Jigawa State Governor Umah Namadi has put the current death toll in the tanker explosion in the state at 181, with another 80 persons in critical condition in hospital.

Namadi who was at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday to brief President Bola Tinubu on the situation, revealed that a total of 210 families were affected by the inferno.

Recall that the incident occurred on Tuesday, October 15 when a truck carrying petrol, travelling from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State, exploded in Majia, located in the Taura LGA of Jigawa State.

The incident resulted in the immediate death of over 100 individuals and injuries to many others who were scooping fuel.

The governor said the state has already established a high powered committee under the chairmanship of a retired DIG to investigate the remote causes of the incident and then advise the government on what to do.

Speaking to State House correspondents, Namadi said, “The situation as at today is that we have about 181 people that died and about 80 people in the hospital and about 210 families affected by this.

“I came here to brief Mr President about what happened to us, the tragic incident that happened in Jigawa State which claimed a lot of lives.

“We felt it is important to come and brief Mr President on what we are doing as a government and also to thank him for sending a delegation immediately this incident happened.

“Of course, the state government has taken the medical bill of all the affected people. We have done a lot of intervention to the families, to ensure that they continue their livelihood, and also Mr President has promised to intervene and assist the victims.

“The state government has already established a high powered committee under the chairmanship of a retired DIG to investigate the remote causes of that incident and then advise the government on what to do.

“You should also remember that Mr President has given a directive immediately to the Corps Marshal that he should investigate this matter, and he should come up with a permanent solution to this problem in this country.”

[DailyPost]

A bill seeking the alteration of the 1999 Constitution to create a new Oyo State passed its second reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

According to the sponsor of the bill, Akeem Adeyemi, the proposed state will have Oyo town as its capital city.

Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, Adeyemi, who represents Oyo Federal Constituency in Oyo State, stated that the agitation for the creation of New Oyo State is not entirely new, adding that “The 2014 national conference held in Abuja recommended in its final report the creation of New Oyo State with Oyo town as its capital.”

He said, “It’s noteworthy that the present Oyo State deserves to be split into two, being the largest state in terms of landmass in the South-West geopolitical zone, with 33 local governments and a population of 5,580,894 people (2006 census). The New Oyo State, when created, will have all the factors to be economically and politically viable and sustainable.”

He listed vast agricultural and water potentials, mineral resources including gold, kaolin, and limestone, as well as tourism, as some of the endowments that would give the proposed state a head start when created.

He continued, “The call to make Oyo town the capital of the proposed New Oyo State is justified considering the physical administrative and government facilities currently situated in Oyo town. Oyo metropolis is the repository and citadel of the linguistic and cultural heritage of Yoruba land, the seat of the old Oyo Kingdom, which encompassed the original provincial setup of the colonial masters from which Ibadan Province was carved out in 1936.

“The Erelu Dam in Oyo metropolis supplies water to the four local government areas in Oyo zones and is the second largest water reservoir in the present Oyo State. The Government Reservation Area in Oyo metropolis is one of the first and largest GRAs to be established in the country and could serve as a temporary Government House for the proposed New Oyo State.

“There are 14 functional branches of ministries, parastatals, and agencies of the present Oyo State Government in Oyo metropolis, which could be effectively used as take-off offices for the proposed New Oyo State. Oyo town is the only provincial headquarters in the federation today that has not become a state capital, hence the call for balancing of this national equation.

“In terms of security, the Nigeria Police Area Command in metropolitan Oyo, which covers 14 of the 19 local governments in the proposed New Oyo State, can effectively serve as the Police Headquarters of the State Command in the proposed state.”

He also added that the Federal Medium Security Prison is currently situated in Oyo town.

The bill is expected to be subjected to a public hearing ahead of the third reading and concurrence by the Senate.

[Punch]

Some countries, grappling with economic challenges, are home to some of the world’s poorest people, where poverty remains a pressing issue.

Spotlighting the nations with the largest populations living in extreme poverty sheds light on the magnitude of the challenge and the need for sustainable economic reforms to change the narrative in the affected countries.

These figures, as per the latest report from the United Nations, illustrate the ongoing struggles faced by communities and emphasise the need for a closer examination of the factors contributing to poverty in different regions.

Here are the top 5 countries with the poorest people in the world:

India

India has the largest number of people living in extreme poverty, with approximately 234 million individuals affected in a population of 1.4 billion. Despite some economic growth in recent years, a substantial portion of the population remains vulnerable.

Factors such as unemployment, inadequate access to healthcare, and educational disparities contribute to the persistence of poverty in both urban and rural areas.

Pakistan

Following India, Pakistan has about 93 million people living in extreme poverty. With a population of over 240 million, many Pakistanis face challenges such as inflation, limited access to education, and health services.

Political instability and economic hardships further exacerbate the situation, leaving many families struggling to meet their basic needs.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is home to over 130 million people with almost 67 percent [83 million] of that population living in acute poverty.

