Sbo's Posts
Nairaland Forum › Sbo's Profile › Sbo's Posts
 Politics › Ekiti Elections - Religion and Morals by sbo(op): 6:49am On May 06, 2009 |
When I read Mrs Ayoka’s letter of resignation on the internet about two weeks ago, I acknowledged with sceptism. She claimed in the letter that the turn of events in Ekiti electoral process were against her Christian faith (!). And thus she cannot continue as the REC. It gets to me when people use religion to justify every action. Although, I’m a Christian, certain things are just morally wrong. I’m sorry to say this, but people who use religion to justify every action are mostly hypocrites. When you are engaged to do a job, you are guided by ethics and code of conduct. If your belief does not align with the ethics of your profession, then you shouldn’t be in the profession in the first place. For goodness sake, what has Christianity got to do with morals? People should learn to take responsible for their actions and stop hiding under the pretence of religion. Do you need to read the Bible to know that electoral fraud is a crime against humanity? Unfortunately, she now has to justify how the results from Ido-Osi local government has changed some much within two weeks to be acceptable from her Christian viewpoint. |
| Politics › Re: Governor Bukola Saraki Vs Governor Raji Fashola Who Wins? by sbo(m): 12:13pm On May 05, 2009 |
soadia2004:1. He has been able to run a down a commercial bank. 2. Bought expensive properties in the UK with depositors money. |
| Politics › Re: Lagos Gets FG's Nod To Build Airport ? by sbo(m): 12:06pm On May 05, 2009 |
Lagosboy:Strictly speaking, Heathrow and City Airports are the only airports in London. Gatwick is West Sussex, Luton is in Bedfordshire and Stanstead is in Essex. They are just have London prefix but are all located about 40 miles from London. busi-bodi:You are right. And I think this is a project that should be left for the private sector. State government should not be engaged in the businessof building airports in modern day economy. moneygurl:It shouldn't really matter because the govt should be promoting competition. Bi-Courtney cannot hold a monopoly on airport development. It should be a 'free market'. If the private sector thinks there is a market for additional airport in Lagos let them go ahead and build it. |
| Politics › Re: Speaker Of The House + 4 Body Guards ,bullet Proof Car & Outriders by sbo(m): 10:01am On May 03, 2009 |
ElRazur:I must confess that I share your sceptism |
| Politics › Re: Speaker Of The House + 4 Body Guards ,bullet Proof Car & Outriders by sbo(m): 9:44am On May 03, 2009 |
ElRazur:I do TOTALLY agree with you on this one. Our so-called democracy and governance structure are FUNDAMENTALLY flawed. We really need to retrace our steps, and redefine the principles of our existence as nation. I used to think those who were clamouring for a 'sovereign national conference' were doing so for selfish reasons but with the current events in the polity, I think it is important we have one. But don't get me wrong I'm not saying we should break up. But we need to redefine our democractic structure. Our constitution only needs a major 'overhauling' |
| Politics › Re: Speaker Of The House + 4 Body Guards ,bullet Proof Car & Outriders by sbo(m): 9:30am On May 03, 2009 |
ElRazur:The question then is, why has security in Nigeria gone down the drain? Driving in armoured vehicles will only protect them for 4 years and they will become one of us. I hope he will be able to buy armoured vehicles and employ outriders when he leaves office. |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: British-nigerian Lady To Be Shot In Laos For Drug Smuggling by sbo(m): 9:27am On May 03, 2009 |
EloSela:You are right. In fact I heard on Sky news that the British Govt have provided her with Legal represenation and that she has been visited by the British High Commissioner thrice since she was imprisoned. But that is the British for you - Citizenship diplomacy. As far as they are concerned, whether she is guilt or not, the rule of law must be adhered to. And more importantly, human life is very important. |
| Politics › Re: Fg Considers Scrapping Office Of Permanent Secretary by sbo(op): 9:19am On May 03, 2009 |
I'm not sure politicising the office of the Permanent Secretary is the problem. We need a serious reform of the public service itself. Most of these PS have been in the public service for years and really do not have anything new to offer. By the time they are appointed as PS they have almost reached their retirement. What we need is the situation where the appointment into such positions are open and transparent. People should be able to apply from outside the public service and not necessarily promoted through the ranks. If you take a survey of the current PS, I can assure you that most fo them are in their early 60's. I have never seen an advert for the position of the PS anywhere in the media. PS should be appointed on contracts(3-5yrs), and if for any reason thay fail to perform they can be automatically fired. By politicising the appointment of PS, we may end up 'yes' men, who will not be able to give accurate and unbiased advice to Ministers. |
