A rights campaigner, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, on Monday filed a suit before a Federal High Court Lagos against telecommunications companies over recent barring of phone lines.
Joined as respondents in the suit are the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Mada and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.

The applicants also named Airtel Networks Nigeria Ltd; Globacom Ltd and Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd. (EMTS 9 Mobile) as other responders.

Ogungbeje in his affidavit, averred that sometime in January, the respondents had threatened to bar, or deactivate mobile lines of Nigerians whose phone lines were not linked with their National Identification Number (NIN).

He averred that he had proceeded to court and obtained an order on Feb. 22, restraining the respondents from barring or deactivating the phone lines of Nigerians, pending determination of the suit following this threat.

Ogungbeje to his amazement, he discovered that his mobile lines, as well as those of many Nigerians had been barred by the respondents on February 28 in defiance to a subsisting court order.

The applicant therefore sought a declaration that the act by the respondents in barring and deactivating the lines of Nigerians from February 28 till date, inspite of a subsisting court order, is wrongful and illegal.

He is also seeking a declaration that the respondents being a creation of law, are subject to the court of law and its judicial powers, and are under an obligation to obey same.
He consequently, seeks an order, setting aside the entire directives, restricting the phone lines of Nigerians .

The applicant also wants an order directing the respondents to immediately unlock and unrestrict the phone lines of affected Nigerians.

He is claiming the sum of N10 billion against the telecom companies, as exemplary damages for their unlawful restrictions on phone lines of Nigerians.

He also wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining the responders from taking further steps or action against such affected citizens in relation to the facts of the case.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the new suit.
(NAN)

It was a massive relief for former United States President Donald Trump as the US Supreme Court, on Monday, ruled that efforts by independent states to bar him from the presidential ballot as a candidate in the November election cannot stand.

Justices unanimously overruled Colorado’s decision to disqualify Trump from the Republican primary ballot following an anti-insurrection clause in the US Constitution to ban Trump, cited by the Colorado judges.

Similar attempts have been made in Illinois and Maine, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment that bans anyone who has “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from office.

The Colorado ruling was predicated on Trump’s actions around the January 6 attack on the Capitol by his supporters. However, in their Monday decision, the Supreme justices ruled that only Congress has the power to enforce the provision, not states.

On Tuesday Republican voters in Colorado and more than a dozen other states will go to the polls to pick the party’s presidential nominee.

Trump has already demonstrated his capacity to win the Republican Presidential ticket, having won in important states that already voted.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State said former President Muhammadu Buhari left a poor economy for President Bola Tinubu.

Muftwang stated this while speaking during the swearing-in of 22 Special Advisers and heads of other government agencies appointed by his administration on Monday.

The governor lamented that the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians should be blamed on the last administration.

He noted that President Bola Tinubu inherited the worst-performing economy in Nigeria from Buhari since the country started its democratic experiment in 1999.

Muftwang said, “We are at a very difficult juncture in the history of this country and I’m an advocate that after the election you forget politics and face governance.

“And even though the Federal Government is being led by a party other than my own, I owe you the duty to tell Nigerians the truth that this government inherited a worse situation than 1999.

“This government inherited an economy where we simply printed money up to the tune of N30 trillion and shared. This government inherited an economy where the crude oil we’re yet to take out of the ground has been sold in advance.

“So when you’re talking about the fall of the naira, it’s not rocket time. We sold our future under the last administration. No wonder you’re hearing of riots today, people intercepting food on the way. We are lucky on the plateau that perhaps we have more food than many other states.

“And I pray that the time will not come on the Plateau that we will see this kind of riot for food, but it means we must roll over our sleeves and get to work. And that is why, for us as a government, when we announced one of the positions that talked about Food Security, people were laughing but it is a serious issue.”

The governor announced plans by his administration to set up a special agro-processing zone in Barkin Ladi LGA in partnership with the African Development Bank to the tune of 300m dollars.

He called on the new appointees to brace up to the challenge to enable his administration to reverse the ugly situation for the good of the people.

The governor added “And to tell you that some of the appointees, I don’t know them, but because we want to get things done, we’re looking for the right people. Some of them were just introduced to me barely a week or two before the appointment.

