Oyo State Government: Secret Plans for N300 Billion Loan?

Oyo State Govt. has reportedly perfected secret plans for a whopping N300 billion loan. This is a follow-up to the recent approval of N63.5 billion just for renovation of government house. More so, this is in spite of FAAC funds which have almost quadrupled under PBAT. Wow!

Enter: The irony of a rich country with poor people 

Governments are borrowing,

People are sorrowing.

Politics is booming,

Business is dooming.

Politicians are gaining,

People are waning. 

Appointed & elected officials are thriving in luxury & opulence,

Disappointed electorate are ..... 

Check my book (Servant Leadership ...) for continuation and more. You can freely donate or buy copies for yourself and others for N3,000 each:

Account No:  0107977194

Bank: Guaranty Trust Bank 

Account Name: Oladejo Mobolaji Lateef 

Phone/WhatsApp: 234-8037052524, 234-8059659211

#nigeria #nigeriansindiaspora #nigeriansinuk #nigeriansinusa #nigeriansincanada #nigeriansabroad

Good News: 80% Subsidy on Kidney Dialysis in Nigeria

In the midst of removal of oil subsidy, which we're not happy about, the introduction of about 80% subsidy on kidney dialysis and other recent initiatives in the health sector are something to cheer about. Many thanks to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Hon. Minister of Health & Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate.

Bolaji Oladejo.

SCORECARD ON MAJOR POLICIES/REFORMS OF #FederalGovernment of #Nigeria

DOWN

* Fuel subsidy removal ❎😭😡

* Naira floatation ❎😭😡

* Hardline position in ECOWAS leading to the withdrawal of membership by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger ❎😭😡

UP

* State police (With community police as the next level) ✅😁👍🏼👏🏼

* LGA autonomy (With functional accountability mechanisms. Implementation has been very slow, no thanks to state governors) ✅😁👍🏼👏🏼

* Tax Reforms (With reconciliation of areas of disagreement) ✅😁👍🏼👏🏼

* Improvement in security (More work needs to be done) ✅😁👍🏼👏🏼

Of economic modellers and Naija sufferers

It's no longer a matter of technical socio-economic indicators from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) or other sources. It's a matter of practical socio-economic realities staring us in the face, banging in our ears, and inflicting injuries on our bodies and in our psyches. Even those of us who may not be directly affected are indirectly affected. We can see it! We can hear it! And we can feel it! It's the current socio-economic situation that has been hitting hard since the sudden removal of #subsidy on fuel and floating of the #Naira. It has affected almost everything including food, transport, and electricity which have been moving beyond the reach of the populace. It goes without saying that, until the Nigerian economy is brought out of the woods, the masses of the people will continue suffering, members of the seriously depleted middle class will continue struggling, and local industries will continue operating sub-optimally. 

We're undoubtedly going through another round of stringent prescriptions and conditionalities. These World Bank/IMF policies, which had come under different 'beautiful' names in the past, such as the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) and the Second-Tier Foreign Exchange Market (SFEM) of 1986, have never worked for us. They're currently not working and, considering the menace of #corruption and mismanagement of paltry palliatives by public officers at all levels of government, I don't think they will ever work.

Global institutions have always advised or programmed us, especially through loans, to remove subsidies but we all know that subsidy is a vital lifeline. Subsidy is the food, water, and oxygen of the people and the industry.  They eat it in Arabia and Asia. They drink it in Africa and the Americas. They inhale it in Europe and the rest of the world. More than any other place, multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians in their millions need it for their personal and business purposes. Our international friends have always advised or programmed us to devalue our currency, which is a great strategy for an export-driven country, but a counter-productive strategy for a country like ours that massively depends on imported goods and services.

We are operating a market economy but the market must occasionally yield some space for government’s pro-people intervention and not allowed to have free rein. One wonders how long we are going to allow the imaginary forces of the market to control the market, knowing full well that the imaginary local and globalized forces can be extremely selfish, greedy, and cruel. Can you imagine the humongous supply, price, and quality challenges that Nigerians have been grappling with over the years concerning a blessing such as crude oil that the imaginary forces have transformed into a resource curse? We certainly cannot afford to continue leaving the market completely to the free reins and vagaries of extreme market forces. Doing so is dangerous for our economy. Even Adam Smith (1723-1790), the father of free enterprise, argued for the pursuit of free market system under condition of equity and justice towards public good. If we had thought that, by removing oil subsidy, the subsidy and oil sector corruption will disappear but it’s getting worse, it’s high time we restored the subsidy with strong accountability mechanisms. If we had thought that, by floating the Naira, it will not sink under huge commercial pressures of the market but it's sinking as it were, it's high time we reduced the free hands of the topsy-turvy market.

I want to believe that Mr. President, state governors, and other leaders mean well in trying to bring a new socio-economic lease of life to the people. And the least we can do as patriotic citizens is to strengthen them with technical, moral, and prayer supports. We hope that those who mean well and are endowed with position, power, and authority will fully recognize and demonstrate the importance, urgency, and seriousness of the welfare purpose of government. As the ball is in their court, we earnestly expect them to play well and score good goals for the good of all. 

This Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government has demonstrated more than once that it is a listening government by reversing policies that didn't go down well with the people. We believe that it is the same listening government that we're dealing with and that the government still has the strength of will and character to reverse these policies that have brought unintended untold hardship to the populace. We equally believe that, by the time the policies are courageously reversed, individuals and businesses that have been hiding and profiteering behind the needle of fuel and dollar prices will have no legitimate place to hide.

I am without doubt a friend of the government who wants the government, democracy, and Nigeria to work and become enviable success stories. And they really can be! But, as it has always been, especially in our contemporary times, governments at all levels are still full of ‘leaders’ who are dealers in private interests, ‘managers’ who mismanage public resources, and 'repairers' who bring their society to a state of disrepair. We subscribe to the notion that difficult policies sometimes bring good gains in the long run, but experientially speaking in Nigeria, the gains have always been embezzled and squandered by unscrupulous opportunists among politicians and their cronies. Such public officers have always taken control of poor people's 'breads of life', leaving them to jostle for crumbs. They've always taken control of the people's breath of life, leaving them to gasp for air. 

It is obvious that the internal havocs individuals and groups wreak against our country’s economy and development are almost as damaging as those from external entities like the Bretton Woods institutions. Our leaders therefore have an urgent duty of purging some of their current political and administrative / bureaucratic appointees, and henceforth beaming their lights on who they appoint into public positions. Putting people of competence, capacity, and character in public positions is like putting round pegs in round holes. It is an important success factor.

As far as the World Bank / IMF advisories versus the worsening socio-economic situations of the people are concerned, the success of this government will depend largely on whether our leaders are sensitive to the might of economic modellers in Bretton Woods or the plight of Naija sufferers 'in the woods'. Leaders like those of China, who have moved hundreds of millions of their population from poverty to prosperity, and Singapore, who have moved their country from third world to first world, did so by deliberately breaking the unprogressive and unhelpful chains of dependence on foreign-cooked policies and ultimately breaking the externally-propelled and self-inflicted jinx of under-development.

Your Excellency sir, Asiwaju Jagaban, you are a man of uncommon strategy and wisdom, and you have the pedigree of winning through in spite of obstacles. Kindly change gear to get better sets of outputs, outcomes, and impacts concerning the socio-economic conditions of the people and residents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Otherwise, the present and future generations of citizens may end up remembering the current dispensation of party politics under your leadership as another ‘permissible will’ of God for Nigeria and Nigerians. However, at the appointed time, the ‘perfect will’ of God for Nigeria and Nigerians will certainly be done for the benediction of the people and to the glory of God. At the moment, eyin lokan lati se'joba daradara. Olorun a fun un yin se.

Long live, Mr. President! Long live, Naija men and women! Long live, Naija Republic!

Bolaji Oladejo

#goodgovernance #Nigeria #WorldBank #IMF

Imaginary forces of selfish, greedy, and cruel market

Back to the point we've all along been making, viz: That the idea of completely leaving the market to the free reins and vagaries of extreme market forces is dangerous for our economy.

This is because the imaginary forces of the market can be extremely selfish, greedy, and cruel. Even Adam Smith (1723-1790), the father of free enterprise, argued for the pursuit of free market system under condition of equity and justice towards public good.

If we had thought that, by floating the Naira, it will not sink under huge commercial pressures of the market but it's sinking as it were, it's high time we reduced the free hands of the topsy-turvy market.

#stopfloatingNaira #forex #exchangerate #CBN #Nigeria

Subsidy is an essential lifeline

Subsidy is the food, water, and oxygen of the people and the industry. They eat it in Arabia and Asia. They drink it in Africa and the Americas. They inhale it in Europe and the rest of the world. More than any other place, multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians in their millions need it for their personal and business purposes!!!

Bolaji Oladejo
#bringbacksubsidy #foodsubsidy #fuelsubsidy #electricitysubsidy #transportsubsidy

Nigeria: Disappointing Dividends of Democracy

What do we understand by the acronym DDD in Nigeria? With respect to the governance enterprise of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, DDD stands for Disappointing Dividends of Democracy.

Talking about DDD, there’s a new book waiting for you in bookstores. This book believes that Nigeria’s party democracy has been enriching party politicians and their collaborators but has been yielding disappointing dividends of democracy for ordinary stakeholders.

With the goal of building, by 2035, a progressive society of servant leaders expanding good governance with rule of law, inclusivity, transparency, accountability, integrity, equity, merit, effectiveness, and efficiency, the book proposes restructuring of the country’s governance systems at all levels. This includes introduction of stakeholder groups and assemblies to replace political parties, diffusion of powers, devolution of powers, fiscal federalism, part-time legislature, establishment of Council of Presidents comprising six zonally-elected vice presidents who will rotate power as president, election of a prime minister who will share power with the president, and corresponding reforms at the sub-national levels.

The book uses some light poetic style in some of its sections to motivate stakeholders to arise and collaborate within extant laws to actualize the desired developmental change.

Humbly presented to you below is the book:

Get copies for yourself and others!

* Digital version available on Apple Books, Kobo Books, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and many other online channels.

