FEATURES
IBB at 82: What Would IBB Have Done?
![](https://dailyasset.ng/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IBB.webp)
By Chidi Amuta
Today, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, turns 82. It has become my annual personal tradition to use the opportunity of his birthday each year to highlight the perennial relevance of the policies, ideas and practices that he emplaced over three decades ago to our preset circumstances.
Each time we are confronted with a major national challenge, the question that has come to my mind has always been: What would IBB have done? I raise the same rhetorical question today in the light of the issues that confront our new administration.The Niger Coup and ECOWAS
Perhaps the most burning issue today the coup in Niger Republic and the spotlight on Nigeria’s leadership responsibility as a force of stabilization in the West African sub region. As IBB observes his birthday today, it might be helpful for our younger generation and the political leadership of today to have an insight into how IBB used the projection of Nigeria’s power to stabilize war torn Liberia and later Sierra Leone.
Of course the circumstances were somewhat different. Nigeria was under military rule transiting to democracy. But our leadership place in West Africa and indeed the entire continent was not in question. The strength of our military was in tact just a sour commitment to political stability and democratization were all values deserving external projection.
Babangida’s grand vision of Nigeria saw a bolder more assertive and even regionally powerful Nigeria. With Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi as Foreign Minister, Babangida pursued the kind of bold and activist foreign policy that only befits an ambitious regional power. He was not shy to project Nigeria’s power in the West African sub region hence his direct military intervention in the civil wars in both Liberia and Sierra Leone. He saw the civil wars in both countries as direct threats to the security of West Africa. His friend, Ghanaian head of state, Jerry Rawlings. shared his commitment. They did not wait for endless summits or convoluted resolutions. They led the charge. Others followed. ECOMOG was born.
In August 1990, a contingent of the Nigerian military landed at the port of Monrovia to commence what became the ECOMOG operation. As the vessels approached Monrovia, the transmission station of “Radio Freedom” which was onboard came alive with messages of hope beamed to the Liberian people. The Nigerian force was supported by a small Ghanaian contingent, which was allowed to provide the founding force Commander of ECOMOG ,General Arnold Quainoo.
ECOMOG succeeded in separating the warring factions. It later graduated into an ECOWAS wide intervention initiative which stabilized the situation in Liberia. In subsequent years, ECOMOG expanded into troubled Sierra Leone with the stationing of an air base with a squadron of Nigerian Alpha jets. That neutralized the rebels in rural Sierra Leone. Through Nigeria’s leadership, ECOMOG became an African model in the use of national power to stabilize a region. The OAU and the UN later supported the initiative into a multilateral initiative.
Choosing a Cabinet
As the nation awaits the swearing in of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, national discourse has concentrated on the quality of most of the nominees. In a nation that boasts of some of the most outstanding technocrats and intellectuals in diverse fields, the mediocrity of the Tinubu selection has embarrassed many. There may be no basis for measuring Tinubu’s choices against those of Babangida over thirty years ago.
Tinubu is a partisan politician. He has political debts to pay. He has to contend with a constitution that requires that each state be represented by one minister at least. He also has to rule over a nation that has literally been overrun by a degraded value system. On the contrary, IBB headed a military regime with no parliament to please. Meritocracy and the national interest were the abiding considerations. Political charlatanry was not in the picture.
IBB was an enlightened and ideas-driven president. His constant companions were mostly from among the nation’s outstanding men and women of ideas. He constantly sought the diverse views and perspectives of intellectuals. He recruited them to work with him as ministers, advisers, heads of specialized agencies and friends. To date, the Babangida administration featured the largest collection of people of ideas in government. Just a sampling:
- Olikoye Ransome Kuti- Health
- Bolaji Akinyemi – External Affairs
- Babs Fafunwa – Education
- Jibril Aminu – Petroleum Resources/Education
- Tam David West – Petroleum Resources
- Kalu Idika Kalu – Finance
- Chu S. P Okongwu- National Planning/Finance
- Gordian Ezekwe – Science and Technology
- Emmanuel Emovon – Science and Technology
- Sam Oyovbaire – Information
- Wole Soyinka – Federal Road Safety Corps
- Eme Awa/Prof. Humphrey Nwosu – National Electoral Commission
- Ojetunji Aboyade- Economic Reform Adviser
- Tunji Olagunju – Political Adviser
- Ikenna Nzimiro- Adviser
- Akin Mabogunje – Adviser
- Isawa Elaigwu – Adviser
- Chief Michael Omolayole –Adviser
Fighting Inequality
Another matter of present national interest is the viral spread of multi dimensional poverty. Nigeria has in the last decade become the world’s poverty capital with an estimated population of 130 million poor people.
