commission in the pre-independence years. The commission recommended that the area should be declared a Special Area. Why was this recommendation not implemented? What did the Nigerian government do since 1960 till about the year 2000 when the agitation for development took a violent turn? Majority of Nigerian leaders since independence have come from the North. So the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta is a conspiracy of the Northern oligarchy. What has the region to show for more than 50 years of oil exploration which has fed the infrastructural and economic development of Nigeria? What is the fate of Oloibiri, the cradle of oil exploration in Nigeria: no access road, no electricity, no hospital except for an abandoned museum, na museum we go chop? After Oloibiri was milked of its oil resources it has been abandoned; we are afraid that when the oil dried up this may be the fate of the entire Niger Delta given the environmental degradation that goes with oil exploitation.
Kingibe talked about the setting up of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority, 1.5 per cent derivation, OMPADEC and NDDC, including the 13 per cent derivation to Niger Delta states. Let me remind Kingibe that after the basin authority was set up, it was reproduced all over the country and NDBDA ended up as the least funded as it received the least allocation till date. About NDDC, so Kingibe has soon forgotten about the ‘expired’ funds that were allocated to the commission. It is one thing to set up an interventionist agency but it is another to provide enough for such agency to carry out its responsibilities. When Abuja was created what commission was set up for its development yet today Abuja prides itself as one of the most beautiful nation’s capitals in the world? Today people are agitating to be recognized as indigenes or original owners of Abuja and federal government has not issued any statement. Lest we forget that in the face of these indigene-ship agitations, the original Abuja federal territory development had made provision for their resettlement which has been implemented; making current agitations by the original inhabitants a nullity. We were told that Abuja would be a no-man’s land. And Kingibe is telling us we should not agitate for resource control. The question may be asked: Why is it that all the ministers for Federal Capital Territory have been from the North while majority of Petroleum ministers has also come from the North – is it not to ensure the good interest of the north? It should have been assumed that the minister for petroleum should come from the Niger Delta Region in like manner as a default. But now that we are agitating there is no longer Minister for Petroleum but minister of state; which is but a sign that authority not given would be authority not taken. If the oil was found in Kingibe’s backyard would he share the proceeds with other Nigerians? The demand for resource control, which he mocked, would have been a fiat accompili, if by tomorrow oil is found in commercial quantity in the Chad basin.
Despite their famed corruption, it is unfair to solely blame political leaders in the Niger Delta for the underdevelopment of the region. It is only since 1999 that Nigeria has enjoyed democratic governance for eight unbroken years. What magic could have been done by the former governors in eight years to right a neglect of more than half a century? One is not supporting the brazen embezzlement of funds meant for the development of their states or justified their poor performance. Is it the political leaders that are responsible for the poor state of federal roads, infrastructures and facilities in the Niger Delta? Most of the Military Governors and Administrators in the Niger Delta states during the long years of military rule were soldiers of occupation, they did absolutely nothing to improve the area; and they were mostly of northern origin. Let us pause to ask other pertinent questions: Is Kingibe aware that what it takes to construct a kilometer of road in Niger Delta can construct 10 kilometres in the North? I doubt. But the truth is that our terrain and environment are difficult and challenging and needs more money not mere pittance. In the Niger Delta we can boast of community Secondary schools, Community Health centres, water and electricity projects and other self help projects initiated by the people of the region, these have come about because of the failure of the federal government to address the needs of the people. I dare Kingibe to point out just 100 of such projects in the entire North and I would show him one million of such projects in the Niger Delta. I would rather suppose he and his people have been relying on government to spoon feed them and not the other way round.
The last federal administration in the country wasted 16 billion dollars on power projects and the power situation in the country is worsening by the day, which Niger Delta state got that amount in the last nine years if we are to use that yard stick as a measurement to judge? What about the state of federal universities in the region and other part of the country, is the Niger Delta political leaders responsible for their poor state and the incessant strikes by ASUU?
In the early 1990s when the Ogoni people began to agitate for a fair share of the oil resources from their land, they were dismissed as mere irritants. Instead of government to look into their demands and their past neglect; leader of MOSOP Ken Saro-Wiwa was judicially murdered to stop the agitation. But as Saro-Wiwa predicted that a generation would come that would not adopt the Ogonis non voilent approach, that prophecy has come to pass now with the insurgence of militants. The Federal Government is now concerned about the violence in the region because the area is no longer conducive for the exploitation of the oil resources.
I agreed with Kingibe that where there is no rule of law, there can be no peace and where peace is absent, there can be no development. But Kingibe and his likes must also acknowledge that where there is no justice, fair play and equity there can be no peace. Injustice is an act of lawlessness so Nigerians cannot expect the rule of law where there is injustice. Half hearted attempts by the federal government to develop the Niger Delta cannot stop the agitation or violence in the region. We want dedicated and committed actions towards meeting the developmental aspirations of the people. We are tired of rhetoric and the blame game. We want actions and less talk. We are tired of conferences, presidential retreats, seminars, and workshops on how to develop the Niger Delta region. Niger Delta deserves the best and nothing else. The best that Nigeria can boast of should be found in the Niger Delta.
NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT AND THE BLAME GAME
Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, Secretary to the Government of the Federation has blamed the neglect, devastation and underdevelopment of the Niger Delta Region on political and community leaders from the area. Kingibe made this declaration in a key-note address at a conference organized by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) with the theme “Law, Peace and Development in the Niger Delta Region.”
According to Kingibe, “The vast majority of the people in the Niger Delta have only the same aspirations that all other Nigerians have to lead a normal life, have enough food to eat, roof over their heads, educate their children, access affordable medical care, pursue their livelihoods in peace and security and pay their bills. The resources are there for these aspirations to be reasonably met. Why then are they not met? While rightly holding the Federal Government to its responsibilities, so should they hold their governments in the region and their community leaders to account?” One may ask Kingibe with the abundant resources that Nigeria is blessed with has the central government meet the needs of her citizens outside the Niger Delta? The failure of the Niger Delta political leaders is a reflection of the collective failure of the nation’s political leadership since independence.
Though Kingibe may want us to believe that his views are that of the federal government, but we dare say that those opinions are those of the Northern oligarchy. The Niger Delta problem was first identified by the Willink Commission in the pre-independence years. The commission recommended that the area should be declared a Special Area. Why was this recommendation not implemented? What did the Nigerian government do since 1960 till about the year 2000 when the agitation for development took a violent turn? Majority of Nigerian leaders since independence have come from the North. So the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta is a conspiracy of the Northern oligarchy. What has the region to show for more than 50 years of oil exploration which has fed the infrastructural and economic development of Nigeria? What is the fate of Oloibiri, the cradle of oil exploration in Nigeria: no access road, no electricity, no hospital except for an abandoned museum, na museum we go chop? After Oloibiri was milked of its oil resources it has been abandoned; we are afraid that when the oil dried up this may be the fate of the entire Niger Delta given the environmental degradation that goes with oil exploitation.
Kingibe talked about the setting up of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority, 1.5 per cent derivation, OMPADEC and NDDC, including the 13 per cent derivation to Niger Delta states. Let me remind Kingibe that after the basin authority was set up, it was reproduced all over the country and NDBDA ended up as the least funded as it received the least allocation till date. About NDDC, so Kingibe has soon forgotten about the ‘expired’ funds that were allocated to the commission. It is one thing to set up an interventionist agency but it is another to provide enough for such agency to carry out its responsibilities. When Abuja was created what commission was set up for its development yet today Abuja prides itself as one of the most beautiful nation’s capitals in the world? Today people are agitating to be recognized as indigenes or original owners of Abuja and federal government has not issued any statement. Lest we forget that in the face of these indigene-ship agitations, the original Abuja federal territory development had made provision for their resettlement which has been implemented; making current agitations by the original inhabitants a nullity. We were told that Abuja would be a no-man’s land. And Kingibe is telling us we should not agitate for resource control. The question may be asked: Why is it that all the ministers for Federal Capital Territory have been from the North while majority of Petroleum ministers has also come from the North – is it not to ensure the good interest of the north? It should have been assumed that the minister for petroleum should come from the Niger Delta Region in like manner as a default. But now that we are agitating there is no longer Minister for Petroleum but minister of state; which is but a sign that authority not given would be authority not taken. If the oil was found in Kingibe’s backyard would he share the proceeds with other Nigerians? The demand for resource control, which he mocked, would have been a fiat accompili, if by tomorrow oil is found in commercial quantity in the Chad basin.
Despite their famed corruption, it is unfair to solely blame political leaders in the Niger Delta for the underdevelopment of the region. It is only since 1999 that Nigeria has enjoyed democratic governance for eight unbroken years. What magic could have been done by the former governors in eight years to right a neglect of more than half a century? One is not supporting the brazen embezzlement of funds meant for the development of their states or justified their poor performance. Is it the political leaders that are responsible for the poor state of federal roads, infrastructures and facilities in the Niger Delta? Most of the Military Governors and Administrators in the Niger Delta states during the long years of military rule were soldiers of occupation, they did absolutely nothing to improve the area; and they were mostly of northern origin. Let us pause to ask other pertinent questions: Is Kingibe aware that what it takes to construct a kilometer of road in Niger Delta can construct 10 kilometres in the North? I doubt. But the truth is that our terrain and environment are difficult and challenging and needs more money not mere pittance. In the Niger Delta we can boast of community Secondary schools, Community Health centres, water and electricity projects and other self help projects initiated by the people of the region, these have come about because of the failure of the federal government to address the needs of the people. I dare Kingibe to point out just 100 of such projects in the entire North and I would show him one million of such projects in the Niger Delta. I would rather suppose he and his people have been relying on government to spoon feed them and not the other way round.