“But because we became persuaded that they had the requisite CV to fit into the position we are looking for, we took them on board. And we are confident that with their coming on board, they will add value to governance. So the most critical part for all the advisers is that you must go and look for money.

“This is a serious matter. There’s no money to share. You must put on your thinking cap and help us where we can source for funds. Some of the funds will be used for investment and development so that we can generate wealth.

“Those of you in charge of the constituencies are to step down whatever government is doing to your constituencies so that together we can move as a people.

“We have suffered enough distraction. You know of the bloodshed on the plateau. The time is now to say enough of it at all.”

Justice Lewis Allagoa of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Monday, struck out the charge against 19 Bureau De Change (BDC) Operators, following the withdrawal of the case.

The suspects are Ibrahim Jubril, Abdullahi Abubakar, Ibrahim Hassan, Adamu Isiaka, Ibrahim Abdulrahman, Jubril Hassan, Mohammed Isoaka, Mohammed Aminu and Adamu Ibrahim.

Others are Hassan Amadu, Salisu Hamidu, Mahmoud Mohammed, Murtala Usman, Hassan Yakubu, Abdullahi Kabiru, Ali Sadam. Ahmadu Yusuf, Abdullahi Hussain and Alhaji Sido.

The defendants were charged with conspiracy, unlawfull operation of forex trading as BDC operators without licence from regulatory agencies and deriving various sums of money from such unauthorised trading.

They were said to have committed the offence around Feb. 21, within the Lagos metropolis.

When the case was called, Mr Umaru Bello, from the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Panti announced appearance for the prosecution.

The prosecutor, shortly after his announcement, informed the court that he seeks to withdraw the charge against the defendants.

He told the court that he received a call from his superiors in the office to withdraw the case.

He told the court that he would not be proceeding with the arraignment of the suspects.

Justice Allagoa accordingly, struck out the charge.

The police had earlier said that the offence contravenes the provisions of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 2020.

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association has warned that the Ministry of Interior’s expatriate employment levy will deter investment in the country.

The association also faulted the levy, saying there would be a need for certain regulations to be put in place before such tax could be imposed.

In a statement on Sunday, NECA said that following the launch of the Expatriate Employment Handbook, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Interior, purportedly aimed at enhancing skills transfer in Nigeria, the new levy would frustrate the Federal Government’s ongoing fiscal and monetary reforms if implemented.

The Director-General of NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, “It will also serve as a disincentive to Foreign Direct Investment among many other unintended negative consequences. The levy of between $10,000 to $15,000 on employers that employ expatriates when Nigeria is actively seeking FDI is not only exploitative and extortionist but also a contradiction that cannot be explained.”

“While we support the Federal Government’s objective of developing the local workforce, we have been at the forefront of promoting skills transfer, technical skills development, and employment generation.

He added, “However, the recently launched initiative of the Ministry of Interior has the potential to create more fundamental economic and socio-labour distortions.“

“The imposition of US$15,000 and US$10,000 on organisations that employ expatriates at a time when businesses are shutting down and leaving the country in droves is worrisome. Recent results of many businesses have shown massive losses, a situation that could potentially increase the level of unemployment with dire socio-economic consequences.”

While raising organised businesses’ concern on the legality and appropriateness of the levy, Oyerinde said, “We are concerned at the legality and appropriateness of the Expatriate Employment Levy as well as its effect on the economy. The provisions of a Handbook can never override clear provisions of extant laws in Nigeria, especially the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Immigration Act, and the Local Content Act among others.”

According to him, the Ministry of Interior and indeed, government cannot impose a tax or levy without appropriate legislation.

He said, “For instance, Section 59 of the Nigerian Constitution requires that any imposition of tax, duty, fee, or levy must be backed by an Act of the National Assembly. Levies that are imposed without complying with the provisions of section 59 of the Constitution offends the Constitution and are illegal.”

The NECA chief also observed that “existing legislations, such as the Local Content Act and Immigration Act have already addressed objectives like those of the EEL Handbook – thus, covering the field. Therefore, the introduction of additional levies is an unnecessary duplication and could impede the ease of doing business in Nigeria.”