For Babangida, the main thrust of economic reform was the migration of Nigeria from a mixed economy to a free market format. He recognized that poverty and inequality would increase. His quest for a new social order involved a deliberate policy of poverty mitigation.
General Babangida believed that it was the responsibility of a compassionate government to give capitalism a human face by mitigating the alienating effects of market competition hence the efforts to ameliorate the harsh effects of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). The result was easily our most systematic and well thought out poverty alleviation programme to date containing:
- The Directorate for Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI)
- The Peoples Bank
- Community Banks
- National Directorate of Employment
- The National Economic Recovery Fund (NERFUND)
- The Mass Transit Programme
Institution Building
It has been said in recent times that a major part of Africa’s development has been the preponderance of strong man and a lack of strong institutions. Central to Babangida’s grand vision and its enabling strategy was the creation of strong national institutions. In the domestic sphere, Babangida was obsessed with the establishment of a robust institutional framework for nation building. In the entire history of post -colonial Nigeria, the Babangida administration is on record for establishing the highest number of national institutions in major areas of national life. Most of these institutions have endured to the present including:
- Corporate Affairs Commission -CAC(1990),
- National Communications Commission-NCC(1992),
- National Deposit Insurance Corporation-NDIC(1988),
- National Broadcasting Commission-NBC(1992),
- National Electoral Commission
- Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization(TCPC) which became the BPE-(1988).
- The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (1989)
- The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) –(1988).
- Technical Aid Corps (1987)
- National Agency For Food and Drug Administration NAFDAC (1993)
- National Women’s Commission (1992)
Accordingly, Babangida reorganized the Nigeria Police into the present zonal command structure. Similarly, the architecture of national intelligence and security was reorganized from the former monolithic National Security Organization(NSO) to the present three branch structure of:
- The State Security Service(SSS), now DSS
- National Intelligence Agency(NIA) and
- Defense Intelligence Agency(DIA).
Insecurity and the National Guard Idea
Our insecurity remains almost intractable. Up to the time he left office, Babangida was never in any doubt about the unsettled nature of inter-ethnic relations among Nigerian groups. It was his conviction that our federation was still unsettled, with many real and potential flash points. He believed that the present and future nature of our internal security challenges would overwhelm the police and distract the professional military.
Accordingly, he believed that the police is too mild and civil to contain armed insurgency while the military is too fierce to be pressed into combatting fellow Nigerians with its doctrine of terminal precision. The solution was to establish a mid intensity intermediate force- the National Guard- based in the states and specially trained and indoctrinated to manage internal security with a mixture of resolute force and patriotic compassion. The National Guard was shot down by political hawks.
Today is a new day. IBB is 82. He left office over 30 years ago. As in previous years, it is my pleasure to join his other friends and family to celebrate a true friend and a truly outstanding nation builder and timeless patriot.
z
Today, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, turns 82. It has become my annual personal tradition to use the opportunity of his birthday each year to highlight the perennial relevance of the policies, ideas and practices that he emplaced over three decades ago to our preset circumstances. Each time we are confronted with a major national challenge, the question that has come to my mind has always been: What would IBB have done? I raise the same rhetorical question today in the light of the issues that confront our new administration.
The Niger Coup and ECOWAS
Perhaps the most burning issue today the coup in Niger Republic and the spotlight on Nigeria’s leadership responsibility as a force of stabilization in the West African sub region. As IBB observes his birthday today, it might be helpful for our younger generation and the political leadership of today to have an insight into how IBB used the projection of Nigeria’s power to stabilize war torn Liberia and later Sierra Leone.
