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Goofs Of Amnesia …That Aliyu Take On Revenue Sharing
When humans forget themselves, they do things others won’t forget in a hurry. That state of temporary mental imbalance is what is today, commonly referred to as five minutes madness, although the time, causes and frequency vary according to individuals. For our purpose, it could be more or less, the individual’s level of depression, extent of moral depravity, anxiety, malice and lack of sufficient sleep. It could also be actuated by greed.
But when an individual attains certain high privileged positions in society and government, his or her social, medical, family, personal or even domestic needs are borne by government – the state, that gesture is intended to ensure, among other things, that such an individual suffers less personal worries while attempting to offer quality service and also help minimize, if possible, eliminate the likely incidence of fatal madness, often responsible for dangerous goofs of amnesia.
By his position, as Governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu is depended upon to face PREVAILING REALITIES (not mine, his) and avoid being diagnosed as five minutes mad, in thoughts, words and deeds.
But his dabble, a forthnight ago, into the issue of revenue allocation; his quarrel with what accrues to those who monthly bring revenue from oil and gas to the Federation Accounts allocation table and from which states like Aliyu’s Niger benefit without commensurate merit and his ill-timed advocacy for a downward review of the percentage on derivation, offends a popular Okrika adage: Bukulo Koro-bo inji die-die ke”, which translated means, ‘a mere passenger in a fishing boat never allocates the catch to its owners.
Only three sets of people enjoy such power: armed robbers, sea pirates or bullies who often count on their might as right, and in wielding such physical endowment, not only seek to determine what the boat owners and fishermen must get but also appropriates to himself, being, as area boys often say, Eye wey see. Even in the latter instance, it often comes with measured plea and then later, a subtle threat.
Niger State Governor, Aliyu has never been known to be any of those anti-social characters, who, so ungrateful and morally depraved could demonstrate such insane measure of insensitivity to the plight of itinerant fishermen, who, not merely weathered turbulent waves, rains and other elements but also graciously offered the stranger lift from one stop to another, only for such a by-passer to dictate his share.
Unfortunately, that’s akin to what Governor Aliyu’s alleged insistence on a fresh revenue allocation formula, in favour of the Northern states, as against the oil-bearing states, who, for nearly 50 years were short-changed, marginalized, and indeed, under- developed, amount to. But he is an honourable man that commands tremendous respect, even from among states outsides his superintendence.
These are why I am reluctant to conclude that his comments, although clear goofs often engineered by amnesia, might be by-products of the human five or so minutes madness. And it is for that singular factor that this column finds it proper to straighten some facts which the respected governor, might have over-looked inadvertently in his hurry to make a marked difference not only in his state, Niger but also the entire Northern states, to whose rulers he is presently a political head.
This attempt will therefore avoid the boring history of revenue allocation in Nigeria. Suffice it to say that regional resources were regionally managed and merely paid tax to the centre. The lowest ever received by productive regions based on derivation was 50 per cent. In those years of the groundnut pyramids, today’s oil-bearing communities and states knew that they brought little to the allocation table and so looked elsewhere to meet their needs. Not once did they demonstrate the measure of greed being observed in several quarters.
Sadly, soon after oil became a mainstay of the Nigerian economy, what used to be accepted as resource control by the then producing regions was considered a taboo. In fact, at various times, men with the same mindstead as Governor Aliyu chose what to give the oil-bearing states.
For instance, the percentage on derivation was 3 per cent when General Muhammadu Buhari, on December 31, 1983 over-threw the elected President Shehu Shagari, to become Head of State and Commander-in-Chief. In what became one of that military administration’s acts of insensitivity, the 3 percent was slashed to 1.5 per cent, a disturbing 50 per cent downward-review, just to gratify the unproductive.
After years of weeping and wailing, and sometimes appeals to the court of public opinion and of law, that percentage went up and by 1999, eventually hit 13 per cent to the oil-bearing states of the federation. The rest is then shared to all other states based on some yardsticks which are also weighed in favour of the North, while, the others, like Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was made to stir healthy competition and creativity among governments.
