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Tuesday, November 29
NIGERIAN DIRECTOR CALL GHANIAN ACTRESS A DEVIL ON SET
Sunday, November 27
SYMBOLS OF NIGERIA
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ALL ABOUT NIGERIA AND HISTORY
| Introduction | Nigeria |
Background: | British influence and control over what would become Nigeria grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The government faces the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the defusing longstanding ethnic and religious tensions are a priority if Nigeria is to build a sound foundation for economic growth and political stability. Although the April 2003 elections were marred by some irregularities, Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. General elections in April 2007 were considered significantly flawed by Nigerian and international observers but they marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history. President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA took office on 29 May 2007. |
| Geography | Nigeria |
Location: | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon |
Geographic coordinates: | 10 00 N, 8 00 E |
Map references: | Africa |
Area: | total: 923,768 sq km land: 910,768 sq km water: 13,000 sq km |
Area - comparative: | slightly more than twice the size of California |
Land boundaries: | total: 4,047 km border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km |
Coastline: | 853 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Climate: | varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north |
Terrain: | southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north |
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m |
Natural resources: | natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land |
Land use: | arable land: 33.02% permanent crops: 3.14% other: 63.84% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 2,820 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: | periodic droughts; flooding |
Environment - current issues: | soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization |
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note: | the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea |
| People | Nigeria |
Population: | 140,003,542 135,031,164 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) |
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 42.2% (male 28,726,380/female 28,301,729) 15-64 years: 54.7% (male 37,543,678/female 36,277,038) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,987,521/female 2,194,818) (2007 est.) |
Median age: | total: 18.7 years male: 18.7 years female: 18.6 years (2007 est.) |
Population growth rate: | 2.379% (2007 est.) |
Birth rate: |    40.2 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Death rate: | 16.68 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Net migration rate: | 0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.015 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.035 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.906 male(s)/female total population: 1.022 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Infant mortality rate: | total: 95.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 102.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 88.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 47.44 years male: 46.83 years female: 48.07 years (2007 est.) |
Total fertility rate: | 5.45 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 5.4% (2003 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 3.6 million (2003 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 310,000 (2003 est.) |
Major infectious diseases: | degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) |
Nationality: | noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian |
Ethnic groups: | Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5% |
Religions: | Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10% |
Languages: | English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani |
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68% male: 75.7% female: 60.6% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Nigeria |
Country name: | conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria |
Government type: | federal republic |
Capital: | name: Abuja geographic coordinates: 9 12 N, 7 11 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Administrative divisions: | 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno,Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo,Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara |
Independence: | 1 October 1960 (from UK) |
National holiday: | Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960) |
Constitution: | new constitution adopted May 1999 |
Legal system: | based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007) cabinet: Federal Executive Council elections: president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011) election results: Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA elected president; percent of vote - official results not yet posted as of May 2007 |
Legislative branch: | bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats - three from each state plus one from Abuja, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011); House of Representatives - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - official results not yet posted as of May 2007; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - official results not yet posted as of May 2007 |
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee) |
Political parties and leaders: | Action Congress or AC [Bisi AKANDE]; Advanced Congress of Democrats or ACD [Alex ANIELO]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Mojisoluwa AKINFENWA]; All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Alh Modu SHERIF]; All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor C. UMEH]; Democratic People's Party or DPP [Umara AHMED]; Fresh Democratic Party [Chris OKOTIE]; Movement for the Restoration and Defense of Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo JIMETA]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Dr. Ahmadu ALI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [disputed leadership] |
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Professor George A. OBIOZOR chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400 FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York |
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador John CAMPBELL embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205 FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353 |
Flag description: | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green |
| Economy | Nigeria |
Economy - overview: | Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, is undertaking some reforms under a new reform-minded administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In the last year the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt - relief deal that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in payments - a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37 billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to stringent IMF reviews. GDP rose strongly in 2006, based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude prices. |
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $188.5 billion (2006 est.) |
GDP (official exchange rate): | $83.36 billion (2006 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate: | 5.3% (2006 est.) |
