₦airaland Forum

Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has lauded the voluntary resignation of Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammed Pate, over his appointment as a Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, USA, and as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC.
The association has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint a fit, proper, competent and capable replacement of the ilk of Dr. Pate as the next Minister of State for Health.
A statement by the President of the association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said: “While NMA rejoices with him over this appointment, NMA is, however, pained that this came at a time when Nigeria’s health sector is already beginning to show signs of progress from his purposeful leadership and that of the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.”
The statement added that NMA was consoled by the fact that Pate excellently epitomised the leadership attributes and qualities of medical practitioners by exhibiting commendable altruistic and selfless leadership, integrity, clarity of purpose, knowledge, capacity and competence in the execution of his responsibilities as Minister of State for Health.
It said: “The Association wishes Dr Mohammed Pate success in his new appointment and calls on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to appoint a fit, proper, competent and capable replacement of the ilk of Dr. Mohammed Pate.
“Not one below his level of training and expertise, experience, administrative competence and far-reaching practical understanding of the structure and workings of the Nigerian Health sector as the new Minister of State for Health to compliment the on-going efforts at actualising the transformation agenda of Mr. President in the health sector.”

Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has lauded the voluntary resignation of Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammed Pate, over his appointment as a Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, USA, and as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC.
The association has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint a fit, proper, competent and capable replacement of the ilk of Dr. Pate as the next Minister of State for Health.
A statement by the President of the association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said: “While NMA rejoices with him over this appointment, NMA is, however, pained that this came at a time when Nigeria’s health sector is already beginning to show signs of progress from his purposeful leadership and that of the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.”
The statement added that NMA was consoled by the fact that Pate excellently epitomised the leadership attributes and qualities of medical practitioners by exhibiting commendable altruistic and selfless leadership, integrity, clarity of purpose, knowledge, capacity and competence in the execution of his responsibilities as Minister of State for Health.
It said: “The Association wishes Dr Mohammed Pate success in his new appointment and calls on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to appoint a fit, proper, competent and capable replacement of the ilk of Dr. Mohammed Pate.
“Not one below his level of training and expertise, experience, administrative competence and far-reaching practical understanding of the structure and workings of the Nigerian Health sector as the new Minister of State for Health to compliment the on-going efforts at actualising the transformation agenda of Mr. President in the health sector.”

The Minister of State for Health, Muhammed Pate, has resigned from his position.
Mr. Pate announced his resignation in a later dated July 22 and sent to President Goodluck Jonathan. Mr. Jonathan has also accepted the resignation which takes effect from Wednesday.
In the letter, Mr. Pate said he was resigning to take up the position of Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, in the U.S.
He said in this new capacity, he would serve as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC and also participate in a university-wide Africa initiative.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plays a major role in Nigeria and other African countries in the fight against major disease like Polio.
Mr. Pate, who is currently the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication, however, said he was willing to restate this position on a part time basis; as well his position as head of the Saving One Million Lives Initiative. The president accepted both recommendations.
“As we have discussed, I wish to offer the continuation of my service on part-time basis as chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication and the public-private coalition for Saving One Million Lives Initiative, if you agree, in fulfilment of my previous commitments to see to conclusion of these important national priorities. This may entail an honorary advisory role reporting directly to you progress at least on quarterly basis,” he wrote.
President Jonathan’s spokesman, Reuben Abati, while speaking on the resignation, said Mr. Jonathan was highly elated that members of his cabinet were attracting required global attention.
Mr. Abati said the president saw Mr. Pate’s appointment as a plus for the administration and the country. He said President Jonathan commended Mr. Pate for his successful performance first as the Chief Executive of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency; and later as a minister.
The spokesman recalled that another cabinet member, the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was one of those shortlisted for the position of the World Bank’s President last year.
“The cabinet is full of very distinguished men and women; people with not only national but also international recognition.
“The President congratulated the minister and accepted his offer to continue to serve on a part-time basis as honourary adviser.
“It is a positive development that we have people who are recognised globally. His appointment a plus for the administration and the country,” Mr. Abati said.

The level of confidence in running a business in Nigeria improved going into the third quarter of the year, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said.