Of course the circumstances were somewhat different. Nigeria was under military rule transiting to democracy. But our leadership place in West Africa and indeed the entire continent was not in question. The strength of our military was in tact just a sour commitment to political stability and democratization were all values deserving external projection.
Babangida’s grand vision of Nigeria saw a bolder more assertive and even regionally powerful Nigeria. With Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi as Foreign Minister, Babangida pursued the kind of bold and activist foreign policy that only befits an ambitious regional power. He was not shy to project Nigeria’s power in the West African sub region hence his direct military intervention in the civil wars in both Liberia and Sierra Leone. He saw the civil wars in both countries as direct threats to the security of West Africa. His friend, Ghanaian head of state, Jerry Rawlings. shared his commitment. They did not wait for endless summits or convoluted resolutions. They led the charge. Others followed. ECOMOG was born.
In August 1990, a contingent of the Nigerian military landed at the port of Monrovia to commence what became the ECOMOG operation. As the vessels approached Monrovia, the transmission station of “Radio Freedom” which was onboard came alive with messages of hope beamed to the Liberian people. The Nigerian force was supported by a small Ghanaian contingent, which was allowed to provide the founding force Commander of ECOMOG ,General Arnold Quainoo.
ECOMOG succeeded in separating the warring factions. It later graduated into an ECOWAS wide intervention initiative which stabilized the situation in Liberia. In subsequent years, ECOMOG expanded into troubled Sierra Leone with the stationing of an air base with a squadron of Nigerian Alpha jets. That neutralized the rebels in rural Sierra Leone. Through Nigeria’s leadership, ECOMOG became an African model in the use of national power to stabilize a region. The OAU and the UN later supported the initiative into a multilateral initiative.
Choosing a Cabinet
As the nation awaits the swearing in of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, national discourse has concentrated on the quality of most of the nominees. In a nation that boasts of some of the most outstanding technocrats and intellectuals in diverse fields, the mediocrity of the Tinubu selection has embarrassed many. There may be no basis for measuring Tinubu’s choices against those of Babangida over thirty years ago.
Tinubu is a partisan politician. He has political debts to pay. He has to contend with a constitution that requires that each state be represented by one minister at least. He also has to rule over a nation that has literally been overrun by a degraded value system. On the contrary, IBB headed a military regime with no parliament to please. Meritocracy and the national interest were the abiding considerations. Political charlatanry was not in the picture.
IBB was an enlightened and ideas-driven president. His constant companions were mostly from among the nation’s outstanding men and women of ideas. He constantly sought the diverse views and perspectives of intellectuals. He recruited them to work with him as ministers, advisers, heads of specialized agencies and friends. To date, the Babangida administration featured the largest collection of people of ideas in government. Just a sampling:
- Olikoye Ransome Kuti- Health
- Bolaji Akinyemi – External Affairs
- Babs Fafunwa – Education
- Jibril Aminu – Petroleum Resources/Education
- Tam David West – Petroleum Resources
- Kalu Idika Kalu – Finance
- Chu S. P Okongwu- National Planning/Finance
- Gordian Ezekwe – Science and Technology
- Emmanuel Emovon – Science and Technology
- Sam Oyovbaire – Information
- Wole Soyinka – Federal Road Safety Corps
- Eme Awa/Prof. Humphrey Nwosu – National Electoral Commission
- Ojetunji Aboyade- Economic Reform Adviser
- Tunji Olagunju – Political Adviser
- Ikenna Nzimiro- Adviser
- Akin Mabogunje – Adviser
- Isawa Elaigwu – Adviser
- Chief Michael Omolayole –Adviser
Fighting Inequality
Another matter of present national interest is the viral spread of multi dimensional poverty. Nigeria has in the last decade become the world’s poverty capital with an estimated population of 130 million poor people.
For Babangida, the main thrust of economic reform was the migration of Nigeria from a mixed economy to a free market format. He recognized that poverty and inequality would increase. His quest for a new social order involved a deliberate policy of poverty mitigation.