| Politics › Fg Considers Scrapping Office Of Permanent Secretary by sbo(op): 9:10am On May 03, 2009 |
Indications emerged at the weekend that the Federal Government was considering the scrapping of the office of Permanent Secretaries in the civil service in an apparent bid to put an end to clashes between Permanent secretaries and Ministers. The move, which was confirmed by Vice-Pres-ident Goodluck Jonathan, sources said, was informed by the perceived animosity between Permanent Secre-taries and their political bosses such as Ministers and other political office holders. Speaking while paying tribute to the former governor of old Rivers State, Chief Melford Okilo, Jonathan disclosed that there have been reports of altercations between some permanent secretaries and their political bosses. According to him, such Permanent Secretaries have been accused of attempting to frustrate the efforts of the ministers and other political office holders in Federal government establishment and parastatals. Jonathan said the Federal government might be compelled to politicise the office of the Permanent secretaries, if it is the only way to bring harmonious relationship between the two key officers. Similar steps had been taken in the past by the General Ibrahim Babangida administration when the office of the Permanent Secretary was replaced with the office of Director General for political convenience. Jonathan recalled that some Permanent secretaries that resisted the idea during the Late Melford Okilo’s tenure as the first civilian governor of the old Rivers state were redeployed to Secondary schools. The Vice-President said even though there have not been reported cases of such incidences from the Niger Delta region, it is happening in Abuja . http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=142413 http://www...com |
| Politics › Re: Speaker Of The House + 4 Body Guards ,bullet Proof Car & Outriders by sbo(m): 8:58am On May 03, 2009 |
For goodness sake why does the Speaker of the House need Outriders and bullet proof SUV? I can't imagine the Speaker of the House of Commons travelling in bullet proof vehicles talkless of outriders. I don't even think Gordon Brown travel with outriders. God save us! |
| Politics › Re: The Best Governor Lagos Ever Had, Jakande, Maruwa Or Fashola by sbo(m): 11:11am On May 02, 2009 |
Personally I will rate Jakande as the best Governor Lagos has ever had. As Lagosboy said, he was a man with vision. The metro project being talked about now was originally conceived by Jakande. It is worth noting that Jakande government had purchsed the corridor for the rail project. Also he was able to implement free education with little resources. My father served under the Jakande govt, and it will be interesting to let you know that he ordered all his aides to withdraw their children from private school and enrol them in public schools. As a result my parents had to withdraw me from a private school in Ilupeju. For him it was a way of setting an 'example'. Not nowadays when children of the political elites are all studying overseas, and our educational system is left to rotten. In fact, I attended the same public school with Jakande's children in Ilupeju. I can remember been handed free text books at my public school during my primary education. His housing programme was also a success. If not for Jakande,I know people who will never own a house in Lagos. It was really for the masses and not for middle/upper class as it is nowadays. None of his aides were allowed to buy any of those flats. He made sure they were allocated genuinely to people who really needed them. Lots of junior civil servants benefitted. Having said all these, Fashola still has 2+4yrs to surpass Jakande's record. |
| Politics › Re: Nigeria Swine Flu Free_says Minister_of Health by sbo(m): 1:52am On May 02, 2009 |
[/quote][quote author=blacksta link=topic=267739.msg3808315#msg3808315 date=1241186358]Biggest propaganda - That is how Yar adua's team said that Nigeria is insulated from the Global financial Meltdown. Can the minister let the public know how he arrived at this conclusion.I understand that the Govt has ordered for 2 million flu vaccines(!), for a population of 150 million. How ironic, Britain has a stockpile of 30 million for a population of 80 million. However we can afford to order 4 bullet-proof SUV's for the Speaker of the House of Rep. It really shows where our priorities lie. |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: British-nigerian Lady To Be Shot In Laos For Drug Smuggling by sbo(m): 10:33pm On May 01, 2009 |
Aloy.Emeka:That's how it is my brother. Also, her travel itinerary speak volumes. From Thailand to Netherlands and Laos, I need not to say more. |
| Politics › Re: Yar'ardua's Exclusive Interview With The Guardian by sbo(m): 10:31pm On May 01, 2009 |
