Editorial
Wike’s New Year Address
In the early morning of January 1, 2022, the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, addressed the
state in a New Year’s speech. In his state-wide broadcast, the governor commended Rivers’ people for the transition to a new year and made far-reaching statements on some bold challenges facing the state.
He said: “As the clock ticks down and as we look forward to ushering in the New Year 2022, this is the time to give thanks to the Almighty God for his blessings and the opportunity to look into the future with greater hope and optimism. On behalf of my wife and the government, let me thank all Rivers State citizens in particular, and Nigerians in general, for your continued love and support to our administration throughout the year 2021.”
Specifically in the broadcast, Wike vented his concern about the massive environmental pollution precipitated by soot in parts of the state and ordered the immediate shutdown of all illicit oil refining locations. He directed council chairmen, notably Port Harcourt City Local Government, to spot such sites and implement the order. The directive stems from the failure of the Federal Government and its security agencies to contain those behind illegal oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refining in the state.
This measure will virtually reinvigorate the state government’s onslaught on the hazard. It is clear that the Federal Government is to blame for the exacerbating soot by failing to enforce regulations and laws, thereby encouraging artisanal refining of petroleum products responsible for the soot. Setting up modular refineries to absorb those involved in unauthorised refining is certainly the way to go.
The demolition of shanties that featured prominently in the speech is an excellent undertaking to end the pain such structures constitute. Most of these illegal makeshifts are identified crime spots, presenting a grave jeopardy to the state’s physical development plan. Moreover, many innocent people had been afflicted with pernicious diseases after the naive acquisition of counterfeit products manufactured by miscreants operating from shanties.
“With the cooperation of the security agencies, we identified and destroyed most of the shanties that hitherto served as safe havens and hideouts for criminals, who have now been dislodged and dislocated from the state having lost the space and capacity from which they could operate with ease,” the governor boasted.
Also incorporated in Wike’s broadcast is the expeditious ban on activities of cart pushers, infamous for haphazard scavenging of manhole tops. Law enforcement officers were then tasked with apprehending and prosecuting those who would contravene the prohibition. “These cart pushers and their unknown collaborators are also responsible for the recurring stealing of manhole covers, an act which endangers lives and public safety on our roads.
“Consequently, the state government has placed an immediate ban on the activities of cart pushers and directs law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone who attempts to violate this ban. In addition, a task force would be put in place to enforce this ban while we plead with the courts, in the interest of public safety and security, to impose the severest of punishment under the law on any convicted manhole vandal,” Wike stated.
It is sad that criminally inclined people go about vandalising manholes meant to cover deep holes that accommodate public utilities such as telecommunication cables and sewerage desilting points. It is difficult to envision what those who inflict these diabolical acts are likely to benefit. We hail the state government for its plan to set up a monitoring team to secure the manholes from vandalisation and ward off the risk it poses to pedestrians.
Significantly, in his New Year message, Wike, troubled about the operations and inimical activities of nightclubs within residential areas, placed an immediate ban on all nightclub activities, including night time trading and street prostitution along Sani Abacha Road and besieging streets in Port Harcourt to halt the catastrophic effect of the actions on the moral development of children and society at large.
While many applauded the governor for what they termed a thoughtful and courageous gesture, others criticised his action, citing some reasons. The truth is that nightclubs and the activities around them, such as drug trafficking and use, are not unrelated to the negative traits becoming more and more visible among youths. Usually addicted to narcotics and alcohol, these youths engage in unhealthy activities that they would not normally have.
Street prostitution does not give a satisfactory image, as those involved could embarrass visitors or investors to the state. Most girls now give up their education and their conscientious enterprises for prostitution. Young people are more passionately involved. That is absolutely unconscionable. We need to recognise that as leaders of tomorrow, when youths bleed, our nation bleeds.
The embargo on waste disposal in the streets or vacant locations in both the Old and New GRAs of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor councils; putting of posters, flyers, pictures, artworks, placards, or inscriptions on or under flyovers, bridges, concrete walls and the safety barricades along the roads highlighted in the governor’s broadcast is creditable. Just as intriguing is the planned creation of environmental marshals to enforce the state’s sanitary laws. Therefore, there is a need for a review of the state’s waste disposal policy to improve sanitation.
Other points from the governor’s address include the perpetual absence of some first-class traditional rulers from government functions, government’s take-over of uninhabited lands or uncompleted buildings in the Old and New GRAs and some other parts of Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor councils occupied by hoodlums, recovery and restoration of all landfilled or reclaimed wetlands, equipping of the state fire service, among others.
Indeed, Governor Wike’s New Year speech is reassuring. It is a good one and should be commended by all. The seeming harshness of the measures, notwithstanding, the governor means well for Rivers people. We can only hope that the well-articulated projections will materialise over the life of the administration. It requires all hands to be on deck.
