Japheth Omojuwa: Nigeria’s National Honours: Nigeria’s incentives for criminality

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We cannot obviously deny the fact that not all the listed people are not deserving of the award but in a nation where politics is the biggest failure, why should politicians get the highest rewards in the land?

Nigerian National Honours are yearly conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who had rendered meritorious service to the country, its values and its people in previous years. They were instituted by the National Honours Act No. 5 of 1964, during the First Republic. In recent times, it has been most remembered for two major things; being rejected by Professor Chinua Achebe and being regarded as a roll call of the biggest looters of Nigeria. The latter is not without merit and the former was widely hailed by Nigerians who had come to regard the awards as some kind of National Villains List.
The President of Nigeria, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker House of Representatives, Chief Justice of Nigeria and a couple of other elected/selected public officials are automatic recipients of these awards. A year into their tenure, irrespective of performance or value creation, they are bestowed with the “highest honours” in the land. This makes a lot of sense in a country where attaining office is seen to be the peak of achievement rather than what one gets done with the office. Little wonder that some of the most revered rogues in Nigeria’s history are members of this Honours’ List. Bode George and James Ibori are two of its old boys. Contrast this reality with the treatment of genuine heroes. Nigerian Paralympians returned from London yesterday after shattering world records and saving the face of the nation with 13 medals compared with the zero medals we won at the Olympics. These real heroes were dumped at the rickety National Institute for Sports last night.
Look at Mr. Imeh Usuah the taxi driver who was given a N30,000.00 award for returning N18,000,000.00 found in his car. As far as the National Orientation Agency was concerned, it had done its job by giving the seemingly poor man N30,000.00. Who cares if they gave him N100 when the best reward would have been for him to receive a deserving National Medal of Honour.
Listen to every American Governor or President and even candidates positioning themselves to occupy such offices, they give respect to American heroes home and abroad, keeping the values and ideals of their founding fathers real and giving up their lives for the sake of America. Mitt Romney has been deservingly criticized for daring to forget the heroics of the American soldiers in Afghanistan by not mentioning that in his nomination address. A Senior Special Assistant to the president was discussing with my group about a perception project for Nigeria. The intention was to look out for ways to improve the country’s image. With a list of “heroes” like this as released by the Federal Government, we just set the nation back on that front.
We cannot obviously deny the fact that not all the listed people are not deserving of the award but in a nation where politics is the biggest failure, why should politicians get the highest rewards in the land? Why should an office holder automatically qualify for a national honour as soon as he gets the job? What happens to the logic of such people at first earning their reputation? What is the problem with our country? Why do we do always do our best to turn logic on its head? How can we be focused on transforming our national values and at the same time, in the same breath, honour men and women who in other climes would be honoured with jail sentences? How can a government release a list of people sabotaging the economy (fuel subsidy scam) one week and the following week the same men top the list of people to be rewarded “for their contribution to national development”?
A society is built on what it rewards. We reward militants and economic saboteurs, we are sure to inspire another generation to go on that path. It looks as though if you are a big criminal in Nigeria, the federal government will find you…and reward you. Just be a criminal that pays his dues. Is that how to build a nation?

Stock Market to Experience Upturn in Fortunes on Regulators’ Market Making Initiatives

Wall Street Bull

Nigerian capital market regulators are strategically positioning the equity markets to become more efficient and profitable for investors by introducing rules and guidelines that encourage market making, short selling and securities lending.
Basically the activities of the market makers, securities lenders and short sellers will be to increase liquidity as investors try to take calculated risks in the quest to boost profitability.
Foreign investments into the stock market will also be on the uptick as one of the biggest hindrances to investing in Nigeria has been availability of adequate stock with which to make trade and investment.
Traditionally, in Nigeria huge blocs or volumes of equity shares are held by few individuals, families or corporations. The regulators are encouraging these individuals to loan their shares for an interest to speculators who then speculate with them.
This practice will undoubtedly invite into the market, more participants anxious to make money.
The new initiatives may take the market closer to Oscar Onyeama’s prediction that the market will reach $1 trillion by 2016. Although a figure more southwards may be a bit more realistic. The fact is activity will soar in the market because the securities lending spigots will open and gush. The ripple effect will be seen in market breadth.
Currently market performance is 18.51% year-to-date.
BusinessNews.