The LCCI, in a report made available to our correspondents on Wednesday, said the aggregate Business Confidence Index recorded a positive improvement of 24 per cent from the 10.5 per cent and 16.5 per cent in first and second quarters of 2013, respectively.

“This represents 13.5 per cent point movement of the index along a positive trajectory since the beginning of this year. The steady and significant improvement of the BCI score suggests that business leaders are gearing towards expanding their investments and plant size in the months to come,” LCCI said.

The report, which was signed by the Director-General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, stated that aside the recurrent factors such as poor access to credit, insecurity and dwindling public power supply, the index posted impressive confidence across most businesses and economic indicators.

It said budget implementation, Federal Government’s security intervention in some parts of the North, impressive corporate results and the modest trends of exchange and inflation rates tended to have supported the record rise of business confidence.

LCCI said all the sectors of the economy recorded positive confidence.

It said, “For the first time, the financial sector recorded the highest confidence of 35 per cent, closely followed by hotel and restaurant, and telecoms and postal sectors, which recorded 29 per cent and 27 per cent confidence levels, respectively.

“The agricultural sector was impressive at 18 per cent, but the manufacturing sector remains disappointing at five per cent business confidence level. This implies that expansion and new investment in the Nigerian manufacturing sector remain largely held down by the lingering challenges confronting business environment in the country.

CTA to commission 14 rail stations

Category: News Published on Friday, 21 June 2013 05:00 Written by Nasir Imam
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The FCT Administration has said it will soon commission 14 rail stations across the federal capital city and some satellite towns ahead of the completion of the Abuja Light Rail system in 2014.
FCT Minister Sen. Bala Mohammed stated this at the presentation of the scorecard of the administration at the ministerial platform in Abuja.
He said the FCTA has signed a $500 million loan agreement with a Chinese firm, EXIM to facilitate the implementation of the project which comprises the design and construction of 42.2 kilometer standard gauge railway tracks, pavement ways, station buildings, bridges and culverts and communication and signals for Lots 1A & 3 respectively.
The minister pledged to take cognizance of the provision of pedestrian bridges in strategic locations in the city in other to stop the carnage of accidents on the expressways.
He said 7,500 persons will be provided employment through the newly introduced SURE-P-assisted taxi scheme introduced by his administration which has also rehabilitated the NYSC camp.

The agony of road users on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway will soon end, as the Federal Government has awarded the contract for its reconstruction.

Wolfgang Goetsch, managing director, Julius Berger, announced yesterday that his firm has won the award for the Lagos-Shagamu end of the road, and disclosed that it has been selected under the public private partnership (PPP) system for the Onitsha-Aba end of the second Niger Bridge. RCC will handle the Shagamu to Ibadan end of the road.

Goetsch, who spoke at the 43rd annual general meeting (AGM) of the firm in Abuja, also foreclosed rights issues as an alternative to sourcing funds from banks for its operations.

“We got the letter of award last week, for the Lagos-Shagamu end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and the mobilisation is in process to start the work for the comfort of road users”, he said.

He disclosed that his Lagos office has started the mobilisation, which includes soil tests and strategic management for the road.

“We will mobilise to site in seven to 10 days from today and we will take the road users into consideration in a way to ensure free flow of traffic while construction work is going on”.

On the second Niger Bridge, Goetsch informed that Julius Berger was selected under the PPP arrangement, to complement the Federal Government in constructing the Onitsha-Aba end of the bridge.

“We got the letter of intent from the Federal Government on Monday, having concluded negotiation on the construction work”, he said.

The Federal Government issued tenders for the Second Niger Bridge last year and the discussion with Julius Berger started when the firm emerged as preferred bidder in January this year.

Negotiation has been concluded and the firm has reached financial conclusion on the work, according to Goetsch.

Julius Berger recorded improvement in its earnings for 2012 but interest on loans secured in the year was huge, drawing a whopping N2.7 billion from its balance sheet.

For 2012, the company recorded N197 billion turnover and N201.5 billion on its group’s earnings. The company’s profit after taxation was N7.7 billion, while the group’s operation recorded N8.26 billion.

The managing director however ruled out rights issues as an alternative to bank loans in financing its operations in the country.

