[size=13pt]Running Nigeria On Generators[/size]
http://leadershipnigeria.com/news/145/ARTICLE/6192/2009-01-30.html

Emmanuel onwubiko
January 30th, 2009



Last week we discussed the issue of the pathetic existential situation of a majority of Nigerians on both the rural and urban areas of  Nigeria, and we ended up appealing in this column to president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and his team of Economic experts to put in place sustainable and permanent economic measures, policies and programmes to alleviate the untold suffering and deprivations faced by nearly eighty five (85) percent Nigerians.


If I thought I was going to get fovourable response from both President Umaru Yar'Adua and even the common people, I was dead wrong. Why?


First, as soon as the LEADERSHIP Newspaper of last week Friday (23rd January, 2009) hit the News Stands across the country, a steady stream of reactions flowed freely into my mail box and telephone sets.


Do you know what? Majority of the readers who responded told me emphatically that they no longer repose any hope or trust on President Yar'Adua and his team of Economists to put in place workable economic measures to revive our moribund economy. I will return to the reaction of the people of Nigeria but before then let me state that on the side of president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and his core loyalists, they did not care a hoot about the appeal in my column to His Excellency.


You may be wondering how I knew that the presidency is completely non-responsive to our clarion call on the Government to rescue the citizenry that are largely afflicted by poverty. On the day that piece came out, the entire house hold of president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua were engaged in very extensive merry making and celebration because one of the president's most beautiful and charming daughters- Nafisa was given out in high profile society wedding to the All Nigerian Peoples Party's Governor of Bauchi State. Key loyalists of president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, his numerous lackeys, bootlickers, sycophants and hangers- on were ferociously engaged in sponsoring numerous colourful Newspaper advertorials - similar to the media merry go- round that has become part of the style of Governance of most states and especially Imo State. Virtually all the state Governors have been transformed to huge civilian dictators in their own right. President Yar'Adua's favored friends took up elaborate newspaper advertisements to congratulate the first family on the wedding of one of his daughters. So, the question of whether anyone in the presidency will heed to our clarion call for the activation of an effective economic rescue package for the millions of the heavily impoverished Nigerians does not arise since the political elites were engaged in feasting and celebrating the wedding of President Yar'Adua's daughter to Governor of Bauchi State Alhaji Isa Yuguda. Governors and the president are busy celebrating their daughters' weddings while the rest of us are wallowing in an unmitigated poverty- stricken situation.


On the side of the ordinary Nigerians who responded to the intervention carried in this column, I will publish just two out of the over one hundred responses I got because they are all basically saying one thing and passing a definite vote of no confidence on the current administration.


Amos Ejimonye who wrote in from Kaduna said: "No, there is nothing Yar'Adua can do in a class to protect the rights of the oppressed. Why? Because the party has vowed to maintain the socio-economic system that supports exploitation and oppression of the people by the class in power, what the oppressed can do is to overthrow and build a new society with no exploiters or exploited". Shehu Sani, the Civil Rights Activist, also text me his reaction thus; "Umaru can't rule Nigeria; He is sick, inexperienced, weak, slow, unidirectional, indecisive, unfocussed, uncharismatic, colourlesly, boring and truant.


"This is not the kind of leader our nation needs at this time… a leader that can electrify our conscience with his zeal, agility and sincerity of purpose and spark up our patriotism and energy by his tact, swiftness and visible developmental projects is what we need". In as much I acknowledge that human beings are prone to varying degrees of illnesses and therefore no one should be cajoled on the ground of his illness but I agree with the submissions substantially made by these respondents and in compliance with section 39 of the 1999 constitution, I think they are wholly and entirely entitled to these opinions.


Section 39 (1) states that; "every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference."


Sadly, just as Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the hard fact that the federal Government is reportedly set to spend a whooping sum of N2 billion naira in the 2009 budget to buy generators to power Government activities even while the rest of us exist in total darkness due to the criminal erratic power supply situation in Nigeria, Vanguard Newspaper of Monday 26th January 2009 came up with a shocking revelation as made by the highly influential Manufacturers Association of Nigeria that 60 million Nigerians are now proud owners of generators.