The last federal administration in the country wasted 16 billion dollars on power projects and the power situation in the country is worsening by the day, which Niger Delta state got that amount in the last nine years if we are to use that yard stick as a measurement to judge? What about the state of federal universities in the region and other part of the country, is the Niger Delta political leaders responsible for their poor state and the incessant strikes by ASUU?
In the early 1990s when the Ogoni people began to agitate for a fair share of the oil resources from their land, they were dismissed as mere irritants. Instead of government to look into their demands and their past neglect; leader of MOSOP Ken Saro-Wiwa was judicially murdered to stop the agitation. But as Saro-Wiwa predicted that a generation would come that would not adopt the Ogonis non voilent approach, that prophecy has come to pass now with the insurgence of militants. The Federal Government is now concerned about the violence in the region because the area is no longer conducive for the exploitation of the oil resources.
I agreed with Kingibe that where there is no rule of law, there can be no peace and where peace is absent, there can be no development. But Kingibe and his likes must also acknowledge that where there is no justice, fair play and equity there can be no peace. Injustice is an act of lawlessness so Nigerians cannot expect the rule of law where there is injustice. Half hearted attempts by the federal government to develop the Niger Delta cannot stop the agitation or violence in the region. We want dedicated and committed actions towards meeting the developmental aspirations of the people. We are tired of rhetoric and the blame game. We want actions and less talk. We are tired of conferences, presidential retreats, seminars, and workshops on how to develop the Niger Delta region. Niger Delta deserves the best and nothing else. The best that Nigeria can boast of should be found in the Niger Delta.
OKADAMEN AND CRIME
TONY ITA ETIM, PORT HARCOURT
OKADA RIDERS AND CRIME
Many states across Nigeria are busy making laws to reduce the operation of commercial motorcycle riders or out right ban on their activities. Okada riders are being blame for the increase in the crime wave in the country. Because hoodlums now use motorcycles as their means of transportation during criminal operations, all motorcycle riders are labeled criminals. The okada are now demonized.
The continuous operation of okada is now seen as a social problem in Nigeria. The okada riders are demons that must be exorcise from the nations roads and streets. Every government wants to chase okada off our roads to create a free flow of traffic and reduce crime. Getting okada off the roads would have been a wonderful idea but the various governments have not tackle the social problem of unemployment that gave birth to the okada business. Who have been the beneficiaries of NAPEP and other poverty alleviation programmes ince 1999 outside party stalwarts and some civil servants? The politicians do not even allow their “boys” to benefit from these programmes. Why should a serving civil servant also be a beneficiary of a poverty alleviation programme?
That criminals operating from a motorcycle rob and assassinate does not warrant the outright ban that these governments are planning. After all, it was not okada riders that snatched the $16 billion dollars that was meant for the power sector. In fact, put all the money and property that have been stolen by criminals operating on motorcycles it is not up to this amount. Bola Ige, A.K. Dikibo, Marshaal Harry were not killed by people using motorcycles. One is not justifying the negative activities of okada riders (one has been a victim several times) but labeling all of them as criminal is a faulty and hasty generalization. Like in every profession or business there are always the criminal elements. And government has not disbanded the Nigeria Police Force because some of them collect money from motorists or bail bond. The Nigerian Custom Service is still intact despite its notoriety as a house of corruption. A criminal will remain a criminal except for a divine intervention? When the okada business is banned the criminal elements would look for another means of expressing their criminal tendencies. More criminals may emerge as the devil finds a job for an idle man. “Man must survive and man must wak.” Some of the okadamen after the ban may turn against the society and the crime we want to reduce would increase. Those planning to ban okada should think about the economic dislocation that such a policy would cause. After banning okada won’t Nigerians be allowed to own motorcycles? Can’t a criminal use a private motorcycle to rob or commit any crime. Government should rather ban the use of motorcycles in Nigerian as a panacea to crime because wherever there is bike there would be crime
The Nigerian politician does not want to get okada off the roads because he love the masses and do not want them to lose their limbs or be murder by reckless okada ride. But having used the okada to achieve his political aim he knows what a monster he made out of okadaman. Our politicians are now afraid of the monsters the created on their way to political offices. Most of the thugs during elections are recruited from the ranks of okada, motor park touts and undergraduates cultists. The politician cannot pretends to love Nigerians more than themselves if the masses have alternatives to Okada or tired of motorcycles they will surely stop patronizing commercial motorcycles and that would be the end of that business. Please give the people an option before banning okada.
Getting okada off the streets of Nigeria is a very simple action if only those in authorities are ready to do what is right. Most of the okada riders see the business as a means to an end and not the end itself. They took to the business just to keep them busy and reduce the economic burden on their families until something better come their way. The okada riders should be seen as Nigerians who have responded to calls by various governments that Nigerians should be self-employed and less dependent on government. And where the okada riders operate outside their state of origin or local government area, they should be seen as investors who should be given some incentives. Many of the okada riders are university graduates who have no jobs and are do not want to beg or be a burden to someone. They have to do something to survive. I know of an electrical engineering graduate who paid his school fees through okada business and two years after graduation and no job he is still in the business. Give him a job today and he will drop his bike and be off the streets. Government should create jobs opportunities to take care of okada riders who are employable while those who are not employable should be given preference when government are acquiring taxis and buses for public transportation.
Commercial motorcycle business is a product of a need; would government meet this need before the ban? In January 2007, former governor of Cross Rivers State, Mr. Donald Duke acquired some Peugeot cars for taxi operations in the state, as at today less than 10 of those vehicles are seen on the streets of Calabar, except for the long buses. The others have ended up in private garages. Yes! Those who are keeping them are for the cars but the purpose was to ease public transportation and not to increase the numbers of vehicles in the fleets of a few public servants and party stalwarts. Also former governor Peter Odili got more than 400 Peugeot cars for public transportation in the state, especially Port Harcourt but today less than 50 are seen in the streets of the Garden City, wherever these vehicles are, are the performing the purpose that they were acquired for?
No sane man will choose hardship when there is comfort. Port Harcourt, Calabar, Uyo and many other state capitals and cities in the country do not have well mapped out taxi routes. And where these routes exist, the conditions of the roads are so bad that no transporter would dare put his vehicle there. Government does not need any law to send okada off the streets, all that is needed is an efficient and reliable public transportation system and the market forces would determine that fate of commercial motorcycle business.
Agreed that when one finger has oil it may soil the other fingers. That few okada people are involved in crimes or used be criminals during operations is not enough reasons to ban okada. Also the argument that more deaths and injuries are recorded daily from okada related accident is not tenable. The Nigerian road user whether private car owner, truck or tanker driver, okada or biycle rider is a terror on the road, any time, any day. It is in our national psyche, the okada men should not be made scapegoats. They should not be punish for a national pastime of Nigerian road users. After all they are taking after our governors and other public officer holders whose convoys run above the recommended national speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour. Despite several deaths that have resulted from convoy-induced accidents what have been done to check over speeding by public office holders?
Chinua Achebe said that those who palm nuts were cracked for them by a benevolent spirit should remember to be humble. The legislators in the various Houses of Assembly across the country should remember that as at May 1999 three quarters of them were patrons of Okada. Some of them could not even afford okada fare then not to talk of buying a motorcycle. And a good number of them rode okada to their inaugurations as honourables. We know many of the today’s honourables who have never had a formal employment and if not for the Nigerian political process they would have still remain in the unemployment market. So they should not see themselves as better than the okadamen. The okada riders should be left alone while government should solve the problem that give birth to okada before thinking of getting them off the streets. Tackle the problems from the roots and the fruits of such trees would naturally die.
OKADA RIDERS AND CRIME
Many states across Nigeria are busy making laws to reduce the operation of commercial motorcycle riders or out right ban on their activities. Okada riders are being blame for the increase in the crime wave in the country. Because hoodlums now use motorcycles as their means of transportation during criminal operations, all motorcycle riders are labeled criminals. The okada are now demonized.
The continuous operation of okada is now seen as a social problem in Nigeria. The okada riders are demons that must be exorcise from the nations roads and streets. Every government wants to chase okada off our roads to create a free flow of traffic and reduce crime. Getting okada off the roads would have been a wonderful idea but the various governments have not tackle the social problem of unemployment that gave birth to the okada business. Who have been the beneficiaries of NAPEP and other poverty alleviation programmes ince 1999 outside party stalwarts and some civil servants? The politicians do not even allow their “boys” to benefit from these programmes. Why should a serving civil servant also be a beneficiary of a poverty alleviation programme?