Despite progress in recent years, including improvements in agricultural production and access to education, the country still grapples with food insecurity and the impacts of climate change.

Droughts and other environmental challenges can severely disrupt livelihoods, pushing vulnerable populations deeper into poverty.

Nigeria

Nigeria, with approximately 74 million individuals in extreme poverty, is the most populous country in Africa.

Economic challenges, including high unemployment rates, and a crippling economy, contribute to widespread poverty.

Additionally, high levels of corruption, conflicts, terrorism, and widespread carnage in various regions hinder development efforts and disrupt access to essential services, leaving many without adequate support.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has about 66 million people living in extreme poverty. Despite its vast natural resources, the DRC faces ongoing political instability, conflict, and corruption, which significantly impede economic growth and development.

Many Congolese lack access to basic services such as clean water, education, and healthcare, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

Vanguard News

In the realm of broadcast journalism, few names shine as brightly as John Momoh’s. Like an alchemist transforming base metals into gold, Momoh has taken the raw ore of Nigerian media and forged it into a gleaming beacon of excellence that illuminates the entire African continent.

With an unwavering vision and a voice that resonates with truth, Momoh didn’t just change the narrative of broadcast journalism—he rewrote its very DNA. Where once there was a cacophony of voices, he orchestrated a symphony of professionalism. In a landscape often marred by sensationalism, he cultivated a garden of integrity and factual reporting.

As the founder of Channels Television, Momoh established an institution that transcends the typical parameters of a media network. Hardly any television station in Nigeria can escape the indelible influence of Channels TV; its former staff and proteges now illuminate the screens of various competitors and channels. This phenomenon speaks volumes about Momoh’s profound impact on the industry and highlights how his commitment to excellence has fostered a new generation of talented journalists.

Many of those who cut their teeth at Channels TV have gone on to excel in global media networks across the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and with international organizations. They carry with them the ethos of journalistic rigor instilled in them by Momoh, amplifying African narratives on a global scale. Whether through investigative reporting or international coverage, these former Channels staff not only uphold the standards set by their mentor but also expand the influence of Nigerian journalism worldwide, creating ripples that challenge stereotypes and broaden perspectives.

What sets John Momoh apart is not just his professional achievements, but also his dedication to those he mentors. At every turn, whenever I have reached out to him, he has responded. He has been more than just a boss—he has been a mentor. One particularly significant moment for me was when I served as the Head of Media at Eko Disco, one of Africa’s leading electricity distribution companies. When asked to provide a reference letter, Dr. Momoh chose to personally write it instead of relying on the HR department. This gesture exemplifies his commitment to nurturing talent and supporting those he believes in, reinforcing the impact he has not just within the industry at large, but also on individual careers.

But Momoh’s true magic lies in his ability to see the stars hidden within rough diamonds. With an eye keener than an astronomer’s, he has discovered and nurtured a constellation of talents. Journalistic novices, under his tutelage, have blossomed into the industry’s most sought-after luminaries, lighting up screens across the nation. Their voices now carry the torch of quality journalism that Momoh himself ignited, paving the way for future storytellers to follow.

Through Channels TV, his brainchild, Momoh crafted more than just a network—he built a legacy. It stands as a testament to his belief that African stories deserve to be told with depth, dignity, and dedication. In doing so, he hasn’t just raised the bar for Nigerian broadcasting; he’s elevated the entire continent’s media landscape.

John Momoh is more than a broadcaster or a CEO. He is a visionary who dared to dream of an Africa where journalism serves as the fourth estate in its truest sense. His relentless pursuit of journalistic excellence transforms the media narrative, proving that integrity and professionalism are essential in a field often beset by challenges. Through his tireless efforts, that dream inches closer to reality with each passing day, each breaking story, and each new voice he brings to the forefront of African media.

In the annals of African journalism, John Momoh’s name will be written not in ink, but in light—a beacon guiding future generations towards the true north of journalistic excellence. His influence remains ever-present, shaping the future of journalism in Nigeria and beyond.

Thank you, sir.

My initial understanding was that I was to make remarks to open a general discussion on democratic elections. Then, a few days ago, I saw from the programme of activities that I am to speak on the topic “Elections, Democracy and Governance.” 

The change doesn’t bother me, but I have rearranged the terms for the topic to read “Elections, Governance, and Democracy” because I view democracy as the destination and elections and governance as the means, the way, to get there. The issue is: what type of elections and what type of governance? So, I wish to lay out a broad framework of elections and follow up with some considerations relating to governance and democracy.

I would like to begin with an observation that it has taken the mature democracies of the world a long time and a long way to get to wherever they are today. Still, none of them will say that it has reached the end of the road to democracy if there is ever such an endpoint.

Indeed, the journey to democracy is always long and we can even lose our way as we go along. In that journey, every election represents an important stage, because it provides an opportunity to select new leaders if we think the old ones are not taking us on the correct path to democracy.