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $1,400 (2006 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 17.3% industry: 53.2% services: 29.5% (2006 est.) |
Labor force: | 48.99 million (2006 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 70% industry: 10% services: 20% (1999 est.) |
Unemployment rate: | 5.8% (2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line: | 60% (2000 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97) |
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 50.6 (1996-97) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 10.5% (2006 est.) |
Investment (gross fixed): | 26.4% of GDP (2006 est.) |
Budget: | revenues: $17.86 billion expenditures: $19.05 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) |
Public debt: | 10.4% of GDP (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products: | cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish |
Industries: | crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel, small commercial ship construction and repair |
Industrial production growth rate: | -1.6% (2006 est.) |
Electricity - production: | 19.06 billion kWh (2004) |
Electricity - consumption: | 17.71 billion kWh (2004) |
Electricity - exports: | 40 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2003) |
Oil - production: | 2.451 million bbl/day (2005 est.) |
Oil - consumption: | 290,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day |
Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day |
Oil - proved reserves: | 36 billion bbl (2005 est.) |
Natural gas - production: | 19.2 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
Natural gas - consumption: | 7.41 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
Natural gas - exports: | 7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 4.502 trillion cu m (2005) |
Current account balance: | $12.59 billion (2006 est.) |
Exports: | $59.01 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
Exports - commodities: | petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber |
Exports - partners: | US 52.5%, Spain 8.2%, Brazil 6.1% (2005) |
Imports: | $25.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
Imports - commodities: | machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals |
Imports - partners: | China 9.2%, US 8.2%, UK 7.6%, Netherlands 5.7%, France 5.4%, Germany 4.7% (2004) |
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $30.16 billion (2005 est.) |
Debt - external: | $37.49 billion (2005 est.) |
Economic aid - recipient: | IMF, $250 million (1998) |
Currency (code): | naira (NGN) |
Exchange rates: | nairas per US dollar - 127.38 (2006), 132.89 (2005), 129.22 (2003), 120.58 (2002), 111.23 (2001) |
Fiscal year: | calendar year |
| Communications | Nigeria |
Telephones - main lines in use: | 1.223 million (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 21.571 million (2006) |
Telephone system: | general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poor maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been made domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19 earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular facilities and the Internet are available international: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia |
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations: | 3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002) |
Internet country code: | .ng |
Internet hosts: | 1,535 (2005) |
Internet users: | 1,769,700 (2005) |
| Transportation | Nigeria |
Airports: | 70 (2005) |
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 36 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2005) |
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 18 (2005) |
Heliports: | 1 (2005) |
Pipelines: | condensate 105 km; gas 1,896 km; oil 3,638 km; refined products 3,626 km (2004) |
Railways: | total: 3,557 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2004) |
Roadways: | total: 194,394 km paved: 60,068 km unpaved: 134,326 km (1999) |
Waterways: | 8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2005) |
Merchant marine: | total: 49 ships (1000 GRT or over) 263,452 GRT/452,012 DWT by type: barge carrier 1, cargo 5, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 33, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Singapore 1) registered in other countries: 26 (The Bahamas 2, Bermuda 10, Cambodia 2, Comoros 2, Panama 6, Seychelles 1, unknown 3) (2005) |
Ports and terminals: | Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos, Port Harcourt |
| Military | Nigeria |
Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force |
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) |
Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 26,802,678 females age 18-49: 25,668,446 (2005 est.) |
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 15,052,914 females age 18-49: 13,860,806 (2005 est.) |
Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males age 18-49: 1,353,180 females age 18-49: 1,329,267 (2005 est.) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $737.6 million (2005 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 0.8% (2005 est.) |
| Transnational Issues | Nigeria |
Disputes - international: | ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the Bakassi Peninsula, then agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forces while much of the indigenous population opposes cession; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision, the unresolved Bakasi allocation, and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; a joint task force was established in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew the maritime and the 870-km land boundary with Benin on the Okpara River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries |
Refugees and internally displaced persons: | IDPs: 200,000 - 250,000 (communal violence between Christians and Muslims since President OBASANJO's election in 1999) (2005) |
Illicit drugs: | a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime. |
NIGERIA IS BRACING ARAB SPRING
In a recent interview with The News, Professor Tam David-West articulately analyzed the oil subsidy issue in Nigeria and clearly showed that it is a myth to think that removing oil subsidy will be a solution to Nigeria's economic woes. In fact, it appears that Nigeria has become so complacent that everything is taken for granted and the will of the common man is often under-rated. Nigeria is bracing for her own version of Arab Spring that has toppled several governments if, in fact, the government fails to listen to the voice of reasoning coming from those that may be affected the most.
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The new economic package that is predominantly based on removing oil subsidy is so ill-informed and it also ignores the basic tenets of policy making. The Minister of Finance has argued that Nigeria spends exorbitantly on importing fuel from overseas and the country may go bankrupt in few years if the subsidy is not rescinded. Yet, we acknowledge the fact that we import fuel because the subsidy ends up mostly in the hands of few whom apparently we do not want to offend let alone apprehend and prosecute. If that is the case, then the government has failed to represent the people and has chosen to represent special interest groups. Should Nigerians therefore, pay the price for our inability to keep the house in order? I urge the government to re-think this fuel subsidy removal bill and scrap it since the common man will be hit the most and the resulting reaction cannot be predicted.
