Issues Of Increasing Power supply To Neighbouring Countries!

Despite serious power supply deficit in Nigeria and huge amount of money reportedly owed by customer-countries, the Nigerian Federal Government recently disclosed its plan to increase electricity supplies to neighbouring countries like Niger and Benin Republics.

A 2017 reports disclosed that power supplies to Niger Republics and Benin Republic executed through Federal Government owned agencies, the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, ( NBET), and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) incurred to the tone of $101.46 million and $14.45 million respectively, totalling a whooping $115.91 million debt. 

This situation resulted to inadequate supply of electricity to Nigerians, arising from deprivation of funds for purchase of power from the General Companies (GenCos) by NBET, and shortage of funds for expansion of transmission facilities by TCN. (Guardian Newspaper, August, 11, 2017). 

During a November, 2017 Presentation of 21st Meeting of the Power Sector Stakeholders Conference in Asaba, Delta state capital city, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, in his address stated that the federal government recovered the sum of $64.630.65 million being debts owed, from supplies of electricity to Benin and Niger Republics. 

"Only recently, the federal government received the sum of $64.630.65 million from the republics of Benin and Niger for electricity supplies to these two nations."

He continued..."It is our belief that our efforts at recovering some of these debts owed by our international customers will help towards reducing liquidity challenges we face in the power sector". He stated. (Vanguard Newspaper, November 14, 2017)

More-so, during a paper presentation on "Ibom Power Plant and the future of electricity in Akwa-Ibom state and Nigeria", at a monthly meeting of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Uyo chapter, managing Director of Akwa-Ibom Company limited, Meyen Etikudo revealed that Nigeria's decision to supply electricity to neighbouring countries is economical and political. "Economical because Nigeria receives payment from Niger and Republic of Benin and Togo". He said. 

Economically, the government's recent decision to increase electricity supplies to neighbouring Niger and Benin Republic notwithstanding huge debt owed can be termed reckless. Politically, peharps there might be gains. Be that as it may, the issues with this initiative may out-weigh the gains, it is only a matter of time before the nation begins to reap the insipid results of her rather irrational scheme. 

What more can I state here, one can only give, out of a place of abundance. The only incidents I recall, where an individual (not a nation) is asked to give despite being in a state of need is in the Bible; and such actions were taken in "Faith", in Obedience to Divine instruction, in the Believe that something better will result from such Obedience. Nations on the other hand are advised to generate, gather and save. 

Government's foremost responsibility is to ensure that its citizens are to a large extent, taken care of. These care include provisions of:

• Quality Health Care is provided, 
• Good road net-works across the nation to facilitate movement and trade, 
• Encouraging remuneration(s) for workers
• Qualitative Education at the Elementary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions
• Constant Electricity supplies 
• Good Drainage planing across states
• Agricultural support system
• Enable favourable Socio-economic environment for entrepreneurship development and foreign investment
• Etc.....

The above listed and more, should be the primary goal of a responsible government. Ensuring constant...2-4-7 electricity to Nigerians, should come before thinking of exporting same to other countries. A situation as currently obtained, where Nigerians wallow in darkness and spend their salaries and business interests purchasing fuel and diesels for electricity supplies, despite electoral campaign promises of "ensuring the provision of constant electricity", while customer-countries enjoy uninterrupted power supplies they didn't even pay for, is unreasonable.

Nigeria's 'Snatched' Mace Brouhaha!

Wednesday morning, 18th April 2018, hoodlums stormed the Nigerian Senate plenary and seized the Senate's symbol of authority, the Mace. Fingers pointed to an embattled Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta-Central. 

Reported hoodlums making away with the Senate Mace

According to statement reportedly made by the Nigerian Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Senator Omo-Agege was on Thursday, 12th of April, 2018, suspended over 90 legislative days for taking the Senate to Court. An action the Senate termed "smacks of gross indiscipline..which should not be condoned by the Upper Chamber". 