Unlike Ex-President Obasanjo, one can describe President Yar’Adua as a man who is shy and unassuming. However, his perceived ‘soft’ nature has also continued to fuel speculations about his leadership qualities and more importantly, his understanding of the challenges facing the position he currently occupies. Following my review of his two years of stewardship, I have personally come to a conclusion that, President Yar’Adua just doesn’t get it? Having said that, this last interview somewhat paints a different picture of the ‘servant leader’. The reason why he has waited for two years before granting such a media interview is still beyond me. Contrary to public speculations and beliefs, I was amazed by President Yar’Adua understanding of Nigerian issues. He was very articulate in his response to questions, most of which he backed with facts and figures. He looked like a man who is on top of his game. He came across as very intelligent. We however need to remember that he used to be a university lecturer and also holds a PhD degree. So I don’t think I’m well qualified to doubt his intelligence in any shape or form. However the question on my mind is, after two years in office, where are the actions to show for this intelligence? Has President Yar’Adua been able to convince me with the exuberant display of his knowledge about national issues? At this point I’m not sure. As I sceptic, it is reasonable to assume that the President would have had enough time to prepare for this type of interviews. His advisers and spin doctors who have seen the questions before hand and provide him with proper briefing. Therefore it is difficult to tell who is actually ‘speaking’. Is it President himself or the ‘doctored’ response prepared by his advisers and spin doctors? Anyway as they say, actions are louder than voice. The President still has two more years on his mandate to convince Nigerians he actually knows what he his talking about. www...com |
| Politics › Re: Ekiti Inec Resident Commissioner Resignation Letter by sbo(op): 9:04pm On Apr 28, 2009 |
bawomolo:That is the 'Nigerian' in her. Not wanting to take responsibiity for individual actions. |
| Politics › Re: Ekiti Inec Resident Commissioner Resignation Letter by sbo(op): 9:01pm On Apr 28, 2009 |
I do not doubt it's authenticity. I do not understand the 'serious allegation' she has raised in the letter the Inspector-General is referring to. Can't someone just resign from a job? In reality, do you really need a reason to resign from a job? I tell you, Nigeria is a joke! And I will maintain that we need to redefine the basis of our existence as a nation before w can move forward. It is clear the 10 yrs on, the so-called 'democracy' is not working. |
| Politics › Ekiti Inec Resident Commissioner Resignation Letter by sbo(op): 8:53pm On Apr 28, 2009 |
|
| Politics › Ekiti Crisis - Is The Sovereign National Conference The Answer? by sbo(op): 8:40pm On Apr 28, 2009 |
Why has the nation ‘fountain of knowledge’ turned ‘fountain of anarchy’? Can we ever conduct a credible election in Nigeria? And if yes, how can it be done? Are we actually practising democracy in a true sense? And perhaps, is democracy the answer? Or should we explore alternative governance process? These are the questions been asked in the last few days following last Saturday Gubernatorial election re-run in Ekiti State. We may probably just need to remind ourselves that the election re-run was only to be conducted in 68 electoral wards (!). So why on earth has an election with only 25,000 votes for grabs turned into a ‘free-for-all’ violence? There has been report of widespread violence with political thugs are having a filled day. Journalists have also been attacked with machetes. We now understand that State Resident Electoral Commissioner has gone AWOL. We have also heard allegations and counter-allegations among the political parties of fraud. And as of Tuesday 28 April, elections are yet to commence in Oye-Ekiti, and therefore the gubernatorial election remains inconclusive. The current situation is not an isolated case. These events are just a sad reminder of the ‘wild wild west’ of the second republic. Some of the older generation may remember the bloodshed caused by the political rivalry between the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). It is right to say that some of the victims of the mayhem have since not recovered. But the question remains, can there ever be a free and fair election in Nigeria? The conduct of ‘free and fair’ elections is a collective responsibility of everyone. The government must ensure that it promotes an environment that will encourage a fair electoral process. And when I say ‘environment’, I mean the ‘electoral system’ in its entirety. Legislations and processes that support the electoral system must also be fair. The nation’s citizens and politicians are also charged with the responsibility of complying with the ‘rules of engagement’. In Nigeria, what we have is a political system that is at odds with the principles of democracy. Our electoral process is devoid of any form of transparency. We have a democratic structure that is riddled with inherent conflict of interests. Our law enforcement agents have been compromised. The system grants enormous power to the incumbent. The electoral commission is not in anyway ‘independent’. How can an elected President be responsible for appointment of the INEC Chairman? The President is also responsible for the appointment of heads of law enforcement agencies. Now tell me, how can you unseat an incumbent who has all the state machinery at his disposal? We have seen situations in the past when law enforcements have been used to harass opponents of the ruling