The political standoff between
Governor Rotimi Amaechi and
President Goodluck Jonathan has
assumed a dangerous dimension
with the federal government now
deliberately sabotaging the effective
partnership between the Nigeria
Governors’ Forum, NGF, and the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation to
eradicate polio from the country.
Bill Gates has through his Foundation
been involved in several interventions
for the eradication of polio in Nigeria.
On February 1, 2009, Nigeria’s 36
governors met with the American
billionaire businessman to seek his
assistance at a time Nigeria and
India accounted for 90 percent of
polio cases globally.
A Memorandum of Understanding
was later signed between the Gates
Foundation and the Governors’
Forum, with both parties having now
consistently worked together in the
past four years, with polio cases
dropping drastically nationwide.
But PREMIUM TIMES can
authoritatively report today that the
Federal Government, as a way of
getting at Governor Amaechi, has
activated a series of moves aimed at
destroying the partnership between
the NGF and the Gates Foundation,
which has no doubt provided the
most effective offensive against polio
in Nigeria.
In what is clearly an abuse of power,
the presidency has instructed the
Federal Ministry of Health to fence off
Mr. Amaechi and officials of the
Governors’ Forum from a ceremony in
Abuja on Monday where Bill Gates
and Nigerian officials will present
awards to governors of states which
won the 2012 Immunisation
Leadership Challenge instituted by
the NGF and sponsored by the Gates
Foundation.
The NGF initiated and coordinated
the immunization awards in 2011,
with support by the Gates Foundation
to reward states which committed
more time and resources to stopping
the transmission of polio virus and
strengthening immunization services.
The first edition of the awards saw
Ondo, Cross River, Kogi, Anambra,
Borno, Zamfara and Niger states
coming first to seventh place
respectively. Each of the states is to
be celebrated at the event and
awarded a $500,000 grant for health
related project.
But the leadership of the NGF, which
initiated and facilitated the entire
award process, has now been
blocked from attending, in what a
presidency source said was a ploy to
further ostracize Mr. Amaechi and cut
off Mr. Gates and his foundation from
further interacting with the NGF.
Rather than the NGF secretariat and
the National Primary Health Care
Development Agency, NPHCDA,
coordinating the event, the presidency
has taken control and has, apart from
the seven winning states, invited the
governors of Yobe, Taraba, Bauchi,
Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano and
Plateau to the programme.
Effectively blocked from attending are
Mr. Amaechi, who ordinarily should
be there in his capacity as chair of the
NGF, and under whose leadership the
programme was initiated and
executed; Asishana Okauru, the
NGF’s director general, who
facilitated the programme but who
should even have been invited in his
capacity as a member of the
Presidential Task Force on Polio; and
Zikirullahi Giwa, the NGF Focal
Person on Polio who interfaces
between the NGF, the Gates
Foundation and the NPHCDA on the
immunization challenge awards.
To avoid a situation where Mr.
Amaechi and other NGF officials
might gatecrash into the programme,
a presidency source said, the event
has been moved from Transcorp
Hilton to the Banquet Hall of the
Presidential Villa while the deputy
chief of staff in the presidency is
personally sending out letters to
invitees.
Vice President Namadi Sambo is
slated to preside over the
programme.
The NGF director general, Asishana
Okauru, confirmed in a telephone
interview that neither he nor Governor
Amaechi had been invited to the
event. He however abruptly
terminated the call, saying he was
hurrying out of his home for an
appointment. He did not answer
subsequent calls.
Presidential spokesperson, Reuben
Abati, could not be reached to
comment for this story. He did not
answer calls made to his mobile
telephone. He replied a text message,
saying he was in church.
But the Executive Director, National
Primary Health Care Development
Agency, Ado Mohammad, whose
agency serves as a secretariat for the
Presidential Task Force on Polio and
is partnering the presidency in
organizing the event, simply said,
“Leave me out of this. I don’t know
about this politics you are talking
about. As far as I’m concerned, health
has no politics. All I know is that we
are working with the governors.”
It is unclear why Mr. Gates and his
Foundation appear comfortable with
attending a ceremony where their key
partner has been fenced off for what
is believed to be political reasons.
It is also not clear why Mr. Gates and
his foundation have failed to advice
the Nigerian government on the need
not to bring politics into polio
eradication campaigns.
Contacted, Michael Galway, the Gates
Foundation’s Senior Programme
Officer on Vaccine Delivery, who is
Mr. Gates’ key contact person on
Nigeria, declined comments. He
directed all enquiries at James
Whittington, a spokesperson for the
Foundation.
Mr. Whittington is yet to respond to
an enquiry emailed to him by
PREMIUM TIMES. On a follow-up
telephone call, he said he would do
so as soon as he was able.
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/149345-exclusive-nigerian-govt-blocks-amaechi-ngf-meeting-bill-gates-politicizes-polio-eradication-campaign.html

And the battle continues...

Its unfortunate, if only they fought for power by appealing to the people, then I wouldn't mind this two way battle so much. But just like stupid American politicians our politicians aim to win over the people by sabotaging their opponents.

@Oga on top, I know wetin you do. Anyway @ topic, power pass power, man pass man. All animals are equal but some are more equal than others according Snowball of 'Animal Farm'. Pls Amaechi and you- the other G-7 Aboki Governors, do not stop immunizing the children in your state because of werin GEJ dey do una. i beg you.

This messy,dirty battle for political power is getting interesting. Some people think that power is their birthright. I hope Bill Gates won't be drawn into taking side with any of the opposing factions,otherwise it's just gonna smear his reputation.