But, to serve that useful purpose, the election must be of a specific kind, branded as a democratic election, because its features must accord with the principles that underpin democracy. We can sum up those principles by saying that the power to govern comes from the people. So, we can define a democratic election, in simple terms, as a contest among candidates, mediated by an electoral commission, and decided by the voters.

The most important implication to draw from this definition is that in a democratic election, voters are pre-eminent, and their valid votes are inviolable for determining the winners and for settling disputes over election results. This makes the polling station results form, which has come to be popularly known in Ghana as the pink sheet, a precious commodity in our elections. This requires candidates to appoint knowledgeable agents to represent them at the polling stations because an agent’s work is essentially a brainy task.

Let us also note that Ghana has chosen a multiparty democracy as its brand of democracy. A multiparty democracy does not necessarily mean that there are many political parties. But how many parties are there in Britain, the United States of America, Germany, France or any functional multiparty democracy you know of? Most likely, only a few in each country.

A multiparty democracy means that one political party does not dominate elections so much that all the other parties combined do not make a difference. If one party dominates to such an extent, the country is a one-party state, irrespective of the number of parties.

So, what is important in a multiparty democracy is that there are political parties that make elections truly competitive. On that score, currently, Ghana is a multiparty democracy because of the NPP and the NDC. With a collective score of less than 10% of the total votes in previous elections and no representation in parliament, all the other parties combined have had virtually no impact on how our country is governed.

Be that as it may, to pass the test of being a democratic election, the results of elections must be credible. That means the results are worthy of acceptance as a basis for forming a legitimate government, a government, respected at home and abroad. To determine that the results of an election are credible, we need to step back a bit and talk about the essential features of an electoral system. Some processes characterise the electoral systems of all democracies, and all the processes are based on broadly the same principles. What differentiates the systems is how they try to actualise the principles and the formulas for winning elections, such as first-past-the-post for MPs and 50%+1 for the president in Ghana.

The salient processes are voter registration, campaigning, voting, vote counting, tabulation/collation of results, transmission of results, and announcement of results. I will proceed to highlight the key features of these processes with indications of who is responsible for doing what under our electoral system.

Voter Registration: Every eligible person must be accorded a reasonable opportunity to register as a voter, and a person can register only once. These features must be reflected in the voter register used for elections. This is the responsibility of the electoral commission.

Campaigning: Candidates should be free to campaign wherever they are contesting elections, so there should be no no-go areas. However, the campaigns must be peaceful and clean. Here, the basic responsibility lies with the political parties, candidates, and the police.

However, individuals and groups can publicly condemn any infractions, and widespread condemnation usually impacts the candidates for fear of losing votes.

Voting: There is a wide distribution of responsibilities when it comes to voting. Only a registered voter can vote in an election, and a person can vote only once in the same election. The responsibility falls mainly on the electoral commission and its officials.  A person must be free to exercise his/her vote: it is the responsibility of the police to ensure general peace and secure an election devoid of violence. A voter must, in turn, allow other voters to vote freely: a responsibility is placed on all voters. Every candidate can appoint an agent to verify the voting activities at every polling station on his/her behalf. This is an important responsibility of every candidate.

Vote Counting: The procedure for vote counting must be clearly outlined and known well ahead of time. What constitutes a valid or invalid vote must be specified. Only valid votes are counted when calculating the results. Every vote must be accurately counted in the active presence of candidates’ agents. A valid vote must be counted in favour of the candidate for whom it was cast. Proper documentation must be made of the results of the vote counting. Each agent must be given a true copy of the results, duly signed by the Presiding officer and the agents, right at the polling station. The Presiding officer and the agents at every polling station are responsible for ensuring that the measures normally indicated in the Election Manual, are adhered to.

Tabulation/Collation of Results: The Returning Officer has full control of the tabulation of results, but there are good practices that help to avoid controversy over the results (a) Let the place, procedures, and duration of the collation be known well ahead of time. (B) Make the tabulation of results a well-organised activity. (C) Do the tabulation in the active presence of the candidates, and/or their appointed agents. (D) Check the results thoroughly to ensure that they are correct. (E) Give the candidates/agents true copies of the tabulated results, duly signed by the returning officer (and preferably the candidates/agents), before they leave the place of collation.

Transmission of Results: A secure method agreed upon and/or acceptable to the political parties/candidates/agents should be used to transmit the results. Presiding officers and Returning officers have the responsibility for transmitting the results.

Announcement of Results: There are examples of good practice on this. Unless the election law has a provision for provisional results the results announced must be correct and final. If the results are provisional, not final, then say so, and give the reasons for announcing provisional results.

What matters is not how fast the results are released, but how accurate they are. In Ghana, this is the responsibility of the Returning Officers of the various constituencies in the case of parliamentary elections and the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, who is personally the Returning Officer for the presidential election.

Distribution of Responsibilities: I hope we can see the distribution of responsibilities in elections. In addition to what I have indicated, the government, the courts, the media, civil society organisations, and voters, all have roles to play in elections.

