Nation
Nigeria @ 62: Corruption, Insecurity Bane Of Nation’s Economy-Stakeholders
Nigerians from different spheres of life in the South-East have blamed the parlous state of the nation’s economy on corruption and insecurity.
The people spoke in separate interviews by The Tide’s source to evaluate how the economy has fared as the country marks its 62nd independence anniversary.
An economist in Abakaliki, Mrs Joy Ekwe, expressed worry that corruption had become deep rooted in the country since it gained independence on October 1, 1960.
She lamented that it had “eaten up the fabrics of our national life”, while integrity no longer counts.
According to her, “corruption has elevated mediocrity above merit and competence, while godfatherism, nepotism and favouritism have become the order of the day”.
She said the development had discouraged hardwork, with far more negative implication on the country’s economic development.
Ekwe also spoke on the impact of insecurity on the economy and urged government at all levels to deepen the fight against the phenomenon.
She said winning the war against insecurity would put the country back on the path of sustainable economic growth and food sufficiency.
“If we must achieve food security, briefcase farmers should not be allowed to manage the distribution of farm inputs,” Ekwe said.
An Abakaliki-based legal practitioner, Mr Chibuzor Onwe, said the widespread terrorism and banditry had made the country unsafe for foreign investors.
“Insecurity has drastically slowed down socio-economic development of the county,” he said.
“The nation has come of age, 62 years is not a joke. It is high time Nigerians collectively fought corruption to a standstill and uphold the principle of honesty and integrity as a way of life”, he said.
On his part, a political analyst, Mr George Nworie, urged the Federal and State Governments as well as the citizenry to embrace the spirit of doing the right thing at the right time in order to return the country to the path of sustainable growth and development.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Enugu State, Mr Virginus Nwobodo, said development in post-independent Nigeria had been very slow and uninspiring.
“Our development as a nation has been sluggish. When I say sluggish, I mean that the pace is below the expectations of Nigerians.
“Looking at our democracy over the years, one cannot say that we are practicing true democracy because the gap between the leaders and the led is still very wide.
“Class consciousness still exists and our leaders are not committed to addressing the country’s infrastructure deficit,” Nwobodo said.
He said that the colonial administration provided public utilities like roads, housing and other amenities that made life easier for the people, “but that’s not the case today.
“In those days, once you are employed, there is official quarters ready for you. But today, Nigerians are still grappling with infrastructure deficit at all levels,” he said.
The labour leader said that under the colonial system, successive administrations improved on the performance of their predecessors, with a strong policy for continuity in governance.
“Today, every administration wants to initiate its own project and abandon what the previous government initiated but could not complete.
“That is why we have a lot of abandoned projects nationwide, some of which are very important projects,” Nwobodo said.
In Abia, a business coach, Mr Godson Adiele, said that the economy was strong and prosperous immediately after the country gained independence due to the prevailing government policies.
Adiele said that the economic policies supported productivity, competitive growth along regional line and job creation in the country.
With the emergence of new governments, he said, the economy began to nosedive due to poor policy implementation and ever-changing economic policies.
He advocated for effective implemention of policies that encourage diversification of the economy, support production, increased patronage of local products and eliminate multiple taxation.
He said that government at all levels should initiate policies that promote the ease of doing business in order to encourage investment and enable small businesses to thrive.
“Our passion for foreign products over the years has helped to deplete our economy.
“Nigerians must understand that the one you patronise you empower and we have built other economies to the detriment of ours.
“Nigerians now transact their businesses at home in dollars, which is not our legal tender.
“Unfortunately, this has resulted in the decrease in the purchasing power of the naira,” Adiele said.
The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr Chioma Ejikeme, has reiterated the commitment to service delivery for pensioners.
Ejikeme said this during the Customer Service Week in Abuja, yesterday.
He said that commission had a mandate to deliver good service delivery to the pensioners.
Ejikeme, who was represented by the Director Civil Service Pension Department, Mr Kabir Yusuf, said that the customer service week was important to operations of PTAD.
“Customer service is the support that you give to a customer, whether it is an existing customer or potential customer in the process of delivering or making enquires about a service.
“To be a good customer service representative you need to be knowledgeable, have good attitude and attribute especially to the senior citizens and have empathy,” he said.
Ejikeme said that all PTAD staff had most of the attributes of a good customer representative.
“We provide excellent customer service by going to verify our aged pensioners who cannot do it by themselves anywhere across the country.
“There is a dedicated team that was mandated to go round to confirm the aliveness of those who can not confirm their aliveness either because the are too old or have health issues,” the executive secretary said.
