Opinion

Let FG Wage “Operation No Mercy “On The Criminals

Published

3 years ago

April 28, 2021

Abba Dukawa

Our country faces a plethora of security challenges ranging from violent kidnapping and a revived secessionist attacks. This act of insecurity could lead us to unknown directions if current situation witnessed in almost every parts of the country are not curtailed.

These problems has affected every soul in the country and no one is sure of what tomorrow will bring and now it’s became more difficult for the peoples to embark on personal or businesses trips.

Looking at the gory security situation in Northwest, Northeast, Northcentral, Southeast, Southwest and South South, one may find it difficult to come to terms with the constitutional and primary responsibility of the government with the prevailing situation in the country under the watch of the president and state governors where scores of people are being killed on a daily basis and hundreds others have abandoned their homes.

Almost six years the insecurity situation has not improved, but rather escalated and extended to many other regions.

Today, almost all the states in the geopolitical zones of the country have turned into war zones with bandits, kidnappers and terrorists killing, and raping innocent unarmed civilians unchallenged. Let FG wage total “Operation No Mercy” on criminals before this problem consumes all of us.

Let appeal to leaders to take the bull by the horn. They should act to stem the tide of this violence threatening the country unity and tearing it apart. Enough is Enough, Nigerians need to see actions that awaits these criminals for their atrocities,

To be fair, in an attempt to stop these attacks governors offered the criminal groups amnesties and other incentives to end violent attacks. So far, these agreements have failed for a number of reasons: First, these criminal groups lack central command and a common goal, so it has been difficult to bring them all to a common negotiation.

Moreover, agreements made with one group are not binding on others. Second, the dialogues excluded the local communities that bear the brunt of violence and expect the state to deliver forms of compensation, justice, and protection as a condition for durable peace.

Some have even agreed to release all arrested persons from such groups in exchange for hostages. So far, these agreements have failed for a number of reasons.

Let the government and security agencies wage full operations no mercy on Kidnappers, secessionist and other criminal that are threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria because Peoples are tired of excuses and verbal threats which criminals laugh at, considering the escalation of attacks by these criminal leave the only conclusion that the people of the country are now completely at the mercy of armed gangs who roam towns and villages at will, wrecking havoc.
It would appear that both the federal and state governments have lost control over protecting people despite the constitutional duty that they swore to uphold.

Let FG wage total operations no mercy on the these criminals and insurgents that will exploit similar disastrous consequences on them.
What transpired between 2015 and now? President Buhari promised to ensure effective and adequate security of lives and property.
PMB’s status as a retired General, a position he was not picked from ground and also a war veteran and GOC peoples thought he had positioning himself to dealt with these challenges.

Its apt to qoute him @MBuhari, in 2015, said it was a big disgrace for the previous administration to deal with insurgents for five years to the extent of seeking help from neighbouring countries. Now, in his six years in office, not only BH exists, but others dangerous criminals operate with impunity. In spite of his experience of being former GOC and war veteran is enough for him to tackle high rate of crimes. Unfortunately, this hasn’t happened and It is complete treachery of the role the state should play to its people.

Let the administration change peoples perception that it appears helpless in finding solutions to insecurity. Going to the market, shops and stalls one will hear and see the pains people go through.

Let government and its security agencies march action against comatose rhetoric of zero effectual action. We don’t have a country than Nigeria and it’s a duty bound on the leaders to go to any lengths to protect the country from disintegration because security situation in Nigeria is deteriorating.

Therefore all hands must be on desks and particularly the both federal and States governments must respond decisively to put an end to this cyclical show of shame. Let the authority administer them same bitter pills of no mercy on as their have unleashed heartless and senseless mayhems on defenceless peoples.

Let FG wage operations no mercy on the criminal before this problem consumes all of us. Let leaders to take the bull by the horn. They should act to stem the tide of this violence threatening the country unity and tear apart the country. Enough is Enough Nigerians need to see actions that awaits these criminal for their atrocities.

May I most respectfully tell excellencies that these are unusual times that require unusual approaches. It is only a fool who applies the same approaches repeatedly over the same issue with the hope of getting a different result.

Dukawa wrote in from Kano can be reached at abbahydukawa@gmail.com

Opinion

Exposing the fraud in NASS budget-Jaafar Jaafar

Published

6 days ago

May 2, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

By Jaafar Jaafar

In an unprecedented budget fraud, the National Assembly has appropriated N370 billion on running costs, contingency, vague and duplicated projects for the Senate and House of Representatives in the 2024 Appropriation Act.

