Features
Judiciary/Legislature Autonomy: How Compliant Are States?
In 2018, President
Muhammadu Buhari assented to the constitutional amendments, granting financial autonomy to state legislature and state judiciary.
Also, the president later inaugurated Presidential Implementation Committee on Autonomy of the State Legislature and State Judiciary.
Buhari directed the members of the committee to be meticulous and diligent in the discharge of their duties.
He said that the setting up of the committee was necessitated by the realisation that legislative and judicial autonomy were necessary preconditions for nation’s democracy to endure.
According to him, the committee is expected to foster effective implementation of the autonomy constitutionally granted the state legislature and judiciary in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Further to Buhari’s assent, on May 16, Nigerian state governors on the platform of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), expressed their commitment to work with the Federal Government to implement the law.
The then Chairman of NGF, former Governor Abdulazeez Yari of Zamfara, said: “I align with the motion that the legislature and judiciary autonomy is a necessary precondition for an enduring democracy’’.
The governors observed that the autonomy would ensure that “money due to the judiciary will go to the account of the judiciary directly and money due to the legislature will go to the account of the legislature directly.
“It is intended to ensure that money for the judiciary is not spent on the judiciary but it is spent by the judiciary for the judiciary and on the judiciary and the same goes for the legislature’’.
Irrespective of the constitutional provision for the independence of the three arms of government and the efforts of the Buhari administration to promote this in governance, the legislature and the judiciary in states are still battling to remain independent, reports have shown.
A survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) across the states shows that the judiciary and the legislature still depend on the executive arm of the state government for their survival.
Assemblyman Bamidele Oleyelogun, the speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly said that although the process of becoming autonomous had been initiated, the House had been waiting for Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for final endorsement.
Oloyelogun said that all arrangements had been made and necessary documents required from the legislative arm of government for full implementation of autonomy of the judiciary and the legislature had been submitted to the executive.
Oleyelogun, said “much now depends on the executive arm of government for full implementation’’.
However, Mr Seun Sogbeso, a lawyer, said that state governments had not given both legislative and judiciary arms of government free hand to operate.
Sogbeso said that every government would always want to be in charge of the two arms of government, adding: “it is hard to see the arms of government being free’’.
Similarly, in Ogun, the Speaker of the Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, said that the implementation of financial autonomy for the state legislature had yet to be implemented in the state.
Corroborating Oluomo, the chairman of the Ogun chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association, Mr Olu Alade, admitted that the law had to be put into effect.
In spite of this, he noted that since the constitution had granted autonomy and the president had demonstrated willingness and determination to implement it, autonomy would soon be operational.
In Ekiti, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Funmiyi Afuye, said that the state was still in the various stages of implementation of the 2018 Act which supported autonomy for the state’s assembly.
Also speaking, the Deputy Chief Registrar of the State High Court, Mr Ariyibi Apuabi, said that the judiciary arm of government in the state had yet to enjoy autonomy.
Apuabi, however, disclosed that a committee had been set up to hasten its implementation for the judiciary.
Reviewing the situation of the implementation, Mr Kayode Martins, the chairman of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Oyo State, accused governors of frustrating the implementation process, adding that a presidential executive order would fast track the process.
He said that the national body of the body was doing everything possible to ensure that the president issues an executive order on autonomy.
In the same vein, Mr Kunle Akande, the Deputy Majority Leader of the Oyo State House of Assembly, admitted that the executive had yet to grant financial autonomy to the assembly.
Akande, however, said that efforts towards the financial autonomy for the assembly had started and would be completed soon.
Lawmakers in Kwara believe that the legislature has been enjoying autonomy without interference by the executive in its affairs.
The Chairman of Kwara House of Assembly Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Judiciary, AbdulGaniyu Salaudeen, said that the legislature would continue to remain independent to achieve the desired result.
Some lawyers in the state, however, argued that without financial autonomy, no institution or establishment of government could be totally free from interference.
In the North-Central part of the country, reports show that some states, especially, in Benue, Plateau and Kogi, have yet to begin the implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary and the legislature.
However, reports indicate that there is partial implementation of the directive in Nasarawa and Niger States.
The Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Mr Titus Uba, said that the state judiciary and the legislature had yet to be granted autonomy, but that the process had started.
