Re-Branding of Nigeria Launched

The Nigerian government has launched a national image campaign aimed at reversing the negative perception held by people about that country and its people. The campaign kicked off with the launch of the slogan and logo in Abuja, Nigeria.
The vice President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who unveiled and presented the logo/slogan to the public said the re-branding launch does not mean a quick solution to the plethora of problems prevalent in the country.

The problems he listed included poor road network, epileptic power supply, poor health service, corruption, unemployment, election rigging, internet scam, drugs and other negative attributes that Nigeria has been associated with over the years. These he said will not just disappear but as the re-branding campaign subsists there will be a national ethical revolution that would nip them in the bud.

He urged Nigerians to continue to make valuable sacrifice, develop a positive mindset that things can work well in the country, be committed to upholding community value and live by integrity. While the government would pursue the Millennium Development Goals in building the institutions that would encourage national re-orientation, moral re-armament, and holistic push to inculcate believe in Nigeria as government is run with a responsive spirit to the need of the people on the pedestal of the rule of law.

The Chairman of the occasion, Yakubu Gowon, said no matter the negative perception held about Nigeria and its people, the problem can be redeemed if all Nigeria will develop positive attitude towards Nigeria and stop running it down with acts and words.

He urged the leadership to lead by examples and work to make better lives for the average Nigeria. Then it will be difficult to neither celebrate the ills nor be held ransom to the criminal few whose activities are seen as representation of what Nigeria is.

The Minister of Information and Communication, Professor Dora Akunyili, said though similar image re-branding projects had been undertaken in the past like the MAMSER, WAI and HEART OF AFRICA PROJECT, the present version is different because it is home grown, launched in Nigeria and propelled by Nigerians to make Nigeria be seen as a positive and good world citizen.

With the project, other nationals will not be trusted to tell Nigeria stories from their perspectives. Nigerians must therefore acknowledge their good attributes and celebrate them with believe in themselves. Then with systematic information dissemination activities minds will be re-orientated and Nigeria can be equipped to tell Nigeria stories.

The re-branding she said, will attract foreign investors, tourists, create employment for Nigerians, reduce crime, build trusted institutions, make Nigerian want to do things for Nigeria, stop harassing of Nigerians at embassies, airports in other countries and build a strong Nigeria spirit of wanting to ‘die for one’s country’.

Professor Akunyili said the project is people centered, internally based, motivate, inspire and promote the Nigerian and national values. It is people private public partnership venture to create rigorous awareness, encourage participatory/consultative approaches and regular national tour to every state of the federation.

The focus will beam on school children also for value orientation, build honesty and get valuable feedback from all the regions with the committee of information commissioners in the states headed by Edet Asim of Cross Rivers State coordinating their state activities.

The slogan is ‘Nigeria, Good people great Nation’ created by Chike Obinah. Already the slogan will be sent via cell phones to 60 million Nigerians.

2009 World TD Day; I AM STOPPING TB

2009 world tuberculosis day has been observed with a focus to raise public awareness on the danger associated with the disease in Nigeria.

This year’s theme being I AM STOPPING TB is based on the need to check the spread of the disease in the developing countries of 22 in number with Nigeria rated the fifth TB burdened country.

The opinion of a cross section of the public in Port Harcourt and Obio Akpor local government in Rivers State and Yanagoa was sampled Tamunobarabi Gogo Ibulubo who observed that most of them claimed ignorance of the effect of tuberculosis and any meaning full effort done either by the government or individual to stem TB.

They called for more public enlightenment campaign by the government to enable members of the public to identify the infection and how to access medical facilities.
According to them, they encourage their friends or relations who show signs of protracted cough to consult relevant medical practitioners for assistance.

The state TB control officer Dr. Bamidele Agborubere and the World Health Organisation south-South Zonal officer for TB Dr. Michael Jose said TB is a killer disease and advised that any one who has experienced persistent cough for two weeks to go for TB screening test and treatment .

They encouraged members of the public to avail themselves of the twenty two TB diagnostics centres located at health centres in eighteen local government areas in Rivers State. Members of the public can also go the one hundred and thirteen Dot-centres for attention. The treatment for TB is free with modalities being concluded to make diagnosis free also.

The noted that most of the death witnessed among HIV/AIDS victims is reinforced by TB presence in the person and called for commensurate attention for TB situation as given to HIV/AIDS.

They advised affected people not to expose their sputum, avoid overcrowded places, and open their windows and doors for cross ventilation in order to check TB in the society.

A Writer Can Not Be Quiet

 

They flow, the writers, that is, through the lanes,from different professions into the writing sphere.There are also born writing individuals.

First, they get the inching; worried about the need to make public the content of their thoughts.By this, they devise the best technique of approach to tackle the write-able topic.

This could be propelled by what they have observed,heard or read.Others,spontanously,flow into it without understanding the reason for the drive.

They write a first copy,cancell it ,write a second copy and cancell again.If that copy is not good enough,satisfying what they intend to give out,they write again and lock it away from the public eyes.A few of such writers make further effort to go public.

They are so dicouraged because of the cost implication of publishing.Even the internet could be very expensive for them to use.

The traditional publishing avenues may not look in their direction because they are not a ‘name’ that could be accorded attention.Some of such desirous writing prospects,move further to seek a freelance opportunity to do so for free,giving out their thoughts on paper to contribute to public pool of information.

Most publishers may accommodate this position because it removes all financial obligations on them. All such times the published items are judged on the premise of their relevance to comtemporary issues and the beauty of the language used.

Sometimes, the approach/angle the issue is discussed also becomes an attraction.When the writing propect knows that he is now and always, an accepted contributor, his morale grows daily and gradually, he becomes a pro.

The pro’ writer never would cease to contribute his quota to enrich the columns,pages,weblogs and the stalls the daily published books must fill.This consciousness keeps the writer alive.

He lives and is active because he is writing and attending talk sessions that his written works has created/elicited for him.But can the writer stand at the rostrum and not utter any word? The audience would think that he must have suffered a momentary speech ceasure and would sympathize with him.

They could also want to volunteeer assistance to move him back to his seat or home.Such writer would feel a greater sickness not for what he said verbally but for what he was unable to say.

The writer would not always desire such situation, so will crave another opportunity to correct whatever impression that must have been built..This urge is what qualifies the thinking that to be silent is unlike a writer.

Imperative of mentoring

 

It will be a great comfort if one had come to your assistance to solve or get a task done that you have spent longer time fixing. This is what mentoring avails the ill experienced individual and helps him/her attain set or required goals faster and maximize potentials.

We all want gain but at what price? If gain was free and easy we would all sign up. However, it is not. In order to gain something we need to lose something. Trying to plow our way through life and accepting the rewards of  hard work often times seems like a good enough gain. What seems like great gain and steady progress to you, might be far less than what God has planned for you.

One form of being mentored is discipleship. A disciple is simply a learner. If we take what we learn from another guy who has traveled the long and dusty road before us, and apply it to our life we gain wisdom.

Want some mentoring help then look for a mentor in your community.

Cultural Festival 2008

The procession of floats and troupes that participated in the Rivers State cultural festival christened ‘Carniriv 2008,our culture our pride’ began at about nine thirty five this morning 5^th December 2008 when the Nigeria motorcycle club members led by Charley Boy drove their powered bikes, not only to pull out more spectators from where they lurking but to trill them.

 

Thereafter, the floats, numbering about 29, depicting various indigenous sea animals, birds and other cultural identities of the accompanying groups, drove out from the premises of the Catholic Institutes of West Africa along the Port Harcourt Aba expressway unto the road.

 

All  the twenty local governments have floats including some corporate organization ,hoteliers, Nollywood actors as well as National Youths Service Corps members that lined up the stretched of Port Harcourt Aba expressway between the Rumuomasi, market and the artillery junctions.

 

It was at this point that the State government right honourable Chibuike Amaechi and members of the State executives councils joined in the procession climbing up to the leading float, a well decorated typical canoe.

 

From this point , the floats processed to Airforce, Rumuola  and the Waterlines junctions where some of the cultural groups found some convenient spaces to display their dance steps with  enormous excitement at with repeated cheering by spectators.

 

Some of the spectator expressed great joy for the carnival, noting that it has provided a forum for common sharing and play together to show case the rich culture of the state.

