Economic Suicide Local Content Policy Tackles

There is a likely economic suicide or a snapping of its strenght if the productive work and commercial activities are in the hands of foreign investors, predominantly.There will be heavy dependence on importation of raw materials and personnel.allAfrica.com

 

The attendant cost stiffles the economy, as efforts to recoup the cost takes a hard toll on the economy and frustrates any meaningful growth.Local firms that were barely surviving would gradually get aground.

 

The local consuming market will be exploited as the cost of goods would be beyond their economic power.The cost of food will be high also.A rising cost of food contributes to hunger.

 

 Hunger today threatens the poor in Nigeria and worldwide.When the price of food is high, food is put out of reach of the most vulnerable and the urban poor.There may be a new face of hunger in the face of abundant food especially when a large number of people can not afford them.

 

While business risk remains a major component of the challenge, the skepticism that the local content policy has been faced with must be broken.This is preventing many to access the benefits the policy affords.

 

Taking the policy to its full actualization is systematic.There is a broad avenue to access fund and the market.The centralbank of nigeria is at the lead to drive small and mudium industrial enterprises into the mainstream of the policy.If the fund is available and the market accessible.why is there difficulty to fully maximize the benefits.

What Government is Doing With Local Content Policy

 

A new business environment is being created.One of transparency, commitment and productivity.A rejuvenation that accelerates the attainment of industrial status for the nation’s economy.Government is setting up practical standards that would transform domestic technology into a world class.

 

The challenge it brings, is to create, where there is an obvious absence, a climate for entreprenuers to take, seriously, the option to acquire technology and to transfer it to local partners productive activities.

 

The National Assembly is currently deliberating on the local content bill.When passed and assented to, as law, by President Yar’Adua, it would give verve to the effort geared at enforcing a strict adherence to the policy.

 

While government is re-organizing the regulatory and monitoring agencies for effectiveness and efficiency in their roles, a review of the tarrif regime on essential goods and services is also on-going.These are identified indicators needed to establish local industries and encourage them to expand.

 

Attractive incentives are being articulated to encourage local hybrid centres of excellence and to improve relevant local infrastructure towards capacity building.

 

Deserving local industries are said to be receiving the encouragement to set up,with  demonstrable ability and commitment, an investment that is long term,to create huge economic opportunities.Government is now willing to  assist local companies to access affordable funding for contract implementation as well as to review tax and royalty regimes.

 

Local Content Benefits

Local entreprenuers are chided to be adventuristic in their investment undertakings, to dare the odds,break the wind and begin the production of local goods that meet the consumption needs of both local and international markets.

 

The more creative the ideas they develop become, accompanied with the investors’ confidence, the more likely the success they could make.There are greater economic prospects local entreprenuers can charge at, to break the total dependence on the foreign technology, especially the challenge, technology transfer had posed.

 

It is because technology and technical expertise dominates modern business environment,globally,Nigeria is diving out of the deep waters.A countrry should be a producing economy to be relevant,producing goods and the machinery.The operating firms should be value creating outfits.Not only in the commercial market but in its staff constitution.

 

How much of what is lost can the staff regain? Of the years, time, skill and relationship.This is a petinent concern.But firms must replenish the resources of the worker.Of course, a firm and the country are known for what they produce.

 

Providing local workers requisite technical training and capacity can increase their productivity.The continious and substantial investment in local capacity builds a workforce competence, increase technical experience and create a national pool of professional that can hold their horns in the international  market place.

 

Maximizing Local Content Economy Policy

 The local content policy of the Federal Republic of  Nigeria is another dimension,the government has adopted, to grow the national economy.The focus being to encourage  a larger number of indegenous enterprenuers to manifestly get on a sustainable basis in all economic activities.

 

As a review policy,it delineates the functions of designated agencies in the manufacturing and other sectorial commercial activities.So that those whose responsibility it is to supervise and ensure strict adherence to set standards can make the economy witness a fair compitition that allows local industries to thrive.

 

This decision it is implementing to make the country a producing nation.At present,Nigeria is predominantly a consuming country.A dominant feature that is seen in the heavy relevance of the productive process on foreign personnel and raw materials.The services provision is also marked with this faeatures.

 

No matter the justifiying qualification,sometimes it is believed to be flimsy, to create job for foreigners.This is so because some of them do not have the kind of qualification that should place them above the indigenous university graduates.But they are imported and given the status of  ‘experts’.

 

The cost of hiring digs deep into the economy.With their salaries are paid to their foreigh accounts,capital is continouosly on a flight out of the country.The knowledge of the job they come with do not also get transferred or taught to local entreprenuers and workers.This practice delimits and frustrates efforts to grow the technology capacity  of the country.

 

Steming Capital Flight

The cost of retainership is high.One man is also seen as a king among other workers.This is suicidal and places the economy, by inference the nation at a risk.