The Vanguard Newspaper's story has it that; "an estimated 60 million Nigerians now own power generating sets for their electricity, while the same number of people spend a staggering #1.56 trillion ($13.35 million USD) to fuel them annually".


The vanguard report attributed the story to the Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Imo, Abia States' Branch Dr. Frank Jacobs


This sad tale of underdevelopment goes to show that more Nigerians will die this year from the poisonous effects of generator fumes and other carbon monoxide chemicals unless something very urgent is done by all stakeholders to mitigate the environmental damage and hazards that these pollution will unleash on the Nigerian climate.


Can somebody tell the amiable and humble Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey, to please help Nigerians before we all die from air pollutions from generators. Nigeria can not run on generators if we ever hope to join the rest of the industrialised World or if we ever hope to realize some of the key Millennium Development Goals by 2015.


At the 17th Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers of Industry held in Cairo, Egypt, on June 21st 2006, Africans were told that only industrialisation can rescue Africans from mass poverty.

The fact remains that Nigeria and other African nations will never become industrialised if majority of the economic activities are run on generators.

Xinhua, the official Chinese News Agency reported on January 27 2007 that;

"If Africa is to achieve economic development, industrialisation would have to be at the top of the development agenda, and the continent's natural resources must also be managed, exploited and processed efficiently, according to a report adopted at the 10th Ordinary Session of African Union's Executive Council".

"The report was made at the 17th Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers of Industry, which was held in Cairo on June 21, 2006, awaiting the consideration and adoption at the ordinary session ahead of the African Union summit which will fell on January 29 to 30 on the following year".

'In the report, the African ministers of industry took stock of the weakness of industrial capacities of the continent, the rather low level of industrial competitiveness, and the state of domestic and direct foreign investment in the sector".

"They also mentioned the rather weak quality and standard of the local products, the insufficient capacities and capabilities for the participation of the continent in international trade, and the weak synergies between production and trade".


"The Ministers noted in the report that Africa faces a multitude of other challenges such as migration, the AIDS pandemic, malaria, TB, the deterioration in the utilisation of installed production capacities, worsening poverty, the rural-urban drift, low-skill levels, environmental degradation, sources for youth employment, energy insecurity, food insecurity and as well as conflicts".


"They reaffirmed the role of political leadership of the African Union in achieving the goals set in the various industrial development programs at the sub-regional and regional levels while being determined to mobilise and make available resources and other required inputs to improve on inadequacies in the physical infrastructure and to eliminate constraints that weigh upon the offer, and to ensure respect for technical standards".


"the ministers also requested that such technical assistance must ensure careful consideration of the sub-regional priorities and policies as defined by the regional economic communities, and are committed to establishing mechanisms for partnership with the international community, including fostering cooperation with other developing countries to secure additional technical and financial resources, exchange of information and experience for the implementation of programmes".


"Since agriculture was the mainstay of most African economies, agro-based industrialisation had to be at the core of their development agenda, suggested by the experts".


These recommendations are germane and must be implemented.

•Emmanuel Onwubiko heads the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria

Sadly, just as Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the hard fact that the[b] federal Government is reportedly set to spend a whooping sum of N2 billion naira in the 2009 [/b] budget to buy generators to power Government activities even while the rest of us exist in total darkness due to the criminal erratic power supply situation in Nigeria, Vanguard Newspaper of Monday 26th January 2009 came up with a shocking revelation as made by the highly influential Manufacturers Association of Nigeria that 60 million Nigerians are now proud owners of generators

i really dont know how to react to this.

After watching things happen from here and on my many visits to the country in the past years, I cannot help but conclude that we are moving forward at all. I remember feeling this way by obasanjo’s 4th year in government and we all know where all that ended up. We are almost 2 years into this new government. When I wailed about the government spending money on generators and fuel to fill those generators last year, I was told to shut up and sit back and watch progress happen. It is a year later. The new budget now has billions to purchase even more generators and money to fuel the new generators. This to me is SURE sign that next to nothing is being done about the power problem still.