The National Coordinator, SERVICOM, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, said that the official theme of the 2024 customer service week was “ We Go Above and Beyond For Our Customers.”
She commended PTAD and the SERVICOM team for organising the 2024 customer service week.
“This is in line with the best practice of celebrating frontline workers and service takers.
“Customer service week is celebrated annually during the first full week in October.
It calls attention to the importance of people to boost morale team work and departmental collaboration in supporting pensioners.
“ It is a platform to reward employees for the significant work they do,” Akajemeli said.
She said that the objective of the customer service week was to celebrate the hard work and dedication of employee who strived to create positive customer experiences.
She said that it was time to show customers that the organisation valued their experience and feedback, through comment cards, dedicated hotline, among others.
Akajemeli said that it raised awareness internally and externally about the importance of good customer service in building customer loyalty and satisfaction.
She said that the benefit was to increase motivation, show appreciation, encourage friendly competition, boost employee retention, create a positive workplace and increase productivity.
The Head, Surveillance Department at the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mr Abdulrahman Saleem, said that good service delivery was the key success of every establishment.
Salem said that PTAD operated with standard, considering the success it had achieved so far.
Saleem said that pensioners required the best service attitude and behavior.
“ I give kudos to PTAD for its efforts and encourage it to do more.
“Therefore I urge PTAD staff to keep up the standard and continue to give good service to the pensioners,” he said.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has honoured Flying Officer David Sangokoya for winning the 2023/2024 Royal Air Force College Cranwell International Cadet Sword of Honour.
Abubakar honoured the officer during the presentation of cheques to 13 beneficiaries of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Group Personal Accident Insurance Policy (GPAIP) in Abuja, yesterday.
He described the achievement as ground-breaking as it was the first time an African cadet had won the prestigious award since the Academy’s creation over 100 years ago.
According to him, the feat underscores the excellence that exists within NAF, and proof that NAF officers and cadets can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.
“To our awardee, you have set a new standard, not just for your peers, but for every cadet and officer that will come after you.
“This accomplishment is a powerful reminder that no goal is out of reach when one is armed with dedication, discipline and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
“Your journey as an officer has begun with this prestigious accolade, but the true measure of your success will be seen in how you serve, lead and contribute to the mission of NAF and the defence of our great nation.
“As we celebrate this historic occasion, we extend our deepest gratitude to the United Kingdom Government for its unwavering support in providing world-class training opportunities to our personnel.
“This has enabled our officers and men to gain invaluable skills and knowledge, strengthening not only our bilateral ties but also our collective ability to address global security challenges,” he said.
The CAS said that the NAF looked forward to continuing the fruitful partnership for the mutual benefit of Nigeria and UK countries.
He expressed gratitude and unflinching loyalty to President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to the welfare and training of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and NAF in particular.
“I must also take a moment to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the leadership of the Nigerian Defence Academy and the instructors who helped to mould and prepare this cadet for the global stage.
“Their dedication and commitment to developing top-notch officers is evident in this ground-breaking achievement.
“You have not only trained a leader but have given the Nigerian Air Force a legacy we will all cherish,” he said.
National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has advocated private sector involvement to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Director-General of the authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, made the call at a high-level policy dialogue on sustainable health system reforms in Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.
The Tide’s source reports that the dialogue was organised by the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), a coalition of private sector stakeholders, to address the multifaceted challenges plaguing the country’s healthcare system.
The dialogue has “Private Sector Support for SWAP (Sector Wide Approach) in Healthcare” as its theme.
Represented by Dr Yakubu Agada-Amade, the NHIA Director of Standards and Quality Assurance, Ohiri explained the crucial role of private sector collaboration in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system
He highlighted the “One Plan” under the SWAp framework, which seeks to unify health sector efforts, ensuring efficient resource use, effective governance and expanded healthcare access.
He also stressed the importance of overcoming barriers that historically hindered the implementation of healthcare interventions in Nigeria, such as inadequate financing, weak governance systems, and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He added that “the dialogue explored innovative approaches, including digital health innovations and financing mechanisms to accelerate the implementation of the National Health Act and mandatory health insurance coverage.
“With enrollment in health insurance growing by 14 per cent over the past year, NHIA can push for greater inclusivity, particularly targeting the informal sector through flexible payment systems and partnerships with telecommunications companies.”
He called for stronger synergy between public and private health actors to ensure universal access to quality healthcare and sustainable reforms in line with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Panelists from the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) and Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) echoed the sentiments, underscoring the private sector’s role in expanding insurance coverage and improving healthcare delivery.
They commended NHIA’s efforts toward driving reforms to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).