That criminals operating from a motorcycle rob and assassinate does not warrant the outright ban that these governments are planning. After all, it was not okada riders that snatched the $16 billion dollars that was meant for the power sector. In fact, put all the money and property that have been stolen by criminals operating on motorcycles it is not up to this amount. Bola Ige, A.K. Dikibo, Marshaal Harry were not killed by people using motorcycles. One is not justifying the negative activities of okada riders (one has been a victim several times) but labeling all of them as criminal is a faulty and hasty generalization. Like in every profession or business there are always the criminal elements. And government has not disbanded the Nigeria Police Force because some of them collect money from motorists or bail bond. The Nigerian Custom Service is still intact despite its notoriety as a house of corruption. A criminal will remain a criminal except for a divine intervention? When the okada business is banned the criminal elements would look for another means of expressing their criminal tendencies. More criminals may emerge as the devil finds a job for an idle man. “Man must survive and man must wak.” Some of the okadamen after the ban may turn against the society and the crime we want to reduce would increase. Those planning to ban okada should think about the economic dislocation that such a policy would cause. After banning okada won’t Nigerians be allowed to own motorcycles? Can’t a criminal use a private motorcycle to rob or commit any crime. Government should rather ban the use of motorcycles in Nigerian as a panacea to crime because wherever there is bike there would be crime
The Nigerian politician does not want to get okada off the roads because he love the masses and do not want them to lose their limbs or be murder by reckless okada ride. But having used the okada to achieve his political aim he knows what a monster he made out of okadaman. Our politicians are now afraid of the monsters the created on their way to political offices. Most of the thugs during elections are recruited from the ranks of okada, motor park touts and undergraduates cultists. The politician cannot pretends to love Nigerians more than themselves if the masses have alternatives to Okada or tired of motorcycles they will surely stop patronizing commercial motorcycles and that would be the end of that business. Please give the people an option before banning okada.
Getting okada off the streets of Nigeria is a very simple action if only those in authorities are ready to do what is right. Most of the okada riders see the business as a means to an end and not the end itself. They took to the business just to keep them busy and reduce the economic burden on their families until something better come their way. The okada riders should be seen as Nigerians who have responded to calls by various governments that Nigerians should be self-employed and less dependent on government. And where the okada riders operate outside their state of origin or local government area, they should be seen as investors who should be given some incentives. Many of the okada riders are university graduates who have no jobs and are do not want to beg or be a burden to someone. They have to do something to survive. I know of an electrical engineering graduate who paid his school fees through okada business and two years after graduation and no job he is still in the business. Give him a job today and he will drop his bike and be off the streets. Government should create jobs opportunities to take care of okada riders who are employable while those who are not employable should be given preference when government are acquiring taxis and buses for public transportation.
Commercial motorcycle business is a product of a need; would government meet this need before the ban? In January 2007, former governor of Cross Rivers State, Mr. Donald Duke acquired some Peugeot cars for taxi operations in the state, as at today less than 10 of those vehicles are seen on the streets of Calabar, except for the long buses. The others have ended up in private garages. Yes! Those who are keeping them are for the cars but the purpose was to ease public transportation and not to increase the numbers of vehicles in the fleets of a few public servants and party stalwarts. Also former governor Peter Odili got more than 400 Peugeot cars for public transportation in the state, especially Port Harcourt but today less than 50 are seen in the streets of the Garden City, wherever these vehicles are, are the performing the purpose that they were acquired for?
No sane man will choose hardship when there is comfort. Port Harcourt, Calabar, Uyo and many other state capitals and cities in the country do not have well mapped out taxi routes. And where these routes exist, the conditions of the roads are so bad that no transporter would dare put his vehicle there. Government does not need any law to send okada off the streets, all that is needed is an efficient and reliable public transportation system and the market forces would determine that fate of commercial motorcycle business.
Agreed that when one finger has oil it may soil the other fingers. That few okada people are involved in crimes or used be criminals during operations is not enough reasons to ban okada. Also the argument that more deaths and injuries are recorded daily from okada related accident is not tenable. The Nigerian road user whether private car owner, truck or tanker driver, okada or biycle rider is a terror on the road, any time, any day. It is in our national psyche, the okada men should not be made scapegoats. They should not be punish for a national pastime of Nigerian road users. After all they are taking after our governors and other public officer holders whose convoys run above the recommended national speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour. Despite several deaths that have resulted from convoy-induced accidents what have been done to check over speeding by public office holders?
Chinua Achebe said that those who palm nuts were cracked for them by a benevolent spirit should remember to be humble. The legislators in the various Houses of Assembly across the country should remember that as at May 1999 three quarters of them were patrons of Okada. Some of them could not even afford okada fare then not to talk of buying a motorcycle. And a good number of them rode okada to their inaugurations as honourables. We know many of the today’s honourables who have never had a formal employment and if not for the Nigerian political process they would have still remain in the unemployment market. So they should not see themselves as better than the okadamen. The okada riders should be left alone while government should solve the problem that give birth to okada before thinking of getting them off the streets. Tackle the problems from the roots and the fruits of such trees would naturally die.
AKPABIO AND THE MEDIA
TONY ITA ETIM
BIG BROTHER AKPABIO AND THE MEDIA
At the just concluded meeting of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio advocated for the enactment of Criminal Libel Law into the Nigerian Constitution. He explained that his idea was not intended to checkmate the practice of journalism but to ensure the quality of news that comes from the nation’s media. One would have ignored the call by Akpabio, but his antecedents since assumption of office about a year ago shows that he has a phobia and sheer hatred for the media.
Akpabio arrested a newspaper distributor, one Essien Ewoh, because he circulated some copies of Fresh Facts Newspaper which had a promo of a story it intended to publish about how Akwa Ibom was being administered. Just mere intention and nothing more, Essien was detained and charged to court. So our Governor has turned to Big Brother, monitoring people who harbour libelous thoughts and desires; and dealing with them accordingly.
One sympathizes with Akpabio. Since assumption of office he has been fighting one “battle”, “enemy” or the other and most of these fights are done on the pages of newspapers, hence his anger towards the print media. Blaming the media for his woes is a reflection of an Akwa Ibom adage that the fowl leaves the person that slaughtered it and blamed the pot for cooking the meat.
Why is Akpabio so concerned with the inclusion of criminal libel in the nation’s Constitution? I pray that the reporters misquoted His Excellency and they should be sued for misinformation and misrepresentation. Though I am a layman ( my governor is learned) I was told that there is libel law in our statutes books: the civil libel can be found under the Law of Torts while the Criminal Libel comes under the Criminal Code in the South and the Penal Code for the North. What is the need of advocating for the inclusion of the Criminal Code in the Constitution when our statues books have taken care of that?
There are various constitutional provisions inimical to the interests of Akwa Ibom people and the Niger Delta Region. Akpabio should work towards the scrapping of the Land Use Act, Petroleum Act, among other laws, which would have great impact on a large number of Akwa Ibom people.
Though I do not practice or subscribe to journalism of falsehood and misinformation, Akpabio should realize that the day he offered himself for public office and politics he came under the searchlight of the media as all his actions, inactions, utterances would be examined and interpreted depending on who is doing this. His body language and posturing towards the media since he assumed office as governor give an impression that he had certain things to hide. If any medium has libeled Akpabio he has the right under the constitution to seek redress through the courts. And where there is falsehood against Akapbio or his administration, he has the right of reply and his media aides should be able to do this. Any media house worth its name would give an aggrieved person or organization a space to response to issues raise in such medium During Governor Attah’s administration the then House of Assembly banned a reporter from operating in the state; so one day Akwa Ibom State government may take up the responsibility of screening journalists operating in the state to determine who is fit to practice there or not.
It is not surprising that Akpabio readily finds close associates among honourable members of Nigeria’s lower parliament – the House of Representatives who unanimously and gladly threw out the Freedom of Information bill as it suited their whims and caprices. Akpabio’s advocacy is simply a call for constitutional provisions to restrain the practice of journalism in Nigeria. It is the likes of Akpabio in the National Assembly that threw out the Freedom of Information Bill. They are afraid of their shadows but one day the laws they have made or failed to make would haunt them. There would be no need for speculation and falsehood if journalists have access to the right information at the right time – that is the whole essence of what the bill is intended to achieve.
Since Akpabio is so concerned about media reports void of falsehood and malicious reports, he should set up an agency or a desk where people who are seeking for information can access such information about the activities of the state government, income and expenditure, contract sums et al. Government officials and public office holders in the state should be given the mandate to release information (the whole truth and nothing but the truth) to journalists and other information seekers. No information should be withheld from the public. If government officials withheld information it means they have evil or criminal intentions towards the general interest and welfare of Akwa Ibom people. This is the only cure to rumour mongering and falsehood.
A one-time American President, Thomas Jefferson once said that if he was given the option to choose between a government without newspapers and newspapers without government, he would choose the later. This underlined the paramount role of the media in any democracy. The media is a watchdog and it cannot perform the role of a good watchman if he is shackled with chains. The tag of the Fourth Estate of the realm should give Akpabio an inkling of what is expected of the media in any democracy. The Nigerian Media has played a pivotal role in the political development of the country. It was the media that fought for the independence of this country, by that time it was the most visible platform used by the nationalists to engage the colonial masters. During the military era, the media turned out to be the unofficial opposition to the various military regimes. Akpabio should be grateful to the media for the democracy he is enjoying today.
Governing Akwa Ibom is enough challenge to Akpabio, so he should abstain from getting involved in unnecessary battles that are not beneficial to the people. Akwa Ibom people would not accept any excuse that he was distracted by political enemies or opposition. The governor should stop playing the ombudsman or trying to regulate the media and concentrate on providing good governance to the people.
BIG BROTHER AKPABIO AND THE MEDIA
At the just concluded meeting of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio advocated for the enactment of Criminal Libel Law into the Nigerian Constitution. He explained that his idea was not intended to checkmate the practice of journalism but to ensure the quality of news that comes from the nation’s media. One would have ignored the call by Akpabio, but his antecedents since assumption of office about a year ago shows that he has a phobia and sheer hatred for the media.
