FEATURE ARTICLE

E O EkeFriday, May 10, 2013
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WHY I AM INVOLVED IN RETURNING HOPE TO NIGERIA,
AND PATH FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR ABIA STATE IN 2015 (CONCLUSION)

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Continued from Part 1

The changes Nigeria needs and what will be implemented in Abia state from 2015.

istory has taught us that knowing what will happen in the future will not stop it unless one takes appropriate action to prepare for it. Today the Jewish state is existing in a land once occupied by the Palestinians for the simple reason that the Jews were determined and committed, and had a long term plan which they stayed faithful, while the Palestinians failed to believe the reality and neglected to plan for what was coming in spite of having been warned of it by some of its people. Nigeria is at a critical point in its history. Out of more than two hundred ethnic groups, Ijaws and Hausa- Fulani have a de facto army; a significant number of young people with arms, determined to prevail by violence and able to carry our military activities with which they are using to influence and reshape the Nigerian political scene. It is not unimaginable, that other ethnic groups would be under pressure to form their own armed group as a political tool having observed the political dividends such groups have brought to the north and Niger Delta regions, unless the government finds appropriate response to this gun powered democracy. As Jared Diamond argued in his book guns, germs and steel, those who have guns always win in the struggle for power. The need to add a military power to Nigerian multi-ethnic politics may become stronger for the other ethnic groups and might signal the final stroke that would result in a Balkan style disintegration of Nigeria, if Nigerian leaders continue to dither.

This is why the rampant abuse of executive power in Nigeria, especially the intimidation of opponents, as is currently being played out between Sylvia, Amechi and Jonathan, the radicalisation of extremists in the north and Niger Delta are causes for serious concern for anybody who honestly loves Nigeria and understands the implication of these developments. It would seem that each Nigerian leader simply repeats the mistakes of the one he succeeds. There is no culture of respect for the law and due process. The laws seem incapable of restraining those in political positions and there is very little or no attempt to use evidence in the making of decisions. Everything decision seems to be on the wim and this is a serious worry and bad omen. At the moment, President Jonathan is repeating in Rivers state what Obasanjo did in Anambra state during his term, another example that black leaders appear to find it difficult to learn. In this concluding part, I will give a flavour of what Nigerians and Abians in particular should vote for in 2015 and how to achieve the needed change under the very difficult climate of fear in which the nascent Nigeria democracy is evolving.

Political Corruption

To begin to address the issue of political corruption, the government would make the EFCC a specialised arm of the police dedicated to political corruption, corporate crimes and organised crimes by restructuring it with the view to make it independent of the control of the presidency. We will look closely at the way the FBI operates and learn whatever will enable EFCC to gain the independence it needs to carry out its constitutional duties without the interference from politicians. We will Send a significant number of the staff on training and retire those who are found not fit for the job. EFCC and other such or similar agencies would be better funded and made independent of political control. As an agency, the head would be appointed for a fixed time after a competitive interview. The government would create the conducive environment and give them a free hand to fight crime by abolishing the immunity from prosecution which politicians currently enjoy. This is one reason why corruption is endemic in Nigeria. Nigeria would adopt open government with transparency in government transactions and all contracts would be competitively bided for through tenders in a transparent manner. There are other solutions which involves the setting up of effective system to monitor members of the security forces to ensure that they operate within the law and not benefit from corruption details of which would be revealed later.

Criminal Justice system

No government can claim to be fighting corruption when it refuses to make the needed reforms in its the criminal justice system. The role of attorney general and minister/commissioner for justice will be separated into Attorney general, which would be a none political appointment and minister of justice which would be political appointment. This is the most important reform needed to shake up the criminal justice system. In addition the judicial appointment and prison reforms will be implemented.

In Abia state in particular, we will adopt a very aggressive and radical approach to corruption by ensuring that the governor and members of the house and all political appointees lead by example. The wife of the governor and his relatives will not be used as agents to collect bribes from those who are seeking admission to schools of nursing or looking for jobs in the state ministries or institutions as has been the case and is the case at the moment. This rather very entrenched abuse of power and corruption will stop immediately. All appointments will be advertised and filled through competitive interview where the written component will be determinant to avoid bias. In addition, open government will be introduced and the salary of the governor will be cut by 50% and security vote by � and the money saved would be invested in a State education Foundation and job creating initiatives for the unemployed. Similar fund would be set up to lay the foundation of the scientific and technological take off of the state and begin the necessary social investments to reduce the epidemic of acquisitive crimes by giving a future to the young people who have taken to kidnapping and armed robbery. The state would be passionate about science and technology and would invest in these areas. The governor will also give up immunity from criminal prosecution while in office. It is hoped that these initial measures would convince the people that the new government will be different and represent the change they have been waiting for. This would be a very appropriate way to begin to clean the Nigerian Augean political stable under the circumstance and anybody with better or more practical ideas is welcomed and good ideas will be adopted.