* Print version available from Lulu Books and directly from the author:
Phone: 234-8037052524
WhatsApp: 234-8059659211
E-mail: bolaji_oladejo@yahoo.com

#Nigeria #nigeriansindiaspora #nigeriansinusa #nigeriansinuk #nigeriansincanada

Executive Summary of the Strategic Plan (2024-2028) by the Fed. Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs

The socio-economic challenges of low and fragile economic growth, insecurity, weak institutions, insufficient public service delivery, notable infrastructure deficits, climate change and weak social indicators that the present administration is seeking to address were occasioned by sub-optimal performance of the Nation's economy for nearly a decade. First, in 2016 Nigeria's socio-economic growth was badly affected by unprecedented shocks in terms of trade, reduced oil production and prices among other things which resulted in economic recession. The country's recovery from the recession between 2017-2019, which was facilitated by the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), was however truncated when the coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic in 2020 hit, coupled with yet another spate of falls in crude oil prices and social conflicts. A set of fiscal and monetary stimulus packages implemented under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) contributed to the country's exit from the COVID-19-induced recession in the fourth quarter of 2020.

The National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2025, was developed to succeed the ESP and to put Nigeria back on a sustained path of economic growth. The NDP aimed to implement major infrastructure and other development projects across the six geopolitical zones and to open up opportunities for the rural areas to ensure balanced development and increased competitiveness.

A little over one year after the launch of the NDP, the present administration was inaugurated, thereby inheriting the myriad of challenges that the NDP sought to address. The Renewed Hope Agenda was therefore developed to build on the trajectory outlined in the NDP and the Nigeria Agenda 2050. The Renewed Hope Agenda is anchored on four pillars (Improved Livelihood, Economic Outcomes, Harnessing Human Resources, and Fairer & Safer Playing Field), which are broken down into eight (8) priority areas (Food Security, Ending Poverty, Economic Growth and Job Creation, Access to Capital, Inclusivity, Security, Fairness and Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Stance).

This Strategic Plan is developed by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter[1]Governmental Affairs (FMSDIGA) to reposition and align its activities towards the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration as the mantra of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for the path to national growth and development that will lead to the desired collective prosperity of Nigeria.

The FMSDIGA is among the three (3) Federal Ministries that have been saddled with the responsibility to contribute to the implementation of the eight (8) priority areas of the Renewed Hope Agenda. This five (5) year Strategic Plan (2024-2028) provides the Ministry's roadmap towards catalyzing the realization of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

 The Plan was developed through the active participation of all stakeholders in the Ministry. It is arranged sequentially into the four (4) Strategic Pillars and eight (8) Priority Areas with eight (8) goals, thirteen (13) Strategic Objectives and thirteen (13) Interventions as well as eighty-two (82) Key Activities.

The total estimated cost of the Plan of ₦178.9 billion is the aggregate of the costs of all the key activities to be carried out by the Departments, Agencies and Parastatals of the Ministry on an annual basis for the next five-year period. The plan also shows estimated cost distributions according to Strategic Pillars, Priority Areas, Implementing Entities, and based on Programme/Project Areas.

The funding gap of the Plan was estimated to be about fifty-four per cent (54%), which reflects a significant fiscal constraint to its effective implementation. Additional resource mobilisation is necessary through advocacy to increase the Government's annual budget allocation as well as increased revenue generation. Engagement with development partners, and private and informal sectors would also be important in augmenting the funding gap.

A steering committee will be established to oversee the effective implementation of the Plan. This committee will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Special Duties and Inter[1]Governmental Affairs and will comprise representatives from departments and agencies of the Ministry, and other relevant Ministries (Finance, Budget and National Plan, Health, Education, Water Resources, and Environment etc), development partners, civil society and community organisations, and other relevant stakeholders.

The implementation of this Plan will be supported with a robust monitoring and evaluation mechanism, which will help to track progress and facilitate course correction. Implementation progress will be tracked using the key results framework that has been developed for this Plan, which captures high-level performance indicators for each of the priority areas and key activities.

Overall, this Plan should be implemented through the Annual Operational Plan for each year, which is expected to guide budgeting and performance tracking towards catalysing the realization of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs

Abuja

Stop hiding behind dollar and oil! Shun profiteering!

Thank you to our dear 'Mai kudi', 'Mai arziki', 'Mai jama'a' - Aliko Dangote. He has used his game-changer outfit - Dangote Petroleum Refinery - to progressively crash the price of diesel from N1,600 per litre to N1,200 per litre about three weeks ago, to N1,000 per litre yesterday. On behalf of industries and consumers, thank you very much. Not yet Uhuru though!

Before now, big players like Dangote and BUA had recently crashed the price of cement, which sold as high as N15,000 per 50kg bag in January 2024, to between N7,000 and N8,000 now, depending on the brand, location, and other factors. 

Considering the above and other recent improvements such as Naira appreciation, thank God for responsible and responsive business leadership. Thank God for the imaginary hand of the #FGN. There's however more room for improvement!

You keep asking why government after government in #Nigeria have always favoured Aliko Dangote in a big way but you never ask yourself what you do with your little space in your little corner. You keep wondering how God has been blessing and increasingly blessing Dangote but you never wonder about kingdom principles concerning being good and faithful or being wicked and slothful over a few things.

While Dangote has crashed the price of diesel and has led others to crash the price of cement, you in your little corner are still hanging on to your high old prices even though your #dollar #forex rate justification has seriously gone down. You often forget that enormous profit, by hook or by crook, may bring you wealth but it may not sustain your business or bring you blessing.