This is shameful!

"te ban gbo gbe gbe gbe, ti e ko ba, bawon gbe. eyinku le e ni won ma gbe si"

they have gbe si eyinku le a lot of people, and they havent realised it yet.

roflmao!! It is unbelievable at this point! World Food Crisis and now global economy down but my country has next to no plans to make sure that we move forward at all cost. Naija le!

I have said this before and i will continue to say it
Most nigerians see nigeria as an enterprise to make money from and NOT a country to serve and build because there is no feeling of nationhood amongst its people.

Until you solve the above statement you cannot solve most problems in nigeria.

Kobojunkie so it is now that you know the country is not moving forward at all? Nigeria has fundamental issues to deal with first before meaningful progress can be made in the country.

asha 80:

I have said this before and i will continue to say it
Most nigerians see nigeria as an enterprise to make money from and NOT a country to serve and build because there is no feeling of nationhood amongst its people.

Until you solve the above statement you cannot solve most problems in nigeria.

Kobojunkie so it is now that you know the country is not moving forward at all? Nigeria has fundamental issues to deal with first before meaningful progress can be made in the country.

Lol.  . . I have up to this minute not said the country is moving forward, no, it is clear as day that we have yet to move one step forward. What happens is we continue to see a few pockets of change here and here, as has always been the case but overall, the country has yet to move forward. Someone would come in here to argue that we now have cell phones and internet and that is change. Another will come in to say that he is now able to drive on good road to and fro work and that is the way he chooses to measure change. But overall, when you measure and compare the little change with the vast amount of decay that still continues, in the same period, you realize that we have not actually moved an inch forward in any area.

Look, if you want to say that we have fundamental issues such as tribalism and the lot to deal with – I hate to break to you, that is the mentality that is killing us now. We have more people stuck thinking that we cannot fix things until we appease them and their tribal issues --- It is not going to work out in the end if we all continue to wait for that. We cannot continue to stall our own future just because we have issues we are not willing to overlook in the meantime to see that we all move forward from where we continue to exist. This is just ridiculous at this point.

These men are already preparing to continue this trend in government in 2011. We already have signs of them organizing to come back in 2011 to continue the same. Can’t you see that we are doing our own selves if we continue to dwell on these stupid things?? And some wonder why people completely abandon the country so they can furge ahead in their own lives and in their newly adopted countries.

Anywho, I believe we can change things but only if "WE, the people" are ready to see change.

Nigeria i not working. It's never worked since we had the democratic government and I'm afraid that the so-called naysayers would still find a way to twist this and make something good out of this ridiculous news.

Nigeria is a total shame, calamity, backwards in fact IT IS HELL.

Lol. . . I have up to this minute not said the country is moving forward, no, it is clear as day that we have yet to move one step forward. What happens is we continue to see a few pockets of change here and here, as has always been the case but overall, the country has yet to move forward. Someone would come in here to argue that we now have cell phones and internet and that is change. Another will come in to say that he is now able to drive on good road to and fro work and that is the way he chooses to measure change. But overall, when you measure and compare the little change with the vast amount of decay that still continues, in the same period, you realize that we have not actually moved an inch forward in any area.

Look, if you want to say that we have fundamental issues such as tribalism and the lot to deal with – I hate to break to you, that is the mentality that is killing us now. We have more people stuck thinking that we cannot fix things until we appease them and their tribal issues --- It is not going to work out in the end if we all continue to wait for that. We cannot continue to stall our own future just because we have issues we are not willing to overlook in the meantime to see that we all move forward from where we continue to exist. This is just ridiculous at this point.

These men are already preparing to continue this trend in government in 2011. We already have signs of them organizing to come back in 2011 to continue the same. Can’t you see that we are doing our own selves if we continue to dwell on these stupid things?? And some wonder why people completely abandon the country so they can furge ahead in their own lives and in their newly adopted countries.

