₦airaland Forum

A man LEAVES his father and mother and becomes UNITED to his wife and they become ONE, says the Holy Book and the best manual for the institution of marraige. When boys understand the wisdom behind this they become men and rest from all their troubles.

The civil service is any career path with steps and ladders in the discharge of the duties of government while I believe the public servant has an additional definition, of those who volunteer to serve in various government and non government capacities i.e choose to or not to swear an oath of responsibility to uphold the public good.

Gwilym:
Oil prices under GEJ were between $91 (2009) and $130 (early 2014)..GEJ ran the show from 2010-15.

By mid 2014, oil was falling from $130 in March to $75 by May 2015....to $30 per barrel by January 2016 to $80 per barrel by 2017 and then down again to$60 now.

At the same time, the price Nigeria needs oil to run surplus budget...the oil breakeven...rose from $120 in 2012 to $139 as at 2018.

Buhari has been operating at oil prices that are at least $70 less than what we need it to run a budget without borrowing.

In simple English, since 2015, Nigeria has been losing between $70-100 dollars per barrel of crude due to chronic low oil prices. (Oil has been between $30-80 under Buhari, while our breakeven has been between $120-139 per barrel) And as a result, we have to take loans. Without the loans....Nigeria would have had to do things like raise fuel prices to N300 and beyond, as well as raise taxes to something like half your salary, raise school fees in universities to 600000 naira per annum, and so on.

This is not a defense of Buhari. I would (tentatively) commend him for saving money into our reserve (and for keeping Emefiele around...who is the real oga in the savings thing)...BUT...since he took over, there has been no effort whatsoever to diversify us away from our dependency on oil...which is our economic Achilles heel...and which is the main reason why APC is a failure.(The sad thing is that PDP too has no idea on how to diversify away from oil...Atiku was even talking about raising fuel subsides...which would force Nigeria to take even more loans than Buhari is taking).

Oga. Imagine you inherited a company management because the previous was sacked for non performance and you are faced with reduced income what will be your solution to improving tje firtunes of the company to make it attractive for investment.... answer.... because this is exactly what the leadership of this country faces today.

....and please donot come to the next shareholder meeting saying the obvious.... that a reduced income is responsible for the continuing dismal perfornance....

.... something tells me that in the least someone somewhere will simply ask you what you are doing to improve the stats.

Jabioro:
Is like the government has no revenue at home at all.Borrowing this borrowed that.Where is the trillion custom generate? FISR money nko, crude oil money nko..Ok I can't understood sir ,Sir you said! it's not enough to be embezzled..Sell us sir..yes sir...

Look at the figures carefully and you will realise that we are borrowing to finance the capital expenditure of government which directly affects the firtunes of the average Nigerian. Every penny made in Nigeria from oil royalties to taxes goes to debt management and the upkeep of government officials.

Once again I will liken Nigeria to poultry farm where every year a few matured are given to creditors as pay back and most taken to the farmers kitchen. Then when new chicks are to be procured together with feed and medicine he goes a borrowing yet again.

What Nigerians need to break this vicious cycle of poverty is to take this democracy thing seriously and begin to vote in governments that are cerebral in nature and competent in performance. Enough of useless sentiment at the ballot.

Oga governor. Security chiefs are not the law. Anything outside the law is self determination no different from what IPOB is doing except that in your case you swore to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic if Nigeria so you are not a pressure group but much worse.

You guys have 18 Senators or so and probably 40 to 50 Representatives stacked up in Abuja where they can engage the rest of Nigeria, answer their questions and allay their fears. Why is the cart before the horse. Why was the mattrer not tabled for information, debate and legislation..... and you call yourselves democrats.

Right ideals, completely wrong way to go about it. Serious probkems ahead. We just cannot avoid the 'R' Word if this country is to succeed. We must learn to talk, discourse, negotiate our way out of problems and onto platfirms of co-operation and solidarity.

If folks realise just how much insecurity costs this country, how insecurity has battered our national purse, dumped us down into debt and killed off investment both foreign and local..... if they knew how insecurity is making the average citizen poorer by the day they will demand a different approach, a new strategy from their government, one that is more cerebral, definitive and goal oriented.