Each time your costs of production increase, you immediately increase the prices of your products / services and transfer the burden to consumers. But, whenever those costs come down, you either refuse to bring down your prices or drag your feet to do the needful. You shrug your shoulders when you hear consumers sadly saying "Whatever goes up in Nigeria doesn't come down." It's not so in consumer-centric economies. It's not supposed to be so in our economy. And, in all fairness, it's not the practice by all private companies delivering products or services in Nigeria. One of those God-fearing business outfits that have been operating with transparency and integrity particularly in the oil and gas sector is BOVAS Group. Many of their customers have testified to the image the company has built for itself. It has received many awards of excellent service. In 2018, the then Group Managing Director of the #NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Kachalla Baru (RIP), applauded BOVAS Group for transparency, integrity, reliable service delivery, and consistent selling of petroleum products at the official price.

We hereby challenge and encourage individual business operators and corporate organizations to begin to do great positive things not only for themselves but also for the people and the society at large. God bless you as you do. #ShunProfiteering

Bolaji Oladejo.

Onyema is doing yeoman's job with his Air Peace

Onyema is doing yeoman's job with his Air Peace. See how he and his airline recently crashed air fares. Other international airlines have been hiding behind dollarization and high price of dollar to allow their fares go skyrocketing. They posited that lower fares were not possible in Nigeria in the prevailing economic circumstances, but Allen Onyema does not share that extreme profiteering strategy. Those airlines have now been forced to do what they had claimed was not possible by bringing down their fares substantially. Salute to the leadership support of Mr. President @officialABAT, Hon. Minister of Aviation, Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other relevant government functionaries.

Allen Onyema's feat in #aviation industry reminds us of the patriotic and strategic move by Mike Adenuga around August 2003 when his Globacom entered the #telecom market with 'per- second billing', crashed SIM card to rock-bottom price, and began to rule their world with submarine cables from United Kingdom to Nigeria. Existing telecom giants including MTN that have been going to town with federal legislators' backing with songs that "per-second billing is not realistic in Nigeria" and "low SIM card prices are not yet possible" were forced to fall in line. Yet, they never ran at loss. I recall that MTN officially reported breaking even in Nigeria within the first few years of operation as against their target of 10 years. The era preceding the per-second billing system was such a goldmine non-existent in South Africa or elsewhere that millions of Nigerians would make calls, say, for 1 minute 1 second (61 sec.) and they would be charged for 2 minutes (120 sec.).

Before we go back to the airline issue, it is pertinent to digress a little more and make the point here that Nigerians are seriously yearning for serious entrepreneurs who, with necessary executive and legislative supports, will introduce and force Multichoice (DSTV and GoTV), Startimes, and others to adopt pay-per-view billing system as it obtains in other economies.

Let's come back to our airline matter. Now that the airlines that were previously charging exorbitantly high fares have decided to reduce their fares and their home government authorities are deploying stifling anti-competition strategies, Air Peace and other interested airlines must not be allowed to die. We want to believe that the rule and the end game of fair global business is shared prosperity for a fairer and more peaceful world. All necessary government-to-government (G2G) and government-to-business (G2B) interventions must continue to be deployed towards achieving mutually-beneficial and win-win environments of international business in aviation and all other sectors. God bless #Nigeria. God bless international community: #WTO #GATT #MIGA #UNCTAD #UNIDO
Bolaji Oladejo

AEDC Customers: Want to Know Your Electricity Meter Band Classification?

Do you want to know your electricity meter band classification as an AEDC customer?

It's very simple and immediate. Just a few steps:

(1.) Click on the link below or Copy the link and paste it in your web browser

(2.) Select Meter Number (or Account Number) 

(3.) Enter Meter Number (or Account Number) 

Voila! Your band classification will be displayed.

Here you go:

https://infocheck.abujaelectricity.com/

Imaginary forces of the market

The imaginary forces of the market can be extremely selfish, greedy, and cruel. The point we've all along been making is that the idea of completely leaving the market to the free reins and vagaries of extreme market forces is dangerous for the economy. Even Adam Smith (1723-1790), the father of free enterprise, argued for the pursuit of free market system under condition of equity and justice towards public good.

If we had thought that, by floating the #Naira, it will not sink under huge commercial pressures of the market but it's sinking as it were, it's high time we reduced the free hands of the topsy-turvy market. If, as nature abhors vacuum, the vacated role of the #CBN has been surreptitiously hijacked by #binance, it's high time the CBN resumed its statutory role.

It is in this wise that we welcome the on-going interventions by the central bank especially in #forex market and in #cryptocurrency market which must be sustained for them to be effective. 

The government seems to be listening and paying more attention to well-meaning critiques of stakeholders. The strength of great leaders is not in being infallible but, when they make mistakes, they take corrective actions.

Bolaji Oladejo.

Still on the need for policy reversal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Thumbs-up 👍 👍 👍 again for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the chairman of #ECOWAS, for the reversal of sanctions against B'Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger. It remains to be seen if Niger, Mali, and B'Faso will reciprocate the olive branch offered them by dropping their immediate withdrawal from ECOWAS.