Oyerinde noted that “the levy, if implemented, will not only distort, and frustrate the ongoing efforts at clear reform of the Fiscal and Monetary space but also contradicts and render ineffective the President’s ongoing quest for Foreign Direct Investment. Furthermore, a reciprocal implementation of the same policy by other countries will have dire consequences on the careers and progress of Nigerians who are expatriates in other nations.”

As a result, he urged that the government seeks to strengthen existing regulatory institutions responsible for managing expatriate employment rather than imposing additional levies, thus ensuring a more responsive and accountable regulatory framework in the implementation of extant laws.

He stressed the adoption of fiscal incentives to enhance investment attractiveness, support business stability, and prioritise measures that facilitate ease of doing business to attract both local and foreign investors.

Oyerinde canvassed for collaborative efforts between the government and private sector to explore alternative revenue streams and promote wealth creation through dialogue and stakeholder engagement.

Oyerinde acknowledged the government’s goals but stressed the need for strategies fostering a favourable investment climate without burdening businesses excessively. Collaboration between the private sector and Government is vital to finding fair solutions promoting economic interests and sustainable business growth.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has issued a warning, noting that the Nigerian banking sector is becoming a hotbed of fraudulent activities, jeopardizing the economy and the financial sector’s stability.

EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, speaking in Abuja on Sunday at the annual conference of the Association of Audit Executives of Banks in Nigeria (ACAEBIN), underscored the commission’s growing concerns over the sector’s escalating fraudulent activities and the challenges they bring.

The conference had the theme: “The role of internal auditor in promoting stability in the financial services sector and national economic growth”.

Represented by the Commission’s Director of Internal Audit, Idowu Apejoye, he stressed that the group, as Chief Audit Executives of Banks, needs to increase efforts to curb these activities to uphold the trust and integrity of the sector.

“The sector is crucial as the primary supplier of credits to individuals, organizations, businesses and governments. The sector also offers several financial services such as mobilization, safeguarding of deposits, facilitating transactions and contributing to economy stability. It is one of the most important employer of labour and driver of development through its multifarious networks.

“The diversity of the banking sector is also a strength to the economy. Whether retail, commercial investment or multi-banking, no economy grows without banking, and this is why every effort should be made to tackle fraudulent practices in the sector. In Nigeria particularly, the banking sector is increasingly becoming a cesspool of fraudulent activities, and this is raising considerable challenges and concerns to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission”, he added.

Olukoyede highlighted that banking fraud in Nigeria encompasses both internal and external elements.

Internal fraud involves the direct misappropriation of customers’ deposits, unauthorized approval of loan facilities, forgery, and various illicit practices. External fraud includes hacking, ATM fraud, conspiracy, and collusion, among other illicit activities.

He also mentioned the concerning collaboration between insiders and outsiders, where bankers collaborate with external parties to perpetrate fraud.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to the country after a two-day State visit to Qatar at the invitation of the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Naija News had reported earlier that the Nigerian leader left the Presidential wing of the Doha International Airport on Monday morning and arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in the evening.

Tinubu, who arrived around 6:37 pm, was received on arrival by senior government officials led by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Other officials who received the President include his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike; the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje; and Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) Yusuf Bichi.

During his visit to the Arabian nation, the President met with investors at the Nigeria-Qatar Business and Investment Forum in Doha on Sunday.

President Tinubu and His Highness, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, also presided over the signing of landmark agreements between Nigeria and Qatar.

Tinubu also witnessed the signing of various bilateral agreements concerning critical sectors of education, enterprise development, investment promotion, youth empowerment, mining, tourism, and sports.

Also, during the business/investment forum, he spoke to the Qatari business community about the vast investment opportunities available in Nigeria with an almost unbelievable return on investment, assuring them of his administration’s resolve to make Nigeria the best investors’ destination anywhere in the world.

Amid our current economic challenges, it has become obvious that all hands must be on deck as we search for lasting solutions. It does not matter what our political interests and affiliations might be; what we have on our hands calls for patriotism, collaboration and sense of national pride. Hunger and anger go hand- in-hand, and the last thing we want is a mob action in any part of the country arising from starvation, malnutrition and hunger in the land.