The Senate had invited Senator Omo-Agege  over his comments on the amendment of Electoral Acts, 2018, but in a bid to prevent his appearance before the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, it was gathered that Senator Omo-Agege sued the Upper Chamber. This acts according to report, prompted his suspension from the Senate.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege seen escorted by the Police

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, despite his suspension, refusal to appear before the committee and based on what he (in a statement signed by Lucky Ajos, identified as a Lawyer) termed "legal advise and understanding of the current position of the Law, resumed work and sitting with his colleagues", instead resumed duty at the Senate.

A statement released by the office of Senator Omo-Agege on Wednesday, 18th April, 2018, described reports suggesting that he personally removed or encouraged anyone to remove the Mace of the Senate as untrue.

Reported hoodlums making away with the Senate Mace

“Senator Omo-Agege today resumed work and sitting with his colleagues,”

.... “a few champions of the unconstitutional, invalid and tyrannical suspension tried to stop him but those who opposed it welcomed and protected him throughout the sitting.” 

The Senator instead offered to help the Police carry-out a proper investigation on the incident. 

“Following media reports on the mace issue, the Police decided to hear from Senator Omo-Agege,” 

... “He has told them his perspective to help them carry out a proper investigation. He has since left the Police. He trusts them to thoroughly investigate this very serious matter". 

Nigerian Senate Mace found under Fly-over Bridge by a passerby: 

The Mace was reported to have been found under a fly-over bridge in Abuja,  Nigeria's Capital city, before the city gate. 

A statement reportedly released by the Nigerian Police stated that Police was alerted by a passer-by, who found the Mace under a bridge. 

Police Statement:

"Sequel to the invasion of the senate chambers of the national assembly, federal republic of Nigeria on the 18th April, 2018 by some suspected thugs who disrupted the senate plenary session and carted away the mace of the red chambers, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris, immediately instituted a high-powered police investigation and intelligence team coordinated by the IGP monitoring unit of the force and further directed a total lock-down of the FCT with intense surveillance patrol and thorough stop and search operations at various police check-points with a view to arresting perpetrators and possible recovery of the stolen mace.

"The police teams engaged in massive raids of identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence building patrols, intelligence gathering which forced the suspected miscreants to abandon the mace at a point under the flyover before the city gate, where a patriotic passer-by saw it and alerted the police..

"While a discreet investigation into the incident is still ongoing to arrest and bring the perpetrators to justice, the Nigeria police force appreciates the spirited members of the public, most especially motorists within Abuja metropolis for their support, cooperation and timely information during the rigorous stop and search operations for the recovery of the mace.

"The renewed commitment of the Nigeria police force to guarantee protection of lives and property, peace and stability and sustain democracy in the country remains unequivocal and unwavering". 

Nigerian Senate Responds: 

In order to prevent future occurrence and forestall breakdown of law and order, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in the company of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on nation Assembly, Senator Ita Enang, on Wednesday, 18th April 2018, briefed the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of the snatching of the Mace, Wednesday morning by hoodlums.

Ekweremadu stated that since Senate President, Bukola Saraki was not in the country, it is his duty to brief Vice President Osinbajo, since President Muhhamadu Buhari was attending the Common Wealth States meeting in the United Kingdom.

“I came to brief the Vice President to ensure that there is law and order in the country. “When there is this type of development it is important that he is briefed at the earliest opportunity. 

“The Senate President is out of the country, so it is my responsibility to come and brief the vice president. 

“And he has sympathized with us over what happened and he is going to join forces with us to ensure that we get to the root of the matter and make sure this does not happen again,

’’the invasion of the Senate “is a threat to our democracy’’. “

The invasion of the parliament is not acceptable to any person, it is not acceptable to me, it is not acceptable to my colleagues, it is not acceptable to the Vice President and I believe it is not acceptable to the President,’’ 

“I appeal to the media to help us bring an end to this brigandage so that people have to behave in a very responsible manner. 

