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Why Prof. Soludo Must Not Take-off With a Lot of Baggage

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Prof. Soludo has to sanitize his government from the get-go, and never populate his new government with appointees who should not be associated with the new government, especially when there are no political repercussions.

Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra’s Governor-Elect will be sworn-in in about two months’ time. So far, many people have become desperate and doing all they could to lobby for one position or another. Most of those lobbying for positions are in Obiano’s outgoing government. Some try to reach Soludo in person; others try to use those close to him to reach him. But we know that under normal circumstances if this was not politics, people normally do not apply or lobby for a job they are not qualified for. Yes, it is true. The sad reality is that many of those in this desperate race for a position cannot secure good employment on the strength of their qualification or experience, or in short form what they can offer, as it is the custom incorporate and functional world. But again, this is politics and this is Anambra. But Prof. Soludo must do something different.

Already, Soludo has gained a reputation as an elitist and he may want to slow down on matters of strictness just because this is politics and by so doing provide a foothold for what will later drag his government in the mud. The challenge is on, already. On a serious note, governance or public management is not the same as private enterprise. But if private enterprises succeed where government fails despite the enormity of human and material resources available to government, then, we may wish to run our government in the same or similar manner private enterprises are run. At least we can afford to learn some lessons from what energizes private enterprises to success. If we do, then, perhaps, the lessons cannot be far from how we can engender real change in government. But then, it also implies that people must make sacrifices. Those with inordinate ambitions that are not exactly in the public interest must drop same and put the public good first.

Prof. Soludo must not take into his new government so much baggage from the Obiano’s government because that is a clear threat that will likely sink the new government and render it incapable of devising innovative and new ways to solve old problems.

Not far from the truth is the fact that government is continuous. In application, this suggests that many people who have served in Governor Obiano’s government will also serve in Prof. Soludo’s government. While this is obtainable and in fact going to happen, Prof. Soludo must not take into his new government so much baggage from the Obiano’s government because that is a clear threat that will likely sink the new government and render it incapable of devising innovative and new ways to solve old problems. Aside from this, absorbing wholly, those that served in the out-going government into the new government is going to regenerate all sorts of corruption, while reviving and successfully transferring into the new government, the same or similar kinds of wrongs that threatened to mar Obiano’s government. For any worthwhile achievement, Prof. Soludo must surround his government with people who can get things done because it is critical for his success. Otherwise, the new government will not only fail to meet the expectations of the people which are very high but will even fail to meet Prof. Soludo’s own expectations. This is why it is very important that the government revolve around qualified and capable hands who have what it takes to boldly drive governance processes and landmark reforms that must be identified with the Prof. Soludo led government in Anambra state.

As it is with tradition, Prof. Soludo will start off with his Chief of Staff, Principal Secretary, Secretary to the State Government, among others. These initial appointees are going to anchor the government. What I think is that Prof. Soludo should not reappoint current occupants of these key positions. When people serve for too long in a position, they tend to be latent and unable to do something new, much less help an ambitious government fly. This is a major reason many good-intentioned leaders fail; they stay for too long in office and get used to it even though they no longer have something trendy to offer. If those currently occupying the identified key offices now have served absolutely well, they should be appointed into Boards of important government agencies at the state or federal level if it is possible. On another hand, they may consider a voluntary exit from the scene or try something else in the private or public sector. This is very significant in shaping the reputation of the incoming government and if Prof. Soludo truly wants to run a government that is not embedded on the patronage system; one that does not look like what people are already used to.

When government officials have served for a time, they must be given the honour to allow others to serve and when possible, they should be afforded another opportunity to serve elsewhere, in a different capacity, but not allowed to remain in an office for too long, in that instance, they most likely have nothing new to offer again. There are people who are familiar with government protocol and have the right measure of knowledge and exposure to bring fresh ideas that will move a government like the incoming government forward. It is Soludo’s job to seek these men and women out, and bring them into his government. For the position of Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Soludo may wish to look at the direction of Anambra North and if that be the case, Barr. Chugbo Enwezor is eminently qualified to be the SSG. Enwezor is a consummate legal practitioner, a two-term House of Assembly member, and by far, the most valuable legislator both in the 5th and 6th Assembly in terms of quality of contributions and arguments at plenary. He is a man of deep convictions with unwavering commitment and loyalty to the growth and development of the system, not his personal gains.

Anybody familiar with the 5th and 6th Assembly can easily attest to this. Hon. Enwezor is a contented and descent, as well as disciplined man. If it counts, he is also a devoted party man who has been wronged by the party when the House of Representatives ticket that he would have swept fair and clean was taken from him. Hon. Enwezor is one of the few that have been in government but has what it takes to get a job in any institution around the world. If Prof. Soludo intends to get SSG from Anambra North which I suspect for the sake of political balance, then, Hon. Enwezor is absolutely suitable for that position and has what it takes to energize a government with a vast ambition like the incoming government. I have just mentioned a name to give a human face to what Soludo’s government must look like if indeed the interest is to make a real impact as well as make government a gathering of men and women who have what it takes to serve the public as well as proven credentials to show for it. This is surely a departure from the entrenched perception of government as something that must be exploited for personal gains.

Prof. Soludo has to sanitize his government from the get-go, and never populate his new government with appointees who should not be associated with the new government, especially when there are no political repercussions. An ambitious government cannot go far or fly high with heavy baggage and Prof. Soludo no matter how well prepared he is, cannot fly high without a formidable and capable team.

 

 

 

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NLC protests: Why Nigeria’s economy is in such a mess

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Nigeria is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, leading to widespread hardship and anger.

The trade union umbrella group, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), held protests in the main cities on Tuesday, calling for more action from the government.