Matilda Orhewere: Taking Stock Of Development At The States Level

Nigeria has come a long way but there is a long way to go. In fairness to ourselves, we have evolved greatly as a people but we do not appreciate this because innovations seem to be almost too minuscule for us to perceive.
Today, we see the Freedom of Information bill being passed and its benefits being maximized. The impact of social media in communication cannot be overstressed and we see that to a large extent, government responds. Information that one would ordinarily not find in the dailies are served to members of the public without fear that the reporter will be abducted or the publishers’ organization proscribed. For the first time in the history of Nigeria, we have leaders who openly interact with the citizenry on social media sites.
Due process is being followed in many departments of government especially in the area of awarding projects to contractors and the presence of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has instilled into their hearts the fear of corrupt enrichment that can be traced to government officials and they now tend to be cautious. This is an area for controversy because in truth, on one hand, there are still many corrupt leaders who have lost the sense of blushing as they feel no shame while robbing the nation; on the other hand, stealing by some of these corrupt officials has been greatly modified to appear like introducing diversionary measures along the tracks of EFCC and any other government agencies that are empowered to investigate and charge erring officials to court; going to such great lengths to conceal their fraudulent tendencies testifies to the fact that they are afraid of something. It is hoped that Nigeria can continue to make steady and consistent progress so that in due time, every individual that is given authority must give account of how he uses his office.
The elections conducted by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the leadership of Prof. Atahiru Jega was applauded locally and internationally as a truly free and fair election; several disgruntled elements have expressed displeasure at the outcome of the peaceful and harmonious conduct of the elections and have resorted to violence that still plagues Nigeria to date.
Still under Prof. Jega, INEC conducted governorship election in Edo State that was popularly declared a free and fair election. The electorate left practically no room for elections fraud; again agents of backwardness could not be entirely kept at bay as they showed up to perpetrate acts of robbing the people of their mandate but their effort yielded results that are at best considered insignificant. The popular candidate carried the day and the votes of the electorate counted for something.
As Ondo State prepares to go to the polls for governorship election, it is expected that the same template used in achieving success with the election in Edo State would be applied to ensure that the wish of the people is respected and their mandate not hijacked by pirates.
Many governors of the southern states of Nigeria have embarked on development projects that are developing their states at a rapid rate. In a documentary of the effort of Owelle Rochas in Imo State on African Independent Television (AIT),  I was touched when I saw that many indigenes of Imo State had chosen to return to their state now that they see opportunities that have been made manifest in the vigorous campaign to rehabilitate old and worn roads and to construct new roads in a bid to ease traffic congestion in the state. Other development projects embarked upon by the administration has further made Imo State attractive enough for the indigenes to return home to consolidate the effort of the governor.
States like Edo and Rivers also have records of rapid development that have brought about many more indigenes returning home to tap from the abundance of opportunities for advancement that would help secure a better quality of life. Lagos State is the centre of economic pursuits and the grand plans of the governor to make Lagos State a ‘mega city’ are by the day coming to fruition. However the effort of other state governors are expected to lessen the pressure on amenities and infrastructure of Lagos State but there is almost no visible reduction in the population of non-indigenes in Lagos; it is hoped that other state governors will key into the vision to work towards more progressive changes into their domain as a means of attracting their citizens to return home.
Instead of embarking on bogus contracts that are structured to serve the selfish interest of a few party stalwarts, state governors would do well to provide good roads and drainages first as these would make movement within the states less difficult for the people. Farm produce would reach their destinations quicker and in better conditions, transportation business and trade will thrive and transport-related health issues will be adequately addressed. The very existence of the people would be improved a lot.
Once again, it is expected that there will be more improvement as we appreciate the fact that Nigeria is slowly rising to the occasion.
GOD bless Nigeria.
DailyPost.

Dana Airlines: The Rise and Fall of Nigeria’s Common Enemy #1

Nigerians love to have a common enemy, that’s why the churches modeled after MFM are thriving. Dana is a common enemy now because seemingly it’s a good target. It crashed 153 lives out of our airspace and besides its run by foreigners? That’s a good enough reason as any to confront a perceived common enemy. Nigerians love to have someone to collectively hate. That’s why Shagari’s Ghana must go campaign was very successful. It’s also why TB Joshua’s exploits are celebrated.
But is Dana really the right enemy?
What of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority? Or the head of the aviation ministry? Or the Federal Government as a company, an institution and a staff? Are these people not also responsible? After all, they all failed collectively in their regulatory capacities. Nigerians do not need a black box or Accident Investigative Bureau (AIB) report, or National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB is the American organization assisting Nigeria in the investigation) to know the cause of the crash.
Aren’t we all responsible for not holding our leaders in any sphere accountable for their shortcomings time and time again? Sure Nigerians make noise from time to time but then they relent and that is why they trod all over us with the spoils of our collective patrimony and scowl when they are asked to grant us even a little alimony?
Why is nobody calling for the resignation of some of these regulators who were shouting down British Airways and Virgin Atlantic earlier this year but have now gone deaf to Dana?
The psyche of the average Nigerian once mastered can be easily manipulated. There are allegations that Dana belongs to a former military head of state. That being the case, why is our anger misplaced?
In Nigeria we have no efficient regulators, effective watchdogs or sincere leadership. So unfortunately incidents like the Dana crash may not be totally dismissible as events likely to occur sometime in the future. Air crashes have not yet been eradicated by improvements in technology, and it takes an honest airline and sincere regulators to ensure that the chances of it occurring are next to nil.
Unfortunately for those booking air travel online, qualities like honesty and sincerity have not been entrenched features of our leadership in the past.
It almost leads one to ask, are crashes in Nigeria a cyclical or seasonal event? Does it happen after private airline companies have been allowed to manipulate the system and pocket the regulators?
Somebody has to ask businessmen like Jimoh Ibrahim some serious questions!
Well let us continue to ask for the grace of God in all our travels, but let us not by any means be deceived. We become our worst enemies when we look the other way and expect our leadership not to do the same. We have groomed a bad leadership system for ourselves and we must talk to ourselves about it plainly or accidents will continue to mar our psyche.
According to Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) spokesman, Jonas Agwu, 2,409 accidents and 1,562 deaths were recorded nationwide in the first quarter of the year.
A bird dropping out of the sky may be more poetic, but in Nigeria death is coming exponentially  faster for many who use other forms of transport or other neglected public services. We have a bigger bone to pick with all the leadership of the country than with Dana Airlines.
BusinessNews