Mrs Ladi Madaki, the chief registrar, Plateau State Judiciary, said that the bill or template on the issue had passed second reading at the State House of Assembly.
“Until and unless it is passed into law by the House, we can’t have a functional and effective independent judiciary,’’ she said.
The Chief Registrar of Kogi High Court, Mr Yahaya Ademu, said: “we are still operating the old system; we are still receiving subventions from the state government. The last we received was that of July salary.
“The problem is from the Federal Government. The committee has submitted its report; we are waiting for the presidential directive. I think that is what is delaying it’’.
Nasarawa State House of Assembly Clerk, Mr Ego Maikeffi, said that the financial autonomy of the Assembly had yet to begin.
“A bill for a Law to Provide for Self Accounting of the state House of Assembly has been passed by the fifth assembly but was not signed into law by the immediate past governor of the state.
“We have been receiving our monthly subvention that is salary and overhead as we had been doing in the previous years from the executive,’’ he said.
The Chief Judge of Niger State, Mr Aliyu Mayaki, also noted that the state judiciary enjoyed partial financial autonomy.
According to him, the head of courts no longer has to go cap-in-hands to the governor asking him for funds.
He attributed many of the infrastructure development and reform of the state judiciary to the partial autonomy it enjoyed.
In Cross River, Mr Edem Okokon, the Registrar of the state judiciary said: “nothing has been done to actualise the Federal Government’s directives on the implementation of financial autonomy of the judiciary.
“We have yet to receive any document from the Federal Government to that effect, maybe it is due to normal government bureaucracy.’’
Similarly, Mr Kabiru Adjoto, the immediate-past speaker of the Edo House of Assembly, said: “I can tell you that we enjoyed a substantial level of compliance in Edo, especially as regards funding.
“The parliament got what it wanted from the government in terms of fund, based on budget performance.’’
In his view, the Chairman, Ikorodu Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Lagos State, Mr Bayo Akinlade, said that major issues, including salaries of judges, magistrates and high -ranking civil servants as well as building of infrastructure, were still handled by the executive arm.
“There is partial compliance with the law as to the financial autonomy of the judiciary as I observed in Lagos State.
“Monies are still paid into government accounts and go through a lot of bureaucratic structures for release; that is why we have courts with no fans, no air conditioners, bad generators and minimal chairs not sufficient for the lawyers and the litigants to seat,’’ Akinlade said.
A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Tunde Braimoh, noted that there was the need for compliance.
But Mr Abdulsalam Jatau, the chief registrar, High Court of Justice, Gombe State, said that financial autonomy had yet to be implemented in the state.
According to him, every requirement of the judiciary is being taken care of by the executive in terms of training, basic office facilities and maintenance of the courts.
He, however, expressed optimism that financial autonomy for the judiciary would help to address some of their challenges.
“The condition of our courts is pathetic, especially area and magistrates’ courts; we will do everything humanly possible to address these problems,’’ he said.
Also, The Acting Chief Register in Yobe, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar said: “all judiciary finances come from the executives, meaning they have powers or control over the judiciary,’’
Abubakar added that another major constraint that affected the autonomy of the judiciary was the role the executives played in the appointment of chief judge.
Sharing similar sentiments, the Adamawa branch chairman of Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Alhaji Baba Gurin, said that the judiciary in the state was waiting for the implementation of the autonomy.
Mr Solomon Kumangar, the Director-General, Media and Communication to Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, said that the governor was committed to the autonomy and is working towards that.
Mr Grema Kyari, the Director of the El-Kanemi Peace and Development Centre, a non-governmental organisation, observed that there ought to be community advocacy and mobilisation to facilitate successful implementation of financial autonomy to state legislature and judiciary.
“Awareness creation on civic right is necessary to stem the undemocratic trend and guarantee autonomy for the legislature,’’ Kyari said.
All in all, Nigerians insist that stakeholders should ensure that the implementation of financial autonomy to state legislature and judiciary is effective to strengthen democracy.
Olaitan writes for the News Agency of Nigeria.