General Babangida believed that it was the responsibility of a compassionate government to give capitalism a human face by mitigating the alienating effects of market competition hence the efforts to ameliorate the harsh effects of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). The result was easily our most systematic and well thought out poverty alleviation programme to date containing:
- The Directorate for Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI)
- The Peoples Bank
- Community Banks
- National Directorate of Employment
- The National Economic Recovery Fund (NERFUND)
- The Mass Transit Programme
Institution Building
It has been said in recent times that a major part of Africa’s development has been the preponderance of strong man and a lack of strong institutions. Central to Babangida’s grand vision and its enabling strategy was the creation of strong national institutions. In the domestic sphere, Babangida was obsessed with the establishment of a robust institutional framework for nation building. In the entire history of post -colonial Nigeria, the Babangida administration is on record for establishing the highest number of national institutions in major areas of national life. Most of these institutions have endured to the present including:
- Corporate Affairs Commission -CAC(1990),
- National Communications Commission-NCC(1992),
- National Deposit Insurance Corporation-NDIC(1988),
- National Broadcasting Commission-NBC(1992),
- National Electoral Commission
- Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization(TCPC) which became the BPE-(1988).
- The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (1989)
- The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) –(1988).
- Technical Aid Corps (1987)
- National Agency For Food and Drug Administration NAFDAC (1993)
- National Women’s Commission (1992)
Accordingly, Babangida reorganized the Nigeria Police into the present zonal command structure. Similarly, the architecture of national intelligence and security was reorganized from the former monolithic National Security Organization(NSO) to the present three branch structure of:
- The State Security Service(SSS), now DSS
- National Intelligence Agency(NIA) and
- Defense Intelligence Agency(DIA).
Insecurity and the National Guard Idea
Our insecurity remains almost intractable. Up to the time he left office, Babangida was never in any doubt about the unsettled nature of inter-ethnic relations among Nigerian groups. It was his conviction that our federation was still unsettled, with many real and potential flash points. He believed that the present and future nature of our internal security challenges would overwhelm the police and distract the professional military.
Accordingly, he believed that the police is too mild and civil to contain armed insurgency while the military is too fierce to be pressed into combatting fellow Nigerians with its doctrine of terminal precision. The solution was to establish a mid intensity intermediate force- the National Guard- based in the states and specially trained and indoctrinated to manage internal security with a mixture of resolute force and patriotic compassion. The National Guard was shot down by political hawks.
Today is a new day. IBB is 82. He left office over 30 years ago. As in previous years, it is my pleasure to join his other friends and family to celebrate a true friend and a truly outstanding nation builder and timeless patriot.
FEATURES
Time for Nigeria to Focus on Solid Minerals Sector
![](https://dailyasset.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Nigeria-Flag-flying-at-the-Lagos-Police-College-Ikeja-to-mark-Nigeria-Independent.-Photo-Idowu-Ogunleye-e1443701659532.jpg)
Nigeria’s solid mineral sector, which was once crucial to the nation’s economy, lost that recognition immediately the nation found oil.
But, with the decreasing oil revenue, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is revitalising the solid mineral sector and developing its infrastructure to attract foreign investments.
According to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, the sector is being repositioned as a major driver of the nation’s economic growth.
As the minister strives toward achieving this goal, critical stakeholders in the industry have emphasised the need to sustain the efforts to meet the goal of diversifying the economy.
One such stakeholder, Mr Mikali Mumuni, believes that the sector has the potential to significantly create wealth and numerous employment opportunities.
Mumini, the Managing Director of Miners Communication Limited, publishers of Miner Magazine, says that the sector is “too good to be ignored”.
“Today, it is dawning upon us that we can no longer depend solely on oil because of the vagaries of international oil market.
“It has become obvious that Nigeria is now earning less and less income from oil.
“Apparently, this is the reason why successive governments have been talking of diversifying the nation’s economic base.
“One of the easiest and surest way to do this is to refocus attention on the solid minerals sector.
“The sector has the highest capacity to create multiple employment opportunities for our teeming population, particularly the youth.
“Basically, the solid mineral sector has been long neglected because of the discovery of oil which made some public policy analysts argued that oil made the nation lazy.