 

If a low education level is identified among the indigenous work force,then educational institutions can be encourage to include sience vocation teaching in the curriculum[technical training].

When foreign technology capacity is domesticated, local production will increase.

 

Technology Transfer

Training and retraining of qualified and teachable citizens will eventually become the pool from which technical hands can be drawn.Such training comes with commitment.It is often more efficient on the job[training].Where superior officers consciously creates the atmosphere for their subordinates under study them.

 

It is the same superior who can attest to the competency  and also certify them.Then there will be a cross posting of the mentee to partner’s facility.

 

Denying employable youths to be employed and gain the experience is against the local content policy imperative.When the opportunity is denied the youths, community voices become harsh and peacefull production process stands the risk of being interupted.

 

Local content target

The focus is to develop local economies, increase savings of foreign exchange and raise the budgetry requirements for freight cost. It will also create the climate that encourages increase manhour for productive activities in the local economy and stocks of technology expertise.

Technology growth is a global issue but localizing its gains to impact positively on the lives of the people is what the policy seeks to rake in.

THE CHILD CRIES FROM PUBLIC DRAINS

It could be a cry in response to a stinging from ‘soldier ants’ or a last breathe effort.At such screeming, some well meaning members of the public could be attracted.

The revelations is one,two, three, then a fourth.. Now,  a public discourse has ensued arising from every week stories of babies being abandoned on the streets,refused heaps and drainage channels that has inundated the airwaves and pages of newspapers.

The babies are often between one day and two weeks.  A self examination of what had gone wrong in the social interactive network among the people in the urban areas to cause this growing incidence of abandoned babies is been investigated.But the disconnect among family members, neighbour and a breakdown of the value system in the society has been attributed to this incidence.

  But it is manifest that the economic hardship that is been experienced by the people is compelling them to reject the responsibility that comes with fending for the delivered babies.Increasingly,one square meal is difficult to find on the table for most people.  

The jobs are not there,micro-businesses hardly strives because the incentives are near non-available or the information on how to access them is not known to the larger number of the population.A mother who can not feed herself can not feed a dependant.  

However, experts said that other factors contributes to this phenomena.The Assistant Director of the Family Support Health Centre, Elelenwo,in Rivers State,Mrs Ngozi Nwoke said when pregnant women come to the centre,health,social and economic history is obtained and kept but the service provided does not extend beyond the centre which makes it difficult to know what they do later.

 She also connected the act to promiscous lifestyle of women and teenage girl who may have been raped.This brings with it a social stigma or a hindrance to the business gains that comes with the promiscous living.The cases are common among teenage girl suggesting that parents are not paying adequate attention on their children.  While are capable to make a woman discard her baby.

 A sociologist, Dr. Steve Wordu, with the university of Port Harcourt said most women come experince mental condition at labour to make them discard their babies.An action they regret later but could not find the babies when they come back for them because they would have been picked up by the government or members of the public.  

 When a woman is not sure of the paternity of the expected child, fear that the child that is coming may not be accepted because the woman is not legally married.He also said the near absent of effective healthcare system and social workers worsen the situation.

The lack of watchfulness in the neighbourhood,poor health campaigns,congestions in the cities,low knowledge on how to enforvce health rights and obligations make the challenge enormous.  

A psychologist, Dr. Glory Amadi sees anxiety.low self concept,aggressive lfestyle and psycho-social influences on people force them into the act.He said if the situation is allowed to continued, there will be fear among people especially knowing that they could wake up the next morning to find a baby in the gutter,backyard or roadside, near the neighbourhood.

                
                             ————————————————————-

Paternity Row: Man Throws 9-Month-Old Son Into Lagoon

  *’He Is Not  My Son, My Wife  Is A Flirt’

 It was an unbelievable  story as a 21-year-old man  narrates  to crack homicide detectives at the State Criminal Investigations Department  (SCID), Panti how he threw  his nine months old son into the Lagoon in Lagos State.

 Sule Salau from Ondo  State said his wife is a flirt and he sees no reason  to habour  and train a child whom he believes  is a product of his wife’s infidelity with her man friend.Salau  has no other alternative than to get rid of the child and continue his life rather  than allowing  the matter to bother  him.

Salau, an ex-convict  in an encounter with National Mirror in his police cell at SCID,  narrates  his story  which made him a guest of the police.

According to him, he met his wife Sarah in 2006 in Lagos where  they became friends  before she  packed her loads and join him  as his wife  without any formal  marriage.“Infact I don’t know her father  and mother  because  she said both died  before we met, I know that  she is from Ijaw area of River State but I know  some of the sisters who used to come to my house”, Salau said.

According to him, he was arrested in 2007 by the police when they were “raiding” combing the nooks and crannies of the Yaba  area in search of criminals.“I was charged to court and sentenced  to six months  imprisonment  and that  was when  my wife was pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy. One day she called me and  told me that the baby was not mine that the boy belongs  to one Alhaji so I asked her to take the baby away  but she refused  so we  continued to quarrel  over the matter”, he narrated.