The mob has no mind of its own and it is usually characterised by a breakdown of law and order: violence, looting, brigandage, and a general sense of insecurity. Pockets of protests that are meant to be peaceful are sometimes hijacked by hoodlums.

On Sunday March 3, it was reported that some residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, looted a warehouse belonging to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) over the current economic hardships in the country. The warehouse, according to the reports, is located in the Karimo Phase 3 region, Abuja.

President Tinubu and state governors must as a matter of national emergency prevent the looming social unrest over hunger and unemployment.

Some people would argue that the mismanagement of our economy over the years resulting in our current hardships is all part of life’s rich tapestry, but I disagree. With the increasing misery index around us compounded by the run-away inflation of goods and services, what can state governors do to make a difference in their respective states? What did they do with the initial N2 billion intervention fund for each state which the federal government disbursed?

Clearly, only those who have access to privileges – family members, former colleagues, old school mates, political and business associates, girlfriends, and concubines – are the ones smiling because they have been ring-fenced from the “pandemic of empty pockets.” This is a phrase popularised by Reuben Abati, former presidential spokesman and anchor of “The Morning Show” at Arise News. When you don’t have money in your pocket, what do you do?

In an article published in May last year, I challenged state governors to think outside the box and make their states centres of innovation, production, excellence and economic opportunities. Do our governors understand the meaning of multi-dimensional poverty?

More Nigerians are slipping into the poverty bracket daily, not knowing where the next meal will come from. Most families are heavily dispossessed, distressed and depressed as a result of the unbearable economic hardships. If you want to buy yam or pepper or tomatoes, you are told the price changes daily because of the volatile forex market.

If we look at the size and population of our states, most of them are the equivalents of some of the 54 countries in Africa. For example, Cape Verde that created upsets at the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosted and won by Cote d’Ivoire, has a population of 598,682 people, according to UN official statistics.

Others examples are Sierra Leone (8,791,092), Liberia (5,418,377), Mauritania (4,862, 989), Eritrea (3,748,901), Gambia (2,773,168), Botswana (2,675,352), Gabon (2,436,566), Equatorial Guinea (1,714,641), Mauritius (1,300,557), and Seychelles (107,660).

In the UN report, Nigeria was listed as having 223,804,632 people as the most populous nation in the continent. Coming after Nigeria was Ethiopia (126,527,060) with Egypt (112,716,596) at the No. 3 position.

Let no one deceive you, we are still the giant of Africa. Isn’t it evident from the population data above that some of our local government councils can also stand alone as countries? Truth be told, most state governors always underperform because they find it difficult to separate politics from governance. They are also very selfish.

Now, if our state governors are serious about developing their local economies where they currently operate like emperors, they can borrow from the Lagos State model where there has been continuity in terms of transformative leadership from one administration to the next.

If they want to look outside Nigeria, they are free to do so; after all, they are frequent first class travelers to far flung destinations of the world. A first class ticket to the UK, US, UAE, Japan, China, Germany, etc – their favourite destinations – cost over N12 million for each ticket. What of the cost of flying private jets locally? There’s too much waste going on at the subnational government level in the form of corruption and insider abuses, e.g. like paying ghost workers – funds that should be channeled into development to make the lives of the people better are diverted elsewhere.

Let the governors visit Dubai – one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – and Singapore if they are looking for ideas on how to transform their states. To be fair, some state governors are working, and have come up with what can pass as a vision for development. Will the development ideas and implementation be sustained

Unfortunately, some governors embark on white elephant projects for political expediency. Instead, they should focus on strategic projects that are realistic, achievable, time bound, measurable and make sense.

During campaigns, politicians spend a lot of money for their elections. Fund raising is a big part of the electoral process, and running for political offices is not cheap. Those who don’t have funds of their own depend on the deep pockets of their “godfathers” and “sponsors.”

You can spend your entire life savings, in addition to borrowed funds and still lose at the polls. This is usually a major hurdle in our politics and the dilemma of the political elite. All political IOUs must be settled once our political leaders get into office.