 

They said the carnival has defied the fear that has enslaved the people and given them the liberty to come out without any doubt to display the rich culture of the people of Rivers State.

 

Already, Governor Amaechi said the carnival would be a yearly event.

 

The last time such carnival was organized in Rivers State was in 1988.

Elechi’s Students at ANA Poetry Reading Evening

The evening of poetry reading at the Delta Hotels in Port Harcourt to mark the November 2008 edition was more colourful and exciting in many ways than one. It attracted a large attendance; enthusiastic lovers of literature, up-coming and published poets who were desirous to read their poems to the pool of critical audience who offered useful critiques.

 

There were laughter and clapping of hands to each reading but be sure that high ovation and applause never attend reading of good poems. At best, what was observed was a rapped attention displayed by them and a  deep mind contemplation to find out possible meanings  of each of the poems. For the audience would have been lost in such intellectual travel to remember to clap.

 

Among the number of readers at this Rivers State branch of the Association of Nigeria Authors [ANA] was Tamunobarabi Gogo Ibulubo who read two of his poems; Pronounce the sentence and Okrika rising which are part of the collection he has earmarked for paper cover publication in 2009.It got critique and stood out as an effort that matches the poet’s standard and meet the taste of poetry. It was the first time for him to do such public reading and with the commendation, his is determined to make public more of his poems.

 

Also lined up for the evening were graduands of class nine of the Elechi Amadi school of creative writing. Only seven of the ten students succeeded considered under categories of assessment; participation, merit, credit and distinction scaled through the huddles. Ms Enemesit Omofia emerged as the best graduating student with a gift of cash and Elechi Amadi’s ‘book the concubine’

 

The  Elechi Amadi school of creative writing  was set up to offer a plat form that would attend to the common problems Dr. Amadi had observed with scripts that has been brought to him by prospective writers. Dr. Amadi said that instead of the students being asked to pay forty thousand naira as fees, he has subsidized the fees allowing students to pay twenty thousand naira only.

 

The state chairman of ANA Minima welcomed the writers, lovers of literature and the graduands and reminded of the writer’s unbounded and parallel  world.

The 2009 literary competition for all secondary students in Rivers State will commence in  December 2008 while the BBC playwriting competition for 2009 is rolling  and would end in March 2009 as explained by the British Council, Rivers State Center Manager, Ms Patience Nwoke.

 

  

Obama is America President

Democratic Senator Barack Obama has been elected as the Africa-America president of America.

Nigeria to switch to digital broadcasting

To read this piece, you will go to the
http://www.africanewscom/site/list_topics/404.
Efforts are achieving it.

Harnessing Efforts To Stop 80 Billion Dollars Oil Loss Per Day With Niger Delta Oil and Gas Conference

The book titled ‘Dying Voices of Gongs’

Economically Progressive Port Harcourt

It is a reality that has remained undisputed, publicly acknowledged and that the capital city of Rivers State and indeed to entire state is the country’s economic base. It is the highest producers of the crude oil that has sustained Nigeria’s economy.

Most people do not know much about Niger Delta. It is in this region that Port Harcourt city is located.

 Today , as a proof of what span of capacity it has , it has been  admitted into  the World Energy City Partnership. This places it as the third of such countries in Africa and   running behind Luanda and Equatorial Guinea.

 
The admission followed its presentation by the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce led by its chairman at the May 2008 conference in Houston, Texas. There a public acknowledgement of the new dimension of the role that  Port Harcourt plays globally. The attestation is that the city is an economically progressive city.

 
Nigerian’s President,Umaru Musa Yar’Adua told newsmen on the 8^th July,2008,two days before he declares open  the  oil and gas conference and mini exhibition at Abuja,that  the acceptance is another landmark achievement of his administration.

President of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Prince Billy Gillis Harry said the admission  places it in a better position for global investments.

According to him, WEPC is a platform for the partnership in energy among the 15 member-cities in the world and operates as an elite oil activity city recognised globally and would also benefit from the attention member cities enjoy.

Soaring High Cost Of House Rents

As the nation’s population increases, there is a manifest insufficiency of the availability of houses for them. Especially, as the rural-urban drift of the population becomes, largely uncontrollable.

Added to this, is the crave of Landlords of houses in these urban areas to continue to increase rents placed on living apartment they provide to members of the public. The tenants, therefore come under grave inconvenience.

The inconvenience, also include the landlord’s unwholesome desire for love and determination to evict a tenant who is unable to pay the new rent without the required period of quit notification of three months.

The situation is the same in all cities including Port Harcourt and its suburbs. There , a room’s monthly rent goes for between five thousand naira or more in the old Port Harcourt Township and three thousand, five hundred naira and more in other parts of the metropolis.

This is, however, different from a rather lower rent on houses charged in other cities like Ibadan, Aba, Owerri, Lagos and Warri.

Tenants, often times, are compelled to seek help elsewhere for financial support and sometimes, go borrowing to raise the required money to pay for the, rather, irrational rent in Port Harcourt.

But there are indications that respite may come the way of tenants, across the country, if the public pronouncement by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aaandookaa, of the Federal Government of Nigeria, to checkmate the skyrocketing house rents across the country is vigorously enforced.

But would the needed commitment ever come?

If it does come, Landlords would not have the whims to exploit tenants anymore or for a very long time.

However, the public pronouncement has been greeted with a mixed feeling. But the feeling also accepted it as a position long expected.

They said it was a misnomer for Landlords to operate without a guide on their exploitative overtures and be allowed to make living unbearable for the tenants.

Workers are said to spend about 50% of their monthly income on rent alone in Port Harcourt and less in other metropolitan across the country.

Living apartments, often times, lack necessary facilities for the comfort of the tenants. The Landlords care less of this situation once they have collected their yearly rent.

There is the wonder why rents on a room should compete with the rent on one or two bedroom flats in other states.

This is a big problem and it is seen as a deliberate neglect by government to enforce the required standard. The outcry is that the Federal Government should speedily address the problem so that workers and other citizens can own property to make majority of the people not to be victims as well as tackle the house shortage challenge.

But some Landlords also reacted to the public pronouncement complaining that most tenants do not pay up their rent when it was due.

They also pinned the high rent on the high cost of building materials and maintenance which make them to request for one or two years up- front payment.

Some legal practitioners described the pronouncement as a verbal statement that does not have the force of Law.

They said the tenancy laws as adopted by the federating states, provide measures that are actionable in the event of a formal complain.

They said the Attorney general would need to consult widely with states and other stakeholders to achieve an effective and realistic rent in any state.

While it is observed that the existing laws are obsolete and needed to be reviewed, there is a wonder if what it would be reviewed soon. Is it what Mr. Michael Aaandookaa meant, when he made the public pronouncement? Or will he promulgate another?

The public would also need to know the proper definition on the short and long term lease tenancy laws.

Love Life Parents Should Live

  Love has remained the best gift parents can ever give to
their children.This is what is used to build a healthy family.

 

Demonstrable  love in the family need to be shown independent of how the husband and wife feel towards each.No agression is transferred to the children.

 

A chat with some parents reveals that whenever a querrell ensured, there is a momentary breakdown of communication,goodwill and ceasure of any pet name that they call themselves.

 

At such times, the snag is each party expects the other to put an apology forward first.

 

But if this is not repaired, the corrosion that eats deep into the fabric of the family life is disasterous.

 

Both the man and the woman need to be partners in this venture to achieve the needed result the partnership should achieve.

A great partnership it could be.

 

 The children,with the attractive love instinct,become dragged in into the nugget.They see the truth in the love that is  demonstrated by their parents.What they do not see of their parents at home they will not consider very important and useful.The love they see, moulds what type of love and  nurture, they should build.

 

 Sure, they could argue or querrell, but the maturity shown at such times also gives the children, melting heat of any doubt in their minds that any disagreement can be worked through and resolved.

 

If husband and wife do not get determined from the outset, to make their relationship work, worked hard at it and nurture it  over the
years to grow,it may not bud that love.

 

To build a very successful family life, when it gets manifested, could become the envy of the society in which they live.It may have taken tolerance,prayers,crying, rejection and lone times.Those may not be seen.

They may not also consider the prevalency of weakness in the strenght that is overt.

 

This is because husband and wife worked together, outlining their guiding rules that has cloud their weaknesses and  rather projected their strengths.