“My wife is an hair dresser while I am a wood seller. We live at Popo  area of Yaba. So when I returned form the market  one day I asked her  to bring  the child and follow me and she did. In fact  I don’t know what happened to me  (he paused and  pretended as though he has a mental problem.)

“What happened to you?” National Mirror enquired? In fact, I don’t know I used to have mental problem. Sometimes I used to feel as though kokoro (maggot) is in my brain  and has been disturbing  me”, he said. When asked whether he is mentally ill, Salau replied: Yes sir.

He continued his story at National Mirror’s prompting:“We  trek to the river side at Iddo area, I  collected the child and  threw him into the river that was about  12.20p.m. in the night and my wife  ran away weeping”, Salau stated.

Police said Sarah,  the wife, could not bear the loss of her child and she went to  report the matter to  Salau’s brother who went to lodge  the report at  the Sabo Police Station where the suspect  was  arrested  and detained for interrogation.

 

XAVIER  NDAH reported the’ Paternity Row: Man Throws 9-Month-Old Son Into Lagoon’ on National Mirror-8^th April 2008.

 

 

NIGERIA:A COUNTRY PROFILE

This article was published on BBC<18March’08> and has been placed here for readers of this page to increase their information content.

After lurching from one military coup to another, Nigeria now has an elected leadership. But it faces the growing challenge of preventing Africa’s most populous country from breaking apart along ethnic and religious lines.Political liberalisation ushered in by the return to civilian rule in 1999 has allowed militants from religious and ethnic groups to express their frustrations more freely, and with increasing violence. OVERVIEW OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA Thousands of people have died over the past few years in communal rivalry. Separatist aspirations have been growing, prompting reminders of the bitter civil war over the breakaway Biafran republic in the late 1960s. AT-A-GLANCE Politics: Parliament blocked moves to allow President Obasanjo to stand for third term in 2007. The army was the dominant political player until 1999 Economy: Nigeria is Africa’s leading oil producer; more than half of its people live in poverty International: Nigeria plays a prominent role in African affairs; has withdrawn troops from oil-rich Bakassi peninsula to settle border dispute with Cameroon Timeline The imposition of Islamic law in several states has embedded divisions and caused thousands of Christians to flee. Inter-faith violence is said to be rooted in poverty, unemployment and the competition for land. The government is striving to boost the economy, which experienced an oil boom in the 1970s and is once again benefiting from high prices on the world market. But progress has been undermined by corruption and mismanagement. The former British colony is one of the world’s largest oil producers, but the industry has produced unwanted side effects. The trade in stolen oil has fuelled violence and corruption in the Niger delta - the home of the industry. Few Nigerians, including those in oil-producing areas, have benefited from the oil wealth. Nigeria is keen to attract foreign investment but is hindered in this quest by security concerns as well as by a shaky infrastructure troubled by power cuts. FACTS OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA Full name: The Federal Republic of Nigeria Population: 148 million (UN, 2007) Capital: Abuja Largest city: Lagos Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq miles) Major languages: English (official), Yoruba, Ibo, Hausa Major religions: Islam, Christianity, indigenous beliefs Life expectancy: 46 years (men), 47 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Nigerian naira = 100 kobo Main exports: Petroleum, petroleum products, cocoa, rubber GNI per capita: US $560 (World Bank, 2006) Internet domain: .ng International dialling code: +234 LEADERS OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA President: Umaru Yar’Adua Umaru Yar’Adua of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won the presidency following the April 2007 elections which were condemned by local and foreign observers, who alleged widespread vote-rigging. Umaru Yar’Adua He had served as governor of the remote northern Katsina state since May 1999. A little-known figure in national politics, he was chosen by outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo as his successor. He comes from a prominent political family. His father was a minister in the first government after independence and his late elder brother was an army general who served as deputy to President Olusegun Obasanjo when he was Nigeria’s military ruler during the 1970s. When he was elected governor of Katsina in 1999, he immediately declared his assets. In his bid for the presidency he promised to fight corruption. Mr Yar’Adua’s health has been the subject of media speculation and during the election campaign he travelled to Germany for treatment. He was born in 1951 and was a chemistry teacher until he went into business, then politics, in the 1980s. Mr Yar’Adua took over from Olusegun Obasanjo, whose election in 1999 came at the end of a period of military rule. Mr Obasanjo won a second term in 2003. A bid to keep him in office for a third term was blocked by parliament. Mr Obasanjo began his first leadership stint in 1976 after the assassination of Brigadier Murtala Mohamed in a failed coup. In 1979 he earned the distinction of becoming Africa’s first modern military leader to hand over power to civilian rule. MEDIA OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA Nigeria’s media scene is one of the most vibrant in Africa. State-run radio and TV services reach virtually all parts of the country and operate at a federal and regional level. All 36 states run their own radio stations, and most of them operate TV services. A lively press includes influential dailes and popular tabloids Licences have been granted to private broadcasters; there are around 17 private radio stations. There is substantial take-up of pay TV. Private TV stations in particular are dogged by high costs and scarce advertising revenues. Moreover, legislation requires that locally-made material must comprise 60% of output. Viewing is concentrated in urban areas. Radio is the key source of information for many Nigerians. International broadcasters, including the BBC, are widely listened to. Rebroadcasts of foreign radio stations were banned in 2004. There are more than 100 national and local newspapers and publications, some of them state-owned. They include well-respected dailies, tabloids and publications which champion the interests of ethnic groups. The lively private press is often critical of the government. Media freedom improved under President Obasanjo, but restrictive decrees remain in force. Citing high levels of violence, the media rights body Reporters Without Borders has said Nigerian journalists operate amid a “prevailing culture of brutality”. The press The Guardian - influential, privately-owned national daily The Champion - Lagos-based daily Daily Times - Lagos-based government daily The Punch - privately-owned daily New Nigerian - government daily, separate editions in Lagos and Kaduna The Daily Independent - Lagos State-based daily Daily Trust - Abuja-based daily Leadership - Abuja-based daily The Comet - private, daily Vanguard - Lagos-based, widely-read daily This Day - widely-read Lagos-based daily The Daily Sun - Lagos-based Newswatch - weekly news magazine Tell - weekly news magazine Television Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) - state-run, operates scores of national and regional stations; national services broadcast in English Degue Broadcasting Network (DBN) - private AIT - private, owned by DAAR Communications, broadcasting in Lagos and Abuja and via pan-African satellite service Minaj TV - private, serves eastern Nigeria and operates cable and satellite service Silverbird TV - private, serves Lagos, Port Harcourt Galaxy TV - private, serves western Nigeria Channels TV - private Radio Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) - state-run, operates “Radio Nigeria” stations in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna, Enugu Voice of Nigeria - external service, via shortwave Ray Power - private, owned by DAAR Communications, runs music-based and speech-based FM stations Freedom Radio - private, based in northern city of Kano News agency News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) - government-owned