party. I remember Ex-President Obasanjo accused of using the EFCC to intimidate and harass opponents of his ‘third term’ agenda. I also need not to remind you of how ‘men in uniforms’ have colluded with the ruling party to snatch and stuff ballot boxes. The effect of this obvious imbalance in our political system and democratic structure has rendered the opposition helpless. And that is why most of the opposition parties engage in thuggery, rigging and so on. The fact is, every political party in Nigeria is engaged in one form of electoral fraud or the other. The only difference between is that the ruling party is normally aided by other state agencies. The winner of an election is mostly determined by how much resources you have at your disposal to rig the election. So how can we begin to address these problems? Until the principles underlying our electoral and democratic system is addressed, free and fair elections will only be a mirage. After 10 years of continuous democratic rule, I’m beginning to support the idea of a sovereign national conference. I used to believe that those clamouring for a sovereign national conference were doing so for selfish reasons. However, I have now come to realise that it is important that we start to redefine the structure of our existence as a nation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not agitating for the break up of Nigeria. In fact, I believe our diversity, which is often seen as a challenge, is one of our greatest strength. However, the ‘bolts and nuts’ of our constitution needs to be re-engineered. We need to engage in serious discussions about on our style of governance. If we want to practice Federalism, let us practice true Federalism. The current Federal structure does not make any sense. There is too much power vested on the President. We do not have clear separation of powers within our governance structure. Our electoral process needs serious overhaul. We need a genuine electoral reform. Not the one currently being proposed by the current government. It is unlikely that any ruling party will support such a true electoral reform. And that is why these issues have to be discussed at a non-partisan level. Until these fundamental issues are resolved, the Ekiti crisis will be a child’s play. With 2011 elections around the corner, how this crisis will pan out over the next few weeks will of course be a matter of interest to everyone. www...com |
| Politics › Re: Fashola Visits Lagos Slum, Promises Aid by sbo(m): 7:33am On Apr 26, 2009 |
I commend Mr Fashola's effort in trying to resettle slum dwellers. This is better than wasting billions of naira on grandiose project such as 'Eko Atlantic City'. What sort of relevance is the Eko Atlantic project to residents of places like Makoko? www...com |
| Politics › Halliburton Scandal -the Okiro Panel by sbo(op): 5:04am On Apr 25, 2009 |
The ongoing twist in the Halliburton bribery scandal seems to be never ending. Sometimes I ask myself, for how long will this government continue to take Nigerians for a ride? And as someone rightly said, the Halliburton bribery scandal is now ‘hallucinating’. This week’s inauguration of the Okiro Panel, set up by President Umaru Yar’Adua to investigate the bribery scandal, reiterates the obvious, that this government is a time waster when it comes to fighting corruption. Haven’t we seen it all before? Once upon a time, there was the Pius Okigbo Panel which looked into the ‘1991 Oil Windfall’ during the Babangida regime. Then, there was the Oputa Panel, which look at human right abuses post-1966. Lately, we have also had the Uwais Panel on ‘electoral reform’. However, government’s track record on the release and implementation of Panel Reports has not been very convincing. The politics been played with the Uwais Panel report speaks volume about the insincerity of the Yar’Adua administration. And for me, the inauguration of the Okiro Panel might just spell doom for the current investigation of the Halliburton bribery scandal. The investigation panel is headed by the Inspector- General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, and includes Chairman of the EFCC and a representative each from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nigerian Intelligence Agency and the Department of State Security Service. One of the justifications for inaugurating the investigation committee was the need to get ‘vital’ evidence required to prosecute those found to have compromised themselves. The questions we need to ask ourselves is, ‘do we need to set up a panel consisting of the Inspector-General of Police and EFCC Chairman before vital evidence can be obtained from the law courts’? We all know that this investigation started in the US, but was the US Director of FBI or CIA engaged to investigate Halliburton? I can remember reading anywhere that the US set up any ‘high level’ committee to investigate the allegations levelled against Halliburton. I want to believe that the US investigation would have been carried out by officers. This is considering that the former US Vice-President privates Cheney was the CEO of Halliburton when these crimes were committed. This is not the first time foreign companies have been found guilty of bribery in