TO EAGLE SQUARE!

Since the presidential election result was announced traditional and social media have been awash with these counsels, mostly unsolicited, but all the same useful for any discerning new government. So, as is traditional with this Column at a period such as this, in what we usually title TO EAGLE SQUARE since the 2007 elections, we […]

Since the presidential election result was announced traditional and social media have been awash with these counsels, mostly unsolicited, but all the same useful for any discerning new government. So, as is traditional with this Column at a period such as this, in what we usually title TO EAGLE SQUARE since the 2007 elections, we would also proffer some suggestions; many to be laid out here may have been given by others – in that case good to re-emphasise. In others, it may be a new perspective on old suggestions, especially those that were given to the outgoing government but were ignored.
SECURITY AS PRIORITY: Without doubt, security will be the greatest challenge. At the last count, Boko Haram insurgency is reported to have consumed 20,000 lives, and this is only from sources that can be reached. Many more have died in unreachable bushes, plus the injured and displaced. As a retired General, the incoming president will have his own way of dealing with this, and we wish him luck and God speed. As for highway robbery, for example, aerial surveys are now essential as is now the practice the world over. Since leaders fly, government should establish secure corridors to link important destinations to ensure safety of our travelling citizens. Government should clear dark roadside foliage which give cover to robbers; ensure adequate highway lighting; establish security barracks and emergency health centres at strategic distances; and end stop-and-search checkpoints which should give way to overhead ‘scanning’, say every ten kilometres, with effective communication between posts.
WAR AGAINST INDISCIPLINE: Thirty years ago, by the power of the military hovering over us, Nigerians joined queues, spat in handkerchiefs, were relatively patriotic, shunned the brown envelope, considered other Nigerians as fellow citizens, and were generally shipshape. After the 1985 coup, values nosedived in the country because the reasons for such decorum – Generals Buhari and Idiagbon – were removed. After that Eid el Kabir Sallah Day Coup, corruption, filth, tribalism and other vices took over this nation. Thirty years on, we are still at the lowest pit of this ‘valuelessness’. The incoming government would do well to rejuvenate Nigerians of on their sense of dignity, perhaps using the available vehicle of the National Orientation Agency, NOA.
NUCLEAR POWER OPTION: For several years, this Column has advocated nuclear power. After sixteen years of fiddling with thermal and hydro electrical installations, and investing (and stealing) billions of dollars on power, Nigeria has still not gone beyond the 4,000 megawatts (MW) threshold (compare, for example, Brazil’s 110,000 MW; Iran’s 45,000 MW or South Africa’s 40,000 MW). Despite the Amnesty Billions, militants continue puncturing gas pipelines powering the power plants, and going unpunished, principally because of a weak, or nepotistic, leadership. Many countries have made nuclear power cornerstone of their energy policy. Nuclear is comparatively cheap: a simple, modern power plant which can provide upwards of 1,000 MW may be built for less than $1 billion, and could be planned and constructed in four years or less. Therefore, with (our ‘missing’) $20 billion we could have 20 nuclear power plants providing 20,000 MW by 2019, if we start early 2015.
SOCIAL SECURITY TEMPLATE: During its campaign, the All Progressives Congress (APC) promised some welfare assistance to the vulnerable and the unemployed. A few years ago, outgoing President Jonathan empaneled a Committee headed by former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon to design a Social Security Policy. In an Open Memo to the Committee, this Column drew attention to Brazil’s Bolsa Familia (or Family Stipend) Social Security Programme of former President Lula, launched in October 2003 and credited with reducing poverty in Brazil by as much as 70% in ten years. Since the Gowon Committee did its work, nothing has been heard of its report, as usual with the outgoing government. We highly recommend that the new administration adapts Bolsa and amend it according to our peculiarities. The Brazilian Programme provides financial aid to poor Brazilian families (directly to the mother, NOT the father) on condition that the children must attend school and be vaccinated <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccination>, and the home must also be clean and healthy, among other conditions. Almajiri and Area Boys will be history.
ADOPTING CHINESE INFRASTRUTURE: At his first coming 1983-1985, General Buhari perfected the ancestral ‘trade-by-barter’, a unique system of financing Nigeria’s needs. Nigeria imported needed finished goods in exchange for raw materials. At that time, price of oil had so plummeted that there was hardly any foreign reserve for imports. Today, we are in the same quagmire; not only has price of oil plummeted, the outgoing government has completely decimated our foreign reserves. Therefore, in the spirit of ‘trade-by-barter’, we should agree with China to continue developing (as they are already doing) our infrastructure in roads, bridges, railways airports and even refineries in exchange, NOT for oil, but for BOOT – Build, Own, Operate, Transfer after, say, twenty-five years when the projects may have paid off themselves. That will surely be a short cut to our infrastructure deficit, as there is hardly any money now to undertake gigantic projects. The Chinese are awash in money, labour and technology, and they are doing it all over the world. And it would be good to revisit former President Obasanjo’s well-designed 25-year Railway Master Plan, which was sadly cancelled by late President Yar’Adua (who, to be fair, cited ‘lack of due process’ in the initial Lagos to Kano rail contract). And, for added emphasis, the Chinese are ‘closer’ to Buhari in that they shoot corrupt officials. Another idea worth adopting!
RE-DENOMINATE OUR NAIRA: During Buhari’s first coming, he refused to accept IMF conditionalities, principal among them devaluation of currency (which the succeeding military regime of 1985-1993 hastily did, and more). For the blind pursuit of foreign currency, Nigeria suffered irreparable damage; that unjustified devaluation brought about brain drain, 419, massive corruption and the attendant poverty. The Naira must be restored to its glory. Economists may tell you that the value of your currency has no effect on your well-being. We disagree: a strong Naira will restore our pride, kick-start brain gain, and help fight corruption. And if we can’t ‘re-valuate’, we can redenominate, as suggested by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Charles Soludo. Hear! Ghana’s Cedi was once 20,000 to the US Dollar! A taxi ride in Khartoum was half a million Sudanese Pounds! A stick of kebab in Istanbul cost one million Turkish Lira! These countries and many others removed useless zeros from their currencies, and are now happily ever after. Remove two zeros from the Naira and we shall be smiling at Two Naira to the Dollar!
ONE LAST THING: To Western Embassies in Nigeria. “Your Election Observers reported the wanton violence perpetrated by some desperate politicians, leading to many deaths. Help Nigeria by DENYING ENTRY VISA to all these identified political desperadoes. Tell them that if they have visas to your countries, they are hereby cancelled, and they shouldn’t bother applying again throughout their tenure. In fact, for good measure, Israel and Saudi Arabia should be impressed upon to deny pilgrimage visas.” (And readers, if the Embassies don’t read weekend newspapers, retweet and viralise it from next Monday).
OVER TO YOU: Readers may compose their own suggestions for the incoming administration and sent to this Column. No idea is too serious or mundane. We have too many worries; we should ventilate them before Eagle Square.
Alhamdu lilLah (Thanks be to God) and HasbunalLahu wa ni’imal Wakeel! (God is Sufficient for us and He is the Best Disposer of affairs).