₦airaland Forum

Afam4eva: Can the lawyers in the house tell us if Chime has done anything wrong constitutionally. We also need to know if the apparatus of the state was handed over by him to his deputy as reported.

since any human being can take ill anytime, no one, especially public office holders, should be ashamed to admit his or her illness through a full disclosure and, if necessary, cede full power to those constitutionally empowered to take over.

ACN slams Governors Forum, decries visit to Gov. Chime



January 27, 2013 | 1:40 pm

News

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has condemned the poor handling of the reported illness of Gov. Sullivan Chime of Enugu state, saying it fits into the growing pattern of shrouding the health problems of elected officials in secrecy, and again calls attention to the need to do things properly to advance the nation’s democracy rather than personal interests.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ahaji Lai Mohammed, the party also criticized the choreographed visit to Gov. Chime in London by a delegation of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), which was apparently designed to reinforce the line being peddled by Gov. Chime’s supporters rather than keep the people of the state better informed of the true situation of things.

It said there is no doubt that the reason behind all the shenanigans is the desperation by public office holders to hold on to power at all costs, even when it is clear that their health has failed to such a level that they are better off stepping down so they can attend to their health problems.

”We do not have details of what is wrong with Gov. Chime and honestly that is not the reason behind our intervention.

Our concern is that the conspiracy of silence being perpetrated by the state governors who are reported to have taken ill and abandoned their duty posts, as well as their supporters especially the NGF, does not serve the interest of our democracy.

”In the case of Gov. Chime, how can a man who is purportedly on vacation disappear for over 135 days and the people who voted him into office are not expected to ask questions?

Does the constitution provide for such a long ’vacation’ without consequences? Is Gov. Chime’s deputy, whom he reportedly handed over to, given enough latitude to adequately preside over the affairs of the state. If not, how has this affected governance in the state?

And to what extent have the people of the state been denied the dividends of democracy by this unnecessary controversy?

”These are the issues that should be of interest to all lovers of democracy, not the antics of some Governors who are frittering away taxpayers money by gallivanting to London to see Gov. Chime and thereafter releasing a picture
showing a ‘hale and hearty’ Gov. Chime, dressed-up like a Soviet-era spook, which has now generated even more controversy.

”The governors said Chime is recovering well but did not say from what illness. They say he is in good shape but has not said why he has been away from his duty post for so long. If he is so hale and hearty as they claim, let him come
home and end the endless controversy over his illness.

In any case, who made the governors the spokespersons for the people of Enugu state? Are they the ones who voted him into office? Do they really care how this whole controversy has affected governance in Enugu state? Is this the way democracy is run in other climes?” ACN queried.

The party said since any human being can take ill anytime, no one, especially public office holders, should be ashamed to admit his or her illness through a full disclosure and, if necessary, cede full power to those constitutionally empowered to take over.

”Nigeria and its democracy have yet to recover from the secrecy thrown around the illness of late President Umaru Yar’Adua and the anti-democratic antics of his ‘kitchen cabinet’. It is time we stopped this practice that only serves the purpose of those who are hell bent on clinging to power, not considering the interest of the people who voted them into office,” it said.

Sincere 9gerian: Ethnic sentiments cannot be ruled out. For instance has the Lagos state ever patronised Innoson?

Afam4eva: But to be fair, it was given to the SW as a valentine's gift in 1999. The two dominant party fielded to SW candidates and no one objected to it.

aribisala0: This is not true people are busy working for it.People like Chinua Achebe and Orji Kalu are working very hard

Sincere 9gerian: "Nigerian farmers are all rural farmers which means, cellphone is not their priority because they can afford it"...Prince Wale Oyekoya, the President of Farmers Association of Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, LCCI

How can you justify the statement above with the world bank data that shows over 60% of Nigerians live on less than $1 per day? How can those who live on less than $1 per day suddenly be able to afford mobile phones?

Deep Sight: That sum is pretty low.

Although we must acknowledge its a 3rd world country with limited resources. But that sum is still pretty low for the proper maintenance of proper police colleges nationwide.

Cellphones to farmers: It’s a misplaced priority – Farmers



January 26, 2013 | 2:59 am

Special Report

By  Ishola Balogun & Ebun Sessou
Prince Wale Oyekoya, the President of Farmers Association of Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, opines that buying cellphones  for Nigerian farmers is a not only a misplaced priority but another huge waste of  resources.Oyekoya while speaking with Saturday Vanguard in his office on the issue stated that although cellphone was important to farmers, it is  not to the level the federal government had taken it, adding that it could be another way of siphoning money.