While the electoral commission is understandably the referee at the centre of the field, it is noteworthy that there are at least two other referees of elections. The courts must settle any disputes that arise over the elections at any time: and, to secure the general peace for elections, the police must also arrest and prosecute election offenders. It is critically important for the police to act as national police, not the government or political party police, and for the judiciary to see itself as an impartial arbiter in election cases.

In fact, in general, how the various actors in elections play their respective roles affects the credibility or otherwise of an election. Eventually, if we are satisfied that the actors have played their roles reasonably well, we can say that an election is credible, and the results are therefore, acceptable as a basis for forming a legitimate government.

With this background, I wish to emphasise the importance of three factors in elections: the election law, the use of technology in elections, and why our votes must count.

Importance of the Election Law: The collection of laws referred to as the election law comprises three components: (1) All the provisions in the Constitution that relate to elections (2) All the extant laws (statutes) on elections made by Parliament (3) Legislation on elections made by the Electoral Commission or some other authorised body.

The three categories constitute a hierarchy of laws, in that, in principle, legislation cannot infringe a provision in a statute, let alone the constitution, and a provision in a statute cannot infringe a provision in the constitution. Given this order of precedence, it is important to note that provisions of a validly enacted statute or subsidiary legislation derive from the Constitution. So, it makes sense to treat such provisions as constitutional provisions. I sometimes hear people say that something is not right because it is not in the constitution: but it is wrong to see the election law as only what is explicitly stated in the constitution. The election law is for the protection of the election official or any election stakeholder. This has two important implications. First, the general advice is to do as the election law says. If you don’t, you risk an action you take being declared illegal for not conforming to the law.

You may get away with something if you and the other concerned parties say the political parties, have reached an agreement on it and they don’t complain. Even so, such an agreement doesn’t clothe one with immunity because, under our law, some individual or organisation can take the matter to court.

The second implication is the need for a keen interest in the election law. Not only should Parliament always undertake proper scrutiny of every subsidiary legislation on elections, but election-related civil society organisations and knowledgeable individuals should show interest in the formulation of statutes and any subsidiary legislation on elections. Whether good or bad, the existing election law is what the people have given to themselves for their elections, and it remains binding on everyone.

The use of Technology in Elections: Examples abound on how technology has helped to improve the systems and processes of running elections. With technology we can do things quicker: we can keep a lot of material in a small space and retrieve it as and when it is needed: on Election Day, we can verify if the person who has come to vote is the same person who registered to vote, we can get results quicker, and so on. Given all this, we are easily tempted to talk of technology-driven elections. But the enigma of technology in elections is that it can bring things very close to you and equally make you lose total control over them.

No wonder these days political parties are often looking for illegal access to an electoral commission’s database. In the memorable and prophetic words of a former fellow electoral commissioner: “If they succeed, they can rummage in our databases to our embarrassment.”

Today by electronic means information in election databases can be tampered with and election results hacked locally or externally.

Why the Vote Must Count: Some people are disillusioned about elections saying that votes don’t count anymore, meaning that elections don’t express the will of the voters. There are many obstacles to free and fair elections, but the most worrisome situation is where politicians can buy leadership with money through plain fraud and vote-buying.

Apart from expressing the will of the people, which is the essence of a democratic election, there are practical and commonsensical reasons why votes must count. Where votes count, you have a peaceful transition of governments, legitimate leaders accepted at home and abroad, and genuine political opposition. Where votes don’t count, there can be no justification for spending enormous amounts of money and time on elections.

Politicians are unlikely to be responsive to the people’s needs or worried about good governance. Instead, corruption is likely the order of the day, often leading to a paradoxical situation of a rich country with poor people. Even worse, a civil war can break out over disputed election results.

Good Governance: Through elections, we choose people to lead us, on the path to democracy. We do so in the belief and hope that the persons so chosen will genuinely take us on the path and not lead us astray. To put us on the correct path to democracy, good elections must be followed with good governance. For me, good governance defies a clear-cut definition. However, if good governance, arrives in town, we can easily recognise it by the following characteristics which it brings along.

(A) It respects the civil liberties and the people’s political rights. (B) It is responsive to the needs of the people and promotes their socio-economic well-being. (C) It controls corruption. (D) The press and civil society organisations operate as guardians of the public interest. (E) The political opposition sees itself as complementary to good governance. (F) It helps the private sector to prosper.

But these developments don’t happen automatically. Just as there is a distribution of responsibilities in elections, there is also a distribution of responsibility towards achieving good governance. Key among the actors are the three branches of government - the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. Let me say simply that each of these institutions must perform its functions well without encroaching on the jurisdiction of the other, thereby dislocating the arrangements laid out in the Constitution.

 Additionally, any other institution in the public sector, from the Council of State to the Forestry Commission, has been set up for a purpose. Good governance requires that all such institutions perform their functions creditably. Apart from these public sector institutions, civil society organisations are expected to act as watchdogs for the people’s interests in their respective areas of concern.