“Rights issues have been discussed every year because of our financial issues. We have also discussed it intensively internally but we are not ready to do that for now. It is not wise to go for rights issues since we are getting in-house receivables”.

Wednesday, 12th June, 2013 will remain indelible in the hearts of the locals in the once Boko Haram ‘colonized’ Kirenowa and other communities in Marte local government area of Borno State as it marked the day when Governor Kashim Shettima paid a sympathy visit to them. He showered them with food items and other gifts and assured them that his government will always stand up for them.

After the long period of reign of terror, the day heralded the return of immunization activities, services at hospitals, school participation, farming activities in the Chad Basin and social life for the people that were once brought under the control of members of the Boko Haram.
It was the day that the elated Governor Shettima mobilized most of his commissioners, special advisers, caretaker chairmen and members of his kitchen cabinet and travelled to Marte, a once no go area on the shores of the Lake Chad, close to the Nigeria’s border with Chad and Cameroon where members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad had hitherto established what could aptly be described as a new country within the Nigerian territory.
The governor’s visit equally unveiled a moment of joy for hundreds of operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) who were given assorted food items, including rice, beans, sugar, cows and money.
The governor had extended similar gesture to the people of the ravaged communities, who had long abandoned their farmlands, with many of them relocating to neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon in search of succor.
This is the first time that civilian authorities visited the troubled communities in Marte after Nigerian troops reportedly fought the insurgents in various camps spread in the localities and reclaimed the areas, a development which cleared the coast for the return of normalcy.
Prior to the declaration of a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, Marte was the inglorious hotbed of the insurgents who had succeeded in dislodging all Nigeria’s symbol of authority and entrenched theirs.
The locals in their hundreds, including men and women, farmers, fishermen, traders and children received the governor’s entourage with thunderous applause.
Earlier at a military base in New Marte, Governor Shettima told the soldiers that they had done Nigeria proud by chasing away ambitious insurgents who had hitherto hoisted their flags to mark their occupation of the area.
“We really appreciate your indulgence and patriotism. You have done us proud and we would live to remember you for salvaging our land. We acknowledge the fact that you left your families in far flung places in order to reclaim our communities. We thank you for this,” the governor said.
And in Kirenowa, the villagers said they are now breathing fresh air of hope and fulfillment.
“Our village is now bubbling with activities,” said Fanni Ahmadu, a 15 year old lady who said she can’t remember the last day she went to school in the village.
“Some youth, members of the Ahlis Sunnah had proscribed going to school and we had to obey their order,” Fanni added as she looked at about five of her peers who nodded their heads to reaffirm what she said.
The good thing is that our school is still standing, it hasn’t been burnt by the insurgents,” she said.
“While the visiting people (Boko Haram) held sway, we were banned from playing at the village square at night…as soon as it was 5pm, all ladies must retreat back to their houses till the next morning. We really missed dancing in the moonlight,” said Hanna Hassan, another young lady who is about 14 years old.
A’isha Abubakar said the only ‘good thing’ about the insurgents was that they did not ban going to Islamic school. “We always go to Islamiyya in the morning and towards the evening and nobody stopped us,” she said.
“The people that besieged this area said we have to do everything in line with the Sharia. No mingling with boys and no going to formal school,” she said.
On the allegation of forceful marriage, all the ladies were reluctant to comment on the issue but one of them who summoned courage but declined to give her name said some of their friends had gone with the extricated insurgents.
“Fatima was one of the girls that got married to one of the visiting youth and marriage was solemnized in front of their house after the payment of N2,000 as dowry,” she said.
Goni Tijjani, a 13 year old boy who looked excited said they can now play football after closing from Islamiyya. “We were told that our primary school will soon be reopened and the fleeing teachers would return,” he said.
Most of the children interviewed said the 16th May, 2013 intervention by federal troops changed the mood in Kirenowa and the adjoining villages.
Falmata Bukar said she is happy with the turn of events in her village. “As you can see, we are here in front of the house of the village head in order to welcome our governor. Two months ago, even the governor could not dare come here,” she said.
Secretary to the Borno State government, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda who was born in Kirenowa concurred with what the young girls and boys said. “I could not take the risk of coming here two months ago,” he said.
He also spoke in Shuwa Arab, the native language in the area and told the locals to appreciate the value and essence of constituted authorities.
“Without the intervention of the federal government through the military, we wouldn’t have gathered here. On behalf of my people, I wish to express my gratitude to all the people and establishments that took part in the restoration of law and order here,” he said.
Elders in Kirenowa also advised the federal government to establish a permanent military barracks in the area in order to save the lives of the people from further aggression as well as protect the porous borders of the country against incessant attacks.
“The soldiers came when so much damage was inflicted here but we thank Allah that they finally rescued us,” resident Bulama Sheikh said.
“Our fear is that the Boko Haram terrorists might regroup and emerge stronger, hence the need for permanent precautionary measure,” he added.
An opinion leader in the area said they saw hell during the Boko Haram occupation, pointing out that young girls were forced into marriage while many others were raped. Speaking on the negative effects of the insurgency, Dr. Salma Anas Kolo, the Commissioner of Health in Borno State who had shortly before the trip to Marte addressed a press conference in Maiduguri said exposure to violence has increased cases of hypertension, cardiac arrest, rape, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies and other health challenges in various communities across the state.
“Hospitals are now recording high rates of psychological trauma in patients owing to the insecurity in the state. Many people are now hypertensive, having heart diseases, mental and physical disorders.
This is not only with adults but also with children. There are also cases of unwanted pregnancies due to forceful marriages and of course, such situation is followed by sexually transmitted diseases,” the commissioner said.
The violence in the communities had also taken its toll on agriculture with emerging fears that rice may not be cultivated in the vast shores of the Lake Chad in this farming season.
Managing Director of the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) Engineer Garba Iliya, who took Governor Shettima round the farming area lamented that out of the 5,000 hectares of land where wheat was planted last cropping season, only 1,500 hectares was harvested.
“The insurgency had forced most of the farmers to abandon their farms. In the process, animals and other wanderers trampled on the farms and caused serious damage,” he said.
For now, Old and New Marte, Kirenowa and countless hamlets in northern Borno are looking sick because the Boko Haram insurgents had burnt the local government secretariat, police station and other features indicating that government exists.
Before the governor left Kirenowa, Governor Shettima had directed that all the new and renovated hospitals in Mafa, Dikwa and Marte that narrowly escaped the hammers of the insurgents be put to use in the next ten days and directed the commissioner of health to ensure full deployment of doctors, nurses and drugs.