“The reality is dawning on the nation that the holiday is over. It is time to face the reality,” he told newsmen recently.
Mr Abidoye Abiosun, Marketing Director of Miners Communication, while corroborating Mumini, identified lithium as one solid mineral that had gained global focus.
“From what I observed, the Nigerian government is prioritising the expansion and development of its lithium resources in the country.
“The idea is to generate power without polluting the environment.
“To the best of my knowledge, lithium is the major focus in the whole world and that is why, I think, the Nigerian government is really focusing attention on its expansion and development.
“When you are looking at the area of power generation without polluting the air, creating nuisance and ecological hazard, lithium is the safest,” he said.
Abiosun speaks further on the solid mineral.
“Lithium is also the mineral resource crucial to the production of battery used in the generation of solar energy and other similar products.
“With records showing that Nigeria has a very large deposit of lithium, it should be annexed, properly looked into, and tapped so that it would be a ready-made replacement and alternative to oil.
“Lithium is a versatile element with various applications. Lithium-ion batteries power electric vehicles, mobile devices and renewable energy systems.
“This is due to their high energy density and long lifespan.
“Lithium carbonate is used as a medication to treat bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorders.
“Lithium is also used in nuclear reactors as a neutron absorber and in nuclear fusion research.
“Lithium oxide is used to produce specialised glass and ceramics with unique properties. Lithium-based lubricants are used in industrial applications due to their high performance and resistance to extreme temperatures.
“It has long been established that lithium-ion batteries have a high energy-to-weight ratio, making them ideal for portable electronics and electric vehicles.
“This is just as lithium-ion batteries can be charged and discharged many times without losing capacity.
“Lithium carbonate also helps stabilise mood and reduce symptoms of mental health conditions.
“Lithium’s ability to absorb neutrons makes it useful in nuclear applications.
“Lithium-based materials have high thermal resistance, making them suitable for extreme temperature applications,” he explained.
Expectedly, stakeholders have lauded government’s efforts in taking steps to reactivate mining licences and address security concerns so as to make the sector more attractive to investors.
They note that Alake has launched the mineral resources database through which anybody that is interested in investing in solid minerals could access information on which part of the country he or she could get a particular mineral or the other.
The minister said recently that investors could express interest where such lies.
The government has also created the Mining Marshall to make the different mining sites safer for investors as well as miners.
Just recently, President Bola Tinubu gave a matching order to the armed forces to redouble their efforts at curbing illegal mining.
“This, to me, is a great assurance to investors in the mining sector,” Mumuni said.
For Abiosun, the renewed interest on the mineral resources sector by Alake and the Federal Government is commendable and must be supported.
“I think it is a very good step in the right direction,” Abiosun says.
Analysts have, however, said that there is the need to review mining licences as many had been issued but not activated.
“If the government is looking at generating employment through solid mineral and mineral resources in the country, all the mining licence that have been given out, need to be activated.
“Serious investors need to invest in the sector, start action and, at the end of the day, the unemployment rate in the country would have decreased.
“We look at majority of our youths that are at home unemployed; they will have areas in which they can be useful at the mining sites and other activities that are associated with mining in the country.
“I think the Federal Government is taking the right step in the right direction,” Abiosun says.
Stakeholders have also emphasised the need for specialised media coverage to promote and support the growth of the sector.
Mumini emphasises this.
“As journalists, it is our duty to ensure that we do not lower the bar of reportage of the sector.
“This is what forced some of us to come up with the idea of the Miners Communication outfit under which we currently have a monthly news magazine solely devoted to reporting the solid mineral sector.
“It is the only magazine that is doing that in the country. We have taken the lead and we are determined to consistently do this by highlighting the diverse and vast opportunities that abound in the sector,” Mumuni says.
Abiosun notes further: “This is an aspect of journalism that has not been looked into.
“The area is a growing sector and it is a genre that we need to encourage just the way the Nigerian government is trying to encourage the mineral resources industry.” (NANFeatures)
FEATURES
X-raying Wike’s First Year as FCT Minister
![](https://dailyasset.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/xra.jpg)
Shortly after assuming office as FCT minister on Aug. 21, 2023, Mr Nyesom Wike announced short, medium, and long-term plans to restore the Abuja Master Plan.