Kayode Olaitan
Features
Contributory Pension Scheme: Time For Review
For decades, Nigeria grappled with a pension crisis that left countless retirees in financial insecurity and despair. The unfunded pension system led to delayed payments and inadequate retirement funds, especially for public sector employees. In response, the federal government, under the leadership of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, enacted the Pension Reform Act of 2004, introducing a contributory pension scheme (CPS) designed to overhaul the system and secure a dignified retirement for Nigerian workers.
According to the Pension Reform Act, 2004, Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) is an arrangement where both the employer and the employee contribute portions of an employee’s monthly emolument towards the payment of the employee’s pension at retirement. The CPS covers employees in the public service of the Federation, Federal Capital Territory, States, Local Governments and private sector organisations with three or more employees.
Only Judicial Officers, members of the Armed Forces, the Intelligence and Secret Services of the Federation; retirees under any pension scheme existing before 30 June 2004; and employees who had three or less years to retire as at June 30, 2004 were exempted from the scheme.
The objectives of the CPS according to Section 2 of the Pension Reform Act, 2004, are to ensure that every retiree of the Nigerian Public Service receives his/her retirement entitlements as and when due; assist an improvident person to save against old age; and ensure a uniform set of rules and regulations on issues relating to the administration and payment of pension to retirees.
According to Section 85 of the Pension Reform Act, 2014, which effectively repealed the 2004 Act, “All contributions made under this Act shall be invested by the Pension Fund Administrators with objectives of safety and maintenance of fair returns on amount invested”.
Analysts and some retirees have questioned the usefulness of this section of the Act when the retirees are kept in the dark about the investments made with their contributions and hardly reap the dividend of the investment. A group of retirees known as Contributory Pensions Retirees Forum, recently described the CPS as a “modern day slavery; an instrument of economic annihilation of workers to death in abject poverty after retirement.”
According to them, the CPS denies retirees of a lump sum of their money after retirement and dispenses a paltry monthly pension to retirees across the board. They narrated the case of a retiree who served the Federal Government from July 15, 1981 and retired on July 15, 2016 on salary grade Level 14, having worked for a mandatory period of 35 years and attained the maximum age of 60 years.
For all the years he put in, the total balance standing to his credit was N6,745,823.34. Out of this, he was paid 25 per cent which amounted to N1,686,455.84 while the balance of 75 per cent was retained by Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) for investment in the capital market and other large institutions. The retiree has been receiving a paltry sum of N26,703.15 monthly since 2016 till date despite the huge profits declared every year from the investment.
“Unfortunately, the sad part of this is that every day prices of goods and services are on the increase. While workers and retirees under the old scheme – Defined Benefit Scheme had their salaries and pension increased across all levels, we in the CPS are abandoned to our fate. We do not get increase”, lamented a retiree.
A public affairs analyst, Bonny Harrison, described such treatment of the retirees, who spend their active years serving the country as unfair and inconsiderate, noting that such attitude will discourage the people still in service from putting in their best. “They may be lured into bribery and corruption, knowing that the country will not cater for them when they retire”, he opined.
Section 7, Sub Section 1, Paragraph (a) of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 provides that unlike the former Defined Benefit Scheme, the CPS is to be jointly funded by both the employer and the employee. Each worker has an individual Retirement Savings Account (RSA) with a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA).
It also made provision for state governments to migrate to the CPS and stipulates that employees contribute eight per cent of their monthly earnings, and employers add 10 per cent, totalling 18 per cent of the employee’s monthly income. The funds are managed under the oversight of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), with the aim of ensuring transparency and accountability.
Two decades down the road, getting the state governments to key into the scheme has been a Herculean task. Reports show that only about five out of the 36 states in the country have fully complied with the CPS Act. Some have not even enacted their CPS laws while some enacted the law without contributing anything to their workers’ RSA. PenCom and Pension fund operators have reportedly made frantic efforts to have them key into the scheme since 2014 but that yielded little or no results.
A recently retired civil servant in Rivers State narrated that the past governments in the states did not key in fully into the scheme. While the eight per cent of the employees’ salary was deducted, the government failed to contribute its own 10 per cent, thereby making retirees from the state ineligible to benefit from the CPS scheme.
The retiree was however glad that the total amount he contributed over the years was paid to him without any deduction and that the State government has put keying into the CPS on hold. He advised that the state government should not be part of the CPS as it is confusing and not favourable to government workers. “Contributory Pensions Scheme cannot work in our states where the governors run the states like their personal businesses. A governor today may decide to contribute and another governor tomorrow may choose not to. What happens to the retirees in such a situation? He queried.