Akpabio arrested a newspaper distributor, one Essien Ewoh, because he circulated some copies of Fresh Facts Newspaper which had a promo of a story it intended to publish about how Akwa Ibom was being administered. Just mere intention and nothing more, Essien was detained and charged to court. So our Governor has turned to Big Brother, monitoring people who harbour libelous thoughts and desires; and dealing with them accordingly.
One sympathizes with Akpabio. Since assumption of office he has been fighting one “battle”, “enemy” or the other and most of these fights are done on the pages of newspapers, hence his anger towards the print media. Blaming the media for his woes is a reflection of an Akwa Ibom adage that the fowl leaves the person that slaughtered it and blamed the pot for cooking the meat.
Why is Akpabio so concerned with the inclusion of criminal libel in the nation’s Constitution? I pray that the reporters misquoted His Excellency and they should be sued for misinformation and misrepresentation. Though I am a layman ( my governor is learned) I was told that there is libel law in our statutes books: the civil libel can be found under the Law of Torts while the Criminal Libel comes under the Criminal Code in the South and the Penal Code for the North. What is the need of advocating for the inclusion of the Criminal Code in the Constitution when our statues books have taken care of that?
There are various constitutional provisions inimical to the interests of Akwa Ibom people and the Niger Delta Region. Akpabio should work towards the scrapping of the Land Use Act, Petroleum Act, among other laws, which would have great impact on a large number of Akwa Ibom people.
Though I do not practice or subscribe to journalism of falsehood and misinformation, Akpabio should realize that the day he offered himself for public office and politics he came under the searchlight of the media as all his actions, inactions, utterances would be examined and interpreted depending on who is doing this. His body language and posturing towards the media since he assumed office as governor give an impression that he had certain things to hide. If any medium has libeled Akpabio he has the right under the constitution to seek redress through the courts. And where there is falsehood against Akapbio or his administration, he has the right of reply and his media aides should be able to do this. Any media house worth its name would give an aggrieved person or organization a space to response to issues raise in such medium During Governor Attah’s administration the then House of Assembly banned a reporter from operating in the state; so one day Akwa Ibom State government may take up the responsibility of screening journalists operating in the state to determine who is fit to practice there or not.
It is not surprising that Akpabio readily finds close associates among honourable members of Nigeria’s lower parliament – the House of Representatives who unanimously and gladly threw out the Freedom of Information bill as it suited their whims and caprices. Akpabio’s advocacy is simply a call for constitutional provisions to restrain the practice of journalism in Nigeria. It is the likes of Akpabio in the National Assembly that threw out the Freedom of Information Bill. They are afraid of their shadows but one day the laws they have made or failed to make would haunt them. There would be no need for speculation and falsehood if journalists have access to the right information at the right time – that is the whole essence of what the bill is intended to achieve.
Since Akpabio is so concerned about media reports void of falsehood and malicious reports, he should set up an agency or a desk where people who are seeking for information can access such information about the activities of the state government, income and expenditure, contract sums et al. Government officials and public office holders in the state should be given the mandate to release information (the whole truth and nothing but the truth) to journalists and other information seekers. No information should be withheld from the public. If government officials withheld information it means they have evil or criminal intentions towards the general interest and welfare of Akwa Ibom people. This is the only cure to rumour mongering and falsehood.
A one-time American President, Thomas Jefferson once said that if he was given the option to choose between a government without newspapers and newspapers without government, he would choose the later. This underlined the paramount role of the media in any democracy. The media is a watchdog and it cannot perform the role of a good watchman if he is shackled with chains. The tag of the Fourth Estate of the realm should give Akpabio an inkling of what is expected of the media in any democracy. The Nigerian Media has played a pivotal role in the political development of the country. It was the media that fought for the independence of this country, by that time it was the most visible platform used by the nationalists to engage the colonial masters. During the military era, the media turned out to be the unofficial opposition to the various military regimes. Akpabio should be grateful to the media for the democracy he is enjoying today.
Governing Akwa Ibom is enough challenge to Akpabio, so he should abstain from getting involved in unnecessary battles that are not beneficial to the people. Akwa Ibom people would not accept any excuse that he was distracted by political enemies or opposition. The governor should stop playing the ombudsman or trying to regulate the media and concentrate on providing good governance to the people.
OIL SPILL AND OUR ENVIRONMENT
TONY ITA ETIM
Oil spill has become a daily occurrence in the Niger Delta Region in the past few years. This has been one of the curses of the of petroleum resources in the region. An oil spill may be as a result of a failure of equipment or facility of an oil company as well as aged facility. It may also be an act of sabotage due to pipeline vandalisation. Industry sources said about 10 per cent of oil spills recorded in the Niger Delta are as a result of equipment failure. The development should be of concern to every indigene of the Niger Delta, especially with the prediction that in the next 50 years our oil may dry up. Besides the economic cost, the continued oil spill is inimical to the Niger Delta environment as well to our traditional occupations such as farming and fishing.
This column is worried about the environmental impact of pipeline vandalisation and sabotage of oil facilities and installation. A prominent son of the Niger Delta involved in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry told this writer that vandalisation is one of the major reasons for the poor state of roads in the region. According to him, the roads were not constructed to carry the volume of traffic it is carrying now but the vandalisation of petroleum pipelines going to Aba, Enugu, Markurdi, Kaduna and other parts of the country have forced petroleum marketers to come direct to the depot in Port Harcourt to bridge, that is, to lift petroleum products. The result of this, he insisted, is the deplorable condition of roads as well high cost of products in the region and other parts of the country.
This writer would limit itself to deliberate act of sabotage and vandalisation. I would also want the oil companies operating in the Delta to replace their aged equipment as well as carry out routine maintenance and checks on their facilities. And in event of a spill, which cannot be rule out in the industry, these companies should act immediately by stopping the spill, informing the regulatory agencies and authorities as well as other relevant agencies. The spill site should be cleaned up, mediation work done while compensation and relief materials should be given to the affected communities, where applicable.
If 10 per cent of the spills are as a result of system failure or should be blame on the oil companies, therefore it means that 90 per cent of the spills are man-made: sabotage and outright vandalisations. Industry sources said the Niger Delta stand a risk of a great danger now and in the future, that is, generation yet unborn, given the volume of spills that occurred in the area due to sabotage. During a press conference few years back, this writer has asked one of the leader of the agitation for Resource Control about his alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering. His answer was that he cannot steal what rightly belong to him. He argued that since the Nigeria government has refused to issue licenses to indigenes of the region to be key players in lifting of petroleum products, indigenes of the area must be involved in the lucrative business either through fair or foul means.
This activist, if you call him so, is entitle to his opinion and has the freedom to set his standard. But what about the result of his activities because he is not a petroleum engineer and may not be proficient with the technical know how of the oil industry. In the name of resource control or agitating for a better deal for the Niger Delta people he would go to a pipeline or an oil facility and in the process of trying to get some barrel of oil he would cause a spill. Though I support resource control and the current agitation in the region, I do not subscribe to violence and sabotage of oil installations because at the end of the day we are the losers and suffer from the negative effects of these.
According to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) officials, the multinational loses 30,000 barrel per day due to spills. Most of these spills they insisted are due to economic sabotage that borders on pecuniary interest and theft of petroleum products. Besides those who stole crude oil and other products for sale, it is a known fact that in some oil producing communities, individuals deliberately vandalized oil facilities and let large volume of crude into their waterways just in a bid to collect compensation. When such spills occurred, the communities blocked the oil companies from stopping the spill and cleaning up the affected sites. These are all delay tactics for the spill to spread far and wide so that the compensation can be large and substantial.
I may be wrong but I hold the opinion that no oil company would go into oil exploration just to spill it. I believe that people willfully cause spill just to claim compensation and this is not good for our environment and future generations. The short term reward of compensation no matter how much is paid can not be compared to the everlasting effect these spills have on our environment, climate, vegetation, aquatic life and our traditional occupations. These spills are really damaging our environment. I am afraid many of the people who caused spills do not realize that they are hurting their environment. Simply, they are environmental illiterates who are in dire need of environmental education. This attitude is not good for our environment, economy and future generations. What manner of environment are we leaving behind for our children? Are we mortgaging their future for our today? Daily we see refugee from Sudan and Niger flooding our region, do we want our future generation to be economic and environmental refugees (God forbid) as our region may become inhabitable to human beings if we continue with these act of sabotage and vandalisation of oil installations?
If it is not original it is not original. Whatever cleaning up, remediation or rehabilitation exercises carried out by the hapless oil companies after these spills, these exercises cannot restore our land to the original state it was before the spills. Who are the losers but you and I; the oil companies are sheer strangers and whenever the oil dries up they will park their bags and bag gages, as they say, and we will be the real losers because we are the “sons of the soil.” We have no way to run to, a few of us may “check out” but majority of the people may have no option but to stay in the region. The Efiks have a saying that the owner of the land handles his community with care but it is the stranger element that abuses it but the contrary seems to be the case in the Niger Delta. We must handle our environment with care. For no reason should we cut our nose to spite our face, it is our land and we should not be partakers in its degradation.
Enemies of the Niger Delta are not just those who make unjust laws to deprive us of our God-given resources; they are not just those who betray the cause of the people; they are not just the political office holders who embezzled funds meant for the provision of facilities and infrastructures of the region; the enemy of the region includes those who intentionally caused oil spills to pollute our lands and destroy our environment. These are our real enemies.