He stated that the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, LCCI had indicated interest  to partner with the federal government on its policies mainly because the farmers had since found out that most of government’s policies are inconsistent with the needs of the farmers and are directed to the ‘portfolio farmers.  “LCCI intends to partner with the government in order to be able  identify the real farmers. Government has been dealing with portfolio and political farmers in the past.” he said.

“The Minister claimed that  70 percent of rural farmers are without phones, I don’t know how he got  this figure. There are about one hundred million phones in circulation as we speak. Nigerian farmers are all rural farmers which means, cellphone is not their priority because they can afford it.

“Therefore, there is need for federal government to partner with the private sectors and non-government organisations including the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, LCCI who know the real farmers. When I contacted some of the farmers in Lagos, Ogun, Osun States, they don’t seem to know what the government is doing.”

He added that government policies like the fertilizers and intervention fund have not gotten to the real farmers but have been hijacked by cronies and politicians.

“Most of the funds allocated to farmers have been going to the wrong hands and that is why agriculture sector is suffering  in this country.  A nation that cannot feed itself  is doomed.”



Prince Wale Oyekoya,

He suggested that instead of cellphones, the N60billion should be diverted to bank of agriculture.  “Government should revive Agriculture  bank and work out modalities where evidence of owning farmlands will be the basis for accessing the funds. Just like the N200 billion intervention fund which was called Commercial Agricultural Credit scheme, CAT, of  the government which we  have requested of them to give a  record of those who benefited from the policy.”

He stated that recently some farmers had to close shops for lack of enabling environment to produce food for the nation.  “Presently, half of the farmers in the country are already folding up. There are about 24 farmers in my region that are no more in operation. Their complaints were that there are no adequate funding.  An individual  cannot  access agriculture loan from the bank.” He  added  that most farm-lands in the State do not have good road networks, electricity supply to work while others complained of lack of loan assistance.

He advised that instead of buying cellphones, government should concentrate on procuring equipment and make available funds as working capital.

Oyekoya disclosed that about 10,000 farmers are registered in Lagos under the Ministry of Agriculture.   “they gave us a data showing about 10,000 farmers but I don’t believe it. They are only interested in data that does not exist in order to siphon money from the Ministry, Federal government and World Bank.

“The state government has its own scheme which is called land Agric settlement. They planted their cronies there. The lands are allocated to political leaders whereas a plot of land is sold at the sum of N1.8million to real farmers at Ikorodu. The State does not believe in helping the real farmers. So, these are creating unfriendly environment for the farmers.

“There are about 25 farmers at Epe axis and the State government is planning to displace them. They are suddenly planning to use the place for airport.   You see, that is why the  country is in trouble because so many things are going wrong,” he stressed.

“I recall  that some officials of federal government visited my farmland sometime ago and dug 25 waterholes for irrigation but up till moment, they failed to provide pumping machines, and I know some  persons would have pocketed the money meant for it.”

On what the farmers in Lagos state are contributing in feeding the nation, Oyekoya said: “We are not producing much in crops. The State government is producing about 50 tonnes of rice,” disclosing that the federal government was planning to import about 100 milling machines for rice for farmers which also will not encourage local production.

Lookman Ismail of Frank Farms, Papalanto, Ogun state said: “What is the definition of rural farmer, is there anybody that is an urban farmer? I have a farm in Papalanto, Ogun state, that is a rural area. I don’t see any sincerity in this move. It is a question of who is fooling who. Is it telephone we need right now? The farmers cannot get their produce to the city because of bad roads, we can’t get electricity, we can’t get water from government. I had to spend as much as N2million to bring electricity to my farm. And about  the same amount for boreholes. These are things that  are important to farmers. There is no enabling environment that will make people go into agriculture.



Abiodun Oladapo

How much is a Nokia phone that the government feels it is the  need of farmers. As we speak, if you go into any village, not less than 60 per cent of the villagers have phones. So, what are we buying for N60billion.

He cited the government agric intervention loan as a failed policy which he said could not get to the real farmers. “I have not seen one real farmer who was able to access that loan. As a farmer who also works in a bank, I could not get access to that loan. You will have to have a collateral in a choicest area, they will tell you my farm is not good as a collateral because it is in a rural area. So, the loans probably went to the wrong hands and the government is  not bothered about who gets the loan.