I’m not talking about the hundreds of billions of naira padded in other ministries, departments and agency, but what they budgeted for their welfare and running of the National Assembly.

In the N370 billion NASS budget, the lawmakers duplicated projects and created new, unnecessary projects that increased the budget from N170billion in 2023 to N370 billion this year.

In budget (under Statutory Transfers ), the NASS budgeted 36,727,409,155 for the National Assembly Office; N49,144,916,519 for the Senate; N78,624,487169 for the House of Representatives; N12,325,901,366 for the National Assembly Service Commission and; N20,388,339,573 for Legislative Aides.

A senator recently told me that each of them (and members of the House of Reps) is entitled to five aides, while the four presiding officers (Senate President, Speaker and their deputies) have at least 3,000 aides. In total, you are talking about over 5,000 aides!

Despite the foregoing, the NASS budgeted N30,807,475,470 for “General Services” and N15billion as “Service-Wide Vote” – known in administrative parlance as “contingency” or “security vote”. The NASS never had anything like service-wide vote in the past as “service-wide vote” is always exclusive to the Executive arm. Insiders said this is a clear case of budget padding as the purpose for the huge appropriations are vague.

Even the retired clerks and perm secs (despite receiving their pensions) are not left out in this public funds buffet as they got N1.2billion padded for them.

Apart from padding the intangibles, the NASS will spend N4billion to build recreation center; about N6billion to furnish committee rooms for the two chambers and; another N6billion to build car parks for senators and members (don’t ask me whether they lack any parking space).

And despite this, the lawmakers padded N30 billion in the FCDA budget for “Completion of NASS Chambers” and N20billion for “completion of NASS Service Commission”! In the same budget, the lawmakers set aside another N10billion (under NASS budget) for the completion of National Assembly Service Commission building! How did this happen? No be juju be dis?

Still hungry to devour public resources, the avaricious parliamentarians budgeted another N3billion for the “Upgrade of NASS Key Infrastructures”. How come? What about the N30billion budgeted for “Completion of NASS Chambers”?

NASS Library Complex, named after President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, got N12billion as take-off grant and another N3billion for purchase of books.

Like other institutions under NASS, the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies got N9billion without clearly stating how or where the resources will apply to. The same institute also got another N4.5billion (is this ‘jara’?) for completion of its headquarters.

Despite the dedicated powerline and powerful generators backing up power supply in the National Assembly, the lawmakers budgeted N4billion to install solar power system. I guess this will give them a reason to pad billions for the purchase of batteries every year.

The committee that superintended this butchery of public resources, the Appropriations Committees of the Senate and the House of Reps, got N200m each for a job well done.

Opinion

Workers’ Day and The Nigerian Workers In Perspective

Published

7 days ago

May 1, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo

Every 1st of May workers celebrate their day globally .It is always a day of reflection, celebration and emancipation of workers around the world.

In Nigeria,May Day as a holiday was first declared by the People Redemption Party (PRP) Government of Kano State in 1980.Afterwards it became a national holiday on May 1, 1981

Before venturing to restrict myself to Nigerian workers let me take a broad look at how May Day emerged in the world.Workers’ Day, stemmed in part, from an ancient European Spring festival,but its modern manifestations arise from the organised efforts of socialist and communist groups to establish a time for honouring workers and the working class.To be specific, the holiday was first promoted by the International Workers Association in 1904 to commemorate the slaughter of protesting labourers in Haymarket Square in Chicago ,United States of America in 1886 and it was to be a day to push for the eight-hour work day and other demands.

The date May 1st was chosen because,in the USA, the eighth- hour workday first came into effect on that date in 1886.It was predicated on the demands of the Federation of Organized Trades and Labour Unions.There was a general strike and a riot in Chicago in 1886, and eventually, the eight -hour workday was legally recognised.

Many people tend to attend the National May Day celebration in Abuja and other State capitals.The president or State Governors would be there as the case may be to make a speech, and thousand would fill the Eagle Square or state stadium to listen to the President or Governor.Some people attend number of other events that hold across Nigeria on May Day,organized by schools,labour unions,hospitals,and other various institutions.People use the day for relaxation since it is a public holiday.

In Nigeria,some people participate in nationwide marches and rallies on workers’ Day or Labour Day.More often their major concerns are usually to clamour for an increase in the minimum wage,an end to workers being left unpaid for months,the need for government action to address the high unemployment rates of recent years ,and the necessity for government action to address the high unemployment rates of recent years, and the need to move Nigeria off of over dependence on petroleum exports.