Editorial
Alleged Budget Padding: Need For Transparency
Senator Abdul Ningi’s revelation about the padding of Nigeria’s 2024 budget with an enormous N3.7
trillion has sent shockwaves throughout the country. Budget padding has unfortunately become a regular occurrence in Nigeria since the return of democracy in 1999. Even former President Olusegun Obasanjo had criticised the National Assembly for their practices of budget bloating during his time in office between 1999 and 2007.
The budget padding scandal started off quietly with a meeting between the Northern Senators Forum and President Bola Tinubu regarding the alleged N3.7 trillion insertion in the 2024 appropriation. Senator Ningi revealed that the budget passed by the Senate for 2024 was N25 trillion, not the N28 trillion being implemented by Tinubu. The discrepancy raised concerns about transparency and accountability in the budgeting process.
Ningi’s interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service exposed the deal and sparked concern among the Senate leadership. In the interview, the senator mentioned that the Forum would look into the “additional sum of N3 trillion” and other budget items that were not previously disclosed to the Senate. This caused a push to penalise him, with backing from the Presidency. Many Northern senators chose to distance themselves from Ningi rather than support him.
Apart from the budget lining accusations, Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe disclosed during the debate on the breach of privilege motion raised by Senator Olamilekan Adeola against Ningi for his interview with the BBC, that senior senators received N500 million each. Additionally, there were claims that the government authorised N2.5 billion for Senate President Godswill Akpabio to procure deep freezers, generators and other items for his constituency as part of empowerment projects.
Budget padding continues to be a persistent challenge within the National Assembly, a fact that has been acknowledged by previous Presidents. In 2016, the chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumini Jibrin, made accusations against the former House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and three other officials. Jibrin claimed that they fraudulently took N40 billion from the N100 billion allocated for constituency projects. This scandal caused a major uproar and Jibrin was subsequently removed from his position for exposing the supposed fraud.
Projects worth N480 billion were fraudulently inserted into the budget during the defence sessions that year. In 2019, fraudulent projects worth billions were discovered in Nigeria’s defence budget. Former President Muhammadu Buhari accused the National Assembly of increasing the budget by N90 billion, making it difficult to achieve his government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
Buhari also conveyed his disappointment with the modifications made to the budget by lawmakers in 2022. These changes included a N400 billion increase in federal independent revenue, a reduction in allowances for the Nigerian Police and Navy and the addition of new provisions for National Assembly projects. During the signing of the 2023 Appropriation Bill on January 2, federal lawmakers introduced new projects totalling approximately N770.72 billion and estimates provided by MDAs were raised by around N58.55 billion.
Regrettably, President Tinubu addressed allegations of the budget alterations by asserting that those levying such accusations lacked a comprehensive understanding of budgetary processes. He stressed that the budget figures were meticulously calculated and grounded on a strong basis, while also affirming the senators’ integrity. Tinubu’s comments were intended to elucidate any misconceptions and uphold the transparency of the budgeting procedure. However, the President’s stance on the issue may inadvertently foster corruption among the legislators.
Senator Ningi’s suspension lacks legitimacy and therefore he should be reinstated immediately. Rather, the Senate leadership should address his allegations of budget padding sincerely and stop chasing shadows. If BudgIT’s report is accurate, the Senate must allocate the N3.7trillion towards essential areas like education, health and poverty alleviation. We commend Senators Ningi and Jarigbe for speaking out. We think that an independent panel of inquiry should be established by the Federal Government to investigate their concerns.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) are well aware of their responsibilities and do not need to be instructed before discharging them. They have to apprehend and prosecute all individuals involved in the alleged budget fraud to end the corrupt practice. No one should be exempt from investigation, as there should be no sacred cows in the fight against budget graft.
Our lawmakers must shun this rip-off because it diverts funds from essential sectors to projects that may not serve the public interest. This is detrimental to economic development. It worsens inequality, undermines public trust in government institutions and can lead to inflation by injecting unauthorised funds. It can also reduce citizens’ purchasing power, divert resources from productive investments, hinder progress, perpetuate poverty and facilitate corruption within government agencies.
To prevent budget padding, oversight mechanisms such as the Budget Office of the Federation and the National Assembly should be strengthened. Transparency and accountability in the budgeting process play a critical role in identifying and preventing padding. Legislative reforms should be put in place to streamline the budget process and ensure compliance with fiscal discipline. The establishment of independent budget monitoring committees can also help enhance accountability and curb the menace.
Editorial
That Kyari’s Promise On PH Refinery
The Nigerian government has announced that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) would soon start operations after missing several previously set deadlines. In a recent meeting with the Senate, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, assured Nigerians that the refinery would begin operations in two weeks. He emphasised a commitment to meeting the set deadlines for the PHRC and other refineries.