Low compliance in the informal sector has also been noted as one of the challenges of the scheme. The informal sector, which represents over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s workforce, often lacks the structure or financial stability to commit to monthly contributions. Many informal workers are unaware of the benefits of joining the scheme, highlighting a gap in outreach and education.
Analysts have also observed that fluctuations, especially inflation, often erode the value of retirement savings. Although PFAs invest in various assets, ensuring inflation-adjusted returns remains challenging, impacting retirees’ purchasing power, they said.
They therefore, canvassed for a halt of the CPS or reforms and initiatives to make it effective and worth the while. These include:
Expansion of CPS outreach programmes and incentives, such as flexible contribution options to increase informal sector enrollment; improved awareness and education which will drive greater participation among self-employed and informal workers; increasing transparency in fund management and imposing stricter penalties for misconduct so as to improve public confidence; introducing innovative investment options like green bonds and infrastructure development projects to help pension funds achieve better returns.
Others are: a more aggressive investment strategy that offers inflation-protected returns, benefiting retirees in the long term by PenCom in order to mitigate inflation’s effects, and PenCom offering financial education to pensioners so as to help them manage their funds effectively. PenCom should offer financial planning resources, ensuring that retirees fully understand the structure and benefits of the CPS.
Analysts have also argued that for CPS to succeed and live up to its objective of being a cornerstone of economic stability and prosperity, embodying the hope of dignified and secured retirement for all, PenCom must wake up to her duty of ensuring that the retirees are not short-changed by the pension administrators and that non-complaint employers (that fail to make deductions) as stipulated in PRA 2014 are duly punished.
Calista Ezeaku
Features
Good Governance: Gov Fubara’s Eyes On The Ball Amid Distractions
The administration of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, commenced on May 29, 2023, after the symbolic swearing-in ceremonies at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt. From that day, Governor Fubara hit the ground running to provide Rivers people strong, focused, purposeful and responsible leadership, prioritising the well-being of the State and its people with a renewed push for economic growth, people-centred infrastructure projects and social services.
The Governor promised pragmatic steps to improve the ease of doing business and sustain a congenial fiscal policy to attract local and foreign direct investments to stimulate greater economic activities, partner with private sector to revive or establish viable industries to create jobs and wealth while encouraging commercial agriculture to achieve food sufficiency, security and improved living standards for residents of the State. He promised to invest in capital infrastructure projects, provide electricity supply and social housing to those in need, partner private sector to develop integrated multimodal public transportation system to advance mass mobility and access to socio-economic opportunities across the State, prioritise healthcare, education, and empower youth with relevant skills and opportunities to become economically active, productive and prosperous.
The Governor also promised to initiate policies to improve earning capacity and incomes of workers; ensure regular payment of wages, pensions, and gratuities; intensify training and promotion of civil servants; support and motivate security agencies to maintain law and order and keep communities, roads, neighbourhoods and waterways protected, safe and secure for businesses, residents, and visitors; while remaining bold and ambitious in decision-making, and resolute in defending, protecting and promoting the collective interest of Rivers State.
Indeed, Governor Fubara has shown capacity through meticulous leadership by diligently fulfilling his promises to Rivers people in all spheres of governance. For instance, in May, 2024, Rivers State Government held Economic and Investment Summit, the first of its kind in Nigeria. The summit subsequently birthed the signing of Executive Order No. 002 of 2024 empowering the establishment of Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency to give impetus to an Investment Agency that will coordinate the barrage of enquiries and business interests expressed by investors who now consider the State a destination of first choice.
Following the signing of the Executive Order, Governor Fubara established Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency to serve as one-stop-shop to handle all-related activities seamlessly for the prosperity and good governance of the State. It is not in doubt that the gains of the Economic and Investment Summit have started yielding results, given the array of investment inflows to the State of recent. Notable among them are the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) between the Rivers State Government, INTEC and OMENE Group of Companies as well as Senendib Capital Limited. The MoU with INTEC and OMENE Group of Companies is for the development of a $300million Waste-to-Wealth project, 200megawatts power plant, smart e-mobility, 20 tons of carbon capture and storage, and other innovations with a view to converting waste to wealth, generate electricity, boost employment opportunities as well as increase the State’s revenue base.
