Nigeria: The Need For An Ideological Re-appraisal, Why The Protests Must Continue, By John O. A. Adedeji

There are lots of issues that need to be addressed in Nigeria if we really want an egalitarian society. There are lots of evil being perpetrated in the nation. I always laugh when some misinformed people continue to say Nigeria is a giant of Africa. Yes, they may be right because Nigeria is giant in corruption, favouritism, nepotism, tribalism, non-challenge attitude to public amenities.

I have a reason why the SARS protest and other protests must continue. These are the reasons:

POLICE REFORMS

The first is the way the Police is being treated in terms of remuneration; no motivation. I listened to the interview of a Police officer, a graduate in Elect/Elect; he was interviewed by NIGERIA INFO – LET’S TALK. He said, he has been in the Police service for seventeen years. His salary is just N53,000. He has refused to join his colleagues in collecting bribe. A graduate for that matter, receiving N53,000.00 after seventeen years of service; what of non-graduates? And you want them to fight robbery and insurgency. The Police, I know, are nice sort of people. I grew up in Ghana, and the Police there were my friends right down from the early sixties. When I came to Nigeria too, the Police has always been my friends. They are highly intelligent, but the system has destroyed any credibility in them. The Police officer, who was interviewed by the NIGERIA INFO – LET’S TALK, lamented that some of his juniors in the Police are using Jeep and other costly cars. Where did they get it from. Is it from the meagre salary they are being paid? The Politicians too cannot be exonerated, they have turned the Police officers to errand boys. 

I remember in the late eighties and early nineties, at Ilawe Ekiti, in Ekiti State; a Police officer committed an offence and was thrown into the guard room. He sent for me to help him beg the DPO. He was a new member, who just started attending the church. I spoke to the DPO, and he said, because of me, he was going to release him. He went further to say that, he has heard of my good deeds and my credibility in the town. He released the officer to continue with his services.  The DPO did not collect even one naira from me. You need to be a man of integrity; whether, as a Minister of God, Police Officer, Politician, or any other profession you find yourself. My take on this is that, as a matter of urgency, the minimum wage of any Police Officer should not be less than N350,000.00. Then, anyone to be recruited into the Police Force should study Criminology in the higher institution. Those who are already in the system should go back to Police College, not only to be trained on how to handle gun, but also study Criminology, Morals, Discipline, Human Relations, and the value of Integrity and Transparency.

MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL AND STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

We should as a matter of urgency, reverse all the high remuneration of the Members of the House of Assembly. The work of the House of Assembly should be on part time basis and not on full time. Every member of the House of Assembly should not receive an allowance or remuneration of more than N50,000.00 per month. They are there to serve the people. A situation where they change their cars, wardrobe clothes, furniture, every year should be stopped immediately. They vote substantial amount to them, to buy newspapers in this era of the internet. How many of them buy newspapers? How many of them have time to read the newspapers? When an average Nigerian live from hands to mouth. This is unacceptable. Even the N30,000.00 minimum wage, some states have refused to pay. It took the National Assembly a long period to approve the N30,000 minimum wage. We want to see the pay slip of the Members of the House of Assembly with their allowances. Enough of lies from the government. We want transparency in whatever they are doing. If the job there is on part time basis and their salary is reduced, they will not be fighting and killing themselves to get to the House. 

SALARY AND TAX PAYMENTS

The salary of the President, Governors, and the Members of Assembly be made public. We want to see their pay slip and the tax they are paying. We want to see the tax payment of all these government officials. Most of tax payment falls on the poor citizens.