The Nigerian government has its hands full. It is unable to contain violence in several parts of the country like the Boko Haram and the Niger-Delta issues. Even though these acts are more regionalized, the government has been impotent in dealing with the security threats they pose. Nigerians right now need something to galvanize and bring them together as a group with common interest. The fuel subsidy removal is one thing that can narrow the ethnic and religious boundaries that have always defined our reactions to issues.
Why is fuel subsidy a necessity to the average Nigerian?
- Nigeria is the sixth largest producer of crude oil among the OPEC nations. Yet, the average Nigerian has not benefited in any way from the abundance of this natural resource in our country. Contrary to some claims, the price of crude oil is higher in Nigeria than almost any other member nation of OPEC. Nigerians deserve to benefit from this resource.
- Crude oil and its bye products should in fact be viewed as "staple" products because the country has failed the average Nigerian in several ways. Most houses are powered by generators that use fuel or diesel because the Power Holding Companies in Nigeria have failed to provide stable electricity even after billions of dollars have been spent on them. Most houses use kerosene for cooking. If we have stable electricity, there will be substitutes to the use of kerosene thus reducing the demand load on kerosene. Transportation is at abysmal stage in Nigeria because there is virtually no rail transport and no economy can grow without that. People and goods are transported mostly by road thereby depending on the consumption of fossil fuels.
- Any removal of subsidy will imply a significant jump in inflation and many have predicted that the currently proposed monthly wage increase to N18, 000 will be worth N2, 000. The ripple effect will be felt everywhere. Our currency will be significantly depreciated and the price of commodities will be out of control and no one should expect the common man to sit idly and watch.
- Many factories should be expected to shut down as the cost of production in the country will be very high. Already it is very high at the current rate of both diesel and gasoline. There will even be more erosion of our foreign currency as importation of other goods will rise. Foreign made goods will be sold much cheaper than the local goods. This will further lead to increase in unemployment and eventually stifling of the remnants of local industries.
- High unemployment breeds insecurity. The removal of the fuel subsidy will in fact, further increase the level of unemployment. There will be fewer funds to spend on the economy and people will tighten up and not support several other businesses because they now have even limited spending money. When unemployment increases, crime also goes up. We are worried about a few militant groups now, we can expect to see a rise in militant and crime groups, and we can expect to have more insecurity including abductions and destruction of properties. Increased unemployment will therefore be a recipe for more crimes thus making the country ungovernable.
From all indications, it appears that the style of our policy making is contrived and does not benefit from the wealth of knowledge that resides in the country and in the diaspora. Nigeria can boast of well-educated and experienced people in different works of life and if these people are brought together we can formulate and implement better policies that can move the country forward. While this article is not intended to be an academic proposal, it is nonetheless clear from reading all the news on the removal of fuel subsidy, that we are only hearing a single voice, that of the Minister of Finance. I propose that for a major issue of this nature that is of significance to the economy, we should open up the policy making to public debate, where many people who are knowledgeable are able to study the ramifications and consequences of such actions.
It is important that we look beyond the economic theory and also look at the social implications. This way, the President and the National Assemblies can be better advised. What we have now is what is referred to as a "group think" mentality. In other words, we are playing sycophancy. We have one strong voice that everyone is agreeing with for fear of possible retributions if contrary views are heard. We cannot formulate a good policy out of fear. I recommend that the Economic Advisory Board adopt what is known as a Delphi Technique Approach. This approach allows all participants to be anonymous and decisions are reached after several iterations without being influenced by any single voice but rather by the voice of reasoning. This way, we can deal effectively with the issue of "group think" and sycophancy. The President and the National Assembly will be better served if policies are rational and not based on bloated ego. Many nations around the world use this technique in their national planning.
Is removal of fuel subsidy the only way to revamp the economy and avoid the nation from going bankrupt? The answer is No. We can no longer continue beating about the bush for so long without really addressing the real economic problems in the country. There are many prescriptions to the current problems we have. Some are easy to solve and some are more difficult. However, they all require the commitment of everyone. Even with oil subsidy out of the way, the economy will not get better. In fact, the ripple effect will make the economy worse. More and more subsidy if any will have to be removed and the country will continue to go downhill. Here are some prescriptions that we may take:
- We need to start thinking out of the box and think of the interest of the country and the future of Nigeria. We should not continue to protect few people against the interest of everyone. Therefore, the government must do all that is necessary to rehabilitate the four refineries in the country and make them functional to stop the importation of fuel from outside. This will also help to reduce the cost of production of fuel which ultimately will lead to a reduction in the price of fuel at the fuel pumps. This way, the dividends derived from crude oil can be passed on to the entire population. Furthermore, the lower prices of fuel and its by-products may help to energize our ailing factories that so much depend on fuel and diesel to function. The entire process would also provide a lot of jobs and help to reduce the rate of unemployment.
