D.A.V.E:

increasing their salaries doesnt change the fact that the govt workers are naturally lazy

That is a generalized statement my friend. Not all civil servants are lazy and there are many well-meaning government workers who are trying to make a difference. But the system in which they operate stifles growth and risk taking.

As we all know, in Nigeria, it may well be inevitable that eventually, almost all talented people will leave the civil service for better paying jobs elsewhere.

The salaries of career civil servants in Nigeria is so low, that it is hard to keep good civil servants in their post for even half their careers.

Let us use the example of nations that actually make being part of the civil service as a desirable job. Japan in particular rewards civil servants for outstanding public service in the first half of their careers by getting them lucrative parastal and private sector potions afterwards.

hatch#:

Lastly for all those about to start ethnic mayhem on this thread due to their dreams of rail projects being implemented in oil rich east. Their is no problem with your proposals. However why not tell your state governors to lead by example and set the ball in motion with proposals and blue prints. 

No need for us to start ethnic mayhem. I think we would all like to see our respective regions being developed. It was a valid question that I posed.

However, I have noticed a lot more travel from South to South than North to South. Connecting Port Harcourt to Lagos would be very nice as well and it serves an economic purpose. Because along that rail line you could also connect Warri as well.

kosovo:

i can't see anything stooping IBB from becoming the NEXT PRESIDENT!

Why do we as a nation keep on recycling old military leaders? Shouldn't it be time that the youth lead the way? I am pretty sure that there are more qualified Nigerians who should be president.

Let us not forget that IBB ushered in the time of the Structural Adjustment Programs that wrecked havoc on the Nigerian economy.

frosbel:

I am aware of this , and have always admired Fashola for his sense of purpose.

Just watch and see Lagos( provided Fashola's policies continue ) turn into a mega city leaving the rest of the country behind shortly. This will happen UNLESS the Federal Government starts to address this most important issue.

Let us not forget the good work that Governor Amaechi is doing for Port Harcourt. However, Fashola is doing a wonderful job for Lagos and he needs to keep up the good work. I see Lagos and Port Harcourt surpassing the rest of the country.

frosbel:


Now I have been laughed at previously for mentioning nuclear energy,  but like Obama I think this is the way to go .

I have no problem with nuclear energy, but Nigeria has to show that it is ready to use this powerful yet dangerous power supplier. We cannot maintain our current power stations, do you actually believe that we are ready to have nuclear power?

Maybe in the future, but not now. Let us start small, before we enter that realm.

This is a very good idea. I hope this plan gets off the ground. We need to invest in our infrastructure. Improve those treacherous roads as well.

However, as a previous poster had previously said, why not improve the deteriorating rail line located in the East that runs from Port Harcourt to Enugu.

Or how about from Port Harcourt to Lagos? We need more integration of the south since there is a lot of travel from south to south.

I have no problem with this demand. Our civil servants deserve this pay increase. The foundations of any government is the bureaucracy. They help the government to become more efficient.

Ikengawo:

All of europe's great monuments were built in times when their people in in dire poverty (the dark ages)
the great wall of china was built in a time of dire poverty and by the oppression and slave labor of the chinese ppl by their own king.
the mayan pyramids were built for human sacrifice
the pyramids of egypt were built by a poor slave populace
the vatican was built through sell christians 'the right to go to heaven' on a piece of paper and stolen gold from
jerusalem.

white ppl will now look at africans building a monument as a means to insult them when they have done no better.
This is simply anger that they have been out built and out done.


a few weak minded africans will fall for this. I celebrate this achievement and monument to the african reniassance happening around us.

I am sorry, but I have to disagree with you. These cultures that you have mentioned were ALL authoritarian regimes in which the people had no rights to disagree with their leaders. Senegal is a country that practices democracy and the government should be more representative of the people

A monument will not help the people of Senegal from dying or hunger or finding a job. I do not understand many Africans and these glamor projects. If he wanted to help his country, he should have focused on roads and other infrastructure projects. Building a worthless statue does not solve a thing. Simply a glamor project and nothing more.

Calm down people. It seems like some people are getting mad at the source of information. I do not trust the United Nations nor do I trust a private organization that does not have Africa's best interest in mind.

