Nigeria

Civil and public servants in a sizable number of states in Nigeria have continued to grumble over the non-implementation of the 30,000 Naira new minimum wage.
Indeed, State Governors insist that dwindling allocations and revenues are stumbling blocks that have actively prevented the living wage from becoming a reality in the States.
This is just as a big chunk of the monthly allocations continue to drown in the pool of white elephant projects.
Most labor unions have maintained a worrisome silence on the issue, just as workers argued that self-centered interests have overwhelmed the mindset of an unspecified number of labor leaders. The workers are disappointed.

Some State Governors have now coopted the confused and disillusioned workers into revenue generation methods that are synonymous with crime, criminality, and sudden wealth.
The above mentioned among some other reasons have stimulated agitations by the workers in low tones since their acts of omission and commission are better imagined than exposed.
Sadly, mutual suspicion and distrust are the hallmarks of relationships in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
Furthermore, the questionable lifestyles of workers in the states have become subjects of debate among all and sundry in these times of excruciating economic hardships.
   

The Central Working Committee of the Association of Civil Servants of Nigeria(ASCSN) has been called upon to reinstate the suspended National President, Deputy Secretary-General, and others it sacked.
This call was made, in a chat with Federationews2ay, by an Ex-Officio of the Oyo State Council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), who is also a former Chairman of the union, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.
''I call on the Central Working Committee of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria(ASCSN) to immediately without delay reinstate the national President, Comrade Bol Audu suspended by the Central Working Committee, including the Deputy Secretary-General who was disengaged alongside 20 other workers of the secretariat last month. The committee should also proffer a lasting solution to the problems weighing down the association.

As the debate among Nigerians on the geo-political zone the next President of the country should come from in 2023, the Ezendigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state, who is also the Vice President, Ezendigbo in Diaspora(South) and the Chairman, Non-Indigenes Traditional Heads in Oyo State, Eze(Dr.) Anozie opines that the Igbos should be given the opportunity to produce the next President in 2023. Excerpts ;
Why do you think the next President of Nigeria should come from the South East?

In the interest of justice, fairness, the true unity of the country, peace, and tranquility, I suggest, I appeal, and I plead with Nigerians, all political parties in Nigeria to pick their presidential candidate from the South East. It would go a very long way to soothe frayed nerves and douse the tension in the country. I am not saying this because I am from the South East, even if I  am not from the South East, I would still say this. So what I am saying is in the interest of Nigeria, the peace of the country, the unity of the country and I believe that everybody that calls himself or herself a good Christian or Muslim should support the call for the next President to come from the South East and if such happens, all the agitations here and there shall by 50 percent fizzle out. And by so doing, Igbos would like to show their stuff and what they can do. They would like to set a pace in the governance of Nigeria.
And I know that some other people who are showing interests, other Nigerians showing interests from different parts of the country may also be good materials for the position, but we are pleading with them to be considerate and look at the Igbos and all their contributions in the whole country Nigeria and give us the opportunity to lead this country. My mind is telling me, my spirit within, my God is telling me that when such happens Nigeria would begin to breathe a brand new life.

I am one of those who believe that Nigeria is a beautiful country, if justice, fair play, equity, and the security of lives and property of every Nigerian is assured for everybody to have a sense of belonging for good leadership to be put in place. To this extent, everything should be done to ensure justice, equity, and fair play. These are the only things that would make all ethnic groups want to remain in Nigeria, so by the time the South Eats has finished its tenure in governance, power should move up to the North, a part of the North from where a President has never emerged and when they finish with their tenure, power should move down to the South again and that would be the South West and so on and so forth.
And Nigerians will not accept any military coup all this while. Everything should be done to ensure that there is no military coup because Nigerians will say no.

The consensus among Nigerians is that the arms build-up in different parts of the country has its background woven around the aspirations of actors in the socio-political scene in the land.

The arms build-up festers side by side with poverty, hunger, and brigandage, while the land has over time become fertile for trading in illegal arms with evil deeds as the major focus.

Indeed, state actors are familiar with the negative effects of injustice, inequality, nepotism, and favoritism, but are, sadly, handicapped by self-centered interests and incurable greed.

Interestingly, the competition for power and privilege has resulted in the loss of precious lives and the wanton destruction of the properties of innocent and harmless citizens. The debate among Nigerians now is on what constitutes the major functions of state actors.

The illegal influx of arms and ammunition has continued unabated through constitutional and unconstitutional channels with the active connivance of those who ought to be well-informed on security matters.