The real sector of the Nigerian economy is bogged down by many problems. Power has been the most debilitating of all the challenges manufacturers and agricultural producers have had to deal with in the last thirteen years or so, with a good number of them paying the ultimate price and shutting down production permanently.

Analysts say the present Federal Government, unlike most of the others before it, seems to respond better to the cry for help from manufacturers with policy and financial bailouts rolling in to the rescue of several dying companies.

Evidence of the commitment of the current administration to supporting manufacturing and agribusiness is the current state of liquidity of the Bank of Industry (BoI).
No one seemed to know much about BoI until the President Goodluck Jonathan Administration picked it up and channeled unprecedented funds to it.

Many have erroneously believed that the expertise of the current Managing Director of the Bank, Ms Evelyn Oputu, has made all the difference in the bank’s improved performance, but with all due regard to the achievement of Oputu who has demonstrated some commitment to industrial revival, the responsiveness of the current President to the needs of the real sector might have made a lot more difference than Oputu’s expertise.

[b]Application of Funds
Under Jonathan, billions of naira has been channeled towards development financing through BoI. The bank is managing the N100 billion textile industry resuscitation fund; the N10 billion fund for rice processors; N200 billion fund for refinancing of high interest loans taken by manufacturing outfits at single digit rate and several other funds from state governments, individuals like Alhaji Aliko Dangote, as well as other public and private sector bodies interested in enterprise development in the country.

During former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, he made numerous promises to manufacturers and real sector operators, with most of them going unfulfilled. Analysts said Jonathan, on the other hand, has made good majority of the pledges he made to the real sector.