Nigeria. We are all aware of the AG Siemens and Wilbros cases. So, why was a panel not set up to investigate these cases? Or is the Halliburton case any different from the Siemens and Wilbros cases? My concern is that this panel will spend the next eight weeks wasting taxpayers’ money, while embarking on a wild goose chase. I wouldn’t be surprised, if their first assignment will be to fly across the Atlantic, claiming estacodes, all in the name of gathering evidence. For starters, it will do Nigerians a lot of good, if the government can disclose the how much budget is made available to this panel. We have already seen the Attorney-General junketing all over the since in the last few weeks ‘gathering’ evidence. I’m right to believe that the investigation and prosecution of Halliburton in the US did not just start two months ago. For those who may not be aware, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission opened a formal investigation of Halliburton's involvement in the bribery scandal in June 2004. I also found out that, the Nigerian government ordered its own investigation in February 2004. This suggests that the Nigerian government commenced its investigation before that of the US Justice Department. So what was the outcome of the 2004 investigation? The fact that an investigation was carried out in Nigeria in 2004, and that no one was charged is also a confirmation that the previous Nigerian administration is an accomplice and can be accused of ‘cover up’. My view about President Yar’Adua on corruption is, as genuine as he may look, this man will be shooting himself in the foot if he dares attempt to fight corruption. Either directly or indirectly, he his one of the biggest beneficiaries of corruption in the country. It is common knowledge that his election was bankrolled by some of the nation’s most corrupt individuals. As silly as it may sound, some of the PDP Presidential aspirants (who were heavily enmeshed in corruption) had to drop their ambitions and support President Yar’Adua after they were been threatened with prosecution. Also, we are now been told that the Attorney-General cannot prosecute any individual without the approval of the President (!). I don’t know when the AG’s discretion to exercise prosecutorial powers became subject to the approval of the President. If that is case, why not appoint the President as, the Commander-In-Chief and Attorney-General of the Federation. If I can remember, we were once told that the EFCC, ICPC and the Police prosecutorial discretion are subject to the Attorney-General’s approval, in compliance with ‘rule of law’. And now that the AG has to seek the President’s approval, someone probably needs to explain to me where the separation of powers and ‘checks and balances’ lies in the government. Considering this government’s track record, I think I can predict the outcome of this panel investigation. The panel will submit its report in eight weeks as planned. President Yar’Adua will inaugurate another panel, which is likely to be headed by the Attorney-General to review the findings of the report. Mr Attorney-General will then recommend that the evidence tendered in the US courts to charge Halliburton officials were not obtained through due process (what ever that means!) and therefore, it cannot be tendered in Nigerian courts. And to affirm his support for ‘rule of law’, Mr President will accept the recommendation, and that will be case closed! http://..com/2009/04/okiro-panel.html |
| Politics › Re: Nigerians In The Diaspora Making The Return Journey Back Home. by sbo(m): 1:27am On Apr 25, 2009 |
i know a lot has been said about 'moving back to Nigeria'. However this is my two bob's worth. There seems to be a mindset that if you want to move back to Nigeria you need to be an 'entrepreneur'. Unfortunately, not all disporeans have the funds to start a business. For someone like me, i have been out of Nigeria for abt 10 yrs, and i will be happy to go back tommorow for the right opportunity. I've been a public servant for most of my working life and i believe i can make a difference in the Nigerian public service. My area of expertise is very specialised and even though it is needed, it is not particularly recognised. Also opportunities in the private sector is almost non-existing. But unfortunately, the recruitment process in the public service(if any)is never a transparent. it's all based on quota system and no one is ever appointed on merit. And until this changes, people like me will only continue our sojourn in foreign land. |
| Politics › Re: Yar'adua Presents Rail Way Bills, 6 Others To Fec Today by sbo(m): 8:44am On Apr 22, 2009 |
moneygurl:If the Competition Bill is passed through Parliament, I will say it will be one of the biggest achievement of Yar'Adua's govt. However, if Mr Yar'Adua knew he was planning to send a Competition Bill to the legislature, why was the govt in a haste to sign the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway PPP contract? The contract does nothing but put Bi-Courtney in a monopoly situation, which is exactly what the Competition Bill is trying to regulate. For me, this vindicates the argument about 'foul' play in the handling of that project. I can bet my life that the road contract will never pass the competition test. It was another classic case of putting the cart before the use. In fact, I will say it was bad a the Nigerian govt to have embark on the so-called 'privatization' without having a legislation that protects consumers against monopolies. Anyway, some other people might see it differently. [url=http://]www...com[/url] |