“They should make tractors available and supply electricity to the villages where most of these farms are located, they should also concentrate on building roads that will make farm produce get to the cities quickly,” he added.

He added that he could not access  the loan as the banks were demanding property in a choicest place as collateral.  “They only gave the loans to portfolios farmers who only have to present a certificate of incorporation to get the loan.

“The initiative is a sham, if they want to keep money for the boys, they should find other ways of doing that and not in the name of agriculture.”

Abiodun Oladapo, owner of Ope-Olu farms in Oshogbo, Osun State opined that government should look mor into financing agriculture.  All over the world, there is nowhere agriculture survive without government playing a major role. For example, in US, the level of intervention is high in the form of subsidy.  They spend a huge amount of money to support the move towards food security.



Segun Collins

“What farmers need most is a  working capital at low interest rate.   Subsidizing only oil does not totally impact on the common man.  I don’t see any farmer who will get a loan at 25 -28 percent interest rate and be able to repay under this condition we operate.  That is why the cost of foods are on the increase and except something is done for the farmers in this regard, the disaster of food insecurity  is not too far.”

Even as government recently said no going back on the policy, Oladapo said government did not consider the poor network facilities of telecoms provider in the rural areas which will impede the optimum utility of this cell phone idea. “how effective is the network of these telecoms provider in the rural areas.  Have they carried out the survey as well or they will leave them with the syndrome of ‘No Network’? Are they going to provide the air time as well? So, the challenges are far more than what they think it will solve.”

In the same vein, Segun Collins, who just began cultivating a 60 hectares of land in Ofada, Ogun state, corroborated his colleague saying provision of cellphones falls short of the needs of the farmers in the country.   “In whatever guise government is pushing this idea, what the farmers need now is funding and not cellphones.  Government should ensure that farmer have funds to run their farmer effectively to have food sufficiency. Farm implements should be heavily subsidized and that will help farmers a lot than the cell phones to farmers.  The system government is running is like what is obtained in Mambilla Plateau where few people run the show and benefit from the largesse.  So, I don’t see any sincerity in this N60billion provision of cellphones.”

On the argument that government needs to know even those who will benefit from the fund, he stated that the  environment have been politicized.  “Government does not even know the real practicing farmers because of politics.  I know some of my friends who were affected by the flood in Kogi, yet, they could not get the flood disaster relief fund.  Three of them are presently seeking refuge in Lagos. They don’t have anything again.  So what is the hue and cry about all these when these money ends in the pocket of their cronies. Government should allow the commercial banks to give loans to the farmers on a very low interest rate.

Viewing this topic: Desola(f), GARRI (x7)(m), CFCfan(m) and 3 guest(s)

Mr. Paul also blasted Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her testimony on Benghazi before the Senate today: “Her tactic of answering each and every question we asked her didn’t fool anyone.”

Deep Sight: This is really very curious indeed. We start a worthy tradition for monthly politics debates; the third edition is about to hold; the thread suddenly disappears; and when we come here to inquire after it, there is absolute silence from the owner, admin and moderators - notwithstanding that the debate should have held today. I am deeply disappointed.

However, it just means that there is nothing more to debate: because this conduct alone by the NL managers answers every single question about why Nigeria is the way it is.

Sad.

taharqa: @Garriman, you too dey look for trouble sef ..

Symphony007: john f. Kennedy was so sick as president that he needed to be injected and humped up on pills before he can get up from his bed and no american knew about this till years after his assasination!! It always feel good to blast nigeria, does'nt it?

cogitoErgo: You kno see the time of Seun's post, 4:25am! na hangover

Deep Sight: None of this answers the question as to where the thread is; and the debate is supposed to be today.

fellis: Seun is not a whimsical person. He is very tentative and contained.
Boring guy.

mali_gnant: Mod Afam, I'm disappointed that u did not hide this comment.

Ikengawo: Aguiyi bu Foto Satelite 1 of Nairaland.

Seun: For not contacting me privately before posting this, I hereby resign from my position as the owner and admin of Nairaland and the politics section. Good bye to you all!

igochopur$:
Come on now. Whats the meaning of this? Freedom of speech is not the same as freedom of stuupidity.

Demdem: Abegi oam4j na correct person ooo.