₦airaland Forum

The plan to review the nation's foreign policy is a good one but could leave the nation worse off if not handled carefully.
Statements like "The nation should cut it's coat according to it's material and not size" could mean an imminent reduction in the number of embassies Nigeria has. Nigeria is the largest black nation with her citizens in almost if not all countries of the world. Nigerians outside already find it not pleasant to go to their embassies due to poor performance which could be linked to poor funding. This idea should be well thought through to avoid sufferings of Nigerians abroad who may not want to or cannot come back home.

The plan to review the nation's foreign policy is a good one but could leave the nation worse off if not handled carefully.
Statements like "The nation should cut it's coat according to it's material and not size" could mean an imminent reduction in the number of embassies Nigeria has. Nigeria is the largest black nation with her citizens in almost if not all countries of the world. Nigerians outside already find it not pleasant to go to their embassies due to poor performance which could be linked to poor funding. This idea should be well thought through to avoid sufferings of Nigerians abroad who may not want to or cannot come back home.

I watched the “good morning show” about welfare on NTA and I am of the following opinion:

-This should be split between the Federal and State Government. The federal government should take care the elderly (60 years and above) while state governments take care of the less privileged and widows in their various states. I don’t think there should be welfare for persons of working age between 18 – 60 years (retirement age).

-Those who attain 60 years and above and do not have a retirement savings account (RSA) should be given a monthly stipend of 10,000 naira monthly while those who have an RSA should be given 3,000 Naira monthly if their monthly take home is up to 10,000 Naira or more.

-Children without both parents under the age of 18 should be 100% the responsibility of the government until they turn 18. They should be housed when they cannot get foster parents. For widows who have children and cannot get a job, they should be given N5,000 and N3,000 extra for each child up to four children till they turn 18 or till she gets a job. Same goes for men who have lost partners. If these children chose to go to school, they should be given scholarship by their state government, if they choose to learn a trade they should also be given support by their state government till after graduation when they are expected to give back to the society in taxes and contributions.

-Those that cannot get a job due to disability or impairment should be permanently under the care of the government at state level.

-I don’t think anyone who falls outside these categories should be given welfare for now to ensure sustainability.

-These monies are of personal opinion and subject to review.

My contribution to making Nigeria better.

This should not discourage us from applying as we still can make it in these difficult times. God bless us all.

Below is a reply a friend got after applying for an international job:

“With regrets. We are having difficulties getting visa's for Nigerians at this time.”

While reasons for these difficulties are not stated most times, one can attribute it to the recent Ebola outbreak in parts of West Africa and activities of Boko Haram which seem to cast a negative image on good qualified Nigerians. This is what the government must do something about. But for the mean time the government can help by ensuring that:
1. Nigerians are first in priority for Nigerian jobs. Only when a Nigerian cannot be found suitable can a foreigner be employed for jobs in Nigeria. Even when a foreigner is employed due to unavailability of a suitable Nigerian, a plan must be put in place to train Nigerians to take over such jobs in the shortest time possible. Usually countries forecast skill need and train personnel in advance.
2. Any two persons performing the same task or occupying the same positions in an organization must get similar compensation irrespective of race or Nationality. A situation where foreigners earn multiple times salaries of locals for security reason etc must stop as even locals face similar security challenges.
3. Nigerians being employed as contract staff for a long period of time must stop. Foreigners get juicy packages while locals are under contract without any benefits in their own country. This is discrimination in one’s own home. If there should be any contract staffing, locals should not be included as obtained in most countries globally.
This can be achieved with proper laws and regulations without financial budgetary allocation.
This is my contribution to making Nigeria better.

Job seekers especially in Nigeria go through a lot in search of jobs. Some are asked to pay money or used and promised jobs that sometimes never come. Even the Nigerian Government establishments collect monies from applicants in the form of scratch cards, forms etc to give jobs to job seekers when other countries give job seeker's allowance. Scam in this part of the world is no news, it even makes global headlines and nobody does anything about it. How do you ask for refund when you don't get a job after paying money. Please share scam experiences in searching for job providing useful information like addresses, emails, phone numbers, names of persons and names of establishments hoping someone will look into your case. We need to clear our beloved country off these fraud elements.