Oil spill has become a daily occurrence in the Niger Delta Region in the past few years. This has been one of the curses of the of petroleum resources in the region. An oil spill may be as a result of a failure of equipment or facility of an oil company as well as aged facility. It may also be an act of sabotage due to pipeline vandalisation. Industry sources said about 10 per cent of oil spills recorded in the Niger Delta are as a result of equipment failure. The development should be of concern to every indigene of the Niger Delta, especially with the prediction that in the next 50 years our oil may dry up. Besides the economic cost, the continued oil spill is inimical to the Niger Delta environment as well to our traditional occupations such as farming and fishing.
This column is worried about the environmental impact of pipeline vandalisation and sabotage of oil facilities and installation. A prominent son of the Niger Delta involved in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry told this writer that vandalisation is one of the major reasons for the poor state of roads in the region. According to him, the roads were not constructed to carry the volume of traffic it is carrying now but the vandalisation of petroleum pipelines going to Aba, Enugu, Markurdi, Kaduna and other parts of the country have forced petroleum marketers to come direct to the depot in Port Harcourt to bridge, that is, to lift petroleum products. The result of this, he insisted, is the deplorable condition of roads as well high cost of products in the region and other parts of the country.
This writer would limit itself to deliberate act of sabotage and vandalisation. I would also want the oil companies operating in the Delta to replace their aged equipment as well as carry out routine maintenance and checks on their facilities. And in event of a spill, which cannot be rule out in the industry, these companies should act immediately by stopping the spill, informing the regulatory agencies and authorities as well as other relevant agencies. The spill site should be cleaned up, mediation work done while compensation and relief materials should be given to the affected communities, where applicable.
If 10 per cent of the spills are as a result of system failure or should be blame on the oil companies, therefore it means that 90 per cent of the spills are man-made: sabotage and outright vandalisations. Industry sources said the Niger Delta stand a risk of a great danger now and in the future, that is, generation yet unborn, given the volume of spills that occurred in the area due to sabotage. During a press conference few years back, this writer has asked one of the leader of the agitation for Resource Control about his alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering. His answer was that he cannot steal what rightly belong to him. He argued that since the Nigeria government has refused to issue licenses to indigenes of the region to be key players in lifting of petroleum products, indigenes of the area must be involved in the lucrative business either through fair or foul means.
This activist, if you call him so, is entitle to his opinion and has the freedom to set his standard. But what about the result of his activities because he is not a petroleum engineer and may not be proficient with the technical know how of the oil industry. In the name of resource control or agitating for a better deal for the Niger Delta people he would go to a pipeline or an oil facility and in the process of trying to get some barrel of oil he would cause a spill. Though I support resource control and the current agitation in the region, I do not subscribe to violence and sabotage of oil installations because at the end of the day we are the losers and suffer from the negative effects of these.
According to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) officials, the multinational loses 30,000 barrel per day due to spills. Most of these spills they insisted are due to economic sabotage that borders on pecuniary interest and theft of petroleum products. Besides those who stole crude oil and other products for sale, it is a known fact that in some oil producing communities, individuals deliberately vandalized oil facilities and let large volume of crude into their waterways just in a bid to collect compensation. When such spills occurred, the communities blocked the oil companies from stopping the spill and cleaning up the affected sites. These are all delay tactics for the spill to spread far and wide so that the compensation can be large and substantial.
I may be wrong but I hold the opinion that no oil company would go into oil exploration just to spill it. I believe that people willfully cause spill just to claim compensation and this is not good for our environment and future generations. The short term reward of compensation no matter how much is paid can not be compared to the everlasting effect these spills have on our environment, climate, vegetation, aquatic life and our traditional occupations. These spills are really damaging our environment. I am afraid many of the people who caused spills do not realize that they are hurting their environment. Simply, they are environmental illiterates who are in dire need of environmental education. This attitude is not good for our environment, economy and future generations. What manner of environment are we leaving behind for our children? Are we mortgaging their future for our today? Daily we see refugee from Sudan and Niger flooding our region, do we want our future generation to be economic and environmental refugees (God forbid) as our region may become inhabitable to human beings if we continue with these act of sabotage and vandalisation of oil installations?
If it is not original it is not original. Whatever cleaning up, remediation or rehabilitation exercises carried out by the hapless oil companies after these spills, these exercises cannot restore our land to the original state it was before the spills. Who are the losers but you and I; the oil companies are sheer strangers and whenever the oil dries up they will park their bags and bag gages, as they say, and we will be the real losers because we are the “sons of the soil.” We have no way to run to, a few of us may “check out” but majority of the people may have no option but to stay in the region. The Efiks have a saying that the owner of the land handles his community with care but it is the stranger element that abuses it but the contrary seems to be the case in the Niger Delta. We must handle our environment with care. For no reason should we cut our nose to spite our face, it is our land and we should not be partakers in its degradation.
Enemies of the Niger Delta are not just those who make unjust laws to deprive us of our God-given resources; they are not just those who betray the cause of the people; they are not just the political office holders who embezzled funds meant for the provision of facilities and infrastructures of the region; the enemy of the region includes those who intentionally caused oil spills to pollute our lands and destroy our environment. These are our real enemies.
OIL SPILL AND OUR ENVIRONMENT
TONY ITA ETIM
Oil spill has become a daily occurrence in the Niger Delta Region in the past few years. This has been one of the curses of the of petroleum resources in the region. An oil spill may be as a result of a failure of equipment or facility of an oil company as well as aged facility. It may also be an act of sabotage due to pipeline vandalisation. Industry sources said about 10 per cent of oil spills recorded in the Niger Delta are as a result of equipment failure. The development should be of concern to every indigene of the Niger Delta, especially with the prediction that in the next 50 years our oil may dry up. Besides the economic cost, the continued oil spill is inimical to the Niger Delta environment as well to our traditional occupations such as farming and fishing.
This column is worried about the environmental impact of pipeline vandalisation and sabotage of oil facilities and installation. A prominent son of the Niger Delta involved in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry told this writer that vandalisation is one of the major reasons for the poor state of roads in the region. According to him, the roads were not constructed to carry the volume of traffic it is carrying now but the vandalisation of petroleum pipelines going to Aba, Enugu, Markurdi, Kaduna and other parts of the country have forced petroleum marketers to come direct to the depot in Port Harcourt to bridge, that is, to lift petroleum products. The result of this, he insisted, is the deplorable condition of roads as well high cost of products in the region and other parts of the country.
This writer would limit itself to deliberate act of sabotage and vandalisation. I would also want the oil companies operating in the Delta to replace their aged equipment as well as carry out routine maintenance and checks on their facilities. And in event of a spill, which cannot be rule out in the industry, these companies should act immediately by stopping the spill, informing the regulatory agencies and authorities as well as other relevant agencies. The spill site should be cleaned up, mediation work done while compensation and relief materials should be given to the affected communities, where applicable.
If 10 per cent of the spills are as a result of system failure or should be blame on the oil companies, therefore it means that 90 per cent of the spills are man-made: sabotage and outright vandalisations. Industry sources said the Niger Delta stand a risk of a great danger now and in the future, that is, generation yet unborn, given the volume of spills that occurred in the area due to sabotage. During a press conference few years back, this writer has asked one of the leader of the agitation for Resource Control about his alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering. His answer was that he cannot steal what rightly belong to him. He argued that since the Nigeria government has refused to issue licenses to indigenes of the region to be key players in lifting of petroleum products, indigenes of the area must be involved in the lucrative business either through fair or foul means.
This activist, if you call him so, is entitle to his opinion and has the freedom to set his standard. But what about the result of his activities because he is not a petroleum engineer and may not be proficient with the technical know how of the oil industry. In the name of resource control or agitating for a better deal for the Niger Delta people he would go to a pipeline or an oil facility and in the process of trying to get some barrel of oil he would cause a spill. Though I support resource control and the current agitation in the region, I do not subscribe to violence and sabotage of oil installations because at the end of the day we are the losers and suffer from the negative effects of these.
According to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) officials, the multinational loses 30,000 barrel per day due to spills. Most of these spills they insisted are due to economic sabotage that borders on pecuniary interest and theft of petroleum products. Besides those who stole crude oil and other products for sale, it is a known fact that in some oil producing communities, individuals deliberately vandalized oil facilities and let large volume of crude into their waterways just in a bid to collect compensation. When such spills occurred, the communities blocked the oil companies from stopping the spill and cleaning up the affected sites. These are all delay tactics for the spill to spread far and wide so that the compensation can be large and substantial.
I may be wrong but I hold the opinion that no oil company would go into oil exploration just to spill it. I believe that people willfully cause spill just to claim compensation and this is not good for our environment and future generations. The short term reward of compensation no matter how much is paid can not be compared to the everlasting effect these spills have on our environment, climate, vegetation, aquatic life and our traditional occupations. These spills are really damaging our environment. I am afraid many of the people who caused spills do not realize that they are hurting their environment. Simply, they are environmental illiterates who are in dire need of environmental education. This attitude is not good for our environment, economy and future generations. What manner of environment are we leaving behind for our children? Are we mortgaging their future for our today? Daily we see refugee from Sudan and Niger flooding our region, do we want our future generation to be economic and environmental refugees (God forbid) as our region may become inhabitable to human beings if we continue with these act of sabotage and vandalisation of oil installations?