Keep in mind that the United Nations is basically controlled by the Security Council whose members include the victorious allies after WWII. Even the U.N. is biased as well so please keep that in mind.

The topic we should be discussing is if Nigeria is on the brink of a bloody civil war.

And I seriously doubt that a Civil War would happen in the near future. Many of our family members who survived the Civil War are still living. My father was living in Alaigbo when the war came to our land, and he abhors another clamor for war. Maybe when that generation dies off, then the living memory of the civil war would be long gone and my current generation maybe different.

I feel this is a valid argument. My feeling about this issue, is that the states have a right to police themselves. Having a centralized police force, does not really make sense, due to the regional differences within the nation of Nigeria. Maybe it is due to me growing up in the U.S., but I find it inconceivable to have a centralized police force. Lets use the example of the United States. The crime rates throughout the United States is not uniform. Some areas such as the rural areas in the Midwest of America, do not have high rates of crime, unlike the urban enclaves on the Eastern seaboard of the nation. Plus, I feel having a centralized police force in Nigeria is suitable to dealing with the levels of crime within different regions. You have to have people who understand the region in order to tackle the levels of crime.

However, I am wary though if Nigeria implements local police forces, the political operations within each state would use the police force to intimidate political rivals. We already seen in some Eastern states that the governors and politicians use the vigilante groups operating within the region to intimidate their political rivals. A local police force would exasperate these problems.

Nevertheless, I am still of the opinion that Nigerian states should have their own police force.

Very good discussion!!! However, Nigeria as a nation cannot trust any nation. That means Nigerians should not trust the British, the Americans, and the Chinese. All nations in this international system most of the time look to their own interest. This is the way of the world.

Some people I think are naive, to think that the Americans or the Chinese have the Nigerians best interest at heart. The answer is no. China sees Nigeria as a source for a very valuable natural resource and that is oil. As long as the world is addicted to oil, nations will look to other nations to satisfy this insatiable need. The Americans on other hand are interested in oil as well, but other factors play a role in the American's decision-making processes. America is wary of any Islamic Republic or Islamist operating within a nation. As we could see in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Pakistan, America is willing to invade the sovereignty of a nation in the name of the "War Against Terrorism." You must be mindful, that any nation that has been attacked by these individual will do their darndest to prevent another attack. Many policy makers in Washington, fear the the rising extremism in the North so we have to be careful about this issue as well. Finally, American policy makers and corporations are eying Nigeria's emerging Middle Class as a source of consumers for American goods. For many years, the U.S. has been having a trade deficit, so they need other nation's to buy their goods instead of importing goods from China. American companies have a vested interest in Nigeria besides oil.

Is Nigeria at the brink of a "bloody civil war," I think not. However, Nigeria as a nation is teetering as a nation close to a 'Failed State' since it cannot provide the most basic needs for the poorest of its citizens. If you cannot protect the safety of your own citizens within a state, then this classify a nation as a failed state. However, people tend to think that Nigeria is a failed state, then the entire nation would be at war within itself. Not necessarily, their are pockets of instability and pockets of stability. Just look at Somalia, southern Somalia is basically at war, while the northern part of the country is blessed with stability and prosperity. The same could happen to Nigeria if we are not mindful of the events that occurring within this nation.

The oil companies are at fault, while at the same time, our inept leaders are at fall as well. We cannot continue to blame foreigners for our own problems. Our leaders are ok with the status quo, and the oil companies are making money as they suppose to do so you cannot place the blame solely on them. Companies are in it for the money, but our leaders should be the ones who have the people's interest at heart. However, they do not and many Nigerians are suffering.

I support true economic and political federalism for Nigeria. The way this nation is set up, you have a strong centralized center. There is nothing 'federal' about Nigeria as it is now. If true federalism doesn't work, then people should look to splitting up the nation. Even though I find the latter as bad for business. There is money to be made in Lagos, and what would happen if Nigeria splits up three ways? I do not want to think about the loss of business.

Why recycle old military dictators who looted the treasury and are part of the reason why Nigeria is not progressing? It just boggles the mind, that people could support such a corrupt man. No wonder the Developed World laughs at states like Nigeria, because we accept the norm. In any other sane nation, a corrupt man who looted the treasury would have been thrown in jail, instead of being allowed to roam free with his ill gotten gains.