As violent crimes soar nationwide through the use of sophisticated weapons, Those-in-Charge have adopted the position of spectators to the amazement and chagrin of Nigerians.

The brazen and daring nature of terrorists who have now resorted to the abduction of terrorists has confirmed that state actors are being economical with the truth.
This assertion was made by an Ex-Officio of the Oyo State Council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), who is also a former chairman of the union, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.
''The brazen and daring nature of the terrorists has only confirmed that state actors are not telling Nigerians the whole truth on the present worrisome situation, wherein students are now targets for abduction. State actors should immediately tell Nigerians the truth'', Comrade Emelieze stated.Transfer Money with Wise

The World Bank report that 7 million Nigerians are now under the poverty line has only confirmed that there is massive poverty in Nigeria.
This assertion was made by an Ex-Officio of the Oyo State Council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), who is also a former Chairman of the union in the state, Comrade Andrew Emelieze in a chat with Poverty Line.
''The World Bank report that indicates that 7 million Nigerians have fallen below the poverty line in the last 2 years confirms the reality on the ground that there is poverty on a massive scale in Nigeria. The prices and goods and services have gone beyond the reach of poor Nigerians. The insecurity in the land has prompted several farmers to abandon their farmlands, the resultant effect is the high cost of foodstuff all over the country.

The Public and Private Partnership trend adopted by state actors at both the State and Federal levels have sadly attracted investment in non-productive sectors: dubious estate developers, land grabbers, betting companies, hotels, petrol stations, and religious groupings with government-friendly posture and the productive sector: plastic soft drinks, sachet alcoholic stimulants, and enhancers.
The policy is yet to attract internal and external investment to the productive sector,-the creation of employment and influencing economic activities upwardly.Transfer Money with Wise
In a number of states the private sector, embarrassingly weak, while in others it is dominated by the controllers of the exploitative tendencies.
Most of these states have already achieved the status of dumping ground for HIV/AIDS drugs including the ones that have been outlawed by the World Health Organization. The number of casualties remains unreported. 

Indeed, prostitution, sodomy, and homosexuality among other sexual perversions are now industries in major cities. Pickpocketing is also an industry.
PPP is now synonymous with the total abandonment of the economic welfare of the people as a legitimate function of state actors.
Petty traders who have opened shops in available spaces including residential areas have assumed the status of investors.
Indeed, politics to the people is group action, but when an individual starts to play a bigger role in a political party, then all is not well.
Interestingly, the empowerment of friends of state actors, cronies, proxies, and well-wishers, has dashed the hopes of the people to get a fair opportunity to participate in various empowerment schemes.

Nigerians have been advised to be vigilant and wary of the scheming of evil people who are in every part of the country.
This advice was given by a Christian cleric, Pastor Opeyemi Ajayi in a chat with Federationews2day.
''Evil people are everywhere in Nigeria scheming and hatching wicked plans. Nigerians should be vigilant. God expects them to change, but if they do not change they shall end up in hell. Evil people look for the downfall of the righteous. Evil people are pretenders, you can never know the evil in their hearts be wary of them, Pastor Ajayi stated.Transfer Money with Wise

The impression everywhere is that State Governors and Chairmen of Local Governments, who are entitled to borrow under the Debt Management Act, shall abide by the provisions of the Act and exhibit a high sense of responsibility in managing borrowed funds.
Indeed, the ongoing debate among Nigerians is the sustainability of the debts at all levels of governance, since the country has only a single economy.
The Act seeks to ensure prudence in the management and utilization of borrowed funds, while simultaneously plugging in several measures that shall guarantee transparency in debt management at all levels.Transfer Money with Wise
Considering the worrisome debt profile of the country, the major concern now is how the loans are being utilized.
Without a doubt, indicators suggest that Nigeria has relapsed to the experience of 1978 and 1990, the period of excessive external debts.
Nigerians are already expressing fears that Those-in-Charge may have taken the country back to the past when it could not pay or service its loans.
It is a fact that no state can borrow externally unless the Federal Government borrows from them and turns it to them via a supplementary agreement, as stipulated by the constitution, that no state can borrow on its own externally.
Although the states' domestic debts are shrouded in mystery, the resolve of law enforcement and security agencies not to protect criminals any longer shall go a long way in checkmating the unabating insecurity nationwide.
Not long ago Those-in-Charge stated that the South West Geo-Political zone is the most peaceful, perhaps, but the insinuation is that it could be a covert directive. Days after, the unexpected occurred in a community in Oyo state.
Sadly, the reactionary and snail-speed approach to governance in certain states is already suggesting a veritable means to an end.