If it is not original it is not original. Whatever cleaning up, remediation or rehabilitation exercises carried out by the hapless oil companies after these spills, these exercises cannot restore our land to the original state it was before the spills. Who are the losers but you and I; the oil companies are sheer strangers and whenever the oil dries up they will park their bags and bag gages, as they say, and we will be the real losers because we are the “sons of the soil.” We have no way to run to, a few of us may “check out” but majority of the people may have no option but to stay in the region. The Efiks have a saying that the owner of the land handles his community with care but it is the stranger element that abuses it but the contrary seems to be the case in the Niger Delta. We must handle our environment with care. For no reason should we cut our nose to spite our face, it is our land and we should not be partakers in its degradation.
Enemies of the Niger Delta are not just those who make unjust laws to deprive us of our God-given resources; they are not just those who betray the cause of the people; they are not just the political office holders who embezzled funds meant for the provision of facilities and infrastructures of the region; the enemy of the region includes those who intentionally caused oil spills to pollute our lands and destroy our environment. These are our real enemies.
Oil spill has become a daily occurrence in the Niger Delta Region in the past few years. This has been one of the curses of the of petroleum resources in the region. An oil spill may be as a result of a failure of equipment or facility of an oil company as well as aged facility. It may also be an act of sabotage due to pipeline vandalisation. Industry sources said about 10 per cent of oil spills recorded in the Niger Delta are as a result of equipment failure. The development should be of concern to every indigene of the Niger Delta, especially with the prediction that in the next 50 years our oil may dry up. Besides the economic cost, the continued oil spill is inimical to the Niger Delta environment as well to our traditional occupations such as farming and fishing.
This column is worried about the environmental impact of pipeline vandalisation and sabotage of oil facilities and installation. A prominent son of the Niger Delta involved in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry told this writer that vandalisation is one of the major reasons for the poor state of roads in the region. According to him, the roads were not constructed to carry the volume of traffic it is carrying now but the vandalisation of petroleum pipelines going to Aba, Enugu, Markurdi, Kaduna and other parts of the country have forced petroleum marketers to come direct to the depot in Port Harcourt to bridge, that is, to lift petroleum products. The result of this, he insisted, is the deplorable condition of roads as well high cost of products in the region and other parts of the country.
This writer would limit itself to deliberate act of sabotage and vandalisation. I would also want the oil companies operating in the Delta to replace their aged equipment as well as carry out routine maintenance and checks on their facilities. And in event of a spill, which cannot be rule out in the industry, these companies should act immediately by stopping the spill, informing the regulatory agencies and authorities as well as other relevant agencies. The spill site should be cleaned up, mediation work done while compensation and relief materials should be given to the affected communities, where applicable.
If 10 per cent of the spills are as a result of system failure or should be blame on the oil companies, therefore it means that 90 per cent of the spills are man-made: sabotage and outright vandalisations. Industry sources said the Niger Delta stand a risk of a great danger now and in the future, that is, generation yet unborn, given the volume of spills that occurred in the area due to sabotage. During a press conference few years back, this writer has asked one of the leader of the agitation for Resource Control about his alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering. His answer was that he cannot steal what rightly belong to him. He argued that since the Nigeria government has refused to issue licenses to indigenes of the region to be key players in lifting of petroleum products, indigenes of the area must be involved in the lucrative business either through fair or foul means.
This activist, if you call him so, is entitle to his opinion and has the freedom to set his standard. But what about the result of his activities because he is not a petroleum engineer and may not be proficient with the technical know how of the oil industry. In the name of resource control or agitating for a better deal for the Niger Delta people he would go to a pipeline or an oil facility and in the process of trying to get some barrel of oil he would cause a spill. Though I support resource control and the current agitation in the region, I do not subscribe to violence and sabotage of oil installations because at the end of the day we are the losers and suffer from the negative effects of these.
According to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) officials, the multinational loses 30,000 barrel per day due to spills. Most of these spills they insisted are due to economic sabotage that borders on pecuniary interest and theft of petroleum products. Besides those who stole crude oil and other products for sale, it is a known fact that in some oil producing communities, individuals deliberately vandalized oil facilities and let large volume of crude into their waterways just in a bid to collect compensation. When such spills occurred, the communities blocked the oil companies from stopping the spill and cleaning up the affected sites. These are all delay tactics for the spill to spread far and wide so that the compensation can be large and substantial.
I may be wrong but I hold the opinion that no oil company would go into oil exploration just to spill it. I believe that people willfully cause spill just to claim compensation and this is not good for our environment and future generations. The short term reward of compensation no matter how much is paid can not be compared to the everlasting effect these spills have on our environment, climate, vegetation, aquatic life and our traditional occupations. These spills are really damaging our environment. I am afraid many of the people who caused spills do not realize that they are hurting their environment. Simply, they are environmental illiterates who are in dire need of environmental education. This attitude is not good for our environment, economy and future generations. What manner of environment are we leaving behind for our children? Are we mortgaging their future for our today? Daily we see refugee from Sudan and Niger flooding our region, do we want our future generation to be economic and environmental refugees (God forbid) as our region may become inhabitable to human beings if we continue with these act of sabotage and vandalisation of oil installations?
If it is not original it is not original. Whatever cleaning up, remediation or rehabilitation exercises carried out by the hapless oil companies after these spills, these exercises cannot restore our land to the original state it was before the spills. Who are the losers but you and I; the oil companies are sheer strangers and whenever the oil dries up they will park their bags and bag gages, as they say, and we will be the real losers because we are the “sons of the soil.” We have no way to run to, a few of us may “check out” but majority of the people may have no option but to stay in the region. The Efiks have a saying that the owner of the land handles his community with care but it is the stranger element that abuses it but the contrary seems to be the case in the Niger Delta. We must handle our environment with care. For no reason should we cut our nose to spite our face, it is our land and we should not be partakers in its degradation.
Enemies of the Niger Delta are not just those who make unjust laws to deprive us of our God-given resources; they are not just those who betray the cause of the people; they are not just the political office holders who embezzled funds meant for the provision of facilities and infrastructures of the region; the enemy of the region includes those who intentionally caused oil spills to pollute our lands and destroy our environment. These are our real enemies.
CONSTITUENCY FUND AND PROJECTS
TONY ITA ETIM
CONSTITUENCY FUND AND LEGISLATORS
During his second term as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor Chubuike withheld money meant for constituency projects for legislators in the state. His reason was that his colleagues have not given account of what they did with the earlier funds they had collected; therefore there was no justification to give them more funds as the money was not part of their allowances but for the development of their various constituencies. Amaechi had insisted that the legislators should go to their various constituencies with the media to show what they did with the money. But, maybe, because there was nothing on ground to show there was never such a tour or inspection of constituency projects. The legislators did not accept his reasoning or arguments, all that they needed was constituency projects fund and how they spend it was nobody’s business. Some of the legislators argued that they did not need the presence of the media during such inspection. What were they hiding from the public?
This scenario is not only restricted to Rivers State alone as it cuts across all the states in Nigeria. In this day of transparency and accountability, one would love to see what his representatives in the State and National Assembly are doing with the constituency fund they collect each legislative year. As the governors are celebrating their one year in office and presenting their score cards to the people, our legislators should follow suit by telling their constituents what they have done in the past one legislative year. The people deserve to know.
For example, about seven villages in my clan today have no electricity despite their proximity to Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State. One of our legislators in the National Assembly between 1999 and 2003 got the contract to provide light for these seven villages and as at today the project is still ongoing. Though the project was not one of his constituency projects but he used his position as our representative to get the contract. Several attempts by the state government and other government agencies to give light to these villages have been thwarted by our honourable. He is insisting that his contract to provide light is still subsisting. He only rushed to site when he is aware that government is planning to give the job to another contractor. The state government is helpless as it cannot stop the project because it was awarded by the federal government and our federal representative happens to be the contractor. A government official once told me that whether our honourable completes the project or not it is his clansmen that are suffering and not outsiders. What manner of representative is this? He only represented himself and family and cannot claim to have represented a people he has denied electricity for eight years
There have been reports of many a legislator in flamboyant ceremony awarding “scholarships” to some deserving or indigent students in their constituency. These ceremonies usually attract wide publicity. One may dare to say that these ceremonies are just shows by our legislators to justify whatever money they collected as constituency allowances. The constituents would like to know how much our representatives, from councilors to the senators, have collected on their behalf for constituency projects. Since the constituency fund is not part of our representatives allowances we would like to know how they spend these monies on whom and what projects, and at what cost. Opening an office, which most of the year is closed; providing one of two boreholes or giving scholarship worth a few thousand of naira or the provision of motorcycles as empowerment programme does not justify the millions collected yearly for constituency projects.
Our legislators should tell us how much they have collected for constituency projects and how they expended it. They should be able to tell us why they choose water instead of an electrification project. We are not probing our representatives but as delegates they must report to those who gave them the mandates except they are telling us that our votes did not count during their elections. Or they are not representing their constituencies.
We would suggest that our legislators at the end of each legislative year arrange a kind of a village hall meeting where they meet with their constituents and brief them on what they did in the legislative assembly. These meetings should be for the entire constituency and not a party affair as our representatives are representing constituencies and not the political party on which platform they won elections. There are what my people call “I concur” legislators who throughout their tenure in a legislative assembly make no contribution to debate and bills except to vote for or against depending on what their party caucuses’ agreed. Most of them do not even raise matters of urgent public interest on issues concerning their constituencies.