NIGERIA TELEPHONING CULTURE AND THE SHADOW CAST

When the Global System of Telecommunication<GSM>,telephoning was allowed to come into operation,a  few people numbered among the first to get connected carried on with varied public mannerism.The people who could afford the GSM handsets and the mobile lines then were seen as rich people because it was expensive per time to own a mobile line.

These people and the majority of others that got connected exhibited what is commonly reerred to an GSM madness. While some shouted so loud making or taking calls,others, unknowingly, walked into moving vehicles while on the phone.The nature of ring tunes;so loud,were  also manifest enormous public neasance.

 As the number of users increased, a very disturbing trend become noticeable.This is the problem of poor receptions  making it difficult to rely on one operator’s service.This means that an average user is compelled to carry at least two phones with seperate lines. So, multiply handsets were acquired by users, thinking that it would reduce the difficulty associated in telephoning without dropping of calls. 

 But these problems have not stalled the growth in the number of subcribers base of users. This is because GSM networks have sprend services across the country which has changed the telephony attitude of Nigerians.

At least the telecommunications,<GSM> sector has come to be reckoned as the fastest growing telecommunication industry in the world today.This is pushing the fixed network to an obscure angle.It now gasping for survival.The fixed lines network have been in used for a long time ,performing similar tasks as those performed by its mobile lines because of the successes in most of its protocols. 

The access to telephone services<GSM> by the majority of the people is a reverse of the picture created in the nineties when the present senate president, Senator David Mark, while he was still a serving military officers told Nigerians that telephone was not for the ordinary citizen. Then it was seen to be for the highly placed in the society; a status symbol of a sort.

But the situation has changed tremendously with the telephone now a dominant means for an increasing number of people to communicate with each other.Experts attribute this growth to the mobile nature of Nigerians which increases the demand for mobile services. 

 The pick point of pain experienced by Nigerians is the daily loss of money to poor quality of service characterised by dropped calls and undelivered SMS. Operators still deduct money for services not rendered.

The Nigeria Communication Commission, NCC, worried by this extortionist tendencies, has in January 2008,directed the operators to compensate the subscribers for these lapses. The expected defraulded sum amount to N4.7 billion.

The operators had at several times failed to meet the NCC specified Key Performance Ind-icators average for network quality of service on the national average.While NCC said Glo mobile telecommunications passed the performance indicators test,MTN and Celtel did not. 

The two GSM operators are to pay N175 to each of its active subscribers as at end of January 2008.The amount will be paid to subscribers in form of credit.But the directive is yet to be adhere to a month after  the directive was given.

A breakdown of the figures determined by the NCC shows that MTN needs to compensate subscribers 15,873,000 x N175 =N2,777,775,000, while Celtel owed subscribers 11,098,500 x N175 = 1,942,237,500, bringing the total to N4,720,012,500. The operators, however, kicked against the decision by the NCC and took it to a Federal High Court in Lagos to challenge the determination but lost the case.