"But let me assure you that we are on top of the situation, we continued our sitting today and we are going to continue tomorrow,’’

On the Hoodlums: “I believe some of them have been arrested and we will get to the root of the matter,’’ .

Herculean Task Of Getting A National Identification Number And Voters Card In Nigeria!

The buzz to obtain the Nation Identification card is high as eligible Nigerians hustle to get registered and obtain an identification number. On their part, the Federal Government is trying to ensure that as many Nigerians gets to obtain the National ID, as it is pre-requisite to obtaining the International Passport and one of the valid identifications required by banks and other key sectors of the economy. The question however with this initiative is that, like other mandatory requirements, the registration and collection process is herculean. 

Despite efforts to make this process less-stressful with the availability of registration centres in offices, churches and other religious organisations, the challenge is that most of these centres do not have enough laptops for data collation, most times connection to these few-laptops is slow, and there is the routine challenge of "not being able to print-out cards" for already registered individuals.

National Identification Number (NIN) centre area at Ilaje bus-stop, Ajah, Lekki Peninsula

The picture above shows the number of new-registrants and registered individuals waiting to collect their cards under the scourging sun at a registration Centre in one of the banks, at about 11:am, at Ilaje Bus-stop, Ajah, Lekki area of Lagos state, on Wednesday, 4th of April, 2018.

When our correspondence visited the centre, there was crowed at the entrance of the bank. Having collected the slip of some of those who were there for card-collection, NIMC officials asked them to wait down-stairs. After several minutes, an official came down and informed the crowed of the inability of the machine to print-out cards (for those whose slip were already collected), they have to return another day to collect their National Identification cards. Those who were at the venue for fresh-registration were simply asked to return another day. This indicates that only fresh-registrants who arrived the venue before 10:am were registered for the day.

Further enquiry revealed that some of these fresh-registrants and those at the venue for card-collection, came from far places and have to spend about =N=500 or more to and fro the centre. It was equally observed that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) officials assigned to this centre are few compared to the amount of job needed to be done on daily basis.

The challenges of the National Identity Management Commission, is related that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)'s fresh-registrants and those trying to transfer their Voting Centres from one state to another.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) center at Marwa, Lekki- Peninsula, Lagos

For instance, a check on a complaints registration status on INEC's website on Thursday morning, 5th of April, 2018, indicates that despite having dully applied for a transfer of voting centre since January 23rd, 2018, the centre is yet to be transferred from the registration centre (in another State, in 2011) to Lagos state, where this individual currently resides and hopes to perform her civic-duty in the 2019 elections. These and lot more remain the challenges that frustrates most 'well-meaning' initiatives in the country.

With the provision of more hands to assist, perhaps engaging the services of Youth Coppers, and volunteers, provision of more reliable laptops/ connections, well-mapped out daily plan on stage to stage registration procedures, strict adherence to due-process for registrants irrespective of individual status and relationships, might make the difference.

This post is aimed at getting the attention of the Federal Government, key officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and  the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to investigate this situation and seek effective ways to make these registration processes easy for Nigerians.

Kidnapped Dapchi Girls Will Be Rescued Or Released - Buhari Reassures!

As part of his visit to states affected by Violence across the country, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, made a stop at Government Girls Science and Technology Colleged, Dapchi, Yobe state, north-east Nigeria, bordering Niger Republic; where 110 students were reportedly abducted by members of Boko-haram insurgency group. 

During the visit, the President met with parents and teachers, of abducted school children. President Buhari re-assured parents of kidnapped girls, Nigerians and the International community, that the government will do all withing its power, to ensure the girls returns safe to their parent. 

In his word "I have no doubt that the Dapchi girls will be rescued or released. I want to reassure parents, Nigerians & the Int’l community that we will do all that is within our power to make sure that the girls are brought back safely to their families.”