I weep for Nigeria and I thank God that I live in the United States.

Igbo bu Igbo. 

However, if they want to deny their Igbo roots, then so be it. It is all about 'oil' with them as well. However, I have come across some Ikwerre who laugh at their kin who deny their Igbo roots. This confusion stems from the Civil War, and it has not been corrected.

Let our Ikwerre neighbors consider themselves a separate group, with their prize city, Port Harcourt also known as Igwe Ocha (Igbo name).

prettyG:

You are very silly. Nigeria (according to the CIA fact book) has 389 ethnic groups. Tell me, just HOW do you want to split then? 389 countries? If you really believe that will work I have a bridge to sell you.

Some people would say split up along regional lines. Many groups that inhabit particular regions are closely related. Just look at the relation of the Ibibio with the Igbo and the Idoma and the Igbo. Different groups, but similar cultures.

Even with the split up of Yugoslavia, the region has still seen a lot of problems, but not as bad as the initial split up. I fear that if Nigeria is split up along ethnic lines, meaning the major groups Yoruba, Hausa-Fulani and Igbo, there would be a lot of blood shed in the initial phase.

The verdict is still out. Sometimes you have to look at a cost-benefit analysis. What about the people who have businesses all around the country?

However, Gadaffi does have the right to speak his mind about a particular situation. He is not the first person to mention this, so I do not understand why some people would get up in a tizzy about this. Nigerians need to get their heads from out underneath the sand, and wake up and smell the coffee (or tea).

Like I have said on countless ocassions, generalized statements are dangerous. You cannot paint a whole group of people black, for the actions of a few. Some people said Igbos are nothing but traders, now they are saying drug dealers, now what is next?

The Igbo people are a society with people in many types of occupations.

SEFAGO:

Its true though and common knowledge that the majority of drug dealers in china are nigerians specifically igbo. We should be thinking of how to rectify this- tribes aside.

I feel there is nothing to be rectified. Like I said previous, there will always be bad seeds in any society. If these Igbos choose to go to China and sell drugs, they should be prepared for the consequences. Everyone knows that China has strict drug enforcement laws. It is not like the information is not out there about the Chinese government. This is a non-issue, and this should not be used to label the Igbo ethnic group as drug dealers.

This is why I dislike people who speak in generalized terms. Generalizations are very dangerous when it paints a whole society in a negative light.

An apology is ok, but what about reparations for the environment they are destroying everyday they pump oil out of the ground?

Words are just words. I rather see action instead of words. Maybe this is a start, but people are still waiting.

Will this become another Igbo bashing thread? No group has a monopoly on the dealing of drugs in Nigeria and among Nigerians abroad. This "Holier than thou" attitude really needs to stop. I mean come on, every society has their own bad apples. Do not allow one bad apple spoil the bunch.

For every one Igbo drug dealer, there is always a higher number of Igbo doctors, accountants, pharmacist, and investment bankers etc.

I have noticed a trend on Nairaland, every bad aspect of society is always blamed on the Ndi Igbo. 419, drug trafficking, kidnapping etc is always blamed on the Igbo.

If you are talking about it from terms of infrastructure I would include:

1. South Africa
2. Namibia
3. Egypt
4. Tunisia
5. Algeria

Shouldn't the post go to the most qualified person? I have a problem with post in government to be reserved for particular groups. It doesn't matter if the man is Yoruba, Bini, Ijaw, Hausa, Idoma etc, the post should go to the most qualified person. This system needs to be completely overhauled.

This is completely outrageous. How can a man be proud of such wealth, while his people are starving? This does not make sense. I cannot comprehend how a man could be foolish enough to even flaunt his wealth for all to see it. Could he not see that the CNN reporter was being sarcastic and actually mocking him?

Northern Sudan does have a lot of money coming in from the oil exploration that is occurring in the south by the Chinese. So wherever there is money to be made, I am sure Nigerians will flock in large numbers to the countries where money is being made. Migration is a simple aspect of life for people around the world. You move to places where money can be made.