 

Such qualities count less when it comes to showing the concern,cuddling, attention and the play time that the family should share together.

 

Words matter.and the words teach, whether positively or
negatively.Uncomplimentary unglowing terms should be minimized if not afforded.

 

Orders must be kept within the frame of the sense of  flexibility both to the children and hired workmen.No negative banter on  issues.What the children see teaches them more about  about loving and respecting people.Build them with positive words to power their creativity.

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.

SOCIAL PROBLEMS OF DESTITUTES ON STREETS

It is a common sight, should one take a drive round the wide and breadth of the country, especially in major cities, to see disused cars, caravans and other form of scraps on streets and roads.Combined with this picture are stalls and kiosks that traders along the roads use to display their wares. 

The presence of this illegal ‘operators’ and scraps are not only a blight on the beauty of the cities but a real threat to society.Not too long ago, in fact, as he assumed office,the governor of Rivers State,Mr Chibuike Amaechi, inaugurated the committee on the evacuation of scrapes and road decongestion. 

The mandate was to make the roads free of any obstruction and ensure free flow of traffic in Port Harcourt and the entire  Rivers State.The chairman of the committee, Mr Chukwuemeka Woke, with the ugency of the job kick started and had continued to supervise evacuation exercises, urging all traders along the roads to vacate the areas.

 Mr Woke had aways warned that the evacuation team would not entertain any plea while at location to remove any obstruction that impede traffic flow.Giving the assurance that government is determined to ensure that people do the right thing as well as obey traffic laws in the state. It is hoped and prayed that the steam for this exercise do not fizzle out.

But an imposing visible threat is the ever growing number and presence of beggers and other categories of destitudes on streets and major roads across the country; Rivers State is not exclusive.In fact, in the state capital,Port Harcourt, and its environs, the sight has continued to be an issues of concern to right thinking members of the public.

 Not only is it a way of life for adult men and women but children also.Orphans are also found among them.They disguise as sickly,blind, deaf, lame and with visible body burnt to elicit public sympathy.They sometimes take to robbery,become ‘pick pockets’ at bus stops, and pose other social problems.They become very antagonistic to society,as it were, vetting their depravity and anger on the people.

Also worrisome is the sight of healthy looking individuals who do not disguise into any sickly looks but would do nothing else but begging.They take great pleasure to do this.These crop of people,of course, are part of the productive class of the nation’s population who should meaningfully contribute their productive quota to national growth. 

But no.They rather carry on with their begging.Doing so on the roads and streets, especially where human and vehecular traffic is high.Sometimes, they run through moving and slow going vehecular traffic.What a risk they take.

The River State government had undertaken several raid to keep them away from public places.Aside adults,in september,2007, the riversstatenigeria removed about forty children from the streets and took them to the Port Harcourt children home at Borikiri. In addition to this, government also identified the non-indigenes among the adult destitutes when they picked them away from the streets.

The non-indegenes of the adults were transported back to requisite agencies in their respective state of origin. But like every other raid, the effort did not solve the problem.A drive round some major streets reveals, however, that not only has the number of adult destitudes doubled but the number of children and orpnans has also continued to be on the increase. 

Studying the situation and commenting on the trend, some members of the public said a serious re-orientation programme should be planned for destitutes.The programme should be packaged in a manner so that it will encourage them to take up meaningful ventures. 

They argued that most of the destitutes would have lived all their lives on the streets without the show of love from friends and relations.This could result from the hard economic situation that they had experienced.The only way to survive may just be living like destitutes. 

While condemning their dogged interest in taking of arms from members of the public, they said government should also consider instituting a lesgislature against able bodied people parading as destitutes. 

The General Secretary,Assemblies of God Rivers State Dr. Dabipi Daddy Sun Ibulubo said the church has  planned evangelism activities aimed at destitutes within the immediate environment of their operations.From their findings, some people are forced into destitutes as a last resort to survive.

 He said those who responded to their programme had been provided accommodation and employment but confessed that it is a cost intensive venture. Dr. Daddy Ibulubo said the growing number of destitutes requires a collaborative effort between government and corporate organisations to provide these groups of people some lease of life.

 Mr Mustafa Audi is a cripple in his thirties.He plays on the handicap football team and appears very hopefully about life.He has a family of a wife and two children.But he is also a begger on the streets of Port Harcourt.

He said taking of arms is about the only regular means to raise money for the upkeep of his family. This is in spite of the fact that he had received some fund in 2004 from the state government to start a meaningfull livelihood for himself when a raid was made then.

Having eaten up the money, he had returned to the roads may be to await another ‘free money’. Sharing his experience at the rehabitation center, he said it is wrong for government to put both the mentally disturbed people with the sane.These two groups of people can not stay together without problems. 

The Director, planning, research and statistics in the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare, Mrs Deinma Okoroma said the ministry undertakes what she callled a raid on destitutes to move them to the state rehabitation centre and Port Harcourt children feed to feed them free of charge. 

Mrs Okoroma decried the situation where destitutes taken to their states of origin are allowed to return to the state.She said it is rather unfair for state not doing enough to gave their citizens appropriate attention.Mrs Okoroma said the issues has taken a national dimension with a policy soon to be made public.this will unify all efforts under a central supervision. 

The articipated Federal government involvement gives a more convincing perspective to the effort to curb this social ill. A rewarding, holistic and national approach towards addressing the menace in major cities across the country could just be what was been awaited for the challenge. 

REPAIRS:FRAGILE RURAL COMMUNITIES

Rural Africa communities<voices>are predominately poor and educationally backward.Most indigenous and young people said their parents told them so,they have grown up to see it so and have lived with it for years. This picture is a typical third world countries’ features.

It seems to persist despite the prevailing potentials, in terms of the natural resources, that could be harnessed in the area to economically empower the people. Conventions, bilateral talks by world leaders and affected countries have been adopted and projected to give meaning to life.

This is to improve the  living standards of the people within a partnerships ventures.But the impact is still far from achieving requsite result.These poor rural commnunities with such issues have continued to dot and attracted global voices. 

These communities which are predominantly, small in sizes also have the largest collection of the nation’s population.Political delimitation places them within the jurisdiction of the local government councils;the third tier of government. 

The creation of this polical structure was for easy administration and bring government nearer to the people.This is to facilitate the development of infrastructure in the rural communities and ensure a good living for the people. 

Increasingly, it is now widely accepted that national development; economically,politically, socially and educationally,should be driven from the grassroot.This makes more sense.The reverse would be a lopsided effort that could be in futility. 

This was what the councils were expected to do at the time they were set up.Society then was neighbourly with an eviable community spirit.While this was the essence, what has transpired over the years has appeared to have scuttleed the intentions. 

Supervision over local government activities and how fund should be  used has long being a tossed issues between the federal and state government.The debate and the seemingly uncertainity of effective control line,openned a lophole for local government personnel. They now run the councils as  personal affairs.

Their biggest attention and visible duty seems to be the payment of  workers salaries only.What happens to the remaing amount of  the allocated fund after then, is usually not questioned or investigated. 

One only wonder what will become of the call to question of caretaker committee chairmen  by the Rivers State House of Assembly, to give account of stewardship.The revelation on the floor of the house was outragious.

Where, for example, a chairman who had not more than thirty thousand naira in his acount before assumption of office, now has about a whooping sum of eighteen million naira in two months in office.  

This culture is carried on with impunity;a national challenge and concern, that is. The prolonged non-performance of the local government councils to ensure a healthy living environment has resulted in an endermic rot.It has heightened fears on the minds of both indigenous people and visitors alike.

The youths  have become restive and manefestly angry with the situation. A situation of marked neglect and irrational use of the allocated fund for personal aggradizement by elected or appointed political leaders.

 The anger that has been incurbated over the years is now visible in the speech pattern,activities and levels of relationships among society individuals.A fragmented and fragile communities is what has sufficed. 

 Volitility becomes a ‘sensed’ and a felt fear by a cross section of the society.There is a combined force of anger and hunger.There is low capacity of  the people;youths.The sight of a comtemporary suddenly becoming aflunt is offensive. 

The growing tension from this situation has become the reason often given by corporate companies’ why their operations’ headquarters can not be located in the communities where they scoop large profit.But there is  the complain by indigenous people that they are also largely denied placement with the companies.