Nigerians have been called upon to be steadfast in their faith in God.
This call was made by a Christian Cleric, Pastor Opeyemi Ajayi.
''Nigerians should be steadfast in their faith in God. All aspirations of human beings are tied to God. All should have faith in God, regardless of the situation they find themselves'', Pastor Ajayi stated.

In a pluralistic nation with many different ethnic and tribal groups, there must be cultural type variations with corresponding diverse opinions and perceptions on the way people would view the process of achieving unity, growth, and development.

Every Nigerian believes and knows that inclusiveness is the bedrock of upholding the spirit of playing prominent roles in the scheme of nation-building.

However, it is no more so, as it manifests in the laws of such a virtue as patriotism, whereby the powerful tool in the national anthem, most especially, on how the efforts of our heroes past shall not be in vain becomes just a song and the objective of the pledge for the nation only lives as a mere tantalizing mirage because we all fail to walk the talk of the beautiful oath of allegiance.

Laws of patriotism have adversely affected our leadership and governance postures because of the attendant stance of Timocracy in our veins, making us think more of the benefits we may, individually and by chance, source from the opportunity of service.

Worse still, we see service as business as usual making the people lose interest in their leaders as well as influencing the people to believe that corruption is legitimate.

All Ministries Departments and Agencies including Parastatals are now been run through a lackadaisical approach as well as with no passion for the nation that belongs to all of us.

The challenges of inclusiveness have led to the marginalization of women in all spheres of our lives including the areas of decision making that even directly affects their lives.

Worse still, the government's neglect of people with disabilities is a product of our leaders' insensitivity to most of the international instruments from the United Nations on the need to domesticate such articles of laws, policies, and their implementation as they may affect the development of the nation and the wellness of the people.

From our era of the dignity of labor and work just for the affluence level, we are now in an era of kleptocracy in government, the disregard for the rule of law with blatant impunity with strange clauses in the constitution.

The unity of the nation is been threatened by the failure of the government to deliver the people from the shackles of poverty, hunger, and diseases to give way to insecurity.

In the face of injustice and inequality, there is a limit to which the fundamental human rights of Nigerians can be trampled.

We must, therefore, disallow the state of degeneration of the current situation.

In the Yoruba tradition, the broom usually resists the attack from flies, but when we allow the broom to scatter on the floor, people trample on it randomly.

We must not allow degeneration to set in, to the extent that the socio-spiritual state of every man would be negatively affected.

Those in positions of power, therefore, need to be sensitive and responsive to the people's yearnings for the necessary improvement of their wellness status, to promote inclusiveness for the people's sense of belonging to ensure unity, growth, and development.

 Information Leak: Govt Official Arrested in Sudan

The Director of Information, Khartoum State, Sudan, El Tayeb Saad Eddin, has been arrested for leaking classified information to unauthorized persons who took an active part in the immediate past administration of Al Bashir

According to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA), Saad Eddin's arrest was ordered by the Committee for Dismantling the System of 30 June 1989 and Restoration of Public Funds.

The News Agency also stated that investigations and charges are being drawn up in line with the Dismantling Act and the Public Service Act.

The allegation against the Director revolves around the fact that he has ''continued to communicate actively with elements in the dissolved National Congress Party”.

Nigeria began to face the challenges of physiological needs since 1973 when the government of the day resorted to importing rice and cassava to make up for the production seeming lapses as it began to affect our Gross Domestic Product and exporting index with regards to agricultural proceed need will essentially spread to all spheres of human need.
Our neglect of the agriculture sector, particularly, forestry, livestock, and farm produce as we diversified with 80 percent focus on oil brought in the era of urbanization, but minus rural integration.
Unfortunately, the urban cities were not well managed and there was a mass drift of the people from the villages to overpopulate the yet-to-be-standard urban cities, thereby causing overcrowding for emerging diseases to surface.
Merit considerations and the dignity of labor no longer exists, rather nepotism is the trend.

In a general term, Maslow's hierarchy of needs becomes difficult to operationalize in rearing children, natural nurturing of adolescents, and self-desire realization for the society to benefit from the ripple effect on our growth and development profile which is presently poor, making Nigeria become a mere talk shop rather than a place where we walk the talk. The foundation of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is physiological needs spreading over food, clothing, and shelter. The country's hides and skin industry has gone into extinction, same goes for the paper industry. Presently, the country imports toothpicks.
The refineries are non-functional, that is why the subsidy challenge persists. The education sector remains underfunded when compared with the benchmark  OF 26 percent specified by UNESCO.
This is trailed by a high rate of unemployment and insecurity. The re is also the issue of obsolete and deteriorated facilities.
Let the government work for the society to imbibe the message of the focus of several opinion leaders.