OPEC Oil Production Rises as Angola and Nigeria Pump More Crude

Crude Oil Barrels

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries boosted crude production last month asAngola, Nigeria and Libya pumped more, the group said.
Output from OPEC, which supplies 40 percent of the world’s oil, climbed to 31.41 million barrels a day in August versus 31.16 million the previous month, OPEC’s Vienna-based secretariat said in its Monthly Oil Market Report today. The production level remains above a 30 million barrel target that the group set at a meeting in December.
Increased production coincided with a 9.2 percent advance in Brent crude on the ICE Futures Europe exchange during August. The benchmark oil grade rose 0.2 percent to $115.06 a barrel in London trading today.
Angola’s output rose about 12 percent last month to 1.85 million barrels a day, while Nigeriaclimbed to 2.18 million, according to the OPEC survey, which cites secondary sources for its information. Angola’s loading program for July was partly reduced by an incident at the Girassol field that caused Total SA to delay some shipments.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude exporter, pumped 9.86 million barrels in August versus 9.85 million in July, OPEC said, citing secondary sources. The kingdom also provided data to OPEC, which showed production at 9.75 million.
Iraq retained its position as the group’s second-largest producer, supplying 3.11 million barrels a day, outpacing Iran for a third month.

Iran Output Falls

Iran’s crude output dropped 13,000 barrels a day to 2.77 million barrels a day last month, according to OPEC’s survey of secondary sources. Iran said in its direct communication with OPEC that it produced 3.75 million in August, which was little changed from the previous month. Iran had by far the largest divergence between direct communication and secondary source production estimates among OPEC members, showing analysts lack confidence in the country’s official data.
A European Union ban on imports of Iranian oil came into full effect in July.
OPEC’s 12 members are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar,Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.
 BusinessNews.

Creation of new states: South East to get one as Jonathan pushes for two

Indications emerged last night that the Federal Government may create two new states, and one of the beneficiaries of the additional state will be the Southeast region.
It was gathered authoritatively that the Southeast is to be considered an additional new state, because the geopolitical zone has only five states, and is greatly at a disadvantage if compared with the other geopolitical zones in the country.
According to a source from the Presidency, “President Jonathan believes in equity and fairness. I think his administration is favorably disposed to the creation of one or two states to address obvious imbalance.

“One of the states might be from the Southeast, which is the only geopolitical zone with five states. The other five zones have six states, with the exception of the Northwest with seven states.”
Besides, the source added that President Goodluck Jonathan is seeking for the amendment of 1999 constitution, particularly the area of local government having joint accounts with state governments.
“We want to ensure autonomy for local governments, especially on the need for the abolition of Joint Accounts. Most of the 774 local government areas in the country have become appendages of the state governors.
“The administration of President Jonathan is disturbed that there is no democracy at the local government level, let alone good governance. This is a vital tier of government.
“Also, Nigerians should expect fundamental reforms in the justice sector, especially access to justice, quick dispensation of justice  and criminal justice reforms.” the source said.
DailyPost.

Driver in Benin sacks boss after winning N1 million in Game Show

Luck shone on Emeka John at the oddest of places – a beer parlour. Emeka is a trailer driver who was spotted drinking bottles of Star lager beer just at the right time and the right place. Unknown to him, Star was giving away instant gift prizes for Star drinkers through a raffle draw. Emeka was given some prizes including a raffle ticket to participate in Star TV Game Show in Lagos.
Emeka was flown to Lagos, all expenses paid, from his base in Benin, just to participate in the Game Show. Since Star Game Show is team-based, he was by sheer luck, grouped alongside David Smith and Ugwu Chukwuemeka. At the end of the games, the trio emerged the winning team. Each team member pocketed N1 million for their victory.
When he was asked about how he felt winning N1 million, Emeka did not waste time in announcing his resignation. He declared: “My days of working for other people are over. I will use this N1 million to buy my own truck.”

 LindaIkejiBlog