Wike, along with FCT minister of state Mariya Mahmoud, explained that overhauling the FCT would reposition it to be among the best cities in the world in line with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”.
He added that emphasis would be placed on infrastructural development, taking one project at a time, to restore the city to its glory.
The minister said that development would also be extended to the six Area Councils as part of strategies to decongest the city and open rural economy.
Sadly, Wike was confronted with the sight of abandoned projects that characterised the capital city.
The minister noted that FCT had, over the years, witnessed foundation laying ceremonies of several structures worth billions, only to be abandoned midway or at advanced stages of the construction.
While assessing them, he pointed out that some of the contracts were awarded in 2007, some in 2011, while others were awarded between 2015 and 2017, with all abandoned.
Confronting the challenge, Wike said that revenue leakages would be blocked so as to mobilise the needed resources for infrastructural development in the FCT.
“I will ensure that Abuja gets the best. You will see projects upon projects, and projects that will be completed and not abandoned.
“I am not a party to abandoned projects. I start a project when there is money as such we will look into our finances before we begin any project,” the minister had said.
Innovatively, Wike got most of the contractors back to site after agreeing on a payment plan with money from the FCT Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and 2023 Supplementary Budget.
To improve IGR, the minister inaugurated a Task Force on the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy for mass housing developments and the recovery of land use contravention fees in the FCT.
He equally introduced innovations and enforced the payment of outstanding ground rents and other taxes in the FCT, a decision that increased the territory’s revenue generation significantly.
This is evident with the recent declaration of N126.54 billion collected and remitted between January and June by the FCT Internal Revenue Service.
The then acting Executive Chairman of the service, Mr Haruna Abdullahi, said that the figure was 53.5 per cent higher than the N82.46 billion collected in the first half of 2023.
The minister also secured the approval of Tinubu to withdraw FCTA from Treasury Single Account, to enable the administration to access funds from financial institutions to fund projects.
These initiatives paid off, as nine months later, the Wike-led FCTA announced the completion of numerous projects which were inaugurated in May to celebrate Tinubu’s one year in office.
Some of the projects included the official residence of the Vice President, the Abuja Rail Mass Transit system, Inner Southern Expressway from the Outer Southern Expressway to the Southern Parkway.
Others are full scope development of about 6.7km of 10 lanes Outer Southern Expressway from Villa Roundabout to Ring Road 1 Junction, and construction of Southern Parkway from the Christian Centre to Ring Road 1, named after President Bola Tinubu.
Equally inaugurated were the completed B6 (Constitution Avenue)/B12 (Independence Avenue) roads in Central Area, and Wuye interchange bridge.
The full scope development of the Arterial Road, N-20, from Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Expressway to Murtala Mohammed Expressway, was also partly completed and named after noble laurel Wole Soyinka.
Another milestone of the Wike-led FCTA was the completion of engineering infrastructure in Guzape District Lot II, and the resurfacing of 189 roads covering 57km within Abuja city centre among others.
He assured that other ongoing projects would be completed by December 2024, including the rehabilitation and resurfacing of 366 roads in Wuse, Garki, Asokoro and Maitama Districts, covering 117 km.
Also ongoing are the rehabilitation of District Hospital Gwarimpa, Cottage Hospital Gwagwalada and District Hospital Utako, Greater Abuja Water Supply Project and rehabilitation of 19 public primary and secondary schools across the territory.
The minister also recently inaugurated the construction of three bus terminals in the FCT to ensure a secure and convenient travel experience for commuters in the FCT.
He also inaugurated the construction of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal Complex to strengthen the administration of justice.
Road users and residents described the feat as unprecedented, saying that Wike was the best thing that had happened to FCT.
“I have been living in Abuja for 16 years but never witnessed a speedy delivery of road projects until Wike happened.
“Look at the road to Asokoro from Apo, which was under construction for several years, but Wike delivered it in just eight months,” said a resident, Mr Andrew Moses.
Similarly, Mr Shuabu Yunusa, a taxi driver said, “It is now seamless going to Asokoro from Apo. The Tinubu-led administration is really working and deserved our commendation.”