Thess are indicators  that it is time for the operators to have a rethink and instal a reliable refund mechanism to subscribers for services not rendered.Already subscribers want NCC to be more forceful to make the operators comply. 

Since complaints of poor service delivery by subscribers was raised all over the nation, the regulatory body for the telecoms sector had come under fire with some stakeholders blaming the commission for being inactive and not wielding the big stick to call the operators to order.

But the NCC said it had made moves at curtailing the excesses of the operators but with no avail as regards restoring normalcy to the QOS.The NCC in a bid to ensure that operators keep up the QOS made a number of moves that has pitched it against the operators.

The first move was NCC’s recent order stopping promotions by the operators until they expand their capacity to carry the additional subscribers that the promo’s will attract to their networks.

The NCC also fined one of the operators N5,000,000 for not meeting the quality of service parameters set by the commission.The direction by the NCC to operators to pay subscribers on their networks between N50 to N175 every month for as long as poor quality service delivery persists will cost operators between four and six billion naira. 

The NCC has also promised the operators further sanctions if more than five per cent localised congestion is experienced on their networks.When the operators commence refunds to subscribers, Nigerians who had expressed frustration on the poor quality of service will be glad of the opportunity to at least get something back for all the monies they’ve lost to the Quality control Service.

MATCHING THE THREATS POSED BY RENAL DISEASE

If  a twenty five per cent of any particular secondary school’s enrolment is diagonized to have kidney related problems,then it is time to have a national out look on the forward thinking imperative that 2008 world kidney.org day presents.It was in this spirit, probably, that a team of medical students and practitioners embarked on a road show.

 They resounded their voices through the loud speakers on a moving van excorted by other vehicles.The team urged members of the public to eat right,drink right,play right,live right,sleep right and consult the medical practitioner regularly.It is just about time for a new health orientation. 

These urges being the content of the sensitization messages,the team was poised to be a awakening of the consciousness of the public.This is the second time such team of Nophologists were at such activity in the three years such world day was declared by the United Nations;13th March every year. 

Such world day, no doubt, is intended to be used to raise the knowledge level of the members of the public to watch against this Chronic kidney disease that has increased glomerular filtration rate in people. Many other inconveniences suffered include crush injury, hypertension, and uremia. 

The team, at different stops, endeavoured  to stage pieces of playlets to give a more verve to the awareness campaign.But beyoud that, there was the need for some hand bills to have been produced .Such would have been given to members of the public. 

It could provide a more long lasting information tool giving necessary details concerning the disease.Handbills’ descriptive information is invalueable.The absence of any handbills suggested that the road show was ill-planned, impromptu or not well budgeted for to cater for the production of  handbills.

A kidney ‘either one of a pair of organs in the dorsal region of the vertebrate abdominal cavity, functioning to maintain proper water and electrolyte balance, regulate acid-base concentration, and filter the blood of metabolic wastes, which are then excreted as urine. An excretory organ of certain invertebrates.’

 But taking a shot at the 2008 theme; looking back, thinking forward, it is obvious that the snags previous years have witnessed would be taken in stock and a road map drawn for a more ordered action.This resolution should be concerted and well targeted to drive at a change and raise hope.

 Medical practitioners and well meaning individuals at the vanguard of such self less campaign must keep at it.To equip the people with the requisite information that directs the people on how to adhere to preventive measure against  Bright disease; diabetes mellitus; hypertension; kidney failure; nephritis. 

 The more lack of access to Lots More Information by the people on appropriate manner to live on balance diet on all the food classes plus adequately Maintaining Water Balance and regular exercises the more distanced the needed reversal of the attitudinal would be. 

If this is allowed to stream the wheel be clogged in adhering to the ‘…thinking forward’ process imperatives.This would continue to place people at ‘kidney danger’. 

In Nigeria, the statistic figure of people who come under the danger of kidney failure number thirty thousand adults and one thousand children.This poses enormous fear. To tackle this, Nephrologists are set at a regular campaign targeted at children in secondary schools.

Nephrology concerns itself with the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases including electrolyte disturbances and hypertension, and the care of those requiring renal replacement therapy, including dialysis and renal transplant patients. Many diseases affecting the kidney are not limited to the organ itself, but are systemic disorders, and may require not only a whole patient approach, but also special treatment, such as systemic vasculitides or other autoimmune diseases, such as lupus.The believe is predicated on the fact that most kidney related problems diagonized in adults actually starts at child hood.  So many reasons subsist to have caused chronic kidney failure which include Diabetes mellitus Hypertension. kidney cancer, kidney stones,pyelonephritis,  systemic lupus erythematosus, amyloidosis, Alport syndrome, and oxalosis. In a society where there is a prevalence of poverty,consulting a medical doctor is not a first thought.People can also, scarcely, live right.They indulge in acts inimical to good health, and do not take to heart what should constitute adequate and balance diet.