In addition to honest reportage, the media is expected to bring to public attention instances of corruption and the abuse of power by public officials. Individuals and groups can test the law in case of doubt about the propriety of official actions and conduct.

Democracy is a place where people enjoy basic rights and freedoms. But it is also a place where people have reasonable access to necessities such as food, good drinking water, decent housing, electricity, usable roads, good education, efficient health facilities and jobs, with responsibilities, including payment of taxes, maintaining law and order and obeying the law.

Free and fair elections don’t bring any of these things. But without free and fair elections, ordinary persons cannot hold their leaders accountable, whether they deliver the benefits of democracy or not. We must note that holding officials accountable through elections applies only to members of parliament and the president. Many important public officials, including judges and electoral commission members, may not be directly accountable to the people. How to hold such officials accountable is always problematic.

Conclusion: I wish to conclude by saying that good elections and good governance are the vehicles for a condition of democracy.

At its core, democracy refers to improvements in human conditions, it is not a fixed station where a journey ends. This is why the contents of human rights keep expanding. There are several rights today that were not rights in the past, and the ambit of rights will continue to expand according to the need for improvements to the human condition.

We should brace ourselves and prepare for a long journey, because, given a choice, I believe that people will prefer to live in a democracy, instead of other forms of government including authoritarian rule.

Presentation by Dr Afari-Gyan, former Chairman of Ghana Electoral Commission Men’s Fellowship of Ridge Church, Accra on 10th October 2024

The Israeli prime minister is unarguably the world’s most detested leader today, especially in the Middle East and Arab world, but he earns my respect for resolutely defending his nation against brutal and vile terrorists and taking steps to protect his people against annihilation. Benjamin Netanyahu is my idea of a strong and patriotic leader. He is firm, decisive and single minded in the pursuit of Hamas and Hezbollah, two of the world’s most brutal terror groups that had vowed to wipe Israel off the earth. Netanyahu is not afraid to go against popular opinions, even at the UN, and has, in several occasions, ignored suggestions from the White House and the Pentagon, to slow down. But for him, the survival of the only Jewish State, nestled in the most dangerous neighborhood in the world and surrounded by the vilest enemies, is the single most important thing, and for that, I admire the prime minister a lot. Netanyahu exemplifies what I have been looking for in Nigerian leaders: fearlessness; courage; patriotism and assertiveness. For decades, Nigeria has been steadily destroyed by terrorists from outside and inside the country. Thousands of Nigerians in the Middle Belt; North East and North West have either been murdered, maimed or driven away from their ancestral land by these foreign terrorists and their Nigerian collaborators.

Due to these persistent attacks, peasants and small scale farmers, the nation’s major food producers, no longer have access to their farms. They have lost their sources of income, and that means food production has plummeted significantly; with the nation has being gripped by unprecedentedly high levels of food inflation. Yet no Nigerian leader, from Goodluck Jonathan to Bola Tinubu, has been able to defeat these extremists. Of the three, Muhammadu Buhari appeared least interest in dealing with the problem. He was cold, aloof and detached from the senseless killings of Nigerians, especially the people of Benue and Plateau states, who were frequent victims of these attacks. More Nigerians were killed under his watch than at any other peace time in our history. He was more interested in appeasing the murderers. As I write, thousands of Nigerians are still living in IDPs in states like Adamawa; Borno; Niger; Katsina; Zamfara and other parts of Northern Nigeria, having been sacked from their home by terrorists. Many believe that Buhari was actually in support of these carnages.

In August, there were major terrorist attacks in a small town in Burkina Faso in which over 600 people were murdered. Militants from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam (JNIM), an al Qaeda affiliate based in Mali and active in Burkina Faso, swept into the town on motor cycles and shot down the villagers, most of whom were women and children. Reports say the militants are marching southwards from the Sahel and are threatening to invade West African countries, beginning from Benin, Nigeria’s western neighbour. The terrorists are having a field day terrorizing the Sahel region, especially since the departure of French and US forces that were holding them in check. Neither AU nor ECOWAS has made a statement; and African leaders are behaving as if nothing happened. What a shame!

But look at how Netanyahu has ruthlessly dealt with Hamas and Hezbolla since October last year. Under him, the Israeli government and security forces have deployed the most sophisticated intelligence to take out the leaders of these two evil groups. The Israeli army, known as Israeli Defence Force (IDF), has shown gallantry, bravery and valor in taking the fight to Hamas in Gaza and Hezbolla in Lebanon. On October 18, Hamas leader, Yahaya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel, was killed by Israel in Gaza. Before Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ political leader was killed in a guest house in Teheran on July 31, 2024. His elimination by Israel marked a turning point in the war and sent out a strong signal that Israel meant business.

The killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the fearful and influential Hezbollah leader, on September 27, by an Israeli strike, sent shockwaves across the Middle East; so much so that Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, had to go into hiding somewhere in Teheran! Other Hezbollah leaders like Fuad Shukr; Sami Taleb Abdallah and commanders like Mohammed Deif; and Saleh-al Aroura, among many others, have also been eliminated by Israeli strikes. As I write, Israel is extending its assaults to financial institutions that supports Hezbollah. Over 15 bank branches that provide financial services to this group in Lebanon have been destroyed, and Israel is boasting that the bombardments will continue until Hezbollah collapses. No doubt, both Hamas and Hezbollah have suffered debilitating attacks in the last one year, and they will never be the same. The greatest duty of a government is to protect its citizens from danger and harm, and provide for their welfare and wellbeing. Any government that fails in this sacred duty is not worth being in office. Mind you, Israel is a very tiny country (22, 145 square km) – slightly bigger than Cross River State (20, 156 sq.km) - with a population of only 9.4 million people. I salute this tiny Jewish State and I commend its Prime Minister for doing what every responsible leader should do!

Let me conclude with two things. First, I would be remiss in my duty as a patriotic Nigerian if I fail to acknowledge the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform who have fought hard in the last 15 years to keep us safe and protect our nation. In spite of the several inadequacies of our security services, the Nigerian army has fought the terrorists bravely and I am proud of their services and sacrifices. Second, I sympathize with the families of ordinary, innocent people who have been killed or impacted by wars in Gaza and Lebanon. I ask the IDF to take adequate steps to minimize civilian casualties and sufferings.

The federal government has beamed a searchlight on officers and men stealing arms and selling them to terrorists, bandits and other criminal gangs.

LEADERSHIP gathered that this came up as a result of the declaration of the national security adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, who disclosed that the most arms being used by terrorists in the country are weapons that were purchased with the taxpayers’ money.

Ribadu had accused security agents of selling their arms and ammunition to the criminals.

The NSA rained curses on the security personnel who facilitate the movement of weapons to terrorists, bandits and other non-state actors.

He gave assurance that the government would do everything possible to ensure the country is safe, secure and protected.

“We have to find a way of putting a stop to this. If we want to recover our country and live in peace and stability, we must,” Ribadu was quoted as saying concerning the sale of arms by security personnel to criminal gangs.

“The worst human being is a policeman or a soldier who will take arms from his formations and sell it or hide it out for the wrong people to come and kill his colleagues.

We must fight these people, but there are merchants of death and evil from the outside world.

“The proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons remains a major threat to our national security, exacerbating issues such as insurgency, banditry and other violent crimes,” he said.

Ribadu’s revelation has sparked many reactions, questions, and concerns about how non-state actors, most of whom have not crossed the Nigerian border, are getting their weapons.

A source told LEADERSHIP that there is uneasy calm concerning where these terrorists are getting their weapons, adding that even though a process has been put in place to arrest the culprits, with the new agency under the Office of the National Security Adviser, more attention will now be given to security personnel, especially the police.

He noted that the military had been arresting some culprits, even though the number is small compared to the amount of arms in the hands of non-state actors.

He added that little progress had been made, especially in the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), which gave more insight into the new approach.

LEADERSHIP gathered that at least 10 soldiers were arrested between 2020 and 2024 for stealing and selling arms and ammunition. Among them, some have been dismissed from service, while some cases are still pending.

LEADERSHIP had reported that troops of Operation Hadin Kai had on October 11, 2022 arrested a serving soldier for allegedly stealing and supplying ammunition to terrorists.

The soldier, identified as Iorliam Emmanuel, was working under the 156 task force battalion in Mainok, Borno State.

The Zamfara State police had in April 2021 arrested seven serving military officers for allegedly supporting banditry activities in the state.

The military personnel allegedly supplied bandits with logistics and information.

Another soldier was arrested on May 9, 2024 over stolen ammunition and grenades concealed in a bag of rice in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The soldier, identified as L/cpl Mubarak Yakubu, was arrested with 756 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and four 36 hand grenades.

In August 2024, another serving soldier, a sergeant, was arrested with 485 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition and two magazines in Borno State.

“This exercise should encompass both military and para-military formations. It is worrying that terrorists who have not crossed the border of this country are holding sophisticated weapons,” a source said.

Nigerians have called for the searchlights to include both military and paramilitary.

The director of defence information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, declined comment on what the military had done. He said the minister had responded to the allegations and he won’t speak further.

Also, the director of defence media operations, Major General Edward Buba, declined to comment on the issue and referred our reporter to Army spokesman.

[Leadership]

Over two million smallholder Nigerian farmers have accessed about $40.8 million in credit facilities through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s ‘Innovative Market-led Extension Delivery’ project in three years.

Mr Jean-Pierre Rousseau, Project Director, Winrock International, USAID, stated this on Monday at a media briefing ahead of the national impact summit on the project scheduled to be held on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the project has exposed 2.021 million smallholder farmers to new information, technologies and services in Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger states, with greater access to improved agricultural technologies and financial access working with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) on alternative models of extension delivery.