- There should be strict control of the allocation of oil blocks. Who gets an allocation of an oil block? And why? Are we using national assets for political patronage against the will of the people? When did the allocation of natural resources to individuals become part of Nigeria's constitution? We continue to abuse the rights of everyone by enriching few members of the inner caucus at everyone's detriment. The oil blocks should be auctioned to established oil companies that have the resources to mine them and not to middle men to sell them exorbitantly to oil companies who now shift the excessive cost back to the average person.
- Corruption must be placed under control. Recently, there were news articles about ghost workers in the local government areas but this pales in comparison to what is happening at both the state and federal levels. Everyone knows now that government employment and politics are lucrative and provide a quick ride to riches. We quietly observe as public officials continue to embezzle and enrich themselves with public funds. Yet there is no reaction from any agency to tame these excesses. Without accountability, no amount of efforts can be made to resolve our economic problems.
- We must contain misappropriation of funds at all levels and make the three tiers of government local, state, and federal independent. We cannot have one controlling the other and diverting its funds. Besides, the people need to know the type of democracy that Nigeria has adopted - confederation, true federalism or government by a cabal in the name of democracy. The people need to know!
- We must diversify the Nigerian economy. This can only work if we create enabling conditions to encourage business investment. We cannot have a situation where custom officers are milking investors that are importing machineries and raw materials; police and tugs are chasing over commercial vehicles for N20; state and local governments are introducing useless and reckless multiple taxations; regulatory agencies are abusing their offices for bribes, and the Power Holding Companies will not supply power to run the factories. These acts are criminal and killing the country more than the government's group think approach.
- We must reduce the size of government. There is so much duplication. For example, we have the Police Force, Federal Road Safety, EFCC, etc. All these are variation of the Police Force. They can be trimmed significantly in size and cut the extra waste of duplicating the resources and personnel they use. They should be more selective in employment and provide better training that is more people-oriented. There are more offices in the government that are duplicated all over the place and some are redundant and completely ineffective.
- We must reduce the size of the National Assembly and the salaries and the perks that are given to its members. We've gone above and beyond to regard senators and members of the house as "Lords" that their cozy lifestyles make it difficult for them to understand the sufferings of the common man. Of course, some of the proposed changes may need constitutional amendment but it will be worth it if Nigerians are allowed to engage in a referendum on how best to move the country forward.
- Efficiency, Efficiency, Efficiency - there is so much waste in the country. We waste a lot of money in building structures that are poorly maintained. We waste a lot of money in buying cars for office holders. We waste a lot of money in creating unnecessary perks and allowances for politicians such as security vote. We waste a lot of time in providing services. In fact, we are simply not productive. How long can we continue doing this? We must restructure the workplace and define jobs and have established standards and be result-oriented. Politicians now are millionaires if not billionaires. They make so much money that it gets into their heads. The average Nigerian has an income of less than a $1 a day. Yet, it never occurs to the politician that the welfare of this little man should be his major concern while in office.
Nigeria has tried many ill-informed experiments in the past and muddled through because the people are gullible, dormant and hardly react. They have learned to accept their predicament as the will of God. However, I am convinced that the Nigerian today is ready to react to the injustices that are being handed over to him by those who simply do not care and abuse their public offices. The removal of oil subsidy may be the last straw that broke the Carmel's back. Employing a strategy from the West without understanding our structural differences will have a serious negative impact on our economy. We should be aware that unlike other nations, Nigeria has a unitary economy that is based solely on oil proceeds. There is no other developed industry that can cushion off any potential rise in the prices of gasoline products just the same way there are no industries to absorb the massive number of our unemployed youths if the oil subsidy is removed and the prices of fuel and oil byproducts skyrocket. Nigerians are exposed and majority who have access to the Internet belong to the social networks. This may be the stimulus Nigerians need to react and rescue the nation from further mismanagement and misjudgment.
I pray that President Jonathan will listen to the different views on this matter and engage the public on honest and objective debate on this topic before making a final decision on the matter. Our members of the National Assembly have not consulted adequately with their constituencies but appear comfortable being shielded and protected by their safe havens in Abuja.
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