Civil service

Nigeria needs to restore the post of the permanent secretary and depoliticise the civil service appointments by restoring the civil service as organ of the state and not a tool in the hand of the party in power. Instead of appointing people to positions because of where they come from in the name of federal character or zoning recirculating those who were involved in corruption while in office in board appointments, each zone should be asked to produce the best persons they have for the post allocated to their region to compete in a competitive interview and progression would depend on ability and performance not on years of service. This is the best way to reflect our federal character but not compromise merit, professionalism and competence in the civil service. Performance and competence would determine who occupies a sensitive position and there would be measures in place to stop abuse of position as is currently the case at the moment. If this method was used, some of the incompetent and moronic people who have occupied some of our very important offices would not have smelt it. Who knows, maybe, Nigeria would not have been in the position it is in today.

Education:

The new Nigeria Government will have a paradigm shift in the way it conceptualises education and pay serious attention to education in its real sense which is enabling the Nigerians to understand that knowledge is power. Effort would be made to ensure that schools and univiversities attain world standard by changing the government attitude to teachers and academic standard and excellency. Government attitude to teachers and investment in education would demonstrate the invaluable roles teachers and education play in our lives, future and development. The government would pay attention to the study of science, arts and technology; and invests heavily in their development right from the primary school. The government would establish a research fund to encourage study of science and this found would be well managed and disbursed on merit to institutions. This is to enable scientist source the fund they need for research. The new Nigeria government would be a science friendly government, to give the country a future. This is in order to lay the solid knowledge foundation for our development. Every country that has developed has invested in education and prioritized the study of science and technology in atmosphere of freedom. People must have the freedom to question beliefs and rely on their evidence without fear of religion. Unfortunately the hold that beliefs and tradition still hold on our thinking is one of the things that are holding us back.

The new government will resolve the long running dispute between government and academic staff union of Nigerian universities by meeting their reasonable demands and Granting university autonomy. It will harmonise the number of Nigerian universities with the view to restoring standard. Find a lasting solution to the problem of university funding by setting aside at least 10% of the government income for education. This fund would be managed independently without any political control. The student loan and grant Agency would be restructured to ensure that money would not be a barrier to education and the school fees paid directly to the universities, and system put in place to enable the student to make contribution into the education foundation fund when they starts earning income. Attention would be paid to the number and proliferation and standard of universities in Nigeria with the view to bringing them to world standard. University admission would be made competitive and rigorous so that only those who are capable and determined to study would gain admission. Not everyone needs to get a university degree to achieve his or potential or to be happy. Nigerians would be enabled to see life in a different way so that they can focus on what they want to achieve their potential and happiness.

For Abia state in particular where I would like to start this revolution, the plan would be to introduce free primary and secondary education and set up the Abia state student grant and loan agency which would enable students who gain admission into reputable universities to pay their fees. Invest in schools using the parents� government partnership model where the parent teachers association work in partnership with the schools and government to run and develop the school.

Establish a skills acquisition, Apprentice and enterprises training centres where young people would be offering training in different trades to empower them for independent living. In addition the government would start the 50, 50 projects which would enable the government to provide micro finance facilities to the entrepreneurs in a partnership arrangement that would promote innovations and creativity. The government would pursue people partnership programmes with religious organisations and churches and mosques, Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers Union (NURTWU), Taxi unions, Market Associations with the view to working with them to create a people centred social support and economic system for its members.

Religious intolerance and Terrorism

This is an area where a lot of work has to be done in Nigeria. Nigeria is a very religious country with deep rooted God based attribution system which is perpetuating ignorance, underdevelopment and intolerance. We will have to break the hold bad religion and ethnicity have on the mind of the people and enable them develop a balanced moral development that ensures the rightful place of God in their lives. Nigerian must be set free to question their religious beliefs and understand their ethnic prejudices, and allow knowledge to inform whatever they choose to believe or think about others. This is enlightenment. Without it, we will continue to grope in darkness of ignorance, traditional beliefs and magical thinking.