EXTERNAL LOANS/PROJECTS

We want to know how much has been borrowed so far? How much are we owing the Paris club, China, the World Bank, and other Multinationals? How were the loans utilised? How was the contracts to the Chinese contractors awarded? What are the conditionalities? Why is it that all Federal roads in the South West, South East and South South are in deplorable conditions and the Federal Government has not deem it wise to to fix them, but takes delight in constructing railway line from Kano to Niger Republic. Why has the government not constructed a railway line from Lagos to link Benin Republic? Why was the railway line and the mega road from Lagos to Seme initiated by the Fashola administration of Lagos state abandoned by this administration? Why has there not been railway line to link all the all the South coast, before wasting the nations resources to construct a railway line to Niger Republic? This government has always accused the former government, but whatever project they are inaugurating today was initiated by the previous government they have been running down. Even the Almagiri schools built by Jonathan administration was destroyed out of envy. The Lagos – Ibadan Expressway renovation would have been completed before now. I remember the day when President Jonathan met the stakeholders at Shagamu junction of the Express road for the take off and the speedy construction of the road. I was coming from Benin City on that day, and I saw them there. Immediately this government came in, they stopped the work. When the Minister for Works, Mr. Fashola revisted the contract for the construction of the roads, some members of the House of Assembly from the North, accused the Minister of Works for focusing on the roads in the South. Is it not funny that there has been no hues and cry over all the numerous projects in the North, not even the University of Transportation in Daura, the President’s home town and the unwarranted railway line to Niger Republic.

AWARD OF CONTRACTS

Our problem in this country is that, professionals do not man the government ministries. It is in Nigeria, you find non-professionals engaged in the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Sports etc. Because those in charge of our ministries are not competent, we always fall prey to these Chinese technicians. We always accept the contract bill without any review, because many of those in government are novice in that field. When I was a site Manager, in the early eighties at River Basin Authority. I was the Site Manager in charge of Ejiba Site in Kwara State then. I was with Niko Engineering company, in charge of the Irrigation project there. I don’t just accept any quotation anyone sent to me. We had a Sri Lankan, former Ceylon; he was the Chief Maintenance Engineer. I always challenged him on any quotation he brought. I would calculate the diesel the D8, the scrappers and other tractors were to use daily. I calculated the quantity of fuel/diesel we needed when these machines work at a particular hour, at a particular rate and kilometers covered. So he could not collude with  the workers or anyone to cheat the company. He feared me then. But now you find our government officials shaking like leaves before ordinary Chinese technicians. 

Why can’t our Ministers sit down to determine the quantity of cement, granite, bitumen, sand, iron rods and other materials and the cost before awarding any contract, be ye road construction, railway, building etc. How many human labour? How long it would take to finish the job. If the contractors are going to employ 50 workers, how much are they going to pay them, to avoid cheating our workers and using them as slaves. How many hours are they going to work in a day to complete the job at the specified time. What are the quality of the materials being used?  Does the work to be done match the contract value? When all these are taken care of, they will not just sit in their office for any foreign contractor to inflate contract value at the expense of the nation. 

The Chinese if they want to be sincere, should let us know those who are benefiting from the contracts being executed in the country, because they can not accept this type of corruption in their country. They should stop all the shabby job they are doing for us. The cost of contract awarded to these Chinese doubles the cost of the same contract awarded by Ghana government. The quality of the job also differs. 

AMNESTY TO BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS

The Buhari government should explain why the government should grant amnesty to Boko Haram criminals who have been killing a lot of people in Nigeria. Why have the government not thought it wise to compensate the victims? This really tells you those who are sponsoring Boko Haram terrorists. Why has the government not deem it fit to release Shuaibu Leah? Why was she left behind out of all the victims released? 

Why did El Rufai quickly arrange a meeting of peace for Northern and Southern Kaduna? Why did he not do that before now, until a prominent and respected Nigerian from the north came out to inform the nation that, those captured have given him the names of those sponsoring Boko Haram. That he has their names. Who is fooling who? The wind will surely blow and every Nigerian will see the anus of the hen. 

Let’s know the amount spent to fight Boko Haram ? What are the ammunition acquired to fight the insurgency and the cost? How many soldiers’ life have been wasted, their names and their states?

Until then, Aluta continua!

With Regards,

Pastor John O. A. Adedeji

Email: adejoa2003@yahoo.ca

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