That of Senendib Capital Limited is for the protection and preservation of mangrove forest and ecosystems within the State, and the establishment of a Blue Carbon Credit Partnership, which will aid in tree planting, biochar production with a view to bringing about transformative shift in environmental and socio-economic gains aimed at increasing the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), leveraging the State’s potentials in the Blue Economy. Indeed, there are other private sector investments in such area as agriculture, tourism, culture and arts, among others. Take the ongoing work on Songhai Integrated Farms; Port Harcourt Tourist Beach; and the move to revive Rex Lawson Cultural Centre, as some of those big initiatives.
However, in spite of these laudable achievements, enemies of the State have continued to spin negative media propaganda with the intent of demarketing the State and pitching Governor Fubara against President Bola Tinubu. Only recently, the social media space was awash with malicious reports that Governor Fubara has shut down the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and other oil companies’ operations in apparent retaliation for a Federal High Court judgment in respect of statutory allocations from the Federation Accounts to the State. This deliberate propaganda was published by an online platform: jeestauglahity.net, titled, “Breaking News: Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara Shuts Down NNPC and All Oil Companies in Rivers State, Declares No Allocation for Rivers State, No Oil for Nigeria”. What a hack job!
As if that was not enough, another social media report reared its ugly head, that Governor Fubara has imposed curfew on the State, as a result of the purported death of at least eight Nigerian soldiers in an imaginary gun battle between military personnel allegedly sponsored by former Governor Nyesom Wike, and the ‘forces’ of Governor Fubara, who were protecting Government House from Wike’s invaders. This time, the fake news was concocted by an online platform: https://africachinapresscentre.org, titled, “Heavy shooting, deaths reported as armed men attempt to seize power in Rivers”, authored by one Ikenna Emewu, and also credited to a mainstream newspaper “Daily Trust”. Another hack job, and deliberate attempt to distract, cause panic and chaos.
It is crystal clear that the negative media narratives are from the enemies of the State, who have been working as part of the propaganda machine of detractors of the Governor to paint the State Government in bad light, cause anarchy and destabilise the State. No doubt, these enemies of the State have been recruiting agents to use the media as tool to manipulate public opinion and perception, while also fabricating lies to create the impression that the Governor is at war with the Federal Government, and indeed, President Bola Tinubu, at a time the Governor has been working assiduously in synergy with security agencies to crush illegal oil bunkering, artisanal refining of crude oil and the scourge of pipeline vandalism, in order to help improve oil production for the nation to meet its crude sales obligations as well as continue to maintain the peace in the State.
But despite the negative media spinning and distractions from several litigations, Governor Fubara has continued to demonstrate leadership by remaining focused with his eyes on the ball, delivering good governance in line with his promises to Rivers people.
Governor Fubara has been playing the game in line with the axioms of Tony Robbins: ‘’the more focused you are, the more successful you will be’’. He has surrendered his faith to God, focusing on delivering democratic dividends to Rivers people. Because his eyes have been focused on the ball, the Governor had completed the 10.9km Aleto-Eteo-Ebubu Road; 15.24km Emohua-Tema Junction (Kalabari) Road; 21.5km Egbeda internal roads; 23km Omoku-Egbema dualised road; 27.5km Andoni section of Unity Road; 8.168km Emoh/Iyak/Ighom/Elok and Emoh/Egbolom roads; over 3km Chokocho-Igbodo road; despite the distractions. Conservatively, more than 121.308km roads have been completed and handed over to communities for public use without noise making.
And he is doing more! Only recently, during routine inspection of projects dotted across the State, the Governor gave construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, a marching order to complete the 9.7km Ogbakiri Town road which will connect about six communities in Emohua Local Government Area within the stipulated timeframe of eight months. The project is valued at about N15billion. Already, 30 per cent mobilization fee has been paid. Also, the 33.5km Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku dual carriage road with a river crossing bridge linking Ikwerre-Emohua-Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas is also progressing.