Later on, President Buhari attended a town-hall meeting with traditional/ community leaders and stakeholders in Damaturu, Yobe State.

The President's full speech below:

Snake And Monkey Money Matter, Nigerians React!

Nigerians and the world, were taken aback when a sales clerk in the office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Benue state, middle belt Nigeria, identified as Philomena Chieshe, reportedly said a certain =N=36 million kept in her custody was  “spiritually” stolen from the vault in the office by a snake. The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board was reported to have suspended Chieshe and meted other disciplinary measures to her, while security agencies reportedly investigates the case. 

While Nigerians pondered on what must have informed such story, another missing fund, to the tune of =N= 70 million, reportedly belonging to the Northern Senators Caucus was reported to peharps, been stolen by monkeys.  

This came about after the dismissal of the caucus's  ex-Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, who reportedly could not account for the missing money. The new caucus Chairman, Senator Shedu Sani, reportedly said, since the money could not be accounted for, maybe, this time, monkeys made away with it. 

There is also the reported case of a mysterious fish, alleged to have peharps swallowed a missing =N=52 million meant for the renovation of Women Development Center, a contract reportedly belonging to South East Entrepreneurship Development Center (SEEDC) in Abia state, south-east Nigeria.

As ridiculous as these situations seems, there is red-flag alert that all is not well, and a pointer to the extend of decadence in the structure of the Nigerian system. The Federal Government, through its agencies, is believed to be investigating some of these allegations, while Nigerians, as usual make mockery of the situation through satires and cartoons, they also patiently await outcome of reported investigation(s). 

Roving Informant went to the streets of Lagos, to get the masses reaction to this development. 

An interviewee, a young man, who gave his name as Victor from Benue state, and who works in a Guest House in Lagos, gave his opinion about alleged missing funds currently making the rounds. 

According to him "It is because we don’t have security in our country. I am from Benue state, when the news came out, I was surprised, how can they say snake swallowed money in the office? That is not fair. It is because we don’t have security in our country. They should be able to account for the money."

Do you think the Government doing enough to stop this trend? "I think the government should not keep quiet, they should try and arrest these people and get the money back. In this our country, there is no job, no vacancy, we can use this money to improve the country, not that they will carry it and say its monkey or snake that swallowed the money." 

Broad Street, Lagos

Our next interviewee was simply identified Yusuf, a tailor at Lagos Island. He has this to say: "What I make of the missing funds things is that they take us for fools; they take us as slaves in this country. How can they tell us snakes swallowed money, where, inside the bush or where? This is insane and we accept it. What do we do, we make jest by posting elephants entering a bank to swallow money; we accept it as if we do not have any choice. I think one-day; we will rise up against all these. They have no excuse for what they do." 

Do you think the Government doing enough to stop this trend? "I think this is a new system of stealing money in this country. Tomorrow, we will still hear another story. As Nigerians, we all have the right to stand up and say No to this trend".

Another interviewee, a senior citizen, who identified himself as Pastor Samuel Alege said: "This is not the first time such thing is happening, only the magnitude has increased.  It has been happening and it will continue to happen, until we all agree to remove corruption from Nigeria. And immediately corruption is removed, then we are ready to move forward".

As someone who has witnessed many administrations, what in your opinion, can be done to stop this trend? "It will start from our religious background. The average Christian believes that ‘if I do this, God will punish me’. An average person from another religion might believe that the money they are stealing is not anybody’s money. And people of this mind-set are many, from the grass-root to the top, they occupy positions in offices, and as long as we have this mind-set, the problem will continue. Therefore, my take is that, religiously, we start from the beginning. If you are a Christian, you must not steal; likewise people of other religious believes. By the time we all agree, then the country will change. 

Do you think the Government doing enough to stop this trend? The government can continue to preach, the way they have been preaching. But to remove this trend totally, from the root, it is from religion.