Making the society to have a large number of its youths’ population unemployed.This poses threat. When rural community development fund is not used for the provision of good roads,water, education, economically empower the people and provide employment to the youths,it leaves hallow strings of hardship. 

This neglect pricks the fabric of the communities wellbeing<issues>.Often times, the deeper ideological character is not known.At such times, dialogue may fail because trust has been murdered. 

 A television journalist, who was to engage a youth on a media chat, to share his opinion africanews.com  on a plagueing youth and social issues,warned that if all that he said was not reflected in the broadcast, he would smoke out the reporter  from  his hiding place. 

This was an enormous threat but the youth was to risk his position, show his identity on air to damn the consequesis.In a volitile society,as it is prevailing in the Niger Delta,the threat was what taking to heart. 

The village square meeting that would have been used maximally to generate indigenous ideas on local development imperatives is also turned into a theatre where ‘privileged’ persons make speeches for applauds and snack sharing.This forum ,rather should be cultivated to be a ground for repairs of the manifest fragmentation. 

Sustainable development in the spirit of village family neighbourliness is a great essence researchandmedia.ning.com . This will provide the needs of today and solve the problems of tomorrow. Communities’ affairs should be centre of government programmes.

Democratic dividend and community good can also blend to move society forward. The individual members of the community should be trained to develop their capacity, restore confidence and trust for the traditional stool as well.This is the pride of traditional Africa society. 

Government remains a stabilizer,mediator and convener of talk sessions that would seek to repair and rebuild mutual trust where dissatisfaction has  cut deep.Leaders do not know it all.They,therefore should confer with communities<issues> stakeholders on ways of serving the communities effectively. But global voices would continue to make sense.                       

TRADING ON THE RAIL TRACKS

Trading on the railway tracks has become a normal phenomenon in Port Harcourt and parts of eastern states in the Country. This is in spite of the apparent danger it poses to the lives of the operators. Railway tracks are solely meant for rail coaches. 

But this has not been the case, as traders have virtually taken over the tracks, displaying their articles of trade conspicuously. Such areas include the mile one market,Elelenwo rail line, around the Abali Police station in Rivers State and parts of  Enugu State. 

Articles of trade displayed include items of clothings,fairly used wares[ called okrika], assorted wares, food items, soft drinks, shoes and other domestic goods which  are wantomly displayed while cobblers and motorcycle riders are permanently located around these areas.

A careful observation reveals the need for a concerted efforts to be taken and seriously, by various government agencies, to quit them from these locations. This should be so, in other to fostal continouos hit down of some traders who became victims when a moving train ran over  them because they were making a last minute effort to clear their goods from the rail tracks as the train approached.

 This persistent trading attitude on the railway tracks confirms one conviction.This is the likely huge  profit the traders are said to rake in doing business at such locations.

But is  it more profitable?  was the question Tams Gogo Ibulubo,  doing a report for www.rstv22.tv went to town to find out among the traders and requisites officials. To the traders,they are ekeing a living.

Wherever a customer is found is a is good place to do business.Their continual presence at the rail tracks appears to be a result of a spill over effect from the regular market not distant from the railway tracks.The stalls are said to be fully occupied.

They will continue to be there,they said, because they do not have an alternate trading ground. But the railway act  stipulates that  a fifty metres right  of way, on both sides of the rail track, be observed as a matter of  policy than a law.

This is expected to be obeyed. However, on a daily basis, the traders are busy carrying out illegal trading activities.The occupation of such area negates, even the law of decency. Used and discarded clothes,cellophane bags and pure water sachets are recklessly thrown in and around the rail tracks.

This poses enormous threat to train operations and aesthetics of the environment. Efforts by the Police to rid these traders seems not to yield any result.There is also a manefest  non-challant attitude of the officers enforcing the  laws of the land and that of the railway authority. 

The Port Harcourt  station Manager, Mr. Henry Edward, is of the view that the traders are doing so as law defaulters.The public Relations officers of the Nigeria Railway  Corporation, Port Harcourt,Mr. Dasu George, said the organization is doing all in its power to rid the traders from the rail tracks.

He said the traders are illegal squatters who are taking their lives in their own hands.In an event of accident, the traders will be liable to pay the corporation some fine or compensation,he said. 

Mrs Ireju  Barasua, the image maker for the Rivers State Police Command said trading on the rail tracks is unlawful and warned members of the public stay away from such places and desist trading activities. She explained that though the railway station was not directly under its command ,she reserved the moral right to advise those doing business on the rail tracks to have a rethink. 

It is a wonderfully sight to behold the traders when  a train approaches as they  scapper for safety.  As this trading activities continue unabated, one cannot rule out  the possibility of a train running over any trader. 

It is therefore,  inevitable to call on these traders to heed good advise and  desist from selling their wares along railway tracks while calling on the regulating officers to  rise to the occasion to sanitize the area as well as prevent lose of life.    

CREATE THE CHANGE

Every member of the community has something to offer to create a lasting positive impact on friends,nieghbours and public issues.It could take some time to identify the need for change but it will come if concertedly pursued,.The urge of what tangible and monetry gains to get often stands in the way to take initiative for any action.

This is so, especially in communities where there is a large scale of poverty among the people.Poverty intimidates,clothes one with shyness and frustrates.When your status is not better than the situation you want to change,the challenge becomes very enormous.

But we should have  a resolve to continue to be the change and  raise public collaboration against the ills of poverty with a mind to  root it  out,if possible.

The discouragement, sometimes, comes from the well to do individuals whose delight is to flaunt their wealth around to offend the depraved and under privileged.

They build high fences round their living places in a manner to show that they are hiding something away fro the people.Or are they afraid of being attacked?

They also increase the noise in the community they live in with their generating sets that supply the electricity that lit their entire buildings.

Even companies are fast declining to take a lead to break the poverty chain.What is wrong is the question everybody seems to be asking.But the change will come when we get involve in or  join in a person to person discussion of anything thet has been identified as a plaguing issue and approach it with a mindset that seeks to proffer answer to answer the questions.

Building the change and creating  multiply ripples of it could just be the stream to navigate.

Do not always push the task to an imaginary super human.What I have experienced is that when someone takes the boldness to lead, the followership inintially withdraws and grows again when a visible success is made.In the small corner and with what you do set the light to burn out some heat that bring warmth of change.

A young graduate recently approached me to guide him to achieve some goal in creating an impact on a select group of people who he has identified as poor youths in his catchment community area.These youths have been seen to have droped out of school,can not sponsored themselvies to learn a trade and would easily want to join in a cult related activity for social relevance.

As I counsel him, I see a society that would move away from the ebbs of low development to one that rich with youths whose capacities have been built.

GOD IS NOT A LIE

No one saw the beginning but everyone believes that there was and still is a beginning only a master beginner can push forward into a start.

From where He dwells,He started it, putting the times and seasons into space.The masterpiece beginner,God is He and He is not a lie.

He said He was there and science has not disapproved it. Science lay no claim to be there. Philosophy never equals the height and religion is not on that pedestal.

But God has said so.The Almighty God is not a lie.

Created He the heavens,pitched it above the earth,no pecks and pillars.Created  He the earth.The waters beneath it can not wash ‘earth sand’ away.

The raw materials source, no one yet fathoms. The reservoir of the rivers, no one controls.The whole universe is set in His palm.He wills kings’ hearts as He desires.

This God is not a lie.

In His image, so wonderfully,created Him man/woman.With mercy restore He them to glory when they disobeyed.

Then Jesus,God ;in human form,descended.With Mary,His mother be,Golgotha,the road He tread and Calvary, the shame He bore.

The resurrection,a glory crown,the saved man wears to make eternity rest with Him.When you believe Him for salvation and follow Him where He leads,you shall walk the walk of life,

With a God that is not a lie.

JOURNALISM:TECHNICAL WORKPLACE CAPABILITY

When I joined www.rstv22.tv ,I was sincerely happy.I got a journalism work and I knew I was on the path of developing my writing skills.This was important to me.The skill was also what is required for the journalism work. The status of  the organisation at the time and now is also coveted  for its reputation.Being on board for me , was for a mission.

Just in a matters of weeks of four, I have demonstrated  desterity,brought a change in script writing pattern,style and presentation.In no time, I built a convincing confidence in the handling of human angle issues. The inclusion of such angle in the daily bullentin was a good blend with other hard news broadcast.