In justifying his proposal for lifting of the sanctions during the Extraordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS Member States held on Saturday, 24th Feb. 2024, President Tinubu declared, inter alia, that: “..... However, the sanctions that we contemplated might help lead our brothers to the negotiating table have become a harsh stumbling block. In my mind and heart, that which is hurtful yet ineffective serves no good purpose and should be abandoned.” I would like to use this opportunity to implore Mr. President to also summon courage in his characteristic style to reconsider and abandon his well-intended policies whose implementation modalities are hurtful yet ineffective. Your Excellency, we're talking about the floating of the #Naira, the removal of fuel #subsidy, and proactively the impending removal of #electricity subsidy.

The nation awaits your strategic and humanitarian direction sir.

Bolaji Oladejo.
#cbn #nnpc #nerc

Thumbs-up for Mr. President, State Governors, and the National Assembly

Thumbs-up 👍 👍 👍 for Mr. President, State Governors, and the National Assembly for being on the same page and reading the same paragraph about the establishment of state police. 

Your Excellencies, Distinguished Senators, Hon. Members of House of Rep. and State Houses of Assembly, I humbly wish to propose that the next logical paragraph to be read loud and clear in unison should be #LocalGovernmentAutonomy and #CommunityPolicing. 

History beckons at you to have your name written in gold.

Bolaji Oladejo.

Autonomy for local government, state legislature, and state judiciary

Source: wikifarmer.com

Dangling! Dangling! Dangling! It's dangling right before our eyes, like an orange in an orange orchard. Many thanks to the National Assembly and all stakeholders. However, if we make no effort to protect and harvest the orange, birds will peck at it for food and destroy it. It has dangled before, with many thanks to the previous National Assembly and all stakeholders, but birds pecked and destroyed it because we went to sleep when the orange was getting ripe.

Once again, the National Assembly has passed a number of bills towards amendment of the 1999 Constitution. These include the ones that grant autonomy to the local government, state legislature, and state judiciary. If we keep silent and go to sleep again, history may forgive us for being docile as usual but history will not forget to write our names in unattractive colours for future generations to see.

Now that the ball of autonomy is in the court of Sate Houses of Assembly for consideration before final constitutional amendment, we need to start putting our state legislators and state governors under pressure. It would be helpful if many of us, as responsible individuals and groups, could get their phone nos. to let them know where we stand on this important and progressive issue of autonomy. In addition, we can use print, electronic, and social media to showcase our inalienable standpoints. As much as possible, we can also organize town hall meetings at the LGA and/or state levels, with or without the hon. member(s) present, and send written and audio-visual reports (if available) of the meetings to the respective legislators and governors. Stakeholders must be encouraged to take proactive action. Civil Society Organizations have critical roles to play and must not stop their interventions at the level of the National Assembly.

Any hon. member of a State House of Assembly who argues or votes against autonomy for local government, state legislature, and state judiciary in defiance of his/her people's wish is neither a democratic nor a progressive representative. He/she should be recalled, or denied another term, or blacklisted against future political offices.

In the very likely and usual event that the voting is done secretly, the governor of any state where the proposed autonomy fails or is not considered at all by the state legislature should be held responsible for twisting the voting hands of state legislators. Civil Society Organizations, pressure groups, political parties, and individuals must mobilize to deny him 2nd-term (where applicable), or blacklist him against senatorial ambition or future political offices. The governor takes responsibility because, under normal circumstances as we all know, there's no reason why legislators will, at the very least, not vote for their own autonomy except that they're forced to kowtow to the wishes of a paymaster. Little do the legislators learn from the experience of others that sheepishly doing the bidding of their governor does not guarantee automatic ticket to return to the house or succeed in some other political aspirations. The typical governor, as a strategic political animal - who operates based on his enlightened self-interest and gross selfish interest - can and will in the morrow dump you who consider yourself as his political friend today in favour of his yesterday's or today's political enemy. 

In our society, we have an undemocratic, unproductive, and unhelpful culture of giving our executive and legislative representatives excessive latitudes of power to do and undo like kings and emperors in the olden days. We sometimes forget that they are supposed to work for our collective interests and not for their personal political or economic interests. We sometimes do not remember that they are expected to be answerable to us as electorates. We oftentimes do not realize how powerful we can be as a people if we mobilize and deploy our collective powers against 'democrats' profiting from democracy but working against democracy and the people.

Under the supreme sovereignty and power of God who rules over the affairs of men, we the people are the owners of sovereignty and power. As development-conscious human beings, patriotic citizens, committed change agents, and progressive democrats, we must begin to work towards making things happen for us and not just allow things to happen to us.

Onward ever: federal, state, and local governments! Onward ever: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary! Backward never: Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Bolaji Oladejo

JOB OPPORTUNITIES - APPLICATION CLOSING DATE: 9 APRIL 2022

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS 

The West African Health Organization (WAHO) is the health institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) charged with leadership and coordination of health improvement programs across the ECOWAS region. WAHO is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the under-listed vacant positions. Interested applicants are advised to visit www.wahooas.org or www.ecowas.int to download the relevant Job Description as well as the Job Application Form. All applications must be sent electronically to the email address specified for each post, and must include a Cover Letter of not more than one page on the motivation for applying, a completed Job Application Form, a signed current Curriculum Vitae, and a certified copy of Birth Certificate. 