I strongly recommend the government sets up NGOs like Ministry of works watch dog, police watch dog, NASS watch dog etc. These watch dogs which must be granted 100% access to information and allowed to work without intimidation by the government should according to Jeta of WAZOBIA FM torch light all activities of all government functionaries and should be able to lodge queries where they deviate from existing standards as well recommend new standards for better performance.

Opinion!
Two persons that should not make Buhari's cabinet:
1. Amaechi: for his disrespect to the rule of law. He went ahead to with a Local Government election even when there was a court order asking all parties to maintain status quo. He also rendered the state judiciary functionless in a democratic dispensation.
2. Fashola: for his deportation of Nigerians in their country. Any political appointment outside Lagos state should not be given to him, but he should be free to contest any position and win by majority.

This company has got no website. Please house what experience do you have with them. My friend is called to attend an interview with them on Monday in Owerri.

I strongly recommend the country retains only the Senate for Federal Laws and all state houses of Assembly from each geo political Zone be merged to form regional assemblies that make laws for each zone. State governors use state houses of Assembly as puppets and the house of rep has no function. Only the Senate should be retained which makes Laws for the Federation and Regional Assemblies make laws for geopolitical Zones.

From research, you need 6 people who earn British Minimum wage to pay the British prime minister, but you need about 64 people who earn the Nigerian Minimum wage to pay the Nigerian president. I think it should be made a law that the highest paid public servant which include any any body who is under the pay roll of the Nigerian government must not earn more than times five of the national minimum wage.

Most state governors escape to the senate and stay there for eight years after planting someone that won't probe them after which their loots are forgotten. I suggest there is a two years time gap between NASS + presidential election and State Governors + State Houses of Assembly elections. The present Governors and State houses of assembly members should serve for 2years and a fresh election for four years be conducted in 2017. That way criss crossing from NASS to state governors is limited. and the issue of state governors not being able to pay salaries b4 elections will be reduced. The issue of no sitting in National Assembly during elections will be almost eradicated.

I would suggest the Nigerian government pays the youths who don't have jobs in the three troubled North Eastern States living stipend. While this will help to improve the lives of people, it also discourages youth from joining the force and boost thrust in Government.

Nigerians must live as one, as brothers and sisters. Politics must not tear us apart. Shun violence as blood is
sacred and should not be taken. Respect for the law that guides our land and respect for one another.

All political parties are the same. The way they conduct their activities shows politics is failing in this part of the world. They come to your state and visit tradition heads, Obas, Emirs e.t.c. No one visits hospitals to see the level of decay, no one goes to the Universities' classrooms to see how students and the nations back bone suffer, no one visits primary and secondary schools to see the future of this great nation and give them hope for tomorrow, no one visits industries that strive to provide jobs and see how to make improvements, no one visits the prisons to see how Nigerians are detained by them without trial, no one visits government establishments like water board etc to see how they serve the people, all they do is go around with huge security that shields them away from the people they intend to serve. APC and PDP alike don't have anything to offer Nigeria. I am forced to accept the fact that this is the way we are as Nigerians since Government is a sub set of the people. We are always led by not the best among the people or maybe our bests just aren't good enough. I am forced to leave with this administration that has flooded government with rogues, thieves and thugs. I will only support a candidate unless I know it's full cabinet before election.

Southerners will do no such thing unless it is sponsored by miscreants trying to create mischief. There was no stoning in 2011 and if there is stoning now then people should begin to ask the right questions why. If the people who have list their lives to political activities in the last 6years were Southerners with a Northerner as the president, I think an average Southerner would do likewise. Leaders should learn to put the common man first and not a few god fathers.