Not too long from then however, the general manager, had carefully noted my zeal,innovation and style.He had verbally encouraged me to keep the forth on.Remarkably, he noted that though the station could not remunerate me adequately as a notable and dependable professional, he believes and urged me to  hope for requisite remuneration someday ,somewhere,sometime in the future.

With all hope stirred within me, I still await that day,place and time for the reward.But as I discharge my duties and write my scripts,my desk editors had always corrected my use of such word as a reporter and replaced it with correspondent when making reference to my witness account.This does not worry me.After all I am a reporter and does reportorial functions.

There is ,however, a public perception that shows a lack of understanding in knowing the distinction between the two.While this can be overlooked ,it will be grievous if a journalist does not know the difference also.The difference between a reporter and a correspondent is in terms of a generalisation and specialisation.While the reporter covers any variety of occurrencies,the correspondent is seen as a  specialist on a particular subject or country.

Reporters and correspondents,however, can be posted anywhere depending on their position and the company they  work for.Usually, the background they come from is different from the news beat they cover.They may have come straight from training.Some would have moved to television from either radio or print journalism.

A good journalist does not need to have a degree.But a capable journalist must be comprehensively trained in order to function in a highly technical workplace.Where time,technology,contacts, network and adherence to efficiecy in upholding the public good, matters.

A reporter may be selected for his motivation and ability to write.It is expected that he understands a wider content of world affairs.The radio journalist has the challenge to  have a good speech delivery capability.The television journalist needs a good visual delivery to convey news reports and the print journalist should build a good expressive writing delivery capability.

This is not about glamour as to cause distractions but about reflecting”presence” and projecting a “star quality”.Richard Sambrook,head:BBC Newsgathering, called it the ‘x-factor’.That is the love of communicating in manner that takes you >the professional> over to using many abilities.Though reporters  may be shy and introvertic,they would need  to activate an internal switch within their mind to themselves to high performance.

The challenge is enormous but the radio journalist would need to cultivate contact in local community[target audience] know what the listeners want to hear and identify the basic ingredient in a category news[agriculture].He should have special knowledge of the community and respect the values.

The methods used to obtain the news will be much as sourcing,interviewing,writing-up,presentation and reporting.For the print journalist,he is well in border of ensuring that he keeps a contact  book,check facts,have a good knowledge of the local community,read other people’s reports and understand what the competition is producing.One thing that has always marked me out is the beauty of my copy.

This is because I know that a well researched,well written piece with a concise informative,pertinent,attention grabbing and well edited  news script is worth a good journalism.It is not enough to be creative with ideas,you must  be able to spell words correctly, and use grammar in the proper perspective.A news writer would also need literary skill in order to invoke life to the text.

Have aptitude for work.Sharpen “your eye” for the most sedate of news, reporters require cadence and rhythm,if  it is to be printed.Journalists should have good eye for style and adopt good writing skill.Literary style is a distinct way of writing that is defined by the reader as well as the writer in much the same way as an accent or style of speech is used.  

JOURNALISM:MENTORING FOR GROWTH

The growing national trend in Nigeria requires that there should be a  decided mandate to provide up coming journalists with professional assistance,guide and advice through mentoring .The older professionals should take the challenge to provide them the friendship an  experienced mentor can give.

Effective mentoring can increased satisfaction and competence in journalism. Consequently, professional growth of mentored journalists should out pace non-mentored ones. This, in turn, increases the retention level of new journalists.

Before selecting mentors for new journalists the process of mentoring should be well understood. The mentoring process includes the relationship of beginning journalist and mentor, the necessary knowledge and skills of mentors, and an accountability system to ensure success.

On-the-job nurturing  is one assured premises for competency.Then requisite support by mentors can accelerate success and effectiveness among beginning journalists as well as prevent some of them from dropping out of the profession or carrying on with shallow knowledge. 

 Because of its importance,there is the need for media organizations and older journalists on the practice to examine the elements of a successful mentoring program.It could be on individual base or at corporate level.The  elements to  include  in the development of a viable relationship between beginning journalist and mentor, the assignment of a mentor who possesses specific knowledge and skills, and the use of an accountability system.

A meaningful relationship between the journalist-mentor and the beginning journalist establishes an effective mentoring experience since the relationship mediates the experiential exchange. Compatibility between the two is based on the interpersonal interactions that occur during the mentoring process. If the personal exchanges between mentor and protégé illicit understanding, caring, and trust then credibility occurs.

 The mentor and protégé’s understanding of each other’s roles and expectations is essential in establishing a basis for compatibility. While mentors tend to have their own ideas about mentoring because of previous experiences, the novice journalist may be uncertain about the mentoring process. Differences in expectations and viewpoints could result in stress and a dysfunctional relationship between mentor and novice journalist. Importantly, the roles and expectations with prospective mentors is in two ways.

First, the  prospective mentors should garner  specific information about the mentoring position. This is at the corporate level. This would include a job description outlining job responsibilities, expected working arrangements, continuing education expectations, types of organizational support/resources, and an accountability system. Secondly, in the application process, the supervising team should always desire to know from the prospective mentors how  to discuss in letter format their views and approaches to mentoring. This discussion would include prospective mentors’ needs, e.g., time, in carrying out the mentoring role.

The team should outline a list of required knowledge and skills mentors should possess to assist beginning journalists’ needs. Such focus area like model,guide,confidant should addressed. The acquisition of this information may require mentors to attend a professional development program. Mentors should view this continuing education both as preparation for their mentoring/supervisory role and as an opportunity to participate in lifelong learning.

First, mentors should be knowledgeable of the beginning journalist’s needs as he progress developmentally as a professional. From the level of a novice advanced beginner, competent journalist, proficient journalist, and expert. Mentors are expected to adjust their mentoring roles (e.g., confidant, counselor, and guide) to meet protégés’ needs as they move through the development stages. Effective mentors help first-time journalists to  deal with the personal issues that arise so that they can focus their attention on the matter of professionalism.

Secondly, mentors, as well as new journalists, should possess good interpersonal skills. The first time journalist doing journalism work under the mentor’s guide can be more an affective experience rather than a cognitive one. In the mentor/beginning journalist relationship, mentors spend much of their time listening, counseling, guiding, supporting, and showing confidence in the novice journalist’s ability.

While mentors provide support and understanding, they must also challenge the new journalists to use their talents to strive for excellence in their professional practice. Moreover, mentors should challenge beginning journalists to be change agents, effecting some change instead of maintaining their status quo.Lastly, knowledge of professional principles is extremely valuable to know how to handle tougher situations that they encouter.

While journalists are formally prepared as events reporters, they may  find themselves tasked to participate in public issues discourse and should be willing and competent to  participate.This journalism mentoring can be one sure way of grooming dependable practitioners. 

REASONS WHY YOU LOOK ATTRACTIVE

Most times, the expression ‘Like father, like son’ is  used to describe a son who is seen to have  behaved in similar  manner akin to his father. Now science is giving evidence that sexy fathers can also give birth to sexy sons,,howbeit in the insect world.However, these findings might apply to humans.

The following account is an information to substantiate the claim of scientists as made public at LiveScience.com Males often give showy displays to attract females in the animal kingdom—from cricket songs to peacock plumes. Scientists had long assumed that attractive males can father attractive sons, but hard evidence supporting this idea is actually scant.

To see if attractiveness can be hereditary, researchers in England focused on the fruit fly Drosophila simulans. Males of the species cannot force sex, meaning any mating that happens is because of male charisma. First, the scientists paired male and female flies at random. They found the length of time it took for them to have sex ranged from two minutes to two hours.

The speed at which mating occurred suggests how attractive the males were. After each male mated with roughly three females, their sons were paired with single females, and the amount of time it took them to score was noted.

The investigators found that attractive males indeed sired attractive sons. “Attractiveness probably can’t be defined by individual characteristics, so there is no single physical attribute that female fruit flies are looking for in a mate,” said researcher David Hosken, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Exeter in England. “However, there is clearly a benefit to females in having sexy sons that are more likely to attract a mate and produce offspring.”