GENERAL CONDITIONS 

Candidates must be ECOWAS citizens and must not be more than 50 years of age at the time of recruitment (the age criteria does not apply to internal candidates). Submitted documents will not be returned; and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisting and interview processes shall be based on the ECOWAS Staff Regulations. Closing date for Applications: 9 April 2022

1. VN91 PROGRAM OFFICER, PHARMACY & ALLIED HEALTH 

QUALIFICATIONS 

A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine or Pharmacy or Nursing or Medical Science or any Allied Health Sciences from a recognized university. Candidates must have at least 5 years of progressive responsible experience in the implementation of healthcare programs. An understanding of the issues regarding human resources for health in the ECOWAS region, a knowledge of quality assurance standards and an ability to manage relationship with partner organizations, Ministries of Health and other relevant regulatory bodies. 

DUTIES 

Under the supervision of the PPO Human Resources for Health, the incumbent shall update course modules as well as lead the development and standardisation of training (basic and post-basic) curriculums within the region. S/he shall advocate for the development of the Pharmacy and Allied Health Profession and collaborate with training institutions and bodies such as the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP) to promote high quality training of Pharmacists and Allied Health professionals in the region. 

2. VN92 PROGRAM OFFICER, TRADITIONAL MEDICINE 

QUALIFICATIONS 

A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine or Pharmacy or Nursing or Medical Science or any of the Allied Health Sciences from a recognized university. Candidates must have at least 5 years’ experience in the implementation of healthcare programs, a sound knowledge of quality assurance standards in the ECOWAS region and an ability to manage relationships with partner organizations, Ministries of Health and other relevant regulatory bodies to foster cooperation. 

DUTIES 

Under the supervision of the PPO Healthcare Delivery, the incumbent shall lead and effectively coordinate the Traditional Medicine (TM) program at WAHO and support ECOWAS Member States to integrate it in their health systems. The incumbent shall be required to consolidate the gains made and introduce other innovative activities, particularly in the areas of harmonization of national policies and regulatory frameworks, development of training tools for TM practitioners and other health professionals, promotion of dialogue between TM practitioners and conventional medicine practitioners, promotion of research and development of plant medicines, conservation of medicinal plants and protection of indigenous knowledge. 

3. VN93 PROGRAM OFFICER, NURSING & MIDWIFERY 

QUALIFICATIONS 

A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine or Pharmacy or Nursing or Medical Science or any Allied Health Sciences from a recognized university. Candidates must have at least 5 years of progressive responsible experience in the implementation of healthcare programs. An understanding of the issues regarding human resources for health in the ECOWAS region, a knowledge of quality assurance standards and an ability to manage relationship with partner organizations, Ministries of Health and other relevant regulatory bodies. 

DUTIES 

Under the supervision of the PPO, Human Resources for Health, the incumbent shall organise workshops, seminars and course modules updates, engage in the certification processes for nurses at basic and post basic levels, and assist in the development of the curriculum for Nursing and Midwifery training across the region. S/he should produce a monthly journal on nursing activities in the region and will work closely with training institutions including the West African College of Nursing (WACN) to promote high quality training of nurses and midwives. 

4. VN94 PROGRAM OFFICER, HEALTHCARE STANDARDS & QUALITY 

QUALIFICATIONS 

A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine or Pharmacy or Nursing or Medical Science or any of the Allied Health Sciences from a recognized university. Candidates must have at least 5 years’ progressive experience in the implementation of healthcare programs, a sound knowledge of noncommunicable disease strategies, and an understanding of quality assurance standards in the ECOWAS region. He/she should be able to manage relationships with partner organizations, Ministries of Health and other relevant regulatory bodies. 

DUTIES 

Under the supervision of the PPO Healthcare Delivery, the incumbent shall be responsible for developing a region wide health facilities quality assurance programs, and promoting patient safety and risk management programs. He/she shall direct the efforts of all the performance improvement initiatives to ensure compliance with all regulatory standards. This role shall involve working independently and collaboratively with other Program Officers to ensure the establishment of quality healthcare standards and clinical risk frameworks. 

5. VN95 PROGRAM OFFICER, RESEARCH – Industries & Third Sector 

6. VN96 PROGRAM OFFICER, RESEARCH – Academic Institutions 

QUALIFICATIONS (for VN. 95 & VN. 96) 

A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine or Pharmacy or Nursing or Medical Science or any Allied Health Sciences from a recognized university. Candidates must have at least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in management and implementation of public health programs or in public health research. Candidates must demonstrate an understanding of the health needs and problems in the ECOWAS Member States, and a knowledge of the epidemiology of the recurrent infectious diseases and other threats to regional health security. 

DUTIES (for VN. 95 & VN. 96) 

Under the supervision of the PPO Research and Grants, each appointee shall be responsible for the linkage of WAHO with “Industries and Third sector” (VN. 95) or with “Academic Institutions” (VN. 96) as appropriate on the following aspects: (i) development and implementation of regional research programs in WAHO’s areas of interest, (ii) development and the implementation of the Regional Research Capacity Strengthening, and (iii) dissemination, synthesizing and translation of research results into policy and practices. 