This is a clear case of government failure. One would expect heads would roll, but just another disappointment from this administration I must say. Cabinet should be known before election. We must get rid of criminals in Government.

Our politicians are failing and one way they do so is by their cabinet. I can guarantee that those who suck the country dry are in PDP as well as in APC and all political parties. They are working hard for their candidates to win and submit names for cabinet. I would suggest all presidential and governorship aspirants name their cabinet before election. We should know who will be in their cabinet as this is where the rot in politics is. I will support any party whose complete cabinet is known b4 election. I do not want to be given a criminal for minister after election. Politicians please show us your cabinet and ministers before election.

I feel sorry for those who plan to indulge in violence during and after the election. The Nigerian Army is in support of democracy and will not play with the nations sovereignty. Some miscreants after failing to convince people to vote for them are already planning to kill themselves. There is a legal system and anybody who is not satisfied with election result should go to court. Anybody who is used to carry out violence will be taken care of by the humble military who has never failed Nigeria.

The reason is clear. There are lot fewer western companies getting contracts in Nigeria. That is why it hurts even more when local contractors can't do standard jobs because of greed. More over peace in West Africa, the highest supplier of foot soldiers for war is no more important and never will as there are now drones that can do the job even more effectively, so we can kill ourselves and reduce black dominance.

Nigeria produces more oil than the US. Nigeria has far less population than the US. What benefit does the ordinary man get from this? The gas needed for power and energy is burnt in flaring and continues burning. Very painful is the fact that a certain amount (not made public) of crude is given to the state corporation to refine. Refineries are not working but the crude is not seen. The petrol is not seen as well as it's bi products. This is a country that will sell its food when it is hungry. We sell our crude and import fuel (ridiculous and stupid). Instead of constructing standard roads with channels and pipes to every home for gas, we chose to flare it. We live a ridiculous life style here and we are very happy to dance for those (politicians) who keep us in bondage.

Punch news paper should be closed for being used to tarnish the country's image and insulting her past leaders and the entire people of Nigeria. The sponsor of this advert must be made to face the law and full compensation made to the families of the deceased and to Buhari for Public Humiliation and mockery.

This is a very pathetic situation we are in as a nation where Nigerian Northerners consider those from Niger republic, Chad and Northern Cameroun as more brotherly than southerners hence when there is a conflict of interest, they are given preference and protection. The nations sovereignty shared amongst northerners and southerners should come first before any religious or tribal affiliation.

Preventing these from falling into the hands if the attackers should be the next target.

The truth is that Buhari and Jonathan would appreciate a peaceful election. They both won't rig any election. But they are just observers and those who conduct the elections get used by greedy party supporters. Those who are involved in violence are those whose greedy ambitions are not met. The bottom line is that all parties rig elections. The winner is not the best rigger but the smartest.

Jonathan had six years to win the heart of all Nigerians. He did not need Obasanjo or anybody to campaign for him. He did not even need to campaign. Oshiomole did it in three years, Amaechi, Rochas and many other governors used their first tenure to convince the masses they were working. Jonathan should use what he has done in six years to campaign and stop looking for a mouth piece.

Only the electorates can decide.

Let's not get carried away by these attacks. We should all know that PDP and APC are not the only two parties in this election. Blaming PDP or APC for any attack is wrong and seems to perfect the plan of those who don't want the progress of this country. I perceive there are those who are working desperately to make this country fall and we must not allow that. There is no fuss between Buhari and Jonathan. Those who seems to benefit from either of these two people in power are the ones being used by the enemy of this country to create problems. We must stay together as one and understand we can not all vote for one person hence the need to respect each other's view. Insulting electorates is undemocratic and backward. Insulting people because of whom they want to lead them is backward as people have right to their own opinion. I can guarantee that after the election, be the winner Buhari or Jonathan, they will both remain friends as all past leaders wine and dine together. They have a way of settling scores. We the electorate must not allow ourselves to be used by those who seek selfish interest; after all it is just an election and not necessary a solution as we all think.