Mr Rousseau said the summit becomes necessary to share the project’s impact with other key stakeholders within and outside Nigeria to catalyse adoption and sustainability across the 36 states and the FCT.

Dr Ben Odoemena, Chief of Party, USAID Feed the Future Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services Activity in Nigeria, said the project has identified 39 most impactful practices (MIPs) as key extension innovation messages or business solutions that MSMEs need to reach smallholder farmers to enhance their capacity.

He said about 70% of the improved agricultural practices are climate smart to help farmers adapt or build resilience to climate change.

“A total of 1,088 gainful jobs were created by the MSMEs, mainly youths, to cope with increasing demand for agricultural inputs and extension by the expanding number of farmers in their business networks,” he added.

[DailyTrust]

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led government of worsening Nigeria’s economic woes.

Adebayo likened the government’s policies, including the removal of petrol subsidies and the floatation of the naira, to squeezing Nigerians “like oranges,” leaving them to bear the brunt of escalating hardship across the nation.

In this interview with the DAILY POST, he shared his alternative ideas that would have made life better and easier for Nigerians instead of the petrol subsidy removal and floating of the Naira by the current administration, which have brought untold hardship to Nigerians and brought the economy to its knees with the Naira falling to its lowest ebb in the international money market.

He spoke on a wide range of other issues, including the politics of oil refineries in Nigeria and the issue of tax incentives, among others.

Nigerians are currently going through hard times as a result of the poor economy; are people like you also affected by the harsh economy?

As leaders, whatever our people are going through, we are also going through it. The pain began to affect me even before the election because I already saw what was coming. So, it’s a case of a doctor who can see that the patient has cancer even though the patient is not aware.

Are you saying you saw this coming?

Not only did I see it coming, I also said that it was coming, and I said it everywhere. Nigeria has only one problem. All the problems they are telling you about Nigeria are just symptoms of one problem and that is bad governance. Like Mrs Oluremi Tinubu said, her husband is not the cause of the problem; he is only the symptom of the problem.

Talking about alternatives, the three major candidates of the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Labour Party, LP, during the 2023 electioneering campaigns, all promised they would remove subsidy and float the currency. You didn’t go that route in your campaign, instead, you presented other alternatives. How do you think your alternatives would have had positive impacts on the economy if you had won the election?

The first thing to do in an economy is to realise that there is a lot of wealth trapped in the talent and energy of the people such that the first thing you need to do is to target the reduction of unemployment. The reason monetary economics is allowed is because the fundamental objective of monetary economics is to achieve good employment, not only of labour but also on all factors of production, so that you have allocative efficiencies that clearly want to make you want to invest your money in the economy and get people employed.

There are five areas you can look into. Agriculture is number one because it employs the highest number of people. It is also a low hanging fruit because it is easy to start. Anybody with a tractor and bucket can get started. It is scalable, so you cannot go into producing raw materials and other things that are additives. It will also make sure you govern your territory such that you are now in full control of your land, where a large portion of it are being shared with bandits since some of them are not in the control by the government. With agriculture, you will create employment and solve the problems of food as well. If you look at the incidence of food prices in the entire aggregation of inflation, it will come down.

Also, you have to invest in infrastructure. Investing in infrastructure means that you don’t allow people to do for themselves as individuals, things that we can all do collectively. That means you want to make sure that people travelling from one end of the country to the other don’t have to travel in their own vehicles because you have public transport. You need to give people good health. You need to build rural health facilities, as this will employ people and even keep people healthy and more productive. You need to make social investment in education. Many of the cases of unemployment which we are dealing with in our time will be rapidly dealt with, recruiting teachers. But the problems of the governors, even with all the money they are making now is that they don’t want to employ people because when they employ, there is less discretionary spending. This is because if you employ, you must pay as you are bound by contract. Some states, rather than increase compensation for their staff, tell their staff to come to work twice a week.

If you had won, you would not have removed subsidy on petrol and you would also not have floated the currency. What would you have done differently?

Look at the costing. I am taking their numbers so that they won’t say I’m second-guessing. When the noise first came out, it was under former President Goodluck Jonathan. At that time, it was travelling towards N1 trillion. At a time, it was over N1 trillion. When President Muhammadu Buhari came, it travelled all the way to N4 trillion in the budget, but there was some transparency in the lies such that you had to budget it in the books; it was there in the books. When we were campaigning, some were saying that if we were not careful, it would come to about N8 trillion.

For me, if we audit our consumption, definitely we don’t consume up to N2 trillion at the old price. Secondly, if we get our refineries to work, it will be less. And Nigerians need to know the reason our refineries are not working.

Can you explain further?

Let me give you a simple explanation. When you are trying to repair an existing refinery, and you have not finished repairing it and somebody gets an architect to draw a map of a refinery, you went to negotiate lands in many places, got lands, started construction, finished constructing, and now selling; you haven’t finished repairing the one already in existence. What does that tell you? It tells you that the priority is to make sure that those things don’t work.