| Politics › Re: Do These Diasporic Nigerians Love D Country More Or Just Out To Rubbish It More? by sbo(m): 9:10pm On Apr 21, 2009 |
lucabrasi:While some of the points you noted might be true, I will be quick to point out to you that the fact that someone has lived all his life in Naija does not make him better informed than a diasporean (even though I hate the word!) and vice-versa. Unfortunately, the situation in Nigeria is so bad that, every govt project/plan is now treated with some form of cynicism. This is because we have never had a honest leadership, most projects are embarked on based on selfish interest and without an iota of transparency. I can assure that if every Nigerian is given an opportunity to travel overseas just for one day and return there will be major revolution. They don't even need to visit Europe, a country is Malaysia is good enough. How can someone in Nigeria that has never seen water running through taps, except for boreholes/wells or seen electricity for more than 2 hours a week criticise the govt when they are making noise about 6000mw. For an average Nigerian (and I mean AVERAGE), basic necessities of life have been turn into luxury, and that is why we present our leaders with awards when they undertake mundane projects such as road maintainence, which should be a rolling programme in any govt. We don't need a party manifesto to tell us you will generate 6000mw of power of rehabltate roads |
| Politics › Re: 6,000mw In December Unrealistic - For Once We Are Being Told The Truth by sbo(m): 11:01am On Apr 20, 2009 |
unfortunately one of the biggest problem with the current leadership is that they don't have a clue. They don't even have an appreciation of the problems they are trying to solve. And that is the reason they can't make any rationale decision. It has taken Yar'adua two years to tell us he will generate 6000mw. My questions to President Yar'adua are simple, what was his understanding of the nation's power problem before he assumed office? How did he intend to tackle these problems before he assumed office? www...com |
| Politics › Re: Nigeria’s N1.2 Trillion Rail Project In Limbo by sbo(m): 11:47am On Apr 19, 2009 |
@ElRazur That is exactly my point. @i_Laugh I neither a son or employee of NARTO. I'm also not against development of railway in Nigeria.In fact I'm a strong advocate of the rail development in Nigeria, which I believe in a comatose. And of the reason for the failure of the rail system is the 'monopoly' status of the 'incompetent and inept' Nigeria Railway Corporation. The govt is currently trying to correct this problem through the ongoing review of the Railway Act. But unfortunately, apart from introduction of private operator through concessioning, this proposed Bill does not go far enough to address some of the inherent conflict of interest that exist in the railway sector. For example how can NRC be a service provider, responsible for granting concession, and rail regulator. If you read my blog you will see some of the things I'm talking about. Also, I don't think I need to be plying my trade in Nigeria to know what is right. |
| Politics › Re: Nigeria’s N1.2 Trillion Rail Project In Limbo by sbo(m): 11:12am On Apr 19, 2009 |
i_laugh:My friend, decisions on infratsructure development are not made just on perception - even in the so-called rich nations. I'm speaking from a professional point any not an emotive one. Are you telling me that there are more people travelling between Lagos-Kano than people commuting daily along the Lagos-Ibadan corridor. If the govt can tell me the patronage between Lagos-Kano is greater than Lagos-Ibadan corridor, then I will keep my mouth shut. My position is, let us develop sub-regional rail lines before talking about high-speed long distance railway. It is one step at a time! |
| Politics › Re: Nigeria’s N1.2 Trillion Rail Project In Limbo by sbo(m): 10:58am On Apr 19, 2009 |
i_laugh:@i_laugh This is one of the problems in Nigeria. You can have simple constructuve discussion without being 'aggressive and abusive'. Yes it will be used, but the question is by how many people? If CECCC or the FG can come out and tell me how many people are expected to use the rail line based on their feasibility then, I guess we can start talking. If this is the way infratstructure is planned all over the world, without any justification, then the whole world will be relying on IMF loan. Unfortunately, when you query the rationale behind some govt projects, people seems to raise their hands up in arms. I understand that every Nigerian just wants things to be done, but at the same time we cannot allow taxpayers money to spent on grandiose projects that offer little or no economic value. Just because it is a rail line does not make it a 'good' project. Infrastructure planning requires more thinking than we currently do in Nigeria. www...com |