The obligation to serve is therefore relegated to the background as those who contributed to the electoral victory of the candidates are rewarded with “juicy” appointments. But it doesn’t end there. The nature of reward is often to pocket the treasury and leave the people – who stood under the sun or rain to vote – shortchanged and stranded.

The irony is that there is no sense of outrage from these voters. They are afraid to ask questions or hold their governors to account. Even when the civil society ask the right questions and demand transparency and accountability, the effort is not sustained.

When governors get into office, they pocket their local governments, appropriate their funds and set sights on their second terms – the next big project. State governors who are ready to work have no excuse. Four years – much less eight years – is a long time to make meaningful impact and progress.

But the mistake the governors and their political parties often make is to confuse their manifestoes with the vision to achieve economic prosperity and development of their states. Politicians usually make promises that they don’t keep – those promises have become a huge joke.

You can call a vision statement a strategic plan to achieve a higher purpose. A Harvard Business School study advised leaders of organisations to always have a vision, foster a buy-in culture of the people in the organisation into that vision and share success when it is achieved. It means that from Day One, there’s a shared commitment to achieve organisational goals.

This three-step model can be adapted by state governors and our presidents in Abuja. A vision that is crafted by the governor’s team – not only by the governor – should state the road map of development with milestones, timelines, targets and resources needed to achieve the set goals. Whereas the vision is the destination, the mission statement is how to arrive at that destination – with the governor as the driver of the vehicle that is in good condition.

There will be bumps during the ride, but that should be nothing to worry about because fit-for-purpose shock absorbers would have been put in place. However, changes, where necessary, can occur so that the road map to the destination is not compromised.

What governors should worry about next is how to foster a buy-in culture of the people who voted them into office. Governors must put their people first – they should be at the heart of their development agenda.

Each state should identify where they have the greatest comparative advantage and narrow their focus to those areas, instead of becoming a jack of trades and master of none. That is how successful brands are built; each state should be known for something that would attract investment and commercial success. The whole idea is for each state to have its own revenue pipelines that are consistent with the provisions of the Constitution.

By the way, the point must be made that the Constitution as it is – before any amendments are made – does not stop state governors from creating wealth for their people. This is what led to the concept of internally generated revenue (IGR) as an additional source of revenue to what is shared in Abuja monthly to each of the three tiers of government.

The Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) shared N1.15 trillion as January 2024 allocation to the federal, states and local government councils. But these FAAC allocations have made many state governors lazy. It is the main reason why our politics are a do-or-die affair, because whoever gets into office as governor presides over the treasury for four years, or even eight years.

Lagos State, with a population of about 24 million people, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), is the fifth largest economy in Africa, and it ranks as a state that can survive without FAAC allocations from Abuja. How many other states can also stand up to be counted? Maybe only a handful. That’s a shame, yet we claim fiscal federalism. What does it mean anyway if states cannot fend for themselves?

I like what Alex Otti, the governor of Abia State, is doing. He has started well, and I hope he will sustain his vision to transform Abia State into our own Dubai – a centre of economic prosperity and development excellence. Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Oyo, Rivers, Ebonyi, Niger, Enugu, Kaduna and Borno States – just to cite a few examples – are also on the right path.

As John Maxwell, the American author, speaker, coach, leadership expert and pastor says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” Our governors should lead well. Maxwell has sold more than 24 million books in 50 languages, and he is often identified as the most popular leadership expert in the world. Our governors and other political leaders can learn from him.

Since 1999, you can only imagine what each state has collected from FACC allocations which has now increased by more than 70 per cent average since June last year. But go round the most of states, and you will discover that the development on the ground does not in any way match the allocations received in 25 years.

Yet these states are in debts, and owe salaries as well as pensions. What do they do with all the money? Is it true that state governors, as alleged, raid the black market to purchase dollars at any price each time they receive their FACC allocations, thereby making the US currency expensive and unavailable?

Could it also be true that state governors and other government officials always save up dollars for the next election cycle?

What is required by each state governor is fiscal discipline, sincerity, honesty, transparency and accountability, the trust of the people they serve and the fear of God. They must also lead by example, and stop behaving like shylock landlords – it is their responsibility to bring government closer to their people with the support of local government councils.