What do you think is the problem? Is it interest within the government that doesn’t want the refineries to work or interest within the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL?

The NNPCL is part of the government, and nobody gets appointed without the government’s approval. The idea is that they don’t want to run the government. They don’t want to run the economy. They are fighting to take control of the petroleum market. They see you as a customer, not as citizens. They don’t want to be responsible for ensuring you have a good life of training your children, you can go to work with seven percent of your salary to pay for transportation.

How did the government refuse to make the refineries work?

They need to create scarcity of work. These refineries were built years ago. The first one was part of our first development plan, the Port Harcourt Refinery, which was done during the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa era. Then, General Yakubu Gowon came and started building that of Warri. By that time, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo had taken over, and built Kaduna. The idea was that we would be building more because we are an energy-rich country, and we were not supposed to be worried about the small quantity being consumed in Nigeria. If we are productive, we should be consuming one million barrels a day. We were supposed to be exporting so that even the little part we are consuming locally will not be the essence of government. How many refineries are in Singapore? Go to the refinery market, with $2 billion to $3 billion you will build a good refinery. People call bogus figures here because the government is involved and they try to siphon the money. The refinery is an old technology distillation. The refinery in the Gulf of Beirut has been there since 1900. The one in Pennsylvania in was built in 1903, and they are still working. So, what is new about refinery? Talk to chemical engineers and ask them about the largest and most complex catalytic cracking unit. How much would it cost, even if they have to get it designed from the beginning? So, don’t let us pretend that we don’t know that we have been captured and our brothers and sisters in government who captured us want to squeeze us like oranges and squeeze the juice out of us, and probably, discard us when there is nothing more. They want to remove economic participation.

Perhaps you are right; that’s why they said recently that the rich may pay as much 25 percent on personal income tax…

I, Adewole Adebayo, government, come and tax me. I am ready to pay 50 percent of my income in taxes. I don’t mind, after all, in Norway, it is higher than that. I am spending billion, literally, to power my productive enterprises. But, you cannot pauperise us, take all the taxes and still not be responsible for anything.

Anybody who tells you that we should remove subsidy from an underdeveloped economy where productivity is low had F9 in economics. In China, with $10000, you can have a factory. All you need to do is to demonstrate to the city or the government there that you are producing this particular product. If they see the production plan, they will give you a factory on credit, and you start paying back. That is not available here in Nigeria. China is the largest producer of finished goods because of the subsidy. And you don’t have to be in China. If it’s the US, the first thing they welcome you with is a letter to come and borrow money. Sometimes, the Federal Reserve gives money to banks at negative interest to force them to lend money to people. During COVID 19, I was here in Nigeria. When I went to the US, I got stack of letters, awarding me money, wanting to give money to my law firm. They are subsidizing with credit.

If you go to Europe, they are subsidizing with social services. You the employer of labour, when your worker is sick, you are not the one to pay because every worker, every citizen has life insurance and other social services, so it is cheaper to hire labour there.

Come back to my beloved Nigeria. What is the incentive for productivity? Nothing, so you cannot compete. And the little that people are enjoying because we are petroleum rich country, we should now have low energy cost. That is what will drive you to say, let me go to Nigeria to take advantage of the low energy cost for my production.

How about offering a tax holiday?

Tax holiday is one of the ways through which they steal our money. Somebody will do 100 kilometres of poorly done cement road, very narrow and not standardised, and they will give the person billions of Naira for the same road that can be done by local government. Just collect your taxes.

Are you saying that it is the mindset of the people emerging as leaders that determines the level of productivity in government and governance?

These people don’t want to emerge as leaders. They want to take control of the tap of money. They don’t want to lead you because if you are leading, you look back sometimes to see whether your people are following you. This is a case of doing to you what the colonial master was planning to do when Jaja of Opobo, Nana of Itshekiri, Ovonranmwen Nogbaisi of Benin Empire, and everybody was fighting that the colonialists that they cannot come to our place and exploit us. That is why you have the statue of Madam Tinubu in Lagos. Now, you are not being exploited by these people, you are now being exploited by your own people who are exporting your own money overseas because they want their names to appear as one of the richest persons in town. We need to stop that because we are growing a large population that needs to be productive, and that needs to express their talents. We need to form a government that gives support services. The essence of government is to back you up.

I hope there won’t be a tipping point to all these, what do you think?

I don’t want us to reach a tipping point because the tipping point is a mirage. You would think people will never accept N500 per litre of fuel. They accepted over N1,000 and they are going towards N2,000 without anybody stopping them. We need to govern. That is the summary.

Any government that cannot help you to find your missing cat or dog after a while won’t be able to find a missing child. After a while, they won’t be able to find a missing town and after a while, a community will go. Going to the Eagle’s Square to hold the Bible or Quran and say a few words, salute the police and then disappear into the shadows, doesn’t make you a government. The people must feel your presence if truly you are governing.