7. VN98 PROCUREMENT OFFICER 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration, Finance or a related field from a recognized university. Candidates must have 5 years of relevant experience in all areas of Administration, Financial Management, Accounting, and Project Management that are relevant to Procurement functions. S/he must demonstrate professional competence and mastery of the subject matter, and an ability to provide technical advice on a broad range of administrative, financial and accounting areas related to Procurements. A knowledge of ECOWAS Financial Regulations and Procurement Code will be an advantage. 

DUTIES 

Under the supervision of the PPO, Administration & Human Resources, the Procurement Officer has the responsibility to manage the routine procurement activities of the organization from the preparation of tender requests, opening of bids, establishment of purchase orders and monitoring of the delivery of goods, works and services 

8. VN99 GENERAL ADMISTRATIVE OFFICER 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Public Administration or a related field from a recognized university. Candidate must have 3 years of progressively responsible experience in Administration, Public Administration or a related area. Candidates should possess a demonstrated ability to use basic SAP/MM modules to carry out administrative functions, including basic data entry, extraction and interpretation, and be familiar with administrative and financial policies and procedures related to government or international organizations. He/she should have an understanding of ECOWAS Financial, Administrative and Procurement Regulations and Procedures. 

DUTIES 

Under the supervision of the Administrative Officer, the General Administrative Officer shall play an active role in the overall organization, management and delivery of office support services by ensuring smooth operation of ongoing administrative functions across WAHO including the creation of a conducive work environment, promotion of health and safety practices, assets and facilities management, information storing and retrieval systems, etc. 

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Re: EndSARS Protest, Public and Private Properties

I can understand unjustifiably why hungry and angry citizens would help themselves to the yet-to-be-distributed or undistributed COVID-19 food palliatives stored in warehouses across the country even though it is simply an act of stealing. But I find it very appalling and condemnable that hoodlums had to destroy, burn or loot public utilities, infrastructures and establishments that are meant to be of service to the people. 

It is also condemnable that private properties were also destroyed, burnt or looted as a fall-out of the #EndSARS protest. All these were very barbaric and should be investigated and punished appropriately.

#EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality

Some Little Thoughts on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria

Having served in the Health System Strengthening sub-sector for some years before I recently had to step aside to take charge of Public-Private Partnership in my new station, I warmly welcomed the gentle thoughts about healthcare delivery that greeted my mind early this morning. 

How could we have expected to have ‘Health for All by the Year 2000’ in Nigeria with insufficient and dysfunctional Primary Health Care Centres? How can we expect to have available, accessible, and affordable healthcare when agencies charged with the mandate of ensuring physical access and financial access to healthcare are under-performing? How can we expect to have Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with the absence of synergy between the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)? How can we expect to have Universal Health Coverage with weak collaborations and partnerships between the national and sub-national levels, between the public sector and private sector (for-profit and not-for-profit), between Governments and communities, and between the health sector and other sectors? Even with UHC, how can we expect to have good health outcomes on a sustainable basis with little attention being paid to preventive health through provision of good water, sanitation, environment, nutrition, education, roads, etc?

Based on the 1988, 2004, and 2016 National Health Policy Documents, primary health care remains the bedrock and central focus of Nigeria’s healthcare system development. Important agencies such as the NPHCDA and the NHIS that are crucial for physical and financial access to health care are certainly due for reform. Some questions should begin to agitate our minds towards reforms that will enable things to be done differently to achieve different sets of better results: Do we really need Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) for our health insurance? Can we copy and adapt the health insurance models of some countries – especially Asian countries – that are not built around HMOs but have (almost) achieved Universal Health Coverage? How about a hybrid system whereby we still retain HMOs for secondary and tertiary care but remove primary care from the hands of HMOs? Or can we have social HMOs joining hands with and consolidating social healthcare providers?

Going down memory lane and reflecting on the current unwholesome situation of the nation’s healthcare with particular reference to the two agencies (NHIS and NPHCDA), one would observe that the situation is not acceptable. For instance, according to the National Health Policy (2016), “Less than 5% of the Nigerian population is currently covered by any form of prepayment schemes, such as health insurance. Only Federal Government workers are currently enrolled in social health insurance and civil servants from most states are yet to be enrolled.”

I believe that well-meaning leaders and individuals are capable of taking remedial actions and stopping predators in and around the agencies who can never change their carnivorous nature and who have been devouring all kinds of preys in the public sector jungles. We need as a matter of urgency to salvage our health care system, particularly the NHIS, from the claws of the predators and ambulance it out of the jungle. NOW is the auspicious period to do so, knowing that 50% of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) from the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund, international donor contributions, and other sources has been set aside by law for the NHIS to administer. The efforts of health sector stakeholders, the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), as well as decision-makers in the executive and legislature which led to the enactment and signing into law of the National Health Act 2014 have been severally commended and still remains commendable. The Act prescribes, among others, the establishment of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, 50% of which goes to the NHIS, 45% to the NPHCDA, and 5% for emergency medical treatment to be administered by a Committee which shall be appointed by the National Council on Health.