In keeping to his promise not to leave rural communities behind in the development agenda, the minister has inaugurated the construction of rural roads of more than 42.2km across the six Area Councils and promised to complete them by December.
Similarly, the minister has also handed over Staff of Office to four newly coronated Chiefs of Karu, Kwali, Pai, and Yaba, as part of measures to strengthen traditional institutions and improve governance in communities.
According to him, the traditional rulers are expected to draw the attention of the government to any development, security and other issues that require government attention and response.
Beyond infrastructural development, stakeholders said that Wike has carved his name in gold by ensuring the implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC), 2018, against all odds.
The minister, on Oct. 13, 2023, announced President Tinubu’s approval for the establishment of CSC for the FCTA, in line with the provisions of the law.
This, he said, was to allow career progression for civil servants in the Administration, from director to permanent secretary and, hopefully, Head of Civil Service.
On March 12, Wike announced Tinubu’s approval for the appointment of Mr Udo Atang, as pioneer Head of Civil Service of the FCTA.
Mr Emeka Ezeh was also appointed Chairman of the Commission’s Board, along with six others as commissioners, representing the six geopolitical zones.
Similarly, 10 other directors in the FCTA were appointed as pioneer Permanent Secretaries for various Secretariats of the Administration.
The excited pioneer head of FCT civil service, described the development as a demonstration of the reality of the renewed hope agenda of the Tinubu-led government.
Commending Tinubu and Wike for renewing the hope of FCT workers, Atang said: “the staff of the Administration have never had it this good.
“In the new FCTA system, every member of staff is a potential permanent secretary and head of service.”
To ensure gender equality, as well as women and youth participation in governance, Wike, within one year in office, has created Women Affairs Secretariat and Youth Development Secretariat.
This has increased the number of secretariats in the FCTA from eight to 10 with a view to ensure inclusive governance.
On security, the Wike-led FCTA has supported security agencies, including vigilante groups, with motorcycles and operational vehicles, fitted with modern communication gadgets.
This, according to him, is to enable security agencies to navigate hard-to-reach communities in rural areas and improve security operations within the city.
Wike equally inaugurated a Joint Task Force, consisting of all security agencies in the FCT, to curb the menace of “one chance” and another to curtail the activities of arm rubbers, kidnappers and all forms of crimes within the FCT and its environment.
While assessing the performance of the Wike-led FCTA on security, Mr Adamu Gwary, Director, Security Services Department, FCTA, argued that the impact was impressive, considering the reduced incidents of security breaches.
Sharing Gwary’s view, Prof. Kailani Muhammed, Director-General of the Confederation of All Progressives Congress said that FCT had become a safe haven where residents could afford to sleep with their two eyes closed.
Despite the laudable feats within one year in office, stakeholders have stressed the need to invest more on people-oriented projects such as provision of clean water, quality health services and transportation system.
This, according to them, will impact significantly on the lives of the common residents of the FCT. (NANFeatures)
FEATURES
Can 10th National Assembly Lay Petroleum Industry Challenges to Rest?
![](https://dailyasset.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Minister-of-Niger-Delta-Affairs-Sen.-Godswill-Akpabio.jpg)
Nigeria is a leading producer of crude in Africa and a major crude exporter in the world. Oil receipts are the major source of revenue source for the country, contributing more than 80 per cent of the country’s income.Available records from the Statista showed that Nigeria’s crude oil reserves stood at 36.