Anywho, I believe we can change things but only if "WE, the people" are ready to see change.

Okay kobojunkie how do you think this mindset can be changed? I am all ears .

This country is bleeped up.

asha 80:

Okay kobojunkie how do you think this mindset can be changed? I am all ears .

I personally do not believe we can force change on people. We can however, work against those mindsets by putting in place structures and policies that sort of force/cause these people to re-evaluate their stance on these issues, take a second look at how they view others in society and what that may mean for their present and future in community. We can do this by simply focusing on rebuilding the nation and less on what tribe the people belong to.

You can't force people, but you can "sort of force" them. insightful.

@ poster

pls let me remind you the president is plug to the gen, that is why them reduce diesel price.

I personally do not believe we can force change on people. We can however, work against those mindsets by putting in place[b] structures[/b] and policies that sort of force people to re-evaluate their stance on these issues. We can do this by simply focusing on rebuilding the nation and less on what tribe the people belong to.

Please can you enlighten me on the structures and[b] especially[/b] the policies you are talking about

Government and structures to push equality, rather than the usual policies that further divide, will do. Equality and justice for all regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, background, affiliations of any kind etc.

Another case of unfounded speculations and a case of a loud mouthed journalist who writes without putting foward any meaningful solution to the problem, writer - what solution do you think will work, this is what we are interested in, not in writting thesis about the problems - we all know the problem exists - what solution will you profer- if you have nothing to proffer, then go sleep.

Government and structures to push equality, rather than the usual policies that further divide, will do. Equality and justice for all regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, background, affiliations of any kind etc.

We know all these.The problem is how to enforce them.This is where i think there would be problem because some people will feel it is going to be a disadvantage to them.Eg I am sure you took jamb.Have you ever asked yourself why the cut off of someone from delta would be 220 while someone from zamfara would be 198.I would like to know how you would convice the people from zamfara that there cut off shoul be the same as delta?

@i laugh
I saw this news on the punch newspaper too so stop burying your head in the sand as always.

what is wrong with this country? why do we just sit around and moan on forums? its time we do something about it.

asha 80:

We know all these.The problem is how to enforce them.

The problem is NOT and has NEVER BEEN how to enforce these things but accepting that this is the solution there is. As soon as we accept the solution which is right in front of our eyes, then we will know how to enforce it. We have a culture of trying harder at over-complicating issues that are simple and at the end, we continue to fail at implementing change as a result.

asha 80:

This is where i think there would be problem because some people will feel it is going to be a disadvantage to them.

Why does it matter what they feel or think if the point is to push for equality? Why?

asha 80:

Eg I am sure you took jamb.Have you ever asked yourself why the cut off of someone from delta would be 220 while someone from zamfara would be 198.

I never needed to ask myself because I understood the very reason for such policies; policies that have so far worked against equality in the country. You don’t have to be a wiz to understand that in a situation where equality if the goal, such policies will no longer exist.

asha 80:

I would like to know how you would convice the people from zamfara that there cut off shoul be the same as delta?

Like I said, it is not about convincing them. No, it’s about setting a national standard that everyone has to meet, regardless of where you are from. Why is that wrong? If people in Zamfara want to tweak their standards at the state level and they vote to accept that, then I believe they ought to be allowed to do that but also understand the consequence of such actions and be more than willing to accept it. If a graduate from Zamfara goes over to lagos for a job and he is told that he does not meet the required standard because the zamfara level is lower than national base level, he will have to go back to zamfara or work on making up for the discrepancy. In all, equality should be the rule.

For those still looking for solution, all I have said so far is that we push for EQUALITY FOR ALL ; Equality and Justice for all regardless of sex or creed or social status. Is this hard to get from all this?

For those still looking for solution, all I have said so far is that we push for EQUALITY FOR ALL ; Equality and Justice for all regardless of sex or creed or social status. Is this hard to get from all this?