Two major signature projects: the 50.15km Port Harcourt Daul Carriage Ring Road that traverses six local government areas, namely Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Etche, Eleme, and Okrika, is ongoing at six sections of the road; and the 12.5km Trans-Kalabari Road project, is also ongoing. Both projects had been evaded by previous administrations because of their complex and difficult terrains and huge costs. Work is now progressing on both.
Other legacy projects include the over 3km Opobo Ring Road; 12km Okehi-Eberi-Omuma road; 5km Okania-Ogbogoro road; 14.6km Eberi-Umuakali-Omodu Road linking Rivers and Abia states; 13.3km Bori internal roads; and 17.5km Egbeda/Omerelu Road. These have been completed. The Kalaibiama section of the 5.2km Kalaibiama/Epellema Road with spurs has been completed while work is ongoing on the Epellema section with bridge.
Also, the 16.5km Rumuokurusi-Igbo-Etche Road; 25.4km Ahoada/Omoku Dual Carriageway (Phase 2); 15.2km Uyakama/ Obodhi/Ozochi Road; 13.52km Ngo Atlantic-Oyorokoto Road with spurs; and 6.5km Woji-Aleto-Alesa-Refinery link road with 200 meters bridge and many other road infrastructure projects are advancing, even with the distractions. Indeed, the people have high hopes because the contractors have promised to deliver on schedule. More than 257.64km roads are under construction, and almost all are funded from state revenue (IGR and FAAC allocations) without borrowing.
In his bid to decongest the City of Port Harcourt and extend municipal activities to other parts of the State, Governor Fubara, had in August, flagged off the construction of the New Port City in Eleme, Eleme Local Government Area. The New Port City, which is akin to a mega smart port city, is a joint venture between the Rivers State Government and Rainbow Heritage Group Limited geared towards realigning the State with modern developmental realities. This is in addition to the 20,000 housing units project for low-income earners, being executed by the Rivers State Government and Pricewise Home Nigeria Limited/TAF Africa Global at Mbodo, Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area. The project is progressing smoothly and aims at meeting the Governor’s aspiration to provide affordable homes for low-income earners under the social housing policy of the Government.
Governor Fubara is also keeping to his avowed promise to civil servants in the State. In October, he graciously approved the sum of N85,000.00 as Minimum Wage to workers under the State Government employ, and promised that implementation will take effect November, 2024. As civil servants were receiving alert for their November salaries, the new minimum wage was boldly implemented, and the whole State has been in a jubilation mood since then. In fact, the Governor was the first in the nation to pay the new minimum wage to workers, and the impact has been monumental on the lives of Rivers people.
This is as the promotion of civil servants for 2023/2024 is ongoing after the initial promotion that saw Rivers civil servants being promoted to their current grade levels after over 10 years of stagnation. Pensioners are also not left out in the scheme of things as the Governor had increased the N1billion monthly allocation to offset the backlog of pension and gratuity to retired civil servants to N2billion. The move is to clear the backlog as well as ensure effective implementation of payment of gratuities and pensions to retired civil servants. How else do you describe good governance?
Also recently, Governor Fubara donated 100 vehicles to the Rivers State Command of Nigeria Police Force, with the aim of tackling insecurity and boosting response time to emergencies. Sister agencies such as Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among others, including military and para-military formations have also received support from the Government. This is in fulfilment of the Governor’s promise to support and motivate security agencies to deliver on their mandate to the people of the State.
Of course, Governor Fubara is keeping to his oath never to renege on his promise to deliver only the best projects to Rivers people and provide standard social services, while utilising scarce resources judiciously for the betterment and overall interest of the people. This is because, since assumption of office, he has, through meticulous and frugal management of State resources, embarked on impactful projects aimed at fulfilling his social contract with Rivers people without the usual pomp and pageantry, and noise making as some publicity-conscious public officials do. Even the BudgIT 2024 Fiscal Performance Ranking put Rivers tops among 35 other states in transparency and accountability, a testament to the Governor’s prudence and diligent application of scarce resources in delivering good governance to Rivers people.
Amid the noise and political distractions, Governor Fubara has truly had his eyes on the ball. He has been focused. He has been committed to the Rivers First project. He believes and is working to achieve a brighter future for Rivers State.
Nelson Chukwudi
Chukwudi is the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, and writes from Port Harcourt.
Features
Will Drug Trafficking Ever End ?
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
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