A statement by the NNPCL spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, quoted Kyari as saying: “We will make sure that promises that we made about the rehabilitation of these refineries are kept. We completed the mechanical completion of PHRC in December. Now, we have crude oil already stocked in it. It is currently undergoing regulatory compliance test before we restream it. I assure you that this refinery will start in the next two weeks”.
Speaking further, Kyari declares: “For Warri, we have also done mechanical work on it. It is undergoing regulatory compliance processes that we are doing with our regulators. Kaduna will be ready by December this year, but we have not reached that stage. We believe that it will also be ready on schedule.” He explained that the PHRC had received 450,000 barrels of crude for processing since the mechanical completion of the plant in December last year.
In 2021, the Federal Government gave approval to allocate $1.5 billion for the purpose of repairing the refinery. Subsequently, an Italian company, named Maire Tecnimont, was selected to undertake the repair work, which would be carried out in three separate phases. The main goal of the first phase is to restore the refinery’s operation to 90 per cent capacity within 18 months.
Although the project faces numerous delays and obstacles, it is a critical measure to increase Nigeria’s ability to refine its petroleum products and decrease its reliance on imports. The original deadline of 2022 was not met. During this year’s budget defence session, Kyari informed lawmakers that the PHRC would start operations by the end of December. However, that deadline was also missed. Another target of January 1, 2024, also failed.
There were two previous instances of deadlines set by Ibe Kachikwu, who was the Minister of State (Petroleum Resources). There was another timeline under Timipre Sylva, and now we are faced with the current one. This would be the fifth or possibly even the sixth one. In the past, several government officials had made similar statements, but no tangible outcomes were achieved.
The four state-owned refineries, which are old and in bad condition, have a total capacity of 450,000 barrels per day. One of them, the Kaduna plant located in the North, has a capacity of 110,000 barrels per day, while the other three units are situated in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. One of these is the Warri refinery, with a capacity of 125,000 barrels per day. All four refineries have been closed for several years.
In 2019, the four local refineries completely ceased operations, leading to fuel supply issues in the country. The Port Harcourt refinery has the ability to produce 60,000 barrels per day at full capacity. If fully utilised, this could result in the production of approximately 10.1 million litres of petrol, which is roughly equivalent to one-third of Nigeria’s estimated daily consumption.
The Dangote refinery was expected to begin producing products by the end of July last year, while the commissioning date for the PHRC continues to be delayed. This impediment is worrisome as it means that Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel will persist, potentially adding N33.3 billion to consumers’ pump prices due to freight costs. The completion of these refineries is essential for reducing importation and ensuring a more stable and affordable fuel supply for the country.
In general, we should be feeling joyful about Kyari’s promise. However, that is not the situation. If anything, we are extremely angry about the news. What should have been happy news has instead provoked the frustration in us, clearly because similar promises had been made in the past without any palpable outcome. It has become predictable to hear about the functioning of the refineries, whether in Port Harcourt, Warri or Kaduna. We hope that the GMD will fulfil his promise this time.
Since 2015, when the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) took power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had been in government for 16 years, there have been promises to maintain and eventually operate the PHRC and others, but none of these promises have been fulfilled. So, when the NNPC released a statement declaring that the government was determined to stop importing fuel and that the PHRC would start operations in two weeks, indicating the government’s readiness to end fuel importation, we are sceptical of this claim.
We strongly advise the National Assembly (NASS) to increase its efforts in pressuring the NNPCL management to fulfil its pledge of making the PHRC operational at the stipulated time by regularly monitoring its activities. If the NASS had performed its oversight function commendably, the state-owned refineries would not have been a heavy burden on public funds, preventing Nigerians from experiencing the benefits of being an oil-producing nation. If the refinery does not function as promised, Kyari should face severe sanctions.
Considering the Nigerian government’s history of making unfulfilled undertakings, it is understandable that we are hesitant to believe Kyari’s statement. Previous assurances have been broken, so it is hard to trust that this one will be any different. However, there is still some optimism that things will change this time and that the government will actually follow through on their promises. If the Tinubu administration must regain our trust and that of Nigerians, they have to demonstrate their sincerity and commitment to their obligations.
Editorial
Delta Killings: Need For Caution
The Niger Delta region, known for its abundant oil resources, has long been plagued by violence, rebellion and challenges to duly constituted authorities, especially among the youths. This unrest is particularly noticeable in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, casting a shadow over the region’s wealth of resources. On March 14, a tragic incident occurred where angry youths in Ughelli ambushed and killed 17 soldiers who were on a peacekeeping mission in the Okuama community.
This terrible act of extreme violence highlights the growing divide between the authorities and the frustrated younger generation. The significant loss suffered underscores the seriousness of the situation and shows the urgent need for quick and efficient solutions. The question that remains is: Who can be trusted to bring peace back to this troubled region?