9 billion barrels and valued at roughly 74 million metric tons. The crude oil products such as premium motor spirit, otherwise known as petrol, diesel, aviation fuel known in the industry as Jet A1 are imported. They are a major drain on government’s purse.A cardinal part of President Bola Tinubu’s monetary and fiscal policies is directed at stimulating additional revenue and foreign exchange earnings with ultimate goal of improving livelihood of Nigerians.The policies are also designed to stabilise exchange rate, reduce inflation, lower interest rate and encourage investments.The petroleum sector is key in achieving these aims because virtually all economic policies revolve around it.However, recent developments in the oil seem to threaten that ambition as accusation and counter accusations bothering on corruption and sabotage have dominate news about the sector.But more disturbing is recent ugly narrative of alleged importation of hazardous and substandard petroleum products into the country.The issue of toxic petroleum product importation came to public space when the Senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District. Sen.Asuquo Ekpenyong, moved a motion on alleged toxic petroleum products importation and distribution.Ekpenyong, had at a Senate plenary on July 3, 2024, sponsored a motion for Senate to probe alleged importation of hazardous petroleum products into the country.Following a comprehensive debate on the motion, Senate consequently constituted an ad hoc committee for an investigation on the matter.The committee members, as announced by President of thee Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio were fifteen in number with Leader of the Senate, Sen.Opeyemi Bamidele as chairman.Alongside the onerous mandate to investigate alleged importation of toxic petroleum products, the committee was also mandated to do a comprehensive probe of the sector with a view to ending decades of irritating narratives.However, the one million question, agitating minds of Nigerians is the ability of the 10th National Assembly to end the perceived issues in the sector via the investigation, given outcome of previous investigative hearings on the sector.Interestingly, Bamidele, speaking in Abuja at an interactive session with key stakeholders in the sector re-emphasised the concerns of Nigerians on the upcoming investigation as most of them have ended up has jamborees.He said: “Will this investigative hearing end up like the previous ones?“Can the Senate really address the challenges in the petroleum industry given the entrenched interests of some powerful interests?.“These are some of the questions the media have been asking in their analyses and reports since the constitution of this ad-hoc committee on July 3.”Bamidele said the senate had been carrying out its mandate to resolve deep-seated challenges that had hitherto obstructed to smooth functioning of petroleum industry for decades.He urged all parties to jettison their differences as the committee embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about the goings on in the sector.“I therefore, assure you that we are all committed to conducting a thorough and impartial investigation across all areas outlined in the senate resolution of July 3”, he said.Bamidele said no one concerned would be exempted from the scrutiny, adding that the committee’s collective goal was to serve overriding public interest.According to him, it is truly a challenging period in the nation given that supply of refined petroleum products has been irregular and problematic.“The long queues at filling stations are also a testament to this challenge.“A situation, where we now depend almost entirely on importation of these products, even when we daily supply global oil market’s no fewer than two per cent of its crude oil needs, is to say the least, highly worrisome.Bamidele said to ensure broad participation, the committee has created a platform for the general public and stakeholders to submit memoranda before the public hearings that was slated to hold from Sept. 10 – 12.“We have accepted this huge responsibility with the resolve to make a difference.“We are also staking our integrity and safety to develop an efficient and functional regime that guarantees transparent management of strategic national resources,’’ he said.Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, said that the oil sector was bedeviled by lots of misinformation.“This investigation will do a whole lot of justice not only to the Senate but we in the Executive and key leaders in the sector.“Because of the fundamental nature of this investigation that has to do with alleged economic sabotage with importation of substandard products into the country, we urge the Senate to ensure we do a live broadcast,” he said.Similarly, at a news conference organised by the committee, Sen. Abdul Ningi said he understood reservations and pessimism of Nigerians toward outcome of upcoming investigation.“With high level of integrity of members of this committee, we are assuring you that at the end of the day we are going to have a very solid recommendations to move Nigeria forward’’, he said..Sen. Yahaya Abdullahi said from what he glimpsed from media reports, Nigerians were skeptic about the potential outcome of the investigation and its implementation.“We are people that are very much concerned with our integrity. We are here to go deep down into what is happening to see how we can add value to the governance of this country”, Ningi said.Analysts say the capacity of the committee to function rightly, given the pedigree, strength of character, quality of public service records and antecedents of its members was not in doubt, hence the expectation that it will leave above board.Should the members of the committee justify the high rating, the perception is that investigation would be the beginning of an end to the perceived challenges in the industry.Perception is one thing, reality is another. In the event that the latter is the case, what policy makers and implementers will do with the investigation outcome is another kettle of fish.Nigerians cannot afford to wait any longer to be rescued from the troubles inflicted on them by oil and gas, which in other climes is a source of blessing. (NAN