Obasanjo made the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) popular but after setting it up and luring investors to commit funds to ventures that produce for the export market, with the guarantee provided by the grant, which promises to pay back 10 to 30 per cent of the value of non-oil products sold to the exporter, he took the wind off their sail with endless delays in payment of the grant and eventual suspension of the entire process. Several export-oriented ventures failed in the process.
[/b]
Although the justification by the Obasanjo administration for the suspension of the EEG was the allegation that the scheme had been hijacked by corrupt ‘portfolio non-oil exporters’, it does not change the fact that genuine investors who, because of the EEG promise, committed funds borrowed from local and international financial institutions to non-oil exporting, got their fingers burnt and saw their investments go down-the-drain.

Stakeholders said these genuine investors, whose investments were swept away as a result of the corrupt practices of a few criminal elements, were too critical to be sacrificed as collateral damage in the government’s effort to end the fraud in the EEG scheme.

Financing Textile Revival
[b]Pundits are also familiar with the textile industry revival fund, which was promised by Obasanjo early in his administration. A promise that appeared to be fulfilled when the former president handed cheques to textile operators just before handing over office, only for the recipients of the cheques to discover that funds were not provided for the cheques they carried. The financial instruments were reportedly dud and fictitious.

Manufacturers in the textile industry had then alerted that the cheques issued by the federal government at the tail end of Obasanjo’s regime were dud cheques. Former President Obasanjo’s administration initiated a N70 billion intervention loan to resuscitate the comatose textile sector that was on the brink of collapse.

Out of this amount, N20 billion was supposedly earmarked for cotton farmers while N50 billion was meant for textile manufacturers. Obasanjo, shortly before he left office, handed over some signed cheques to a group of textile manufacturers at a ceremony to symbolise the take-off of the textile revival loan scheme.

The first revelation of the non-existent textile fund came to light when members of Kano Business Revival Initiative paid a courtesy visit to Charles Ugwuh, after he then assumed office as Minister of Commerce and Industry. Their outcry probably fell on deaf ears of the federal government as it made no remarkable effort, considering all observable trends in the final collapse of the industry, to trace the fund.

Alhaji Bashir Borodo, then President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), had pointed out that the fund was yet to reach the intended beneficiaries as the cheques issued by Obasanjo’s administration were symbols of empty gesture.

After several distress calls by textile manufacturers, on October 8, 2007, the United Nigeria Textiles Plc (UNTL) in Kaduna was closed down for the first time in 43 years. It was the last surviving textile firm in Kaduna at the time. Over 250,000 workers had lost their jobs in the industry in a little over a decade.

Analysts say the Nigeria Export Import bank (NEXIM) has been giving some explanations as to why the cheques issued were not backed by real money. The bank was quoted as saying that the money was actually going to be from a foreign loan, which was not ready at the time that the former president insisted on having the ceremony to hand over the dud cheques.

It was not until the Jonathan administration took office that the real sector began to experience actual fulfillment of promises made by the federal government. A lot of promises were made in the area of financial bailout and policy restructuring to help the real sector forge ahead and to a very large extent most of the financial bailout promises have been fulfilled.[/b]

Other Funds
In the last five years, the federal government has rolled out various funds totaling about N900 billion with the intention of rescuing the real sector of the economy from an impending failure occasioned by failed infrastructure in the country and the global economic crisis.

There had been the N500 billion industrial sector bailout fund introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria; the N100 billion textile industry resuscitation fund managed by the Bank of Industry; the N200 billion Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) introduced by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the CBN; and the N75 billion fund for Small and Medium Enterprises development.

There was also the N10 billion fund for local rice processors. Apart from these funds which were initiated and released by the current administration, existing schemes like the EEG have also been revised and implemented to the letter with deserving export manufacturers receiving the grants fairly regularly.

Policy Implementation Gaps
All said, there are varied areas where the current administration has not quite succeeded however, and these include the areas of policy formulation, and consistency, as well as infrastructure improvement.

The flip-flops and shuffling of policy during the Jonathan administration has been amazing as well as amusing. So inconsistent have the policies been that operators have on various occasions resorted to dog fights in the pursuit of the interpretation and implementation of federal government’s trade and economic policies.

These fights among stakeholders reached huge dimensions in the battle between Dangote Cement and Ibeto Cement, rice importers against rice processors, crude palm oil importers and plantation owners; cosmetic dealers; sugar processors and local sugar refineries; the list is endless.