During these meetings our representatives should be able to tell their constituencies how they were able to represent us and how they articulated issues that affect their constituencies and what are the outcomes of such articulations. We would like to know the contributions of our legislators to the various laws and bills that were passed by their various houses. Bench warmers cannot lay claim to be representatives. Absentee representatives should not be tolerated neither should contractor legislators see the inside of the hallowed chamber of a legislative house. Our legislators should tell us how many legislative aides they are entitled to and who and who they have employed to do the jobs and how much they are actually paying them. It would be recalled that between 1999 and 2003 there were cries of being shortchanged from the aides of our honourables. What they aides were paid by the legislators was a far cry from what our honourables collected on behalf of their staff. In some cases political appointees are given as dividends of democracy with the salary of such appointee shared among cronies from the political grouping that benefited from such appointment. This is unthinkable but it is true.
As representatives of their people legislators should not only report back to their constituents but they should also be responsive to the yearnings, needs and aspirations of their constituencies. There can be no effective followership without effective representation and vice versa, so in the Nigerian parlance the legislator must “carry their constituents along” by keeping them inform of their activities in the legislative houses. Effective representation entails efficient articulation of the desire of the people. It is regrettable that Nigerian legislators spent a good period of their time in the various assemblies to debate on issues that border on their personal welfare and comfort instead of those that affect the public or the people the are representing. This may be a result of ignorance of what representation is and what a representative should do. It is also a product of our political system where the best do not end up occupying these positions rather it is their issue of loyalty or “godfatherism” that counts.
CONSTITUENCY FUND AND LEGISLATORS
During his second term as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor Chubuike withheld money meant for constituency projects for legislators in the state. His reason was that his colleagues have not given account of what they did with the earlier funds they had collected; therefore there was no justification to give them more funds as the money was not part of their allowances but for the development of their various constituencies. Amaechi had insisted that the legislators should go to their various constituencies with the media to show what they did with the money. But, maybe, because there was nothing on ground to show there was never such a tour or inspection of constituency projects. The legislators did not accept his reasoning or arguments, all that they needed was constituency projects fund and how they spend it was nobody’s business. Some of the legislators argued that they did not need the presence of the media during such inspection. What were they hiding from the public?
This scenario is not only restricted to Rivers State alone as it cuts across all the states in Nigeria. In this day of transparency and accountability, one would love to see what his representatives in the State and National Assembly are doing with the constituency fund they collect each legislative year. As the governors are celebrating their one year in office and presenting their score cards to the people, our legislators should follow suit by telling their constituents what they have done in the past one legislative year. The people deserve to know.
For example, about seven villages in my clan today have no electricity despite their proximity to Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State. One of our legislators in the National Assembly between 1999 and 2003 got the contract to provide light for these seven villages and as at today the project is still ongoing. Though the project was not one of his constituency projects but he used his position as our representative to get the contract. Several attempts by the state government and other government agencies to give light to these villages have been thwarted by our honourable. He is insisting that his contract to provide light is still subsisting. He only rushed to site when he is aware that government is planning to give the job to another contractor. The state government is helpless as it cannot stop the project because it was awarded by the federal government and our federal representative happens to be the contractor. A government official once told me that whether our honourable completes the project or not it is his clansmen that are suffering and not outsiders. What manner of representative is this? He only represented himself and family and cannot claim to have represented a people he has denied electricity for eight years
There have been reports of many a legislator in flamboyant ceremony awarding “scholarships” to some deserving or indigent students in their constituency. These ceremonies usually attract wide publicity. One may dare to say that these ceremonies are just shows by our legislators to justify whatever money they collected as constituency allowances. The constituents would like to know how much our representatives, from councilors to the senators, have collected on their behalf for constituency projects. Since the constituency fund is not part of our representatives allowances we would like to know how they spend these monies on whom and what projects, and at what cost. Opening an office, which most of the year is closed; providing one of two boreholes or giving scholarship worth a few thousand of naira or the provision of motorcycles as empowerment programme does not justify the millions collected yearly for constituency projects.
Our legislators should tell us how much they have collected for constituency projects and how they expended it. They should be able to tell us why they choose water instead of an electrification project. We are not probing our representatives but as delegates they must report to those who gave them the mandates except they are telling us that our votes did not count during their elections. Or they are not representing their constituencies.
We would suggest that our legislators at the end of each legislative year arrange a kind of a village hall meeting where they meet with their constituents and brief them on what they did in the legislative assembly. These meetings should be for the entire constituency and not a party affair as our representatives are representing constituencies and not the political party on which platform they won elections. There are what my people call “I concur” legislators who throughout their tenure in a legislative assembly make no contribution to debate and bills except to vote for or against depending on what their party caucuses’ agreed. Most of them do not even raise matters of urgent public interest on issues concerning their constituencies.
During these meetings our representatives should be able to tell their constituencies how they were able to represent us and how they articulated issues that affect their constituencies and what are the outcomes of such articulations. We would like to know the contributions of our legislators to the various laws and bills that were passed by their various houses. Bench warmers cannot lay claim to be representatives. Absentee representatives should not be tolerated neither should contractor legislators see the inside of the hallowed chamber of a legislative house. Our legislators should tell us how many legislative aides they are entitled to and who and who they have employed to do the jobs and how much they are actually paying them. It would be recalled that between 1999 and 2003 there were cries of being shortchanged from the aides of our honourables. What they aides were paid by the legislators was a far cry from what our honourables collected on behalf of their staff. In some cases political appointees are given as dividends of democracy with the salary of such appointee shared among cronies from the political grouping that benefited from such appointment. This is unthinkable but it is true.
As representatives of their people legislators should not only report back to their constituents but they should also be responsive to the yearnings, needs and aspirations of their constituencies. There can be no effective followership without effective representation and vice versa, so in the Nigerian parlance the legislator must “carry their constituents along” by keeping them inform of their activities in the legislative houses. Effective representation entails efficient articulation of the desire of the people. It is regrettable that Nigerian legislators spent a good period of their time in the various assemblies to debate on issues that border on their personal welfare and comfort instead of those that affect the public or the people the are representing. This may be a result of ignorance of what representation is and what a representative should do. It is also a product of our political system where the best do not end up occupying these positions rather it is their issue of loyalty or “godfatherism” that counts.
ALL HAIL SAINT SANNI ABACHA
TONY ITA ETIM
ALL HAIL SAINT SANI ABACHA
Nigerians are a bunch of a sort. The sort that defy explanation. We do not appreciate and give honour to our “heroes” past and present. We do not celebrate our leaders, especially former presidents and heads of state who have served this country, criminally, sorry, “meritoriously.” I told you we are a sort. Since our former military leaders Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Muhammadu Buhari and Abdusalami Abubakar initiated the process to canonized former head of state, General Sani Abacha, there have been a lot of reactions from these sorts of people called Nigerians. At the 10th memorial anniversary lecture of Abacha, the trio are reported to have declared late General “a patriotic leader who never looted Nigeria’s treasury.”
I am worried by the flurry of reactions that the modest declaration of Abacha as the “greatest patriot” that has ever walked on the sands of Nigeria and was not a corrupt leader, that such, vile comments has been attributed to. These ungrateful Nigerians cannot see anything good in Sani. The generals who made this declaration are great “patriots” and leaders, who have all contributed to the political and economic underdevelopment of Nigeria. Babangida, sent Prof. Tam David- West to jail for drinking tea and collecting a wristwatch while on national assignment yet the evil one is living in a mansion allegedly given to him by one of the construction companies he favoured while in office. Also Babangida till date cannot account for $12 billion Gulf war oil windfall. Buhari, remember the 52 suit cases was the Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund, this appointment brought him from political Siberia back to national reckoning. In fact, Abacha rehabilitated Buhari after Babangida sacked him. Abubakar, he is a chairman of one of the companies that benefit from the NIPP, collected billions of naira but does not know the site of the project. He is also a direct beneficiary of Abacha’s death, so why won’t he praise Abacha for giving him the chance to be Head of State. Was this declaration an action to confirmed Alhaja (Dr.) Mariam Abacha declaration that Abacha’s friends, like the trio have not abandoned the family? These are all honourable men, generals for that matter, and so was Abacha; and their antecedents and past deeds, speak for them. If they are not the ones, advocating for the canonization of Abacha, who would do it?
They, like Abacha, are birds of the same feather, they flock together, please permit the cliché. These generals are merely living up to a common saying that dogs don’t eat dogs. They know that they have no moral right to condemn Abacha (or any person for that matter) for corruption and miss-governance as they are all guilty of the same offences. They don’t want to judge so that they would not be judge, smarts guys. They are all sinners who are seeking for forgiveness from Nigerians, and they want to use Abacha to test the capacity and capability of Nigerians to forgive and forget. They, like Abacha, committed a cardinal sin against the Federal Republic of Nigerian by plotting coups. Whether their coups were successful or not the fact is that they all took up arms against a duly elected government, whatever justification they may have. They did sin against the god of democracy. They violated the constitution of Nigeria and even suspended it. A coup is a coup whether failed or successful. Since plotters of failed coups in Nigeria are punish by dead, and then a successful coup does not justify the action of the plotters. They are all unpatriotic Nigerians. One of these days, General Jeremiah Useni would call on Nigerians to emulate Abacha’s family life, because the late general was a faithful husband who never tasted the forbidden apple whether imported from India or not.