 If they, at least, could consult the health practitioner,the likelihood of early dictection of the  presence of  kidney disease is possible.This done the patient would need not to die without medical succour.There could also be the possiblilty of a dialysis or  kidney transplantation.

Each of these options is very limited, medically expensive and unaffordable. This makes it more imperative that members of the public stay away from junk food,eat more fruits,quality food,drink proper water and do exercise, at morning and evening time. 

The chairman,medical advisory committee, Dr Aaron Ojule and Professor Felicia Oke said living right and providing useful information on kidney related problems to members of the public is a more worthy way of thinking forward.    

UNDERSTANDING AFRICA PEER REVIEW MECHANISM [APRM]

Africa countries are now on the move to break away from the the notorious position often held by other members of the global community that it is a backward continent in every way to development.The continent has been noted for its perennial pockets of regional conflicts, unstable government; poorly managed democracy and economic upheavals that lowers living standard of the people.There is a manifest poverty. 

The collaboration that is festered among Africa countries to harness the Africa resources to develop the continent by peer review can work .A positive change that will come about because Africa counties are willing to learn from each other in the area of politics,democracy, economics and other social activities.If they learn are apply what has been learnt what is there to dampen?.

Such comparism only makes each Africa country watch the back of the other. The greatest challenge facing the Africa Peer Review Mechanism [APRM] is for the acceding countries to define the road maps on public participation at country level.Such that establishes and publicise feedback mechanism between levels of government and non-state stakeholders.

The stakeholders need correct and regular information; unimpeded assess, that will help them to understand what is going on in other countries and that of the indegenous country. It is not unlikely that most Africa countries restrict access to information or publishes an incorrect one to put the people in a rather difficult position to understand going-ons in the Government . 

It is the thinking of APRM that stakeholders should also be involved in gathering information and data for the formulation of Country Self-assessment Report [CSAR] and the formulation and implementation of National Programme of Action [NpoR]. 

It is the difficult in having the leveled ground for this unguided, volition propelled participation as well articulated by the vice chancellor of Rivers State University of Science of technology,Nkpolu, professor Barinene Fakae who was the chairman at the sensitization seminar on APRM In Rivers State on February, 2008.

 He sued for sincerity and transparency and truth on the part of the government in coordinating and encouraging the citizens to speak out their observation and contributions to good governance  without intimation. The transcendation of all embracing Africa programme as the APRM and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development<nepad.org> are, this commitment is primal so that all the partnering Africa countries, especially, the individual country’s citizens and levels of government to understands the nitigrity of the programme. 

As flagship programme of NEPAD,APRM wascrafted to  good governance countries.As an Africa programme mutually acceded countries as an instrument  to self monitor themselves.Agreed Africa and international standards have been streamlined to enthrone and foster good governance in  the continent.This good governance is encourage and not forced upon member countries who voluntary; African Union [AU] Has ascented membership. 

The mechanism does not intend to import external assessment to judge or rate the performance of a country on predetermined scorecard.It is not also a punitive foray.The APRM is built to become a catalylist for advancing reforms in governance and socio-economic development  as well as build capacity in the continent. 

As a representation of the collective expression of all Africa leaders for sustainable good governance.APRM primary mandate is to encourage the adoption of policies and practice that conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values,codes and standards. These also include the socio-economic objectives as spelt out in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development declaration on democracy,politics, economic and corporate governance document.

NEPAD has remained the spring board on which APRM stands.As a strategic policy and socio-economic framework of the Africa Union,it elicits obedience from the members states. At the 6^th summit of Heads of states and government implementation committeee of NEPAD held at Abuja,Nigeria on March 3,2003,APRM core documents were adopted and signed as an memorandum of understanding [MoU] which now stands as APRM accession document. 

APRM foster the adoption by Africa government of the policies,standards,values and practices that leads to improved governance.It encourage inter-country experience sharing,comparism,capacity building and peer learning by exercising constructive peer dialogue and persuasion in order to achieve improvement in all aspects and at all levels of governance. 

The principle that propells APRM is the elicitation of demonstrable commitment at the hieght level of  political leadership of an acceding country,national ownership and popular participation.There must be openness, transparency,inclusiveness, accountability and technical competence. A credibility and independence that should be gained from political manipulation. 

Stakeholders participate in the APRM.The APR Country Review Team,during the country support mission[CSM] interacts and consults extensively with gover officials,partiamentarians representatives of political parties the business community and representattives of civil society organisations. This foster suport and deepens interpretative understanding of APR process.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF A BUS CONDUCTOR

Commercial bus driving and the bus conductor’s role on the buses are usually dated to the 1970^th .The bus conductor has continued to be a regular feature, especially on the double deck buses that ply in towns and cities, not only in London Routemaster but in parts of Africa,Asia and America. 