By May 29, 2021, the number of Those-in-Charge at both the Federal and State levels of Government shall be six years on the saddle, while others shall clock two years in their seats.
Interestingly, it is evident that the ruling class is yet to take positive steps to build a country hinged on equity, justice, and the fear of God.
Indeed, common sights in major cities in Nigeria include students, pupils, and those in the out-of-school category, hawking ''pure water'', kerosene, pepper/tomatoes, soap/detergents, and several other edibles, while the song on the mouths of everyone is titled,'' future leaders''.
The places to impart knowledge-Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary-are now breeding grounds for cultists, armed robbers, rapists, ritualists among others in the school uniforms for those in the Primary and Secondary schools.
The limitless strength of the devalued Naira has ensured that cronies of the government at all levels control the decision-making bodies of most trade unions in a bid to allow their paymasters to have their ways.
Not surprisingly, the singular factor that counts, presently, in the country's political culture is CASH. 
The individuals who are opportune to have it in abundance treat others in the population with total contempt.
Those in-Charge, long before now spend their entire tenures, seeking to control the government and the political party structure, forgetting that the political party is not for a single individual.
However, the trend is for the party executive to run to a single individual whenever money is needed to run the party secretariat.
The implication that the dispensing point has the party in his pocket while the majority of the party members remain aggrieved and now grumble loudly for people to hear.
In Oyo State, Nigerians are not surprised that there are visible perforations of the walls of the St. Annes School fence that separates the Girls' school from the Olorunsogo, Molete community, and unregulated entry into the school through the perforations since Those-in-Charge prefer the reactionary approach to governance.
Similarly, hoodlums in the community have converted an abandoned building on the same street as the Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG) Potters House to a launchpad for crime and criminality, in connivance with the residents particularly those who reside in No. 5 and 8 Kehinde Aderibigbe street.

A State Governor who swore an oath to uphold the contents of the 1999 amended constitution and also secretly backs calls for secession by self-determination groups is unfit to occupy such a seat.
This assertion was made on Sunday by a Radio analyst, Dr. Praise Akinwande, during a program monitored in Ibadan, Nigeria.
''Any Governor who has sworn to an oath to uphold the contents of the 1999 amended constitution and is now backing the calls for secession is unfit for the office he occupies'', Dr. Akinwande stated.

A State Governor who swore an oath to uphold the contents of the 1999 amended constitution and also secretly backs calls for secession by self-determination groups is unfit to occupy such a seat.
This assertion was made on Sunday by a Radio analyst, Dr. Praise Akinwande, during a program monitored in Ibadan, Nigeria.
''Any Governor who has sworn to an oath to uphold the contents of the 1999 amended constitution and is now backing the calls for secession is unfit for the office he occupies'', Dr. Akinwande stated.

It is stale news that a considerable number of companies have divested from Nigeria.
Their relocation revolved around challenges of energy,  infrastructure, and insecurity which has rendered business operations in the country prostate.
It is regrettable that Those-in-Charge has woefully failed to retain the confidence of investors by sustaining crucial industry support requirements viz electricity, good roads, and security.
Interestingly while the multinationals and a number of indigenous companies have taken refuge in Ghana and other countries, the Chinese, Indians, Lebanese, and Koreans have filled the gap and taken a firm grip of the economy. This set of investors have a reputation for exploitation, casualization, and the payment of stipends as wages to helpless workers.
In a number of instances, the workers are subjected to long hours of work without leave or holidays. Sadly, Those-in Charge has endorsed the country as a safe haven for this particular set of investors, who have over the years undermined the efforts of the law enforcement and security agencies.
 It is not surprising the Debt Management Office(DMO) has disclosed that Nigeria is indebted to China to the tune of $3.7 Billion.
Curiously, the ambition and other selfish reasons of some helmsmen in the states which has almost brought Nigeria to its knees are the major stimuli for their intentions to conduct Local Government elections in these perilous times.

Human development is a major prerequisite for national development.

However, the Federal, State and Local Governments have been lackadaisical in ensuring the development of the appropriate manpower that ought to impact positively on the country.
Young boys and girls, who are, of course, students of Primary and Secondary schools in different parts of the country, are a reflection of the rotten state of the education sector in Nigeria.
Indecently dressed, disrespectful, rude, wayward, and equipped with obscene language, these children have continuously exhibited behavior and attitude that does not suggest that they have a future.
Of great concern, is the terrorism traits they also display, in addition to the taking of outlawed hard drugs such as Indian hemp.
Sadly, the parents of these children subtly encourage them to embrace criminality as a means to an end, since the affected parents had a similar upbringing.