On the other hand, the impact of these policy complications on the development of the real sector pales in significance when compared to the impact that the terrible roads and the absence of other means of transportation is having on the nation’s industrial growth.

All one needs to be convinced of the government’s neglect of infrastructure is to ply some federal government roads in the country, through which businesses carry out their distributive functions. A good example in this category is the Ikorodu–Shagamu express road, which provides access to major manufacturing outfits including Lafarge cement plant, PZ Cussons industry; and NNPC, Mosimi depot among others.

To see a road of such economic value to the federal government and the private sector abandoned and left to become a major threat not only to economic goods but also to human beings who ply this road daily, tells the story of this government’s abdication of its role of providing adequate infrastructure.

If not for the purpose of posterity, the federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Emergency Road Management Agency (FERMA) should intervene urgently and repair the Ikorodu-Shagamu road for face-saving purpose.

[b]Driven largely by receipts from the industrial sector, the Federal Government earned N179.5billion ($1,136.33million) revenue from the non-oil sector in the first quarter of 2013, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said.

This was contained in the banking watchdog’s Economic Report for the First Quarter of the year.

The report noted that the $1,136.33million, which represented an increase of 15.1 and 9.3 per cent over the preceding and corresponding quarter in 2012, respectively, was driven largely by receipts from the industrial sector and manufactured goods.

According to the Report: “Total non-oil export earnings by Nigerian exporters stood at US$1,136.33million at the end of the review period. This indicated an increase of 15.1 and 9.3 per cent above the levels in the preceding quarter and the corresponding quarter of 2012.

“The development was attributed, largely, to the 66.9 and 70.3 per cent rise in receipts from the industrial sector and manufactured products, respectively.”

The apex bank added: “A breakdown of the proceeds in the review quarter showed that industrial, manufactured, agricultural, minerals and food products earned US$634.2 million, US$322.6 million, US$89.9 million, US$67.9 million and US$21.7 million.

“The shares of industrial, manufactured, agricultural and food products as well as mineral and transport in non-oil export proceeds were 55.8, 28.4, 7.9, 6.0 and1.9 per cent.”

Commenting on the CBN Report in Abuja, yesterday, the National President, Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists, Chief Chuku Wachuku, said the report underscored the importance of the manufacturing sector as the pivot for the transformation of Nigeria’s economy.

He said: “The CBN’s report which said that receipts from manufactured goods was responsible for the significant increase recorded by the non-oil sector in the first quarter of 2013, is a very good development for not only the manufacturing sector in particular, but also for the economy in general.

“The report underscores the importance of manufacturing as the major driver of job creation and wealth generation globally.”
[/b]
The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment recently kicked off the implementation of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan, based on areas where the country currently has comparative and competitive advantage.

This, according to the Minister, Mr Olusegun Aganga, is part of efforts aimed at diversifying the nation’s economy by increasing non-oil earnings and contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

He said: “Nigeria has huge human and natural resources that are yet to be fully translated into wealth for our citizens. For decades, we have relied heavily on the oil and gas sector, which obviously has generated a lot of revenue for the Federal and state governments, but is less inclusive.

“The good news is that today, we have started reversing that process by focusing more on diversifying the earnings base and deliberately positioning our industries as key drivers of growth. We have started seeing some results.”

Aganga added that the Federal Government was committed to partnering the state, local governments and the Organised Private Sector on the provision of a sustainable enabling environment to fast-track the growth and development of the nation’s manufacturing sector in line with the goals of the NIRP.

He said: “We are creating a sustainable enabling environment that is capable of attracting and retaining both domestic and foreign investments. Government’s driving force has been the need to meaningfully improve the welfare of the average Nigerian by designing and implementing policies and strategies that will lead to inclusive economic growth.”

bigaboi: We are already generating 20000 megawatts already the challenge is that the existing transmission infrastructure cant transmit the 20000 megawatts already generated.see attached link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_electricity_production

Donaeo: That is not what we are generating, that stuff is in Gw/Hr, How can you say Us is generating 4.3 million GW/Hr,Nigeria's installed generating capacity is about 6000MW

VolvoS60: ^^^^Indeed.