 It is possible that attractiveness is hereditable across the animal kingdom, Hosken said.”It could even be the case in humans that the sexiest dads also have the most desirable sons, which would probably be bad news for my boy,” he quipped. Still, attractiveness may not always prove hereditary in insects and other animals. “In the closely related standard lab fly, Drosophila melanogaster, there is no sons effect,” Hosken told LiveScience.

“Extrapolating from one species to another closely related species should be done with caution. Knowing lots about one species may tell you little about another.” Hosken with Michelle Taylor and Nina Wedell detailed their work in the Nov. 20 issue of the journal Current Biology.

• Beauty Boils Down to a Simple Average
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Visit LiveScience.com for more daily news, views and scientific inquiry with an original, provocative point of view. LiveScience reports amazing, real world breakthroughs, made simple and stimulating for people on the go. Check out the collection of Science, Animal and Dinosaur Pictures, Science Videos, Hot Topics, Trivia, Top 10s, Voting, Amazing Images, Reader Favorites, and more. Charles Q. Choi
LiveScience.com 

Dec 7, 9:01 

BOARDING FACILITIES AT SCHOOLS

      

From the nineteen sixties to the early nineteen nineties, public secondary schools in Nigeria provided quality boarding facilities for students.Then it was the prerogative of religious groups to do so because they were running the schools.This was owing to the fact that they were the major investors in the sector.

           Even at the initial stage,when the government gradually took over and played a more supervisory role on schools, boarding facility was admired, coveted and patronized by parents and guardians.That was when educational standard was noble and high with its products fitting properly into the social stream.They contributed meaningfully to the overall development of the society.

       There was high level moral discipline, proper teacher co-ordination and government supervisory function on the system. All these streamlined students academic abilities as the officials saddled with boading house activities were well behaved and demonstrated worthy lifestyle.

        Students then learned to be more tolerant of the opinions of others in the hostels which was invariably transferred to the larger society.They conducted themselves in a more socially acceptable manner.These eventually patterned their social behaviours when they begin to live adult citizen’s life.  

      However, with the decreasing number of boarding facilities, which became noticeable in the mid nineties,only a shadow of the once cherished boarding houses were left;I dare say the entire school system standard. Students now find it difficult to meet the demand of resuming early for school activities.In cases where boarding facilities are provided, they are very expensive for children of low income earning parents.This is a far cry from what it was in the sixties and up to the early eighties.

         Then boarding facilities were cheap and affordable with no financial discrimination in favour of any particular classs,But this financial divide and the nimpling of the powers of the missionaries of the control of schools pushed it farther away from the generlity of the people.The rational why government took over the control of schools is yet to be justified.But that was the genesis of the unimaginable downturn.This is not to say that there were no none boarding students who were coming to school from their homes, but there was the glory of boarding that was not undermined.  

         According to some repondents who lament the situation they said boarding  hostels, especially those which do not have religious supervisors,mostly the privately run schools,are not an impressive place to send ones child.The private schools now provide boarding facilities,doing the best to maintain them.But they are still not what they should be.Boarding facility is almost near none existence in government run schools.

There is the fear that it is a breeding ground of  anti-social activities; disrespect for elders and authorities,coupled with the poor academic performance exhibited by students.High academic performance is a function of good teaching,dedicated teachers and adequate supervision of students’ academic work.  

      Whether restoring boarding facilities will repair the emotional,social and academic backwardness of students that has plagued the educational system was the question News Reporter Tams Gogo Ibulubo doing a report for www.rstv22.tv asked some educationists and parents in Port Harcourt,capital of Rivers State,where the situation is also visible. 

        According to the Mrs Faith Aham Ochi [principal] and Mrs Gladys Akpanah [proprietor] of The Salvation Heights Nursary/ Primary and Secondary School at Elelenwo,Mrs Sofiri Brown of Government Community Secondary School –UBE-[principal] andMrChristopher Okpamo of Dietams nursary, primary and secondary school  said the low moral level of students is not akin to poor hostel facilities alone but a general fall of standard in the system.The lifestyle manifested by youths is a reflection of the disconnect in the social fabric of the society.

          They said at the time when boarding schools were seen as the ultimate place to send students to, there was increased communal life and disciple in the society.They opined that boarding schools then provided an environment where students learned life lessons to adapt to and live an independent citizen’s life as well as tolerating others under a regulated schedule. They further said that under the regulated time table students are groomed for the best of society life and described the facility as the best.       

        Parents like Mr Adeniyi Omoniyi,Mrs Babasanmi Ramatt and Mrs Nnedah Amadi said they would prefer their children go to school from their  home.They alleged that boarding houses have become breeding grounds for social vices,especially when they are not under the surveillance of a school authority with a christian background and discipline.According to them some  parents abandon or give less attention to their children to pursue economic gains.

         They said if parents cut down on the amount of time spent pursuing money and invest same in their children, the needed discipline and academic excellence required of their children or wards would be achieved.

        They decried the situation where school authorities pamper students by providing personnel to wash their clothes, dishes,clean their toilets and surroundings.These,they said negates the essence of sending students to the boarding house. If  students are made to live as a kings and queens  in the hostels ,how can they learn the lessons of appreciating life challenging situations that can confronts people in their social drive to survive.They argued that most modern boading facilities do not make effort to  inculcate in the child the needed emotional balance and disciple to cope in the larger society.

        They wondered why most government now can not sustain their boarding facilities.According to these parents, when the child is with them they endeavoured to give him or her  the best and  required attention for proper growth.  

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BANKS:MARKETING PRODUCTS OR FEMALE STAFF

 Banks’ overt culture of  marketing pattern of their products and services has become absurd and condemnable by some members of the public, particularly, those who are  morally rational to demand  a quick repair and  respect for the cultural and moral values of the society. Banks as corporate citizens are expected to be at the forefront of joining effort with government and traditional authority to uphold the moral dignity of the society.

The resultant outcry emanating from these debasement of humanity, overtime, was not heeded by banks. May be, because the power of the regulatory agency was not as commanding as expected. But as banks strive to sharpen their competitive edge against each other, their marketing operations deepens so that it became easy to play down on moral conscience.

There was also the need to raise a solid finance base to remain in business. Using female staff to maintain this status as well as grow the fortune of the banks  therefore become a common place.In some quarters of the society, this use of ‘girl staff’ to drive for the needed fund that keeps the some bank in business is believed to be the reward or the business success of the marketing effort of these girls who do untoward things.It is therefore seen as banks indulging in morally debasement of their employees by setting unrealistic conditions of service for them. 

When professor Chukwuma Soludo took over the leadership of the apex banks,CBN, some changes were noticed in the consolidation of banks and the raising of public confidence in their operations.It is therefore uncommon to think that this position has made them to pose  unrealistic targets to recruited  female staff which they have groomed for cash mobilization.

It is good, however, to market for clients,drive at a target and contribute to company’s growth and continual stay in business but it should be on a realistic premise of goal getting.

 Innocently, while young graduates are happy to have gained employment with banks, the monthly,quarterly and yearly financial target given to them is now seen to be outrageous.Sometimes the female staff had also complained but some of them have not had the courage to resign especially because they fear or do not have an alternative income source.

But the  stake to keep their jobs keep mounting pressure on them to go all the length to get big account,real clients and are seen as productive and hard working.It is said that some banks urged these marketing female staff to wear indecent dressing  to discharge their responsibility.

This dress code has showed them off as enslaved workers.The one focus of this dress code is to persuade prospective client, seductively, to patronage their banks.Most of them possibly would have sealed up the business deal with their clients at some overnight hotel lodgings.

The Nation’s senate,senator David Mark who had observed the trend  said banks are encouraging prostitution. He noted that all the girls going out on a daily basis to bring funds into the banks end up doing  things they ideally should not do.Mark worried why there is an absence of a system to regulate the deposit-hunt activities of banks especially as they put lives of employees in danger.

He said the banks know that such activities are not beneficial to the female  employees and urged them to check the practice.He expressed worry about the huge sums of money published regularly by banks as profits,noting that such was only possible because the banks do not invest in the real sector as they should.

The central bank of Nigeria, Director, Banking Supervision,Mr  Otufa Imala said the Apex bank is having difficulty in controlling indecent dressing as the practice is. He said CBN has resolved that since it is a case of all banks involved in the practice, all banks’ chiefs have been mandated to look closely at  the issues of culture in their operation. This must be emphasizes at the point of recruiting and continuously..There is the need for banks to re-engineer their products to attract customers.