I keep on saying this. The proximity of soldiers to civilians is nothing but a tinderbox anywhere in the world. We should be about handing conflicts and finding solutions as quickly as possible. Britain saw that in Northern Ireland, Morocco saw that in the Western Sahara and the world can see that in the Middle East. That militancy and milatarised locations invariably know no peace, development because conflicts are bound to happen.

When is the government going to find a permanent solution to insecurity in the delta so that soldiers can be brought home and normalcy restored. This is 25 years since Ken Saro Wiwa was hung by government which started this whole problem. Are we saying it is an impossible problem to solve or is it that we just do not have the will or the intellect as a country to do so.

For many more lives will be lost needlessly on both side till we do.

Adesolomon2014:
Albeit two wrong don't make a right, you will see sense if your kinsman was among the soldiers killed in cold blood. The communities most times protect these guys perpetrating those evils. So to say they are partakers of the said evil too.

So how does the government solve the problem of brigandage in that region, certainly not like this. Because those who have lost all are more unlikely to see government as anything but the enemy. The government is simply feeding into a viscious cycle of mistrust and violence.

That is the reason why investigations are conducted in civilised societies to get to the root of the matter and bring individuals to justice. What is the DIA for, the SSS, the police and all the invesstigative agencies that we spend billions on.

We are only stewing in our ignorance and needlessly paying gravely for it with blood and treasure. Tomorrow you hear retaliation and increased militancy. Government should in normal circumstances be above the citizens it superintends over in all aspects of the law, morality and reasoning not acting with equal impudence.

ReubenE:
God bless you sir

Modified: soldiers are always in the habit of burning down communities in the Niger Delta when their men get killed.
Same cannot be said of the numerous soldiers that have died in the North.

ABUBAKAR Shekau's family house is still standing tall despite killing hundreds of soldiers.

For these soldiers that burn down the livelihood of innocent people because of revenge, Death await them too....

We cannot continue like this in this country, where there are different laws for different people in same country

I knew this kind of comparison will surface sooner than later. Symptomatic of an ungovernable country teeming with leaders that cannot lead and followers that cannot follow.

Comment on what?. Was he consulted before the ill-advised, ill-timed, illegitimate move. Is this the way governance is conducted in any developed, enlightened society. Act first, consult later, seek legitimacy last. Sounds more like what non state, rebellious actors will do.

The situation is getting worse. Divisions everywhere courtesy of poor leadership and poor governance in its extreme. A country where leaders act first, talk later and think about the whole thing last. Mediocrity everywhere. Not surprised.

I thought the 'camp' thing was supposed to be a para-military orientation program. How do you wear anything other than trousers to run, jump, crawl and climb...

Some of the problems of a run away population size.... insufficient phone numbers. I think the policy needs to be reviewed to lengthen the redundancy period.

Two years for inactive lines and five years to recycle the numbers. In the meantime NCC should permit new number sets, afterall it is unlikely new GSM licenses will be issued any decade soon and GSM penetration has peaked.

But for heavens sake why should the average Joe be getting a new line two decades after the launch of the GSM network. Nigerians are dodgy characters. My newest line: 9mobile Tab will be 12 years old and that is for data only. How can one just be getting a voice line if he wasn't a child in 2000.

Hmmm.... we are already in space. Many things defy gravity in this country starved of oxygen.

Just sit back for a minute and see how this government has so disunited this country over the past 5 years. There is nothing you hear these days beyond tribal spats and schisms on all media. Threats and counter threats.

Though social consciousness is on the rise which is a good thing but coming at the expense of nationalism which has fallen to an all time low is just tragic. Say what you wish but the evidence is clear. This is the most divided period in the history of the nation pre 1967. The state of the union is seriously weak held together only be the thin string of intimidation and fear instead of the strkng links of sacrifice and solidarity.

This has been the most ethno-centric government, the poorest quality leadership for a generation. I just cannot see what kind of legacy will be endowed once their time in office is over. Folks will surely look back in horror.... too bad.

Hardly any power outage. They don't play around in my neighbourhood. Anyway I am approaching 80 percent energy independence. Hopefully within two years I will neither need public power nor fossil fuels.

kettykings:
Yorubas should now choose which is more important for them, their lives and security or the worthless good for nothing presidency.

i feel at this point the south should unite and insist on regional security and vote who ever will push for regionalism or restructuring in 2023 from the South. no wonder some people done want to hear anything about restructuring or constitutional review

You are getting there. That is what a working democracy looks like. Vote people in for fundamental changes to your destiny in a positive direction. That's all.