Why should Nigerians be hungry with the vast arable land that we have? Every state should be viable and a low hanging fruit for them is investment in agriculture to tackle food insecurity.

In my earlier article, I explained that state governments can also generate revenue from the assets they host (i.e.rental income), in addition to significant commercial opportunities in music, film and entertainment, arts and culture, real estate development, tourism and hospitality, aviation, clothing and foot wear, and technology by building ICT hubs for our vibrant youth population.

If they truly understand how destination marketing works, they will make a lot of money. They should find out how Dubai did it.

Manufacturing, industrialisation and eye-popping infrastructure are capital intensive, but they can be long-term goals. States can also collaborate through regional cooperation to achieve shared success.

Visionary leadership is critical and any governor that has a development mindset will attract investors. But agreements must be honoured, and the integrity of the investment process must never be compromised. Investors – and that includes Nigerians in the diaspora – will always follow the money as long as they are sure of the returns of their investment.

Braimah is a global public relations and marketing strategist. He is also the publisher/editor-in-chief of Naija Times (https://ntm.ng) and Lagos Post (https://lagospost.ng), and can be reached via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken both symbolic and structural actions to demonstrate his belief that the current high cost of government is not sustainable. The first was an announcement or executive order directing ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to slash the size of official delegations for foreign and domestic trips by up to 60% — an action that resonated with the mood in the country.

The second is the federal executive council’s approval to implement Steve Oronsaye’s report on the merger and scrapping of MDAs. This structural action is a baby step, albeit good for proponents of a complete overhaul of government structure. Both measures are more symbolic than substantive. However, it clearly shows that the government realises the negative impact of high government costs on economic growth and providing services to the people. I acknowledge as a fact that a US-type presidential system tends to be big by constitutional requirements. In a country where the government is both an industry and a social welfare institution, the tendency for big expansive government is high.

Beyond the symbolic actions, which have their values, there is the need for substantive actions and a complete attitudinal change towards waste and profligacy in government. We have had enough debate on the unwieldy and inefficient size and structure of government, our leaders have enough ideas and justifications to prune down the size of government. The only ingredient left to make that happen is the political will. I can imagine the government is caught between a public opinion pressure to cut costs and a constitutional imperative to assemble a huge choir.

On attitude, most government officials have yet to come to terms with the reality of our economic downturn and the need to be more disciplined, prudent and productive. The signals from high officials of government are both depressing and insensitive. For these reasons, we are focusing today on those little acts of prudence that we do every day and, over time, will make a substantial difference.

Political officeholders must have an attitude change in ostentatious living and craving for opulence and status within the society. It is obvious to all that the pomp and festival of political office attracts a mob of political hangers-on whose presence bloats government costs. Trimming that is a matter of personal choice and strength of character.

In our clime, politics and wealth are almost synonymous; politicians compete and outcompete wealthy people in a show of wealth and power. The blaring of sirens and long motorcades of expensive and luxury SUVs conveying our political office holders in federal, state, and LGA is almost becoming a public nuisance and separating them from the people they should serve. Cutting down on this lifestyle is long overdue. This attitude flies in the face of our current reality, where many suffer and struggle for the basics. Frank Herbert, American Writer, argues, “Good governance never depends upon laws but the personal qualities of those who govern. Government machinery is always subordinate to the will of those who administer that machinery”.

We expect attitudinal change among political officeholders on abuse of official property, including official vehicles assigned to them. Many use this as personal property and sometimes even allow family members and friends to damage these properties. We must also jettison the culture of assigning many security attachés to VIP and political office holders. We know the security situation in the country is dire but wasting the existing security personnel and apparatus on a few political officeholders when many Nigerians need these security officers to work to secure their lives and properties is deplorable. Just as political officeholders’ lives matter, so do the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

Some structural changes and constitutional amendments are needed to cut down on the cost of governance in Nigeria. Cutting down on our bloated bureaucracy is essential to save costs. This is the aim of implementing the Oronsaye report. The government should reduce the number of political appointees and close inefficient public enterprises that incur losses that the government eventually covers. We cannot preach the message of fiscal prudence when the number of political appointees gets bigger every year.