A Forex trader on Broad street Lagos, who hails from northern Nigeria, and who preferred to speak on anonymity basis has this to say:  "There is nothing new there, good or bad; the people who are doing it know what they are doing. If it is good thing there are doing, it is left to them. If it is bad thing there are doing, it is left to them. Whatever they do, they have their conscience that will judge them".

Corrupt practises affects citizens, especially the poor in a negative way. Corruption is a major set-back to Nigeria's emergence as a leader in the comity of nations. Like one of the interviewees pointed out, these mismanaged financial resources is supposed to be utilised in improving conditions and lives of citizens. 

Thursday, March 1st Sanitation Exercise In Lagos!

Thursdays are generally set aside for weekly sanitation exercise around Lagos State,  Nigeria, mostly for markets and business area clean-up. On Thursday, March 1st, 2018, Roving Informant, hovered around some parts of Lekki Peninsula/ Lagos Island axis of the State, and brings this report.

Mobil Rd, Off Ilaje Bus-stop

As observed, shops and businesses all over the state, were closed between the hours of 6 to 10 in the morning. However, while some business owners observed the exercise, as seen in pictures below.

Mobil Rd, Off Ilaje Bus-Stop, Lekki

Mobil Rd, Off Ilaje Bus-Stop, Lekki

Others were seen hanging around their business premises. Aside the routine cleaning of indoors, no sanitation was carried out on the immediate environments and drainage systems.  This category of traders/ business owners normally would wait for the exercise to be over, so they could get on with their affairs.

Blocked Gutter at Ilaje Bus-stop, Lekki, this suggests the Thursday Sanitation exercise has peharps never beenobserved by business owners and traders in this area

Officials of Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) trying to dispose massive/smelly wastes at Tinubu Square Round About, Lagos Island (is this place a legal waste disposal point???)

Uncleared gutter at Ilaje Bus-stop, by RCCG, Tabernacle of David

The pictures above and below, indicate that the gutter by the RCCG, Tabernacle of David, main building and car park area, was left unattended. 

Ilaje Bus-stop, by RCCG, Tabernacle of David

Environmental sanitation officers appeared to be off-duty, on a day they are supposed to be up and about, monitoring clean-up activities around the state. Just one officer , female, was spotted along Mobil road, off Ilaje bus-stop, in the Lekki Peninsula axis.

Blocked drainage system at Isale Gangan, Lagos Island

For effective Clean-Up exercise, in-order to achieve desired goal(s), governmental and non-government organisations should participate in the clean-up exercise. We don't just take from our environment, we should give back, by taking good care of it. 

Wastes, waiting to be cleared at CMS Bus-Stop, Lagos Island at the early hours of Thursday, March 1st, 2018.

Flood as a result of un-cleared/ blocked drainage at Idu-Magbo, Lagos Island

Idu-Magbo, Lagos Island

Blocked gutters at Mobil Rd, Off Ilaje Bus-Stop, Lekki

This report, obtained from a small 'study group', in Lekki Peninsula and Lagos Island axis, but which can be indicative in reaching a generalisation, implies that periodic 'sanitation' exercises in Lagos State, and by inference, most Nigerian States is not strictly observed. Little wonder our communities are plagued with constant flood, when ever it rains and epidemic outbreaks. 

                                                              

Link to previous publication on 'environmental/ Sanitation Challenges below: 

http://rovinginformant.blogspot.com.ng/2016/11/drainage-clearance-needs-waste-disposal.html

Images Of Fallen Electricity Poles/ Naked Wires Litter Parts Of Lagos Streets!

Images below, of fallen electricity poles and naked wires litter parts of Lagos streets. This situation is dangerous to lives, especially when it rains. 

Chisco Bus-Stop, Lekki - Epe express way, Lekki, Lagos

Chisco Bus-Stop, Lekki - Epe express way, Lekki, Lagos

Agungui, Lekki - Epe express way, Lekki, Lagos

Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) should correct this, to avoid stories that touch.