This is exactly what I say about Nigeria, her confused citizens and disorganised leadership. Act first, talk later, think finally.... and it doesn't matter if they are as ignorant as the man in the countryside or as kearned as those who sleep on the 'bench at the bar', the cart must always be put before the horse.

I just cannot for the life of me understand why the debates we hear endlessly in the media, all the legal brickbats and administrative hullabaloo could not simply have been sorted, done and dusted before action was taken.

We are supposed to live in a democracy where the hallmark is DISCUSSION & CONSENSUS on all matters of state, law and union. Why couldn't the States involved consult the SAN before decision making, why couldn't they get the National Assembly first to clear things up. You get fundamental debates taking place in parliaments and Legislatures throughout the world except in Nigeria where their only serious input to state administration starts and ends with the annual National Budget.

The question I continue to ask. What is the role of the 18 or so Senators and 50, 60 or 70 Reps members from the South West that cost the tax payer billions of naira each year. Are they not responsible for smoothening out inter state relationships and cross cultural prospecting?....

Abeg, I am busy, later...

I can understand. You go into some kitchens and low budget resturants and the smell is awful. I keep on saying that Nigeria has a very poor culinary culture. Nothing has improved in the decades since I was born, no new menus, no innovation and development of the traditional ones. With our humongous population and cultural diversity, their is no single culinary offering to the world. Only we like our food.

wink2015:
There was the 2014 national conference report that contains the negotiated terms of our union.

But it was not approved or signed by the national assembly and the Jonathan government.

So on what basis do south Nigerian citizens vote in their Representatives to the Upper and Lower Houses if the issue of restructuring is not taken seriously. If your Reps are not interested in the security of that region and pressing their colleagues to get Amotekun or whatever it is called incorporated into the security architecture of the region then what are they there for.

Nigerians just donot understand how this democracy thing works. The governors cannot unilaterally create cross border institutions without crossing lines with the Constitution of this country. Citizens should learn to drive the discourse about what affects them and use the right and proper tools of Federal Representation to get things done.

The Federal government is right. There is no civilised society where people wake up and just take laws into their hands. It is an illegal organisation, period, no matter how good the intentions.

When you want to restructure around national ideals you drive the process through the National Assembly and after rigorous debate laws are made and amended to accommodate such an organisation or institution.

If we want to develop this country we should collectively demand for restructuring, negotiate the terms and come to a mutually acceptable position that will accomodate the values of all concerned and allay to fears of every citizens of every region, tribe, religion or whatever demographic.

That is the way nations develop. By constantly negotiating the terms of their union. Nigerians just cannot bring themselves to negotiate and agree on anything. It must always be unilateral, divisive and confrontational. Why?

lonelydora:
Nigerians can say whatever they like.

But, I must confess (as a frequent road user) that Federal roads are better in this administration than in GEJ's administration.

If it hasn't reached your side, calm down, work is currently ongoing in all federal roads.

I am neither PDP nor APC

The only folks who compare party with party, regime with regime are partisan. The average non partisan citizen is not interested in that. They just want quality governance here and now. If roads are bad, they are bad. We are not interested in how they were 5, 10, 20 years ago. We live here and now and vote governments in or out for the present and future prosperity. Focus on holding the present government accountable. That is proper citizenship.

Next to impossible. Is has vast hydrocarbon deposits and rich fishing grounds. What will make any country give that up.

mekuxiani:
this total abuse of power she is flying the presidential Jet as what we need help this psycophancy of the highest order even trump doesnt use Airforce one for his family Business this is absolute Rubbish

He can but the structure of their system is that the bill will be passed to him personally since the purpose is not covered under his official responsibilities and this includes unscheduled holidays, political campaigns, security detail for extra homes and distant relations and friends.

But in Nigeria government purse and personal account are exactly the same. Government business and personal business intertwined.

In the UK the present angst is about Prince Harry's proposed departure from the Crown. The British public wants them to declare exactly how they hope to be financially independent because the citizens do not want to pay for their security, housing and travel while they are 'making money' and trading off the royal brand.