Efforts have been made in Nigeria to address the high cost of governance, such as implementing cost-cutting measures and promoting transparency. However, achieving substantial changes requires a comprehensive and sustained approach, including structural reforms, anti-corruption efforts, and a focus on improving public sector efficiency. Addressing the issue of high governance costs is crucial for ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently to promote economic development and enhance the standard of living for the Nigerian people.

More disheartening is the fact that the high cost of government has not translated to administrative efficiency, quality services or high policy outcomes. Nigeria’s government effectiveness index for 2022 is -1.04, one of the worst globally. The index of government effectiveness captures the perception of the quality of public services, the effectiveness of implementing government decisions, the innovation capacity of political leadership, public healthcare, and public schools, amongst others. The maximum score is +2.5, and the minimum score is -2.5.

Our budget and expenditure on critical sectors such as education and healthcare, by percentage, has not improved over the years. The spending has also not delivered on indices. Our maternal mortality ratio is still at 814 per 100,000, while the mortality rate for infants and children under five years is 70 and 104 per 1,000 live births, respectively. This is one of the highest globally.

I recently had a two-hour discussion with the Minister of Health, Prof Ali Pate, and the Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa. Their clarity of vision, grand strategy and commitment have raised my hopes and expectations for the healthcare sector. Watch out for a different trajectory in this sector in the immediate to near future.

The education sector indicators are similar. Government expenditure on primary education for the year 2022 is below 0.5%, the ratio of trained teachers in primary school is 62.18, and the pupil-trained teacher ratio is 49.1, all below the West African regional average. According to the USAID dashboard, the enrollment rate and government expenditure at secondary schools are also below the regional average. This abysmal data is coming out of the same country that borrows to fund the lifestyle of government officials. Nigeria and Nigerians are stranded between poverty, insecurity, dearth of infrastructure and profligacy of government officials. These statistics speak volumes and are better than any propaganda that means nothing to the average citizen.

Addressing Nigeria’s high government cost requires a multi-faceted approach involving structural reforms, fiscal responsibility, attitudinal change and increased transparency. I will articulate a few solutions that we may have to consider in reducing the cost of government. Apart from the obvious answer of fighting corruption, wastage, profligacy and implementing measures to enhance transparency in public financial management, procurement, and project execution to curb corruption, the government should first undergo a more thorough public sector review than just adopting some part of a report authored over ten years ago and may not fit in with our current realities. The government should comprehensively review its structure, eliminating duplications and streamlining ministries, agencies, and parastatals to reduce bureaucracy. This is urgent.

Second, implement a rational and transparent salary structure for public officials, aligning remuneration with economic realities and the country’s financial capacity and regularly reviewing the same and ensuring competitiveness. Third, introduce cost-cutting measures in government operations, such as reducing unnecessary travel expenses, minimising overhead costs, and optimising resource allocation. Fourth, embrace e-government through technology to enhance efficiency in government processes, reducing paperwork and associated costs. Fifth, develop a sustainable debt management strategy to reduce reliance on borrowing.

Sixth, implement and enforce fiscal responsibility laws to ensure that government spending aligns with budgetary allocations and regularly review and update budgetary priorities to reflect changing economic conditions and development needs. Finally, encourage citizen participation and oversight through platforms allowing the public to monitor government spending, hold officials accountable, and foster a culture of fiscal responsibility and transparency through public awareness campaigns.

Implementing these solutions requires strong political will, commitment from government officials, and collaboration with various stakeholders. Mr President has started to address the elephant in the room of inefficient government structure but should take a step further by empanelling full e-governance. He would also gain the trust of the people and mileage by leading by personal example on attitudinal change of government officials. The country just needs champions of fiscal discipline and probity.