Furthermore, teenage prostitutes soliciting for partons is commonplace everywhere, while the same applies to their male counterparts. Indeed, homosexuality has gained more ground in Nigeria.
Fathers and Mothers, who reside along Molusi, Solanke, Oyegbami, Oshodi, Scout Camp, and Felele communities among others in Ibadan, Oyo state, openly consent to their children's engagement in criminality. This explains the high number of hotels, beer parlors, and ''Ogogoro'' joints in these communities, which serve as solace to various categories of criminals such as kidnappers, armed robbers, ritualists, and car snatchers.

Of great worry, is the increasing population of illiterates among the young and the old alike, just as accusing fingers point to the leadership for aiding and abetting criminals in these times of insecurity, economic stagnation, deceit, and treachery.
Sadly, those in the category of Not-Too-Young-To-Run, who are fortunate to be elected or appointed into public offices at all levels of government have become negative influences to the Nigerian youth.

The Federal and State Governments have been called upon not to compel workers and Nigerians in General to take the COVID 19 vaccination.
This call was made by an ex-officio of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress, who is also a former Chairman of the TUC, Comrade Andrew Eemelieze.
''The government at all levels are called upon not to force workers in particular and Nigerians in general, to take the COVID 19 vaccinations. And for the politicians who have taken the vaccines jabs, we demand that proper tests should be conducted so as to ascertain if what they took was the COVID 19 vaccines because people are in doubt of what was actually administered to the politicians'', Comrade Emelieze stated.

The only way to deal with the government at all levels is for the electorate to have the effective right to have performed below expectations.

Nigeria is in dire need of highly intelligent lawmakers, who are self-willed and not unreliable political jobbers.

Indeed, the disheartening and unfortunate state of the nation is a good reflection of the incompetence of the leadership at all levels.

Of great worry is the fact that those who represent Nigerians alongside Those-in-Charge have failed woefully to meet their expectations, rather the exploitation of the people's long-suffering is now the trend.

In the last five years, the lawmakers have consistently ruined the lives of Nigerians, while the quality of life of the masses is yet to improve.

The lawmakers have been deliberately maneuvered, in a bid to erode the relevance of the opposition.

Those who pay the piper dictate the actions of those in the National and State Houses of Assembly.

Even though the leadership of the Legislature at all levels may mean well, the overbearing influence of the Executive is an imperative guide.

This is a dispensation of polluted governance, the emphasis is on money, not conscience.

Sadly, leadership is in the market for sale to the highest bidder.

Ignorance, mediocrity, and treachery are now some of the hallmarks of governance today, as exhibited by a number of Those-in-Charge, weeks ago inside the fortress, in an attempt to politically preserve their treacherous activities.

The indiscipline attitude of the people has brought about the depreciation of the environment.
Presently, heaps and heaps of refuse characterize the environment in most states.
Sadly, the lack of political will coupled with the very weak resolution of the government has impeded the effective enforcement of laws and policies.
Indeed, the environment of  Olorunsogo, Molete, and several other communities in Ibadan, Oyo state are sick and shall remain so, until the residents are compelled to do the right thing.

Strangely, the occupants of No. 5 Kehinde Aderibigbe Street, Olurnsogo, Molete(two-story building) mobilized other residents of the community to vandalize and convert the private property at No. 3 to a refuse dump.
The culture of the people now includes among others, throwing out waste materials indiscriminately and in any available space, while dumping of garbage and other harmful material continue unabated.
Although most state governments assume some responsibilities of ensuring a habitable environment, same have failed to develop strategies toward the sanitation of the environment.
Of note, is that roadside traders, criminals on motorcycles, and cultists thrive in states where those in charge desperately seek political preservation.
Of worry, is that various categories of criminals converge daily in a space  directly opposite the entry of the Government House in a state to ply their trade
The mind-boggling human and financial resources that have been sunk in the fight against the filthy environment in most states is now the debate among the people.
The involvement of the private sector in environmental sanitation has had little or no impact on the environmental conditions of major cities in Nigeria, except for the monetary gains for the contractors.
Curiously, community leaders and other residents have over the years provided moral and financial support for cultists and other categories of criminals mainly because they reap indirect benefits from criminality.