That is a nation of enlightened people and even though the folks in question are monarchs they are wary of antagonising the citizens and so are in meeting as we speak to sort the mess out. In Nigeria though we claim to be a pure presidential type democracy we behave more like an absolute monarchy complete with leaders we dare not question, princes who rule with impunity and peons who sing, 'oh king live forever' all day long.

Good luck to Nigeria.

There is nothing to comment about here.
Nigerians have ceded their power to hold government to account.
Democracy means the government fears the people and acts accordingly.
Autocracy means the people fear the goverment and succumb accordingly.

Autocracy doesn't jump on a people. It creeps on them with the aid of ignorance, division and sentiment. Poor quality citizens cannot produce good quality governments.

Once again Pepe shows why he may need to come from the bench as an incentive to up his game. Very poor today.

Anambralstson:
We have industrial areas

Not enough. Ñot enough at all.

The future of Nigeria lies in our industrial capacity. When oil is gone and done as our primary source of income industrial capacity will distinguish between viable, stable states and unviable, poor, crime ridden states. We are at the eleventh hour. Various governments at all levels should be fast tracking elements of ecpnomic independence.

Anambra state has the natural and cultural seeds of industrial enterprise. They should be expanded, deepened and properly integrated in line with a proper developmental plan.

When your businesses are prosperous and your economy is good the busonesses will build you innumerable houses and relaxation spots.

Anambralstson:
The size of the city is far bigger than Eko Atlantic city, please can you mention one city in Nigeria that offer all th facilities in AMC

More

Well, I can see a fence and a gate. Surely you simply cannot 'fence in' a city and place a 20 foot wide gate at its entry, eh. What kind of city has only a dual carriageway running into it. Isn't that a plan for traffic congestion and grid lock.

I think the term 'city' is more political as refering to independent infrastructure, administration, etc rather than the usual size, demographic or complexity. It looks more like a gated community.

Kudos though. I am more in favour of similar concepts but for industrial purposes complete with independent power and intra rail links.

iyimide:
International aviation law makes iran the chief judge in this case.
I do not believe that it was a shoot down by iran..
This is cheap american blackmail. One if the things iran avoided by not giving the black box to America.

The sad thing is that many of you think Suleman is a terrorist.. go and read what the iRaqi pm (am american stooge) has to say about why sulemani was in Iraq.

There are videos streaming online clearly showing the plane being hit by some sort of projectile and exxploding in the aftermath. Watch Skynews this morning.

safarigirl:
nobody owes you anything in life.

Nobody owes you a 'hi' call

People have their own problems in life

Nobody owes you a check-up or show of concern

If you get it, fine, if not, fine

Stop expecting anything from human beings

I learnt this thing fifteen years ago and it has stuck with me.

Siaisia and all the other ex-footballers looking for pity, should know this by now. This is the world, this is human beings.

People don't owe you a thing. He wasn't doing charity work, and even charity workers get shunned

You are not correct. Taking a stand from the point of the recepient only is disingenuous. Why not consider the humanity is giving, in respecting, in sacrificing afterall this is what these fellows did for the country and for the game. They sought to honour this country. They and their loved ones are not looking for pomp and pagentry, just solidarity.

The west by nature are not culturally attuned to large, boisterous and expensive funerals as in the related case of Isaac Promise and certainly are more frugal with public donations as in the case with Siasia but they honour their owm and recognise the contributions of their fallen.

They were poppies to match days to honour the war fallen of 60 years ago and honour their national and club heroes with black arm bands and respect them with thoughtful silence. They remember. We have club games this weekend. We will have national team matches in the coming weeks. Let us see what will happen. Whether it will matter to the NFF or not or like you say let them tell Nigrians that they owe nobody anything.

That is just so heartless and inconsiderate.

Too bad for Iran....Too bad.

Media's own war. Blown up to feed the gullible and fearful.

Enemyofpeace:
Make the guy try to dey close him mouth abi opening of mouth all through the march na him jazz be that?

..... noticed it too. Those childhood habits that some parents fail to spot until its too late. Don't worry, when he begins to climb the ladder, his PR team will coach it out of his system.