 I am a fan of the WWE - Smack Down Live and RAW. I used to find such combat sports very violent and irritating, but I later found out that there are certain qualities these wrestlers exhibit that we Christians and everybody that wants to be successful need. And they are; Staying focused and alert, self-confidence, hopeful, courageous, persistence, resistance and tactical. Like John Cena will always say, “Never Give Up!” And the current Universal Champion and my favourite, the Big Dog Roman Reigns tells you to, “Believe That!” And he proves it in the ring afterwards. His is one of the most courageous human beings that I know. These men and women truly hardly give up in a fight. Even with deep pains and blood sometimes, they still fight on. They always believe it will not be over until it is over. And sometimes after a bad fight they still come back for the next match with bandages and injuries. They just keep fighting on. But I still find boxing and kick-boxing too rough. I hardly look at them at all. Now, we are not going to discuss WWE or combat sports here. No. We want to talk about wrestling, struggling with God and it simply means faithfully and tenaciously holding onto God’s promises and his words until you see them come to pass in your life or in your situation. It is holding onto God until you receive an answer to your request. It is also refusing to take no for an answer on what you know that is God’s will.  There are levels you can never attain in God until you learn how to ‘struggle’ with him.  This involves drawing God’s full attention to a particular situation or need, convincing him why he should do that, and hanging on him until he performs what you asked him to do. This is sure a very serious issue.  That is why almost every one that wrestled with God in the bible was on a matter of life and death or about destinies.  Wrestling with God demands for strength, courage, faith, time and patience, but when successful, the reward is always sweet, enduring, glorious and monumental. Let us see few examples of those that wrestled with God in the bible:

Abraham

   Look at what happened between God and Abraham, when the former was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham on hearing the impending divine judgment went into an immediate intercession to extricate his nephew and his family from the destruction.  He struggled, interceded and ‘wrestled’ with God to achieve this.  Read Genesis 18:22-33, “The two other men went on toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham for a while, Abraham approached him and said, ‘will you destroy both innocent and guilty alike?  Suppose you find fifty innocent people there within the city – will you still destroy it, and not spare it for their sake?  Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the innocent with the guilty.  Why, you would be treating the innocent and the guilty exactly the same!  Surely you wouldn’t do that!  Should not the judge of all the earth do what is right?

   ‘And the Lord replied, ‘if I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.’  Then Abraham spoke again.  ‘Since I have begun, let me go on and speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes.  Suppose there are only forty-five, will you destroy the city for lack of five? Will you destroy the city for lack of five?’   And the Lord said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five.’  Then Abraham pressed his request further.  ‘Suppose there are only forty?’ And the Lord replied, ‘I will not destroy it if there are forty?’  ‘Please don’t be angry, my Lord,’ Abraham pleaded.  ‘Let me speak – suppose only thirty are found?’ And the Lord replied, ‘I will not destroy it if there are thirty.’ Then Abraham said ‘Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue – suppose there are only twenty?’ And the Lord said, ‘then I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.’ Finally, Abraham said, ‘Lord, please do not get angry; I will speak but once more, suppose only ten are found there?’ And the Lord said, ‘Then, for the sake of the ten, I will not destroy it.’ Then the Lord went on his way when he had finished his conversation with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his tent.”

    Wow! A master intercessor indeed! This was a very complex targeted intercession. It was indeed a ‘wrestling match’.  It’s unfortunate that ten righteous persons could not be found in the whole of Sodom, otherwise, this great intercessor would have successfully saved the whole city. Can we find any righteous people around us today? May God help us! This should be a model for any would-be intercessor. You must be patient, persistent, humble, alert, focused and articulating.  Abraham persisted and struggled until he was able to save his nephew Lot and his family from that destruction.  That was a typical wrestling match with God.  Abraham did not give up until he achieved his objective. What is it that you want from God? What do you believe him for? It is time to turn it into a spiritual wrestling match. Yes.  Fight for it! You have to fight as if your whole life depends on it. And in most cases, it does. True. We are in a war.  Life is war. Christianity is war. Success is war. If you don’t win that battle you will become a victim or a casualty - your life, your career, your future, your family, your destiny, your joy and prosperity may be taken away from you forever. You must get up now and fight. You must wake up and pray it out!  Call out those things you need that do not exist into existence. Yes, all things are possible! When you refuse to give up, God will not just bless you, but will also turn you into a blessing to humanity. Learn more from my book / audiobook Power of Midnight Prayer by Gabriel Agbo. Please, we will continue. Share this message with others. God bless you!