On a May Day in Nigeria, politicians and labour leaders will give out speeches on the strength and the challenges of Nigerian economy , and on how to improve it for the general good of the country.

It is significant to say that Nigerian workers both in public and private sectors are facing enormous challenges.The disparity in the salary structure and irregular payments of salary as witnessed before the coming of Buhari’s administration in 2015, where a lot of state Governors could not pay their workers for several months.

The Buhari administration ensured that bailouts were given to states to enable them offset their unpaid salaries to workers.That was a plus for the Daura man administration.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu’s administration has also sustained the legacies of prompt payment of workers salaries in the last one year.It is expected , because even as Lagos State Governor he had no history of owing workers.

In a larger context, welfare of Nigerian workers are not properly taken care of, most especially those in private sectors.There are situations where teachers in private schools are being paid peanuts as salaries,whereas the owners or proprietors charge the parents homongous school fees.This is not a hearsay I was once in that shoe as an English language teacher.

The area where the civil servants in both Federal and States are feeling the heats is the non regular payment of promotion arrears.According to sources some agencies under federal government are being owed promotion arrears since 2018.This is not a healthy practice, though some sources said the federal government has put the payment in batches and it is now being paid bit by bit.In some states the promotions are not even implemented let alone payment of its arrears

As Nigerian workers join others around the world to mark 2024 workers’ Day,it is expected that the ongoing negotiation by the federal government and labour leaders on new minimum wage will yield good results.

It is imperative to say that the Federal Government should fix the economy for the collective good and progress of the country.No minimum wage can ameliorate poverty, if there is consistent economic instability.

The level of inflation ravaging Nigerian economy is worrisome.Any minimum wage that is less than hundred thousand naira today won’t make any appreciable impacts in the lives of average Nigerian workers.

Essentially,Corruption can only be tackled effectively and holistically,if there is a reasonable living wage for the civil servants.You can’t fight corruption in a country where workers welfare and retirement package are relegated to the background.According to the human rights lawyer,Femi Falana ” corruption cannot be meaningfully fought by governments that pay poor wages to workers,owe workers and pensioners arrears.”

To the NLC and TUC leaders, providing sincere leadership is key to the quality ,emancipation and progress of Nigerian workers.Adam Oshiomhole was an example of a good labour leader in the history of Nigeria.He stood for the workers even in the face of oppression.So the current leaders should take a cue from his tireless comradeship for the benefit of Nigerian workers.

Nigeria is a blessed country and a land of prosperity; her workers have no reason for penurious lives.

Happy Workers’ Day

abdurraheemsaaddembo@gmail.com

Opinion

Minimum Wage Increment: Be Proactive My Governor.

Published

1 week ago

April 30, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf

By-Abba Hamisu Sani

1st of May every year is a special day for workers in Nigeria working with the government or with the Private sector.

The main issue ahead of this year’s celebrations is the expectation of the new minimum wage Increment.

President Bola Tinubu is expected to announce the new salary scale as Vice President Senator Kashim Shatima hinted recently that by the 1st of May, the new minimum wage will be ready for implementation.

Here I want to salute the courage exhibited by the Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki who has increased the minimum wage for workers in the state from 40,000 naira to 70,000 naira ahead of the 2024 Workers Day celebrations.

This prompted my attention to urge my state governor Abba Yusuf to follow the suit of Edo State governor in this direction.

Kano workers suffered a lot in the hands of the immediate past administration, ranging from different kinds of deductions which causes uncertainty on the amount to be collected by a worker and even pensioners every month.

Governor Abba if you do the same as Obasaki, the Kano people will be happy with you as it will boost the state economy and currency circulation.

It is very imperative at this time to be proactive and not wait for the Federal government announcement before taking your step in making Kano workers happy.

Infrastructural development is quite needed but at this time social security is the most critical as it has been said “A hungry man is an angry man”.

Workers’ salaries are too low to cater to their basic needs, such as food, rent, transportation, and school fees for their children while they see politicians cruising in jeeps and other expensive cars.

Finally, Governor Yusuf remember that these workers have sacrificed a lot during the 2023 elections to see that you emerged as Kano governor.

Is very important to consider their plight at this moment of critical economic hardship.

I urged all comrades in different forms of struggle including civil society Forum to join me in pushing the Kano State government to implement a new minimum wage in a dignified manner as the Edo State governor did.

Abba Hamisu Sani is a
Media Consultant /CEO Time Base TvAfrica & Africa Press.
Can be reached via timebasetv@gmail.com