Gradually, this bus conductor’s service has graduated to become  an appreciated part of the service expected when a passenger is on board a commercil bus, whether it is a double deck or not. 

Today, issues on the History  of the place and job of the bus conductor in commercial buses is become a subject to varied opinions.Despite these different stands, every commercial bus plying intra and inter states, no matter the distance it covers;of two or three hours kilometre drive,the driver’s  mate; bus conductor, service becomes more impotrant.  

The bus conductor is expected to exhibit good sense of business to the passengers patronizing the bus to which he is a conductor.Often times his work is a volunteered service,to provide assistance to the driver, attend and give the passenger best attention.Sometimes the bus conductors scrabble for passengers’ attention and persuade them to patronize the vehicle to which they are attentants.  

Litrarily, they lift off from the hands or heads of the passenger any load the passenger is carrying unto the loading bus.It is also a perceived duty of the bus conductor to direct the passengers and lead them unto a convenient sitting position.It is, however, not unlikely for such supposed assistance from the bus conductor to be despised. 

The passengers think they have a right and are entitled to any sit of their choice. But the bus conductors’ assistance in conducting the passengers to appropriate seat positions, sometimes, saves unpleasant situations. 

Such situation like a ‘big sized’ passenger who stubbornly sits near to the car door could make it  either difficult to close the door or further inconvenience both the conductor or other passengers. The greater inconvenience is caused when the pre-supposed sitting position meant for the bus conductor is staked.

 When this is so, the accruing fares from the seat becomes unaccounted for.It belongs to the bus conductor.The driver can not request for it.This is a standing concessional provision for the bus conductor. It is also a common belief among members of the public that the bus conductor is a notorious tout and miscreant added to this inconvenience he caused the passengers.

This belief is usually not suffiently substantiated.

 There are bus conductors who do not live on the streets as miscreants.The lack of descent jobs has made some of them to undertake the service as a way of supporting themselves economically.Their dress code, however, give them away.But the job is a dirty one and would not require a ‘very low’ income earner him to have a big wardrobe budget.  

Whatever is the goodwill they enjoy during the day of service, sometimes they could pilfer the entire collection before giving account to the driver at the end of each trip.The bus conductor knows that at the end of the day, he would be given at least a five hundren naira wage. 

That is the macre wage they labour for each day.This is aside the breakfast,lunch and sometimes, dinner allowance, he receives.The bus conductor is not expected to be a ‘zombi’.Not slothful.Not a weakling.But smart, capable to ‘shine eye’ when it is needful.So much ‘monetary intelligence’ is required of the bus conductor to attend to the passengers needs as they are on board the bus. 

He also as collect the fares accurately form the passenger as they come on board  and alight at bus stops,opening the bus door for them.The bus conductor connexions-direct.com who is good at social relations could engage the passengers in varied discussion on social, political, economic and ‘yabbies’. 

Those who have good sense of humour tell interested jokes. At other times,they  engage or roughly confront the passengers.This could create a fierce tension and assaulting results.When the tension hieghtens, the driver intervenes in the squabble. 

He calls the bus conductor to stop the rift.At other times, other right thinking passengers mediate in the brewed tension. But there is always a general feeling of complex and anger among bus conductors because of the disdain they suffer in the public palace. 

This is part of the content of animousity that make them pensive and sometimes unfriendily to the members of the public.Other complaints include the deliberate keeping back of ‘a change’ for the passenger who has offered a high currency and lack of regular bath that has stamped on them offensive body ordour.  

The bus conductor is also accused of selling his seat position and rather choice to hang on the front seat passengers’ back rest or sit on the metalic cover of the engine adjoining to the front seat.  On a number of times there has been an outright physical between the bus conductor and some passengers over some of the observed complaints.

To this end, there is a growing mixed feeling about the role played by the bus conductor and the level of relationship that should subsist.  

Some conductors like Biran Gbara, Nwabueze Chukwu, Boniface Peter and Monday Udoh said most passengers are always paranoid and transfer aggression of whatever ill they have suffered else where on conductors.This makes them less tolerant, pensive and emotional. 

Usually, they intentionally present high currency notes in spite of the advice given to them not to  join the bus if they do not have the exact fare. Bus service operation and scheduling. However, such passengers bluntly would join the buse just to cause such conflicts.Wht they do is to pair passengers to share and sort themselves. 

This,usually, aggreviates the passengers. But that would be the best to do in the circumstances.

 On the part of the passengers like John Ufo, Ebi James and Madam Ruby Chukwu acknowledged the important role the bus conductor plays. They, however, want the bus conductor to be more civil, have regular bath, be more respectful and stop pairing passengers who are not bounded to similar destinations. 

They also complaint that the bus conductor sometimes indulge in ‘stealing act’ of lougage.Which he had assisted to load up unto the boot of the bus. At the point of stopping, the passenger may be very unlunky to discover that his baggage did not make the journey after all.At such point, the bus conductor acts a good sympathizer’s role.