Currently, the revenue allocation formula is 52.68 per cent for the Federal Government; 26.72 per cent for the states, and 20.6 per cent for local council areas while a paltry 13 per cent is given to the oil-bearing states. In a proper federation, something far less than the 13 per cent, which the oil-bearing states get is what should be paid to the centre as tax. In such a case, every state would be required to generate enough revenue to run their affairs or simply be joined with more viable ones.
However, the horizontal allocation formula now in use considers certain principles (factors) and allocates to such areas various percentages. These include: Equality of states – 40 per cent; population 30 per cent, Internal Revenue effort 10 per cent, Land mass and Terrain 10 per cent, Education 4.00 per cent, health 3.00 per cent and water 3.00 per cent.
From the fore-going, apart from the 40 per cent for equality of states and perhaps, those for education, health and water, the appropriations in some way, favour the North in the areas such as population 30 per cent, and land mass/terrain 10 per cent while Internally Generated Revenue is a competitive one intended to make states more creative, by attracting viable investments out from which revenue could be sourced for the development of such states. But that is only feasible when the right variables are in place, namely; security, infrastructural development, competent manpower and nearness to the source of raw materials, among others.
These considerations, and religious pursuit of their positive application are what stand-out Lagos State, a non-oil bearing state to attract ample revenue to supplement internally generated revenue, enough to create and fund more local government areas for development.
Lagos, like Rivers State, knew early that a child that is used to spoon-feeding and in his youth not exposed to hardwork and independent thinking, is most likely to be lazy and would end-up blaming everyone except himself and his parents for his lack of creativity to face the challenges of adulthood. So, they prepared early for realities of the time. Why not others?
For instance, for the most part of the nation’s 51-year history, Northern elements monopolized political power and appropriated whatever they liked to states in the country and gave merely a token to the oil-bearing states, an arrangement that made the Northern states depend heavily on federal allocation sourced from revenue from other sources but theirs.
Using the same military fiat, such leaders created for the North more states and local government areas, to which federal revenue sourced from the oil-producing Niger Delta flow. Today, of the 36 states of the federation, 19 plus Abuja are of the North as against 16 from the entire South. Of the 744 local government areas in the country, 412 excluding development areas in Abuja are of the North as against a paltry 332 of the South.
Strangely, more than 80 per cent of the revenue required for the nation’s economic mainstay accrue from oil and gas sourced from a few states that constitute the Niger Delta but who receive a paltry 13 per cent of the country’s annual budget.
These show clearly, that more of nationally generated revenue go to the Northern states on account of factors like, population, land mass, number of states and number of local government areas to which funds are allocated, not to mention that allocation of resources over the years was under the superintendence of heads of the central government, for the most part, those of the North. What obtains today is what President Goodluck Jonathan, first South-Southerner to so be, met.
This is why this column believes that Governor Aliyu must have been quoted out of context by some reporters who might also have forgotten themselves if only to stir-up a debate which many would not forget in a hurry. This view stems from the fact that being chairman of the Northern State Governors forum, Aliyu should have the facts.
More than all these, Governor Aliyu should know that Ogoni-land and environs still suffer from the rape of its once productive land, environment and ecosystem on account of systemic oil pollution occasioned by years of oil exploration and production which Aliyu and others reap from, an experience neither Aliyu’s Niger nor any other Northern state can ever pray for.
If Aliyu had been quoted as saying, a lot goes to the Niger Delta and since his state is also Niger, for both names’ sake, two local government areas in his state should be developed and run for him by say Rivers or Delta such a request would make little sense, but to quarrel with the paltry 13 per cent derivation to the oil- producing states smacks of ingratitude and greed.
My Agony is that try as I have to insulate Governor Aliyu from guilt against the Okrika adage, Bukulo Korobo inji die-die ke, and blame his goofs instead on temporary amnesia, I find no success because the man is so honourable, well catered for by the state, well educated and creative enough to know the difference.
But if indeed, I am wrong then, the current realities would force me to blame his goofs on the fear of Boko Haram, which in the North today, passeth all understanding, only that such a voyage is also possible, when a human forgets himself, as even governors do atimes.
Soye Wilson Jamabo
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.