Some of you think you are dealing with children. There are some dead giveaways in your post which instantly reveal who you are. We all know those who use words and phrases like "working judiciously". Or that other perennial favourite of Nigerian government scribes: "massive reconstruction and rehabilitation".

While you spend an eternity going through blueprints and websites, some of us demand results. Roads are not built in cyberspace.

The way you glibly dismiss and explain away the current PDP administration's failure (like all the other PDP administrations before it) to decisively tackle corruption speaks volumes. Is it that you cannot (or you choose not to) see the link between a thoroughly compromised executive arm of government and our dilapidated infrastructure? Do you have any idea of the real cost of corruption to an economy? Do you?

We have been here before. Some perceptive Nigerians were not taken in by the charade that brought in and sustained the venal, inept OBJ administration and the equally inept government which succeeded it. Most Nigerians however, chose to vote with every thing except their heads and their brains. In 2 years time we shall see whether Nigerians are truly their own worst enemies.

In the meantime, mr billante sir, keep defending the indefensible. But remember: what goes round comes round.

alienware: That money isn't enough to generate 20 thousand megawatt . Power generation is based on the kilowatt or megawatt generated. 1 killowatt is equivalent to $800 -$2000 depending on the technology such as back pressure and the make, it could be siemen,hitachi or toshiba. 1 mega watt cost one million to 2 million dollars and a thousand megawatt cost about 1 billion to 2 billion dollars. 20,000 megawatt should cost about 20.5 billion USD . I have seen large sugar refineries and paper mills paying about 60-80 million usd to generate about 60 megawatt for their plant. The geregu power station after lokoja cost about 525 million usd to generate 425 megat watt . In my own opinion that money isn't enough to build 20,000 mega watt

Pukkah: That road is the busiest interstate highway in the South West. It also links Lagos, the nation's commercial capital, to the North, South East and South South.

It goes directly to Ibadan, the largest city in this part, from where you can connect other parts of the South West.

The alternatives to this road are too narrow, too bad or too unsafe.

Yet, this road has been abandoned since the 70s when it was constructed and in spite of greater use brought about by the explosion in population.

The road has consumed so many lives and maimed many individuals. Armed robbers operate at will. Beggars transact their business! And hawkers make brisk sales at the bad spots! Tanker/trucks accidents occur daily wasting cargoes, fuel, and human lives.

The neglect has not been by only the Jonathan government but by all the governments before it. This is why many people have become used to the notion that 'our government is useless and irresponsible' and have stopped making noise.

The people get by with prayers and with the hope that one day, the 'useless government' will remember the road.

kasiem: I need rhino in this thread

Ozonna: Apart from Aruma Oteh, we should also give kudos to DG of NSE Mr Oscar Onyema. That man seems is a silent achiever. Unlike his predecessor Ndi Okereke Onyiuke who was always in public gatherings and always on TV,Oscar Onyema is just doing his job silently but efficiently. I can't remember Ϯh℮ last time I saw him on TV.

Kudos to Mr Oscar Onyema

4 Play: This Olumide is hilariously trying defend an argument that is illogical and hopelessly misinformed. We accumulate foreign reserves because we have a current account surplus.

Strong reserves keeps the Naira exchange rate relatively stable. Without it, the Naira will plunge lower and inflation will skyrocket as we import a lot of what we consume as well as bond yields and the cost of credit going up as the CBN pushes up interest rates to restrain inflation. The famous common man will suffer in an environment of hyper-inflation and rising credit costs.

I went to Nigeria in April and exchanged pounds sterling at N240 which is roughly the same amount as I exchanged it for in 2003. I am old enough to remember significant Naira currency devaluations on an almost daily basis in the 90s. Abacha tried to mask the problem by fixing an official exchange rate which was way at odds with the real exchange rate but inflation pummeled Nigerians then. Nigerians seem to have short memories.

omenka: @ caps: Chai!!!! Bros, I duff my hat foor u!! Reuben Abati would consider himself a learner in the art of lieing going by what u jst sed.

Kai. Didn't know naija now exports more than she imports! Lwkmd!! Lol.