However, I am of the view that there is a need for urgent amendment of the National Health Act 2014 with respect to the disbursement of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. Against the background of the fact that majority of Nigerians that are currently not covered by health insurance are informal sector employers, employees, and others who are largely rural dwellers, we need to tweak the Act to accommodate the private sector as major beneficiaries through dedication of a certain percentage of the Fund as soft loans to new and existing private-for-profit rural healthcare providers. These private providers may opt to go it alone or enter into public-private partnership agreements. Private-not-for-profit organizations such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs), Philanthropies, and Foundations should also be encouraged to establish and provide rural healthcare services on their own or through public-private partnerships (PPP). The private sector is undoubtedly stricter in management of men, money, materials, and methods than the public sector. The common incidence of absentee health workers and a number of other sharp practices in public health facilities, especially those in rural and hard-to-reach areas, cannot be condoned by the private sector. The sector has some values which government institutions at all levels can leverage on through partnerships. With public-private partnership arrangements, Government and partners should be able to balance their social and profit objectives to deliver effective, efficient, accessible, equitable, affordable, acceptable, and quality health care services.

In addition to the extant provision in the Act for disbursement of NPHCDA’s 45% share of the BHCPF exclusively to eligible States, Federal Capital Territory, Local Government and Area Council Health Authorities, all of which are public sector institutions, there should be an amendment to the Act to the effect that the NPHCDA and the NHIS will enter into a tripartite agreement with the Bank of Industry (BOI) through which eligible private sector operators with commercial orientation can access a certain percentage of the 45% that may be set aside. The BOI has the expertise, experience, and pedigree for effective and efficient management of venture capital funds. The NHIS will be expected to provide ‘health insurance lives’ and capitation to eligible and duly-accredited providers that are delivering rural healthcare services under this arrangement.

We really need to bring health care closer to the people and promote utilization of same. We must build and strengthen a new regime of shared goals, joint actions, and collective responsibilities between the NHIS and the NPHCDA towards achieving UHC. Both agencies cannot afford to operate in silos. What exactly is the benefit of new and existing pool of funds accruable and available to the NHIS for the provision of basic minimum package of health services to citizens if health care providers and services are not available and accessible within easy reach? What precisely is the benefit of health care facilities, equipment, personnel, drugs, consumables, and services made available to the public if the majority that are poor, weak and vulnerable do not have the means and the safety nets to access and utilize them? What indeed is the benefit of an elephant that is available for meat and protein without the availability of knife to cut it up and fire to cook or roast the meat, other than its carcass will become food for carnivorous animals and vultures? And as far as the public space is concerned, there are such ‘animals’ and ‘vultures’ around the corner.

Here now is a clarion call to the Presidency, the National Assembly, the FMOH, the NHIS, the NPHCDA, and other stakeholders: Let us all work together cooperatively, collaboratively, and patriotically to bring about necessary reforms towards achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria!

Mobolaji Lateef OLADEJO

Genderizing corruption: Dieziani would not be harshly judged if she was a man

Daily Post of 22nd Sept. 2017 reported that Nigerian frontline novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, took a swipe at Nigerians for criticising former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dieziani Alison-Madueke over fraud allegations. According to her, Dieziani’s case would not be capitalised if she was a man because stealing money is a norm practised by Nigerian politicians.

It's a great surprise that this is coming from someone in the calibre of Chimamanda Adichie who is operating at the global arena and should, ipso facto, imbibe global standards and exhibit zero-tolerance against corruption. It shows that we've got a long way to go as far as corruption war is concerned. 

Corruption is an unwanted beast-of-no-gender in a progressive society. Corruption took the deep egocentric plunge into the muddy lake and got itself messed up with stolen black gold, but someone is telling us from a high gender ground that we should just wash it clean, cloak it back in a new attire, worry less about the black gold, and give it a pat on the back on account of gender sensitivity that has no precedent whatsoever.

Ngozi, Nigerian youths are looking up to you as a literary leader but you have just disappointed them by simply genderizing a big case of corruption the same way that important public issues are normally ethnicized and religionized by unscrupulous politicians. My sister, if you argue that the system is unfair to Dieziani because she's a woman, is Col. Sambo Dasuki - for example - a man or a woman? Please don't jump into that murky political water with your presumably white regalia.

You may wish to tender apologies to the millions of Nigerian youths for disappointing them, and to the millions of corruption-averse men and WOMEN in Nigeria for offending their sensibilities.

Nigeria: Who can be considered to have committed an act of terrorism?

Following our previous post on the definition of terrorism according to the Nigerian law, let us now reason as to who can be considered, legally speaking, to have committed an act of terrorism.

According to Section 1 Subsection 2 of Nigeria's Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and in tandem with the definition of "act of terrorism" given by Section 1 Subsection 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011:

"A person or body corporate who knowingly in or outside Nigeria directly or indirectly willingly -

(a) does, attempts or threatens any act of terrorism,

(b) commits an act preparatory to or in furtherance of an act of terrorism,

(c) omits to do anything that is reasonably necessary to prevent an act of terrorism,

(d) assists or facilitates the activities of persons engaged in an act of terrorism or is an accessory to any offence under this Act,

(e) participates as an accomplice in or contributes to the commission of any act of terrorism or offences under this Act,

(f) assists, facilitates, organizes or directs the activities of persons or organizations engaged in any act of terrorism,

(g) is an accessory to any act of terrorism, or

(h) incites, promises or induces any other person by any means whatsoever to commit any act of terrorism or any of the offences referred to in this Act,

commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to maximum of death sentence."

That's the law! What do you think in practical terms concerning the Nigeria of today?