How dare someone in his right senses accused late Sani of corruption? Was he not the Head of State and Commander-in –Thief, sorry Chief? And his commanding powers extended to the nation’s treasury therefore he has no business looting Nigeria’s money. Whatever money Abacha and his family were alleged to have taken outside the country was in national interest. They did not steal the money that is why they chose Swiss secret banks so that the enemy of his government (NADECO people) would not loot our treasury. Don’t mind those foreign countries who claimed that they blocked Abacha’s stolen money; there are imperialists propagandists who are jealous that Nigeria was blessed with such a great leader and financial guru. They will never see anything good in our patriotic leaders. They money taken abroad were for safe keeping, after all, during Abacha’s regime, our banks were going distress on a daily basis, so why keep the nation’s wealth in Umana Umana Plc? Those billions of naira returned by Switzerland and other countries to Nigeria as Abacha’s loot might have been taken there by NADECO and these pro-democracy people, who just want to give a dog a bad name to kill it. Please do not ask me how all his children became businessmen and millionaires overnight and how their fortunes and influence wane after their father’s demise. This money management runs in their blood and as the first family the also have commanding powers over Nigeria’s treasury. That is why when Sani died on national assignment, his family out of patriotism returned some money belonging to the federal government that was in their custody. Nigerians should apologise to Mohammed Abacha for keeping him in detention for the service he rendered to an ungrateful nation by keeping the country money abroad. He deserves a national award like the Grand Criminal of the Federal Republic (GCFR). But trust Nigerians, they don’t see anything good in the Abacha’s, May God forgive them. They will never appreciate the great contributions of this noble family to national economic and political underdevelopment. Sani’s birthday and “deadday” should be made public holidays, with celebration and lectures in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria. After all, Murtala Mohammed died in office and he is remembered every year, Abacha too died in office. His love for Nigeria was so great that he wanted to drop his uniforms and put on agbada just for the sake of Nigeria and he died serving Nigeria.
Accusing Abacha of corruption is like accusing his administration of killing late Ken Saro-Wiwa. Ken was mad. He wanted the people of Ogoni to commit mass suicide so that Abacha’s government would be accused of genocide by the world but when Major Paul Okutimo was able to persuade the Ogonis from such stupid action, Ken and the Ogoni eight, trying to act as Ogoni heroes, decided to commit suicide. Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni eight did not died by hanging as the media and Ogonis want us to believe, wallahi, they committed suicide!! Abacha did not kill them. Though a soldier, he detested shedding blood, especially innocent blood. Sani was so humane and compassionate to do such a thing, to kill harmless and defenceless civilians. Sani was shocked and embarrassed by the dead of his friend, Saro-Wiwa. Don’t mind Major Mustapha, Sani did not ask him to do any of those things he was doing. He was on his own and is still on his own.
Late General Sani Abacha, GCFR, deserves honour from Nigerians, don’t mind those June Twelvers, who insinuated that Sani had a pact with the evil one to step in while he stepped aside, it is a lie. Wallahi, Sani became Head of State in view of the prevailing political and economic situation in the country then, it was not his will. It was done in national interest and to keep the trouble ship of the nation afloat. May I now have the privilege and honour to join the generals, imagine a bloody civilian but we are in a democracy, to move a motion for the canonization of His Excellency, General Sani Abacha as a Saint in the Nigerian Temple of corruption! He is a saint of the Order of Abacha. All Hail Saint Sani Abacha! Saint Abacha pray for Nigeria. May your type never come our clime again, Amen.
ALL HAIL SAINT SANI ABACHA
Nigerians are a bunch of a sort. The sort that defy explanation. We do not appreciate and give honour to our “heroes” past and present. We do not celebrate our leaders, especially former presidents and heads of state who have served this country, criminally, sorry, “meritoriously.” I told you we are a sort. Since our former military leaders Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Muhammadu Buhari and Abdusalami Abubakar initiated the process to canonized former head of state, General Sani Abacha, there have been a lot of reactions from these sorts of people called Nigerians. At the 10th memorial anniversary lecture of Abacha, the trio are reported to have declared late General “a patriotic leader who never looted Nigeria’s treasury.”
I am worried by the flurry of reactions that the modest declaration of Abacha as the “greatest patriot” that has ever walked on the sands of Nigeria and was not a corrupt leader, that such, vile comments has been attributed to. These ungrateful Nigerians cannot see anything good in Sani. The generals who made this declaration are great “patriots” and leaders, who have all contributed to the political and economic underdevelopment of Nigeria. Babangida, sent Prof. Tam David- West to jail for drinking tea and collecting a wristwatch while on national assignment yet the evil one is living in a mansion allegedly given to him by one of the construction companies he favoured while in office. Also Babangida till date cannot account for $12 billion Gulf war oil windfall. Buhari, remember the 52 suit cases was the Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund, this appointment brought him from political Siberia back to national reckoning. In fact, Abacha rehabilitated Buhari after Babangida sacked him. Abubakar, he is a chairman of one of the companies that benefit from the NIPP, collected billions of naira but does not know the site of the project. He is also a direct beneficiary of Abacha’s death, so why won’t he praise Abacha for giving him the chance to be Head of State. Was this declaration an action to confirmed Alhaja (Dr.) Mariam Abacha declaration that Abacha’s friends, like the trio have not abandoned the family? These are all honourable men, generals for that matter, and so was Abacha; and their antecedents and past deeds, speak for them. If they are not the ones, advocating for the canonization of Abacha, who would do it?
They, like Abacha, are birds of the same feather, they flock together, please permit the cliché. These generals are merely living up to a common saying that dogs don’t eat dogs. They know that they have no moral right to condemn Abacha (or any person for that matter) for corruption and miss-governance as they are all guilty of the same offences. They don’t want to judge so that they would not be judge, smarts guys. They are all sinners who are seeking for forgiveness from Nigerians, and they want to use Abacha to test the capacity and capability of Nigerians to forgive and forget. They, like Abacha, committed a cardinal sin against the Federal Republic of Nigerian by plotting coups. Whether their coups were successful or not the fact is that they all took up arms against a duly elected government, whatever justification they may have. They did sin against the god of democracy. They violated the constitution of Nigeria and even suspended it. A coup is a coup whether failed or successful. Since plotters of failed coups in Nigeria are punish by dead, and then a successful coup does not justify the action of the plotters. They are all unpatriotic Nigerians. One of these days, General Jeremiah Useni would call on Nigerians to emulate Abacha’s family life, because the late general was a faithful husband who never tasted the forbidden apple whether imported from India or not.
How dare someone in his right senses accused late Sani of corruption? Was he not the Head of State and Commander-in –Thief, sorry Chief? And his commanding powers extended to the nation’s treasury therefore he has no business looting Nigeria’s money. Whatever money Abacha and his family were alleged to have taken outside the country was in national interest. They did not steal the money that is why they chose Swiss secret banks so that the enemy of his government (NADECO people) would not loot our treasury. Don’t mind those foreign countries who claimed that they blocked Abacha’s stolen money; there are imperialists propagandists who are jealous that Nigeria was blessed with such a great leader and financial guru. They will never see anything good in our patriotic leaders. They money taken abroad were for safe keeping, after all, during Abacha’s regime, our banks were going distress on a daily basis, so why keep the nation’s wealth in Umana Umana Plc? Those billions of naira returned by Switzerland and other countries to Nigeria as Abacha’s loot might have been taken there by NADECO and these pro-democracy people, who just want to give a dog a bad name to kill it. Please do not ask me how all his children became businessmen and millionaires overnight and how their fortunes and influence wane after their father’s demise. This money management runs in their blood and as the first family the also have commanding powers over Nigeria’s treasury. That is why when Sani died on national assignment, his family out of patriotism returned some money belonging to the federal government that was in their custody. Nigerians should apologise to Mohammed Abacha for keeping him in detention for the service he rendered to an ungrateful nation by keeping the country money abroad. He deserves a national award like the Grand Criminal of the Federal Republic (GCFR). But trust Nigerians, they don’t see anything good in the Abacha’s, May God forgive them. They will never appreciate the great contributions of this noble family to national economic and political underdevelopment. Sani’s birthday and “deadday” should be made public holidays, with celebration and lectures in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria. After all, Murtala Mohammed died in office and he is remembered every year, Abacha too died in office. His love for Nigeria was so great that he wanted to drop his uniforms and put on agbada just for the sake of Nigeria and he died serving Nigeria.
Accusing Abacha of corruption is like accusing his administration of killing late Ken Saro-Wiwa. Ken was mad. He wanted the people of Ogoni to commit mass suicide so that Abacha’s government would be accused of genocide by the world but when Major Paul Okutimo was able to persuade the Ogonis from such stupid action, Ken and the Ogoni eight, trying to act as Ogoni heroes, decided to commit suicide. Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni eight did not died by hanging as the media and Ogonis want us to believe, wallahi, they committed suicide!! Abacha did not kill them. Though a soldier, he detested shedding blood, especially innocent blood. Sani was so humane and compassionate to do such a thing, to kill harmless and defenceless civilians. Sani was shocked and embarrassed by the dead of his friend, Saro-Wiwa. Don’t mind Major Mustapha, Sani did not ask him to do any of those things he was doing. He was on his own and is still on his own.
Late General Sani Abacha, GCFR, deserves honour from Nigerians, don’t mind those June Twelvers, who insinuated that Sani had a pact with the evil one to step in while he stepped aside, it is a lie. Wallahi, Sani became Head of State in view of the prevailing political and economic situation in the country then, it was not his will. It was done in national interest and to keep the trouble ship of the nation afloat. May I now have the privilege and honour to join the generals, imagine a bloody civilian but we are in a democracy, to move a motion for the canonization of His Excellency, General Sani Abacha as a Saint in the Nigerian Temple of corruption! He is a saint of the Order of Abacha. All Hail Saint Sani Abacha! Saint Abacha pray for Nigeria. May your type never come our clime again, Amen.
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