With Nigerians already on edge about the increasing number of kidnappings in several areas of the country, the recent incident in the riverine communities of Ughelli and Bomadi Local Government Areas in Delta State has only added to the anxiety. The conflict between the Okuama and Okoloba communities, which began in January over a land dispute, has escalated and led to heightened tensions in the area. The citizens are understandably concerned about the situation and are hoping for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
The Okuama people had unfortunately lost some of their own in recent events, leading to tensions between them and the rival community of Okoloba. In retaliation, the Okuama natives allegedly kidnapped a member of the Okoloba locality. This action prompted troops to embark on a peace mission to Okuama to rescue the kidnapped individual. Tragically, the mission turned deadly. The Army then insisted on taking some community leaders with them, a request members of the community declined, resulting in the crisis.
According to reports, a group of Okuama youths ambushed the military team and viciously killed the Commanding Officer, two majors, a captain, and 13 soldiers. There were allegedly intense gun battles between the youths and the troops. Reflecting the horror of the incident, media outlets described the aftermath scene as “barbaric”. The victims’ corpses were mutilated beyond recognition with severed legs and brutally torn bowels. The chilling degree of violence demonstrated was not only shocking but also unacceptable as it showcased the severe lack of regard for human life.
President Bola Tinubu’s denouncement of the attack on the military personnel and his call to fish out the attackers was expected and necessary. However, it is disappointing that he did not explicitly mention the need to avoid extrajudicial acts by the military in the process as they are wont to do. Other Nigerians have also condemned the killings as unprovoked and have called for justice to be served. All parties must ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice through legal means and that there is no room for further violence or retaliation.
Already, reports have surfaced indicating that the military has encircled the communities, causing the indigenes to flee to neighbouring areas because of apprehension of reprisals. Viral images depicting armoured vehicles and burning structures imply that the soldiers have initiated operations. While we strongly denounce the shocking, barbaric, wicked and unforgiveable killing of the soldiers, we implore the Nigerian military to exhibit maturity and refrain from resorting to vigilantism in response. Instead, they should concentrate on apprehending the culprits, with some of them already identified.
Angry troops from the Nigerian Army recently attacked an Ijaw community called Igbomotoru, located in Bayelsa State in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. This community is known to be the birthplace of the purported ringleader, whom the troops were searching for. However, their efforts proved abortive, as the suspect had received a tip-off and fled before their arrival. Unfortunately, the invasion resulted in significant loss of life and destruction of property. Regardless of the soldiers’ anger, it is morally and legally wrong to take innocent lives. Such actions are uncivilised and give the impression that our military operates outside of the law.
It is a common practice in Nigeria for the military to respond to violence against its personnel by taking severe actions against the involved people or communities. Nonetheless, this approach may not necessarily lead to long-term peace and understanding. In fact, it could backfire and provoke more hostilities. That is why we think that the military must tread with caution. The risk is that such retaliatory measures could fuel resentment and defiance among the affected population, causing a cycle of ongoing animosity that could eventually lead to even more rebellion and hostility towards the authorities.
To look into the circumstances surrounding the regrettable incident, the Federal and Delta State governments should work together to form impartial probe panels that include representatives from both parties. The decision to deploy soldiers to settle a land dispute was inappropriate in the first place, as this is a matter that falls under the jurisdiction of the police. The military needs to concur with the police force and possibly the Directorate of State Services (DSS) in similar situations to prevent any further escalation of civil conflicts.
Nigeria’s police system needs to be reviewed in light of the killings of the military officers. Following understaffing, the military has been forced to take on internal policing duties, including tackling organised crime, oil theft, communal crises, kidnappings, and banditry. The police force must be adequately funded and equipped to effectively carry out their constitutional responsibilities. This tragic event emphasises the necessity for seeking justice without first resorting to revenge.
In November 1999, in Odi community, Bayelsa State, a gang killed 12 police officers and soldiers over oil resources and environmental degradation issues. The military’s response was severe, leading to the deaths of hundreds of civilians and the destruction of Odi. In October 2021, the military intervened in Zaki-Biam, Benue State, after 19 soldiers were abducted and killed by locals. The troops were sent to stabilise the area due to clashes between the Tiv and Jukun communities in Benue and Taraba States. Reports by Human Rights Watch indicated that the soldiers killed about 100-200 men and destroyed properties in Zaki-Biam and neighbouring areas.
The Okuama killings have shed light on the harsh reality that there are far too many weapons in the wrong hands in our country. To combat this issue and reduce criminality, President Tinubu must prioritise disarming and preventing non-state actors from obtaining weapons during his administration. The military and police should conduct thorough investigations into the homicides and ensure that only the perpetrators are brought to justice, to prevent further bloodshed and violence.
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