Marketing is about selling produtcts not exploiting the female nature of the worker. This de-emphasis is petinent to revoke the seemingly culture that is associated with the banking sector. This is unconnenected to the fear most people have expressed over seeking for employment in the sector.

Already, Oceanic bank Managing Director,Mrs Cecelia Ibru has said that her bank enforces proper dress code among the staff; a corporate suit for week days and natve attires for Fridays to ease work for the staff. She said any staff  especially the female staff who dresses indecently is asked to go home.

 But Senator David Mark at the plenary session of the sixth National Seminar on 13th,November,2007,on Economic Crimes,organized by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, in Abuja said the  senate would intensify the screening of the financial system in the country.He decried the lack of interest by the banks to develop the real sector. He urged the banks to work with the government towards the economic development of the country.He affirmed of their role in checking acts of financial corruption which hampers the economy.  

THE FAITHFUL MENTOR

A mentor has an independent knowledge base and expertise to offer a “Lessons for Life” to the protégé. This is a one-on-one relational experience in which one person empowers another person by investing their God-given wisdom and resources.

 The transference of this knowledge will strengthen the protégé’s ability to manage his or herself and relate to other people.To every christian and below, God is an ultimate mentor.
 

Men have many things to gain when they choose to connect to God and with a  man who has been through the trenches of life. The most essential virtue of interest is the reservoir of knowledge to draw from. One form of being mentored is discipleship. A disciple is simply a learner.

 If we take what we learn from another guy who has traveled the long and dusty road before us, and apply it to our life we gain wisdom. Wisdom is applied knowledge and understanding.

We all want gain but at what price? If gain was free and easy we would all sign up. However, it is not. In order to gain something we need to lose something. Trying to plow our way through life and accepting the rewards of  hard work often times seems like a good enough gain. What seems like great gain and steady progress to you, might be far less than what God has planned for you.

In the second chapter of the first book of the  Bible, God tells us a fundamental truth about ourselves. He says without wavering, ‘It is not good for man to be alone.‘ Why? Because when God created us, he created us as social creatures, to have companionship with one another. Part of companionship is Christian mentoring. There is real value for a Christian man to be mentored along his life journey.

Please pray about who God might have you approach to seek out a relationship specifically for the purpose of being mentored. Pray for boldness and courage to take the risk, pushing the pride aside, and ask another man to invest in you. It’s God’s plan!

As we begin yet another academic session as members of  the Student Christian Movement, there is a charge for us to be determined to grow to heights of success. To learn and continually develop the following  “lessons for life”.We will grow  emotional  intelligence competencies which matter twice as much as IQ or technical skills in academic or job successes.

 Acquaint yourselves with this lesson to create behaviour change and have ideas useful for life with the following as guide.

 1:Accurate self-assessment: be aware of your  strengths and weaknesses. Reflect and learn from other’s experience continuously for self-development. Expect feedback, new perspectives and  show a sense of humor.

2 Trustworthiness: Maintain standards of honesty and integrity. Act ethically and be above reproach.

3 Build trust through reliability and authenticity. Admit mistakes and confront unethical actions in others.Be organized and careful in your work.

4:Adaptability: Be flexible in handling change to smoothly handle multiple demands, shifting priorities, and rapid change. Adapt  responses and tactics to fit fluid circumstances.

5:Achievement drive: Strive to improve or meet a standard of excellence for results-oriented living which combines with a high drive to meet their objectives and standards Set challenging goals and take calculated risks. Pursue information to reduce uncertainty and find ways to do better Learn how to improve their performance.

6 Optimism:Be persistence in seeking and pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks. Operate from hope of success rather than fear of failure. See setbacks as manageable circumstance rather than a personal flaw.

7:Empathy: Take action to be Sensitive to others’ feelings and perspective.Be attentive to emotional cues and listen  to others.

8: Leveraging diversity: Cultivating opportunities through diverse people. See diversity as opportunity to excel.

When these become the daily thrust of the mentor, in consonance with the mentee’s interest, success will suffice. 

GIRL CHILD RAPE DILEMMA

         

The recurrent rape cases across the country involving teenagers especially the girl child within the age bracket of three and twenty years has generated condemnation and a pain in the neck of rational minded people.

           As men of easy virtue continue to perpetrate the act on this vulnerable group of the society, the girl  child become subjected to untold psychological trauma and social disconnect; an experience that could last for a life time.While some people see this act as one way to douse sexual tension on the part of the men that perpetrate the act or do it as a fulfillment of ritual obligation, others see it as a reflection of a society that has relegated virtuous living to the background. 

          But who is to be blamed for this sudden outbreak which has generated enormous fear among the people.Should this vice continue unabated?

           A psychologist and head of kinestic department at the Rivers State College Education,Rumuolumeni,Mr Ejima Christian said sex urge is a strong emotional influence common with human beings.But this drve is expected to be put under check by self control.He said while it is psychological healthy to be aroused sexually,it is demeaning for adulr men to seek sexual satisfaction by compelling teenage girl into sex.

          The girls who become victims eventually exhibit traits of socially malfunctioned behaviour which include tendencies of aggression,suspicious of people,exercise restriction in relationships and abhors feeling of quilt.The transmission of the HIV virus by these mindless guys to innocent girls stands condemned.

           A senior law lecturer at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology,Dr. justice Nwobinke and the State director of Citizen’s Right in the State Ministry of Justice,Mrs. Florence Fiberesima said acts of rape are criminal offences and treated as felony.they noted that most victims finds it difficult to take advantage of the legal provision to seek redress to abuse  of their sexual rights.They said persons who have established their  case have justices meted them.

         They encouraged such victims to always report such abuse to the nearest police station and be willing to provide useful information to facilitate investigation and establish the truth in  in the allegation and eventual surcharge.They affirmed the spite of rape incidences noting that every case is treated on its merit.              

         The state police public relations officer Mrs, Ireju Barasua said most victims are often shy in coming forth to report  abuse on them.Most cases they have handled are those caught in the act with the girl screeming and passerbys or neighbours  quickly intervening and the police alerted.The immediacy makes it easy to have substantive proof to prosecute the case. 

              A cross section of parents who decried the situation pinned it to the increasing gap occasioned by the tendencies to make more money to provide for their wards.When parents leave their wards too long they lose control over what company they keep and become exposed to peer pressure and the overtures of  perpetrators.They called on more attention on their children,desist from sending the to out on street hawking, and value reorientation.  

               

EFCC NEEDS MORE ENCOURAGEMENT

             When public fund is looted, a large chunk of it is taken  abroad.This has become a common place practice.What the money is used for is oftentimes, misty.But while it is in the foreign bank account,it flourishes the host economy.This makes a huge return for the depositors,in the long run.

             Could this be the reason for the botched naira re-denomination/Your imagination can jigsaw the puzzle,if you try. But if the international community accuses Nigeria of corrupt practices especially in money laundering activities,with the comfort some Nigerians have to move money out of the country which is accepted for deposite, it is difficult not to believe if it is not abetting it. It is also a wonder that a public office holder is oftentimes allowed to enjoy his loot untill  death before thorough investigation is initiated to recover looted fund as it suffices in Abacha’s case. 

               However,while Nigeria braces up with the fight against corruption,it is commendable that the Fedral Bureau of Information,FBI[USA]undertoke the training of one hundred and fifty officials of the Economic and Financial Crime commission,EFCC, between the 3^rd-21^st September,2007 on financial fraud, cash management, interviewing and interrogation,provided international law enforcement training as well as prevention of terriorist act.This partnerships as well as that coming from the World Bank,United Nation Office of drugs and Crime would give a meaning to the fight.

            The initiative,in all ramification, is expected to assist developing countries recover assets that have been stolen,enable the process of  reinvesting them in effective development programmes as well as combat crime and destroy international safe haven for such criminals.This gives the assurance that the needed cooperation between developed and developing countries is fostered.If sustained,the process would have been consolidated for public and private sector loots which has been put at about five hundred and twenty one billion dollars since 1960 to be recovered  and returned to the Nigeria people.          