| Politics › Re: Halliburton: Yar'adua Will Not Shield Anyone, Says Presidency by sbo(m): 10:43am On Apr 19, 2009 |
The government will not shield anyone and it will not prosecute anyone as well. So chike na! www...com |
| Politics › Re: World Bank To Invest N63bn In Power Sector by sbo(m): 10:41am On Apr 19, 2009 |
Sounds good! OneNaija:Are you correct that we are currrently generating 2,500 MW? For your information, the nation's energy output has dropped to 700MW. www...com |
| Politics › Re: Nigeria’s N1.2 Trillion Rail Project In Limbo by sbo(m): 10:37am On Apr 19, 2009 |
This project is a white elephant anyway. This is the sort of things you get in a nation that lacks proper planning. And by the way, what has China got to offer in terms of rail engineering? www...com |
| Politics › Re: Between Nigeria And China, Which Country Is More Corrupt? by sbo(m): 9:49am On Apr 19, 2009 |
blacksta:You are very right. They dare not be corrupt in China. Been a Communist nation, China has very strict rules on corruption. www...com |
| Politics › Lagos-ibadan Expressway Concession by sbo(op): 1:31am On Apr 19, 2009 |
The recent approval by the Federal Executive Council of the concessioning of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for 25 years to Bi-Courtney Nigeria is a call for sober reflection. Under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP), Bi-Courtney will invest N89 billion on rehabilitation and upgrade of the highway and recoup the cost of its investment through charging of tolls. As we know, the concessionaire (Bi-Courtney) is not a new player in the emerging Nigeria PPP market; it currently operates a $250 million Build-Operate and Transfer (BOT) contract at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Terminal 2 (MMA 2). The Lagos-Ibadan Road project will be done under a similar BOT deal with 100 per cent private investment funding. On paper, this deal seems to represent a ‘win-win’ situation for all parties. The government will enjoy a 25-year rehabilitation and upgrade of arguably the busiest and most strategic federal highway without spending a kobo. Also, Bi-Courtney will enjoy a 25-year ‘monopoly’ on providing a strategic road link between the south-west and south-east region. And the average punter is also enjoying a well maintained road- albeit at a cost. Countries all over the world are currently struggling to find private investors to fund toll roads projects due to the current global economic crisis and the unreliability of the traffic forecasts used in financial modelling of such projects. However, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will be a ‘money spinner’ because of its ‘monopoly’ status. So why is it a money spinner? There is currently no decent alternative route between the south-west and south-east region. There are also millions of religious worshippers who travel on this road on a weekly basis. And most importantly, there is no competing public transport system such as rail. And sadly, road public transport vehicles will also be subjected to toll charges. For me, this is probably the most viable PPP road project I have seen from an investment point of view. But whether it provides ‘value for money’ for the taxpayer is a different ball game altogether. I have always questioned the rationale behind of some of these so-called PPP. The more I look into the details, the more disillusioned I get. Following my review of some of these PPP road projects and the emerging trends, I have come to a conclusion that PPP is now becoming a mode for ‘legalised’ corruption. Most of these PPP contracts lack transparency. As an example, I can’t remember seeing the public ‘Call for Tenders’ for the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway anywhere. We only got to know it’s been approved on the front pages of the newspapers. How can a contract of N89 billion not follow any ‘due process’. And if it did, we are yet to know how many investors put in a bid. Or was Bi-Courtney the sole bidder? Or are you telling me that the public procurement rules in Nigeria allows a contract of N89 billion to be awarded on the basis of ‘sole-invitation’? These issues bring me back to the issue of ‘value for money’. And the question remains, when due process is not followed, how can we be sure that the taxpayer is getting value for money? Unfortunately when these sorts of arguments are raised at public forums, you get shouted down by other members of the public for reasons I sometimes understand but do not entirely agree with. Due to the paucity in infrastructure development since independence, an average Nigerian just wants to see things done. The way and manner such projects are undertaken seems not to bother them at this stage. When you query the underlying principles of certain projects, the quick response is “at least Governor X or Minister Y is doing something, unlike in the past when nothing was done”. But does that mean we should all keep our mouth shut even if Governor X or Minister Y is mortgaging our future as a result of his/her ignorant or corrupt actions? I strongly believe that we should not sit back and allow our future to be mortgaged to few individuals under the guise of PPP. Read more, http://..com/2009/04/lagos-ibadan-expressway-concession.html |