We will have to enforce the existing Nigerian secular constitution and ensure freedom of thoughts, beliefs and expression. The idea that people offend by expression of their thoughts should be abolished in the new Nigeria. The new Nigeria would Train and equip the security forces to crack down on religious intolerance and bigotry in any form or shape. Encourage Christians and Muslims to establish the Nigeria Christian and Islamic association to look at religious tolerance and beliefs and relationship between faith and science in a way that would enable Nigeria develop without being poisoned by religious intolerance. Without this, Nigeria would be consumed in religious conflict like Afghanistan while the world moves on. The state would pursue moral values and principles founded on the time tested wisdom of good religions.

There is no doubt that the menace of Islamic terrorism by Boko haram and Niger Delta militancy are the most serious security threats to Nigeria. As the groups continue to kill military personnels, burn down police stations and military barracks, the moral and confidence of Nigerian security are being sapped away. The incisiveness of the government and its prevarication in the face of crisis has not helped matter. The result is that terrorism is taking root in Nigeria and Nigeria is heading the way of Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan, countries where guns and warlords rule the day. We will rethink the current strategy of the security agencies. It is simple unwise to adopt conventional military tactics which the Nigerian security organisation have adopted in an unconventional war. The plan would be to combine unconventional tactics with the best intelligence and most effective conventional strategies in this war.

No government or army can defeat a guerrilla army by making itself visible in check points or unfortified barracks where they become easy targets for the terrorists. The current tactics of Nigerian security agencies in the war against terror only makes military personnels and institutions sitting targets. First, these regions will be occupied by significant number of Nigerian soldiers with the view to wining the hearts and mind of the people. Then the army will and carry out a thorough military operation against those who continue to bear arms against the country. This will make it clear to the terrorists and militants that the government has no intention of losing the war and would be involved as long as it takes to defeat them. At the same time, the government will continue the social investments needed to improve the standard and quality of life in these areas and other parts of Nigeria, and those who are minded to lay down their arms will be guaranteed amnesty but not the payment of large sums of money and those who are arrested will be subjected to due process. This is the way serious and honest governments fight terrorism and insurgency.

Ethnic conflict;

The new government will establish a truth and reconciliation committee to address ethnic grievances and prejudices and will request them to suggest further changes to the constitutions which they believe will strengthen multi-ethnic unity and ensure security and peaceful co-existence. There is a solution to all the problems that are crippling Nigeria. What we need to do is put those who know what to do in charge. Nigeria cannot continue to have leaders who want to lead it to the promise land without a map or sense of direction and geography. The last time a leader tried to do that, he and all the people who started the journey perished on the way, and a journey of few weeks took 40 years. This is what happens when a people depend on God to lead them and ignore existing knowledge, evidence and common sense. God has already given enough knowledge to help Nigeria solve most of her problems if we get the right leadership. For Abia state, the new Abia state will pay compensation to all those who have suffered the injustice of discrimination by expulsion from the civil service on the basis of a narrowly defined meaning of indigenousness. It would operate on the principle of equality and liberty for all and no one would be discriminated on the basis of ancestral origin, sex, ethnicity or any orientation.

Social inequality.

To get Nigeria right, the government must ensure that every Nigerian play by the same rule and that religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and circumstance of birth no longer give people undue advantage or disadvantage in life. The government will function in such a way that it will not worsen the condition of those with natural disadvantage while ensuring that those with natural advantage do not gain at the expense of those with natural disadvantage. This is a just society at its best. The new government will explore ways to ensure that those who acquired their wealth through corruption make more contribution to the society. They corruptly enriched themselves with money that would have been invested to create a more equal society and as such, the government would be right to attempt to recuperate some of this wealth in a fair and just manner. The government would introduce a means tested social security benefit for the unemployed and pursue aggressive skills acquisition training and economic empowerment programs for the unemployed. I hope that this will convince Nigerians that our problems are not insurmountable and that with little effort and cooperation from all, we will overcome them and begin the journey to the new Nigeria where justice as fairness and security reigns supreme. Dreams do come true if you work it.

Continued from Part 1

E O Eke is qualified in medicine. At various times he has been a General medical practitioner, Medical missionary, Medical Director and senior medical officer of health in Nigeria. He specializes in child, Adolescent and adult psychiatry and lives in England with his family. His interest is in health, religion philosophy and politics. He cares for body and mind.

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