After the hues, the passenger goes home without his baggage.If only they can change for the better there will be not misunderstanding and querrels. 

 An official of the Garrison-Slaughter Trans-Amadi unit of the National Union of Road transport Workers, Henry Okotto said it is often times difficult to identify the character of a conductor before engaging his services.But what they do, as a union, is to dismiss any unruly bus conductor when  discovered.But he is first cautioned,then observed for a notable change. 

  The unit also organises a regular briefing sessions for them to streamline behaviour of bus conductors. Members of the public are also encourage to make formal report on any conductor who was found   to be unruly.He assert that the unit is doing the best possible to maintain a good passenger relationship.

UNHEALTHY RURAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

Health is wealth.Evidences at every turn one takes proves this to be true. A healthy man/woman works with assured strides of steps. Howbeit, such person could not be said to be free of any presence of disease, aches and virus in his body system.

But he knows that he is healthy to pursue his daily businesses and catch up with appointments. He is fit to contribute productivity to the socio-economic growth of the nation. It is this need to ensure the creation of wealth .irinnews.org  both on individual, state or national basis and level that efforts seemed geared to  instituting a dependable health care delivery system worthy to trust, for the people.

It is first of all a prime function of the government, in spite of what the citizens can do, to keep a healthy environment and good hygiene,to provide the mechanism and facility for health care delivery. A healthy people makes a properous nation.ahro.kabissa.org So that when a sound health care delivery programme beginning at the grassroot is streamlined, the people feel to have been integrated into government programme.

Doing otherwise, would scuttle the expected national prosperity. Rural health care centers are built to cater for the primary health care needs of the the rural dwellers africaaction.org. This is where the village people live, those who make up the greater population of the people.

When a village man is incapacitated by the stroke of ill health,actionaid.org his fate hangs in a balance. The first remediation conceived by such ill health affected village man is to consult the native doctor<herbal medical practitioner<debia> . 

He does this because he is financially poor. Can not afford the orthodox medicine and the services provided by the clinic.This is the understanding,globalissues.org no doubt, that has made the state government to establish the health centers. The medical services there are to be subsidized to make health care accessible to the people. This is an enormous challenge.

But every year budgetary allocation is made not only to pay the personnel nor to maintain the facility but to regularly provide the equipment; drugs, beddings and other accessories, required at these centers.When this attention is not adequately provided by the government, it is not only considered to have failed or abdjucated  its responsibilty but subjects its citizens to “health suicidal living”. 

This is so because the rural communities are distance from the urban cities where medical services are said to be handy with a larger number of health practitioner available.In times of health emergency at the rural communities,plutius.com it will be cumbersome for such sickness afflicted person to go through the pains of beating the transportation hurdles or the communication difficulties to access medical service. 

While almost every rural community has health care centers, usually located at the local government headquarters, it has not elicited greater or wider reach to the hinterland.The health personnel also do not reflect the training and humanity they are expected to possess. There is need for regular retraining.

Sadly, it is said that only one fully accredited medical doctor if not a youth corper or nurses are posted to such centers. Most rural health centers are increasing becoming less functional.Not only because of the poor work attitude of the personnel but also for the fact that the supervisory authority shelf their responsibilities. 

By this, health care delivery continued to deteriorate. Drugs are almost always unavailable under the scarcity syndrome. This is a severe set back. The scarcity of drugs is however a common syndrome  in clinics and hospitals. This has contributed largely to the low status of public hospitals seen as glorified diagnosing centers. 

At the private clinics, there seems to be a  conspiracy against the patient who most times is short changed and made to pay for services hcpartnership.org  not provided him or asked to stay a little longer at the hospital bed to incur more financial expenses. 

Every year, government budget spells out how adequate supply of drugs and health services should be made available to the rural health institutions and by extension the people.This, usually, do not follow the outlined  intentions, regrettably. The question that is asked often is where does the money go.

Can any one give an explanation?. Statistics continued to show high rate of mortality and morbidity in the rural areas. Poor water supply, sanitation and illiteracy make worse the situation.The more neglect the rural health service suffers, the higher the records and indeed a proof right of the ranking of the country as the forth among polio-endermic nations in the world, aside the threat tuberculosis [TB] is posing. 

Truly, life expectancy for both men and women has dropped to 43 years and death is put at 13.7%.The  nations’ health care spending ,as a percentage of gross  demestic product[GDP] is just at 2.2% and hospital beds per one thousand of the population is only 0.9%.The  implication is that one bed is used by one thousand people. 

Though this is a rough estimate, it shows how the rural communities’ health care delivery is some what deplorable. Stakeholders have continued to decry the situation .It is no wonder that the rural community people are left with the choices of self help efforts and they do this by patronizing quacks, trado-medical herbs or the itinerant medicine peddler who often presents one drug as potent to cure a catalogue of diseases and ailment.