           Notably,the UN secretary,Ban Kimoon has envolved a stolen asset recovery initiative to collaborate Yar’Adua administrative thrust of recovering billions of dollars stached away by corrupt government officials.There should not be a safe haven for those who steal from the poor.World Bank president Mr Robert Zoellick has also risen to the course and said helping developing countries recover fund will be a key to have money available to finance social programmes.Corrupt leaders have therefore been put on notice that they can not always escape the law.  

          United Nation office of  Drug and Crime, Executive Director Mr.Antonio Marva Costa said the global fight against corruption is an unrelenting one.He said a hard measure has been taken against Kleptocrats who steel public fund.

            The cross border flow of global proceeds from criminal activities,corruption and tax evasion,he said is between one trillion and one point six trillion dollars per year. He  pointed out that if one hundred million is recovered four million children will be provided immunization, water provided two hundred and fifty thousand household with six thousand people afflicted with HIV/AIDS  given adequate medical attention               

THE CRUDE OIL FUND

EXCESS CRUDE OIL ACCOUNT

 

          In Nigeria, the money in the crude oil account is meant to be shared.  This is always the case every month when the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meets to use the formula that has been worked out mutually. But at the beginning of 2007, when the States were expecting to share about five hundred billion naira of the money at the monthly FAAC, Obasanjo had stopped the exercise insisting that details of projects for which the money would be use for be presented as a proof for the sharing and money collection as well as prevent the governors from using the money for electioneering.

 

          These fears were corroborated earlier in the life of the administration by the then minister of state for Finance Mrs. Nenadi Usman who later became Minister of Finance. When she raised alarm concerning capital flight which was promoted by some governors who she said literally moved their state allocations to the informal foreign exchange (Forex) market immediately after each meeting to purchase forex that they took abroad for purposes other than state matters, nobody took her seriously.

 

          Mrs. Usman alleged that the movement of the huge amount of money into the informal forex market always had the effect of  a fall in the value of the naira.  Not long after her allegation the celebrated cases of alleged money laundering and sundry matters against now ex-governors Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Diepreye Alamieyeseigh of Bayelsa State broke.  Other stories of choice properties, exotic cars and palatial homes bought by some of the then governors abroad also began to make the rounds.  The question mark being that some of those people did not own some of those property before they became governors.

 

Now a new government has formed at the local, state and federal levels.  Stories of widespread looting of state’s treasuries, of empty treasures and huge debts have inundated the media since the new governors took over on May 29^th this year.  The tragedy of most of the states with empty treasuries and those with huge debts is that there are little or no projects to show for these funds that have disappeared into thin air.

 

             But there is need to take off on a smooth footing and plain.As it stands now all can not take off because their money is held up in trust by the Federal Government. This is reasoned along the part of the financial recklessness earlier mentioned earlier which made ex-president Obasanjo, while in office,to adopt a piece-meal  release of the money to the chargrin of the governors.  According to the voice out cry of some, this has been described as an anomaly in a federal set up.

 

              After the maiden meeting of the serving governors’ forum, the Chairman of the forum and Kwara State governor, Bukola Saraki said they were demanding the release of the excess crude proceeds to enable the states deal with current issues like poverty in the states.  This demand should be heeded because the 1999 constitution urges the federal government to distribute the fund in line with the prevailing revenue allocation formula between the federal states and local government.

 

             While it will be unwise to continue to withhold the money on the premise that the money could be diverted, there is need to give them a good start.  President Yar Adua has shown that he is willing to subject himself and his office to the constitution and the rule of law.  He must therefore use this opportunity to prove it.  It is also believed that the new and returnee governors have learned lessons in prudence and accountability and willing to  rewrite the  bad  image of governors.

 

              Governor Saraki has also urged his colleagues to work on this collective image.  So that at the end of their tenure many of them would not need to be quest at the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) as some of the immediate past governors did.

 

NIGERIA TO IMPROVE ON THE 2007 ELECTION

Come and gone.This  is one way to discribe the 2007 general election.

As we reflect on the several activities that characterised the election,it is difficult not to see the manifest discrepancies which some may call manipulaton.These, no doubt, has raised some questions in the parliament of the electorates and observers.The concern is on how best can the best method be found and adopted so that some of the lapses could be eliminated in subsequent elections.

 Professor Murice Iwu, the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission [INEC]believes that he has done a good job,conducting a so called ‘best election’ for Nigerians.But the people thinks otherwise and are calling for his sack.This call is not far from making it a  personalisation of the issues.That appears too much of a demand.

 

But a public officer, for conscience sake,  should resign his office if the people thinks otherwise especially when they think that the manifest impections that dotted the election were encouraged by him.If he accepts the blame the implication would be to cancell the results.In some states, the people have continued to cry so loud and condemned the conduct of the elections.

 

 

Indeed,the condemnation has taken a wider dimension with international watchers calling for a review of  the structural defeats and how a good electoral process must be achieved.But at  every opportunity,President Umaru Yar’Adua has assured Nigerians that he will take a decicive action to correct any lapses and effect a reform.This will be his administration priorities.But it was a subtle way to acknowledge the election errors.

 

 

However,the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress[NLC] and the Trade Union Congress[TUC] at a meeting during the three day industrial action in 2007 listened to the President and believe his promise of setting up a committee to work for the reform of the nation’s electoral process in line with international standards.

 

This appear convincing but the presidential candidate of the All  Nigeria  People’s Party [ANPP] rtd General Muhammadu Buhari is insisting on the sack of the of the National Chairman of the commission. This was the the attached condition to the letter he raised in support of Yar’Adua reform overtures.Only then can the reform decision be said to adress the problem.Is this not asking too much?.

 

On his part,Professor Iwu has acknowledged the lapses and promised to prosecute all those who were involved in one form of rigging or another during the elections.He resounded it to a delegation of the Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths who paid him a visit in his office that all those who made manifest effort to wreck havoc and visited mayhem on the election will not be allowed to go unpunished.

 

 The assertion means that that the blame has been shifted.We note that there were ballot box stuffing,killing,abductions and hijacking of ballot boxes. If such things happened and he knew about.why was it difficult for him to curb them.If the forces against him were so strong for him to contend with then he failed in his duties.

 

But in the view of  <INEC>,a lot has changed in the nation’s electoral process.What has not changed perhaps in the estimation of some people is the elements that control the commission from the without the organisation.This view is held by thes people because of the seeming silence on the involvement and the unimpeded exchange of money from hand to hand in the electoral process.

The persuasive influence monetary inducement,gift coupled with the notion that things can not changed; a mind set that frustrates genuine positive efforts made to fulfil the the aspirations of the people.

While Profession Iwu  also   involved academics,civil societies,communities,religious based organisations and political parties, to contribute their quota to building a framework that would guide the conduct  of the elections,it was short of expected goals.

 Professor Iwu also, for the first time,introduced electronic voters registration with voters cards bearing pictures.The introduction placed Nigeria on a plane of harnessing the gains that can be got from the information technology.This may be seen as to be in concert with best democratic practices as in the other parts of the world.

 

There was also the use of some temporarilly recruitment <adhoc> staff who were certified to have been trained and self respected as well morally disciplined.This institutions<INEC> branche offices located in each in each of the geopolitical zones in the country also undertook several intellectual activities that was intended to ensure a smooth process.These were real investment, probably,  made in the hope that  Nigeria’s democracy would acommodate a  stream of ideas in a  a cross fertization process.

  

But with the system frost with the attendant ills, Professor Iwu alone can not be the problem or the solutions to repair the damage.He may have had some difficult times and had tolerated  the anomally.There yet to be indications that a failing public officer can resign if not performing.Professor Iwu would have to serve his tenure.What happens after him or subsequent elections is the concern.

 

 

 

 The reform of the electoral system is now an accepted workable proposal.More so because since the 1960,elections have been clouded with  imperfection and the results largely rejected.The proposed reform would no doubt be looking at the operating environment,the laws governing the election,political parties,party finances,the goverment,civil society and the media.

 

With the electoral reform panel now set up with its head as the former chief judge of the Federation,Justice Mohammed Uwais leading the twenty one others,there is the promise that the noticed  errors will recieive an apt attention and modalities set out for prosecution of detractors.

 

 

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In fact President Yar’Adua has continued to say“We are reforming our electoral process to lay a solid foundation for political stability but there must be a complete change in the conduct of our politicians and political parties because their attitude will determine the success of the reforms.”

Warning that without political stability, real development could not take place in Nigeria and other African countries.”

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