A litre of petrol costs more than three times what it did nine months ago, while the price of the staple food, rice, has more than doubled in the past year.

These two figures highlight the difficulties that many Nigerians are facing as wages have not kept up with the rising cost of living.

Like many nations, Nigeria has experienced economic shocks from beyond its shores in recent years, but there are also issues specific to the country, partly driven by the reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu when he took office last May.

How bad is the economy?

Overall, annual inflation, which is the average rate at which prices go up, is now close to 30% – the highest figure in nearly three decades. The cost of food has risen even more – by 35%.

However, the monthly minimum wage, set by the government and which all employers are supposed to observe, has not changed since 2019, when it was put at 30,000 naira – this is worth just $19 (£15) at current exchange rates.

Many are going hungry, rationing what food they have or looking for cheaper alternatives.

In the north, some people are now eating the rice that is normally discarded as part of the milling process. The waste product usually goes into fish food.

Widely shared social media videos indicate how some are reducing portion sizes.

One clip shows a woman cutting a fish into nine pieces rather than the average four to five. She is heard saying her goal is to ensure her family can at least eat some fish twice a week.

What is causing Nigeria’s economic crisis?

Inflation has soared in many countries, as fuel and other costs spiked as a result of the war in Ukraine.

But President Tinubu’s efforts to remodel the economy have also added to the burden.

On the day he was sworn in nine months ago, the new president announced that the long-standing fuel subsidy would be ending.

This had kept petrol prices low for citizens of this oil-producing nation, but it was also a huge drain on public finances. In the first half of 2023, it accounted for 15% of the budget – more than the government spent on health or education. Mr Tinubu argued that this could be better used elsewhere.

However, the subsequent huge jump in the price of petrol has caused other prices to rise as companies pass on transportation and energy costs to the consumer.

One other factor that is pushing up inflation is an issue that Mr Tinubu inherited from his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, according to financial analyst Tilewa Adebajo.

He told the BBC’s Newsday programme that the previous government had asked the country’s central bank for short-term loans to cover spending amounting to $19bn.

The bank printed the money, which helped fuel inflation, Mr Adebajo said.

Chart showing the changing food prices

What has happened to the naira?

Mr Tinubu also ended the policy of pegging the price of the currency, the naira, to the US dollar rather than leaving it up to the market to determine on the basis of supply and demand. The central bank was spending a lot of money maintaining the level.

But scrapping the peg has led the naira’s value to plunge by more than two-thirds, briefly hitting an all-time low last week.

Last May, 10,000 naira would buy $22, now it will only fetch around $6.40.

As the naira is worth less, the price of all imported products has gone up.

When will things get better?

While the president is unlikely to reverse his decisions on the fuel subsidy and the naira, which he argues will pay off in the long run by making Nigeria’s economy stronger, the government has introduced some measures to ease the suffering.

Nigeria’s Vice-President Kashim Shettima announced the establishment of a board charged with controlling and regulating food prices. The government also ordered the national grain reserve to distribute 42,000 tonnes of grains, including maize and millet.

This is not the first time the government has said it is distributing aid to poor and vulnerable Nigerians, but labour unions have often criticised the government’s method of food distribution, saying much of it does not reach poor families.

The government has also said it is working with rice producers to get more of it into markets and customs officials have been instructed to cheaply sell off bags of the grain that they have seized. In a sign of how bad things are, on Friday this led to a crush in the biggest city, Lagos, which killed seven people, local media report. These hand-outs have now been halted.

The rice was seized under the previous government, which banned imports of rice to encourage local farmers to grow more. That ban was lifted last year in at attempt to bring down the cost but because of the fall in the value of the naira, that has not worked.

Around 15 million poorer households are also receiving a cash transfer of 25,000 naira ($16; £13) a month, but these days that doesn’t go very far.

Culled from the BBC

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Africa

Nangolo Mbumba Sworn In as Namibia’s Interim President

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Nangolo Mbumba has been sworn in as the interim president of the southern African country of Namibia.

He was installed Sunday, following the death of President Hage Geingob earlier in the day at a hospital in Windhoek.

Geingob announced in January that he had cancer.

Mbumba said Sunday that he does not plan to run for president in elections later this year.

That means newly-installed Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah could seek the presidential office. If she won, she would be first female president in southern Africa.

However, she may face some challengers from within SWAPO, her political party.

The South West Africa People’s Organization or SWAPO has been in power in Namibia since it gained independence in 1990.

President Geingob recently upbraided Germany for supporting Israel against genocide charges at the International Court of Justice.

Geingob said Germany committed genocide in Namibia in the 1800s, killing tens of thousands of Africans.

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Horrible images of massive blast in Nigeria caused by explosives

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ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Three people died and 77 others were injured overnight when an explosives rocked more than 20 buildings in one of Nigeria’s largest cities, authorities said Wednesday, as rescue workers dug through the rubble in search of those feared trapped.

Residents in the southwestern state of Oyo’s densely populated Ibadan city heard a loud blast at about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, causing panic as many fled their homes. By Wednesday morning, security forces cordoned off the area while medical personnel and ambulances were on standby as rescue efforts intensified.

Preliminary investigations showed the blast was caused by explosives stored for use in illegal mining operations, Oyo Gov. Seyi Makinde told reporters after visiting the site in the Bodija area of Ibadan.

3 killed and 77 injured in massive blast caused by explosives in southern  Nigerian city - Bharat Express

 

Nigeria explosion leaves 3 dead, 77 injured as rescue workers frantically  dig through rubble to search for survivors

 

3 killed, 77 injured in massive blast caused by explosives in southern  Nigerian city - ABC News

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