My dear it is difficult when diffrent sections of the country have diffrent attitudes and outlook to life.

asha 80:

My dear it is difficult when diffrent sections of the country have diffrent attitudes and outlook to life.

Definitely, BUT we cannot continue to keep doing what we have been doing so far. It is ridiculous at this point. I mean look at what we have had in the past 10 years. We used to blame military rule for all our problems, then we got democracy and look what we have turned that one into yet again? The same problems continue, why? Because we still do not have an equal society to deal with and so you throw any kind of government on the formulae we continue to work with and you get back the same nonsense. As soon as we understand that government is supposed to be in the interest of all at all times and not some, sometimes, then we will be better able to work together on this. I am not saying we cannot change the rule now. We can, but we need to get some of the right people in there to do it, however, we as the people, need to play our part to get that to happen.

Well kobojunkie you have made your point but i am still conviced that nigeria have fundamental issues we have to solve first before any other thing can be done to salvage the situation at the moment.Coming back to this generator issue i just do not know whether to laugh or to cry.

I think we need to let the hatchet stay were it is now while we forge ahead in other areas. When we are sure we are able, we can then come back to try to bury the hatchet. I just think that people with ethnic issues are pulling that country down to hell while those of us who do not care or have such issues are being dragged down along with the rest of the country.

@Asha 80

I am so happy for you that you saw the news on Punch Newspaper as well - wow - you must be very clever o - who asked you where you saw the news, or what has this buffonery answer got to do with my comments?

i_laugh:

@Asha 80

I am so happy for you that you saw the news on Punch Newspaper as well - wow - you must be very clever o - who asked you where you saw the news, or what has this buffonery answer got to do with my comments?

Do you ever give up? DAMN!

only God can save nigeria from all this PHARAO govt to buy generator indeed they are bounch of fools

The country is not working after all that we have tried.
Why don't we try the option we never gave a chance. Secession
Remember, we never gave it a chance so you can't write it off as not being the solution to the problem!

This is why I have been against Yar'adua from day 1.

Going on a pointless philosophical journey of 'rule of law', he suspended the independent power projects (NIPP) all because they were not properly 'appropriated' - why not complete the projects and investigate afterwards? Even the much vaunted investigation has not yielded any court cases or charges pressed - we still remain without power.

Ibom Power in Akwa Ibom - 190MW (close to 8% of our national capacity) of new generation is ready, but lying idle because the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC/NNPC/FG) cannot secure stable gas supply to the plant. Instead of focusing on this, Yardie is chasing shadows all over the place.

Geometric Power in Aba - another 150MW is almost completed but will have the same issues, this is not including Omotosho and Papalanto stations in Ondo state that have been completed but no gas supply as yet.

Enough of this 'changing' people and the whole philosophical argument - we need some outright pragmatism here - solve problems on the ground, regardless of what it costs. If we built Abuja with all the attitudinal and other issues, we can fix power if the people in charge decide to.

the country is not working- the country is not working - stay there and moan, while others make money and are happy in the same country, even common artisans make so much money in the same country you think has no hope - on saturday, I took my car for a wash in a roadside car was in abuja, and four young boys, with water from the road side tap, ekes out their living washing cars, i bet you will say it is a demeaning job - I purposely stayed with these guys for 5 hours, and these guys earns 500 naira washing one car - in five hours I was there, they washed over 15 cars - multiply that by 500 naira and assume they wash double or tripple that in a day, which i am sure they will wash more, and you can assume how much money they make on a daily basis. yet, everyone is suffering in your own yeye eye -

Same thin in London, a lot of folks eke out their living washing cars and making money, so, before you tell me that car washing is a bad thing to do, i can refer you to London and show you how many of our Nigerian graduates do the same thing in Londodn, washing cars - and you will just wise up.

i_laugh:

the country is not working- the country is not working - stay there and moan, while others make money and are happy in the same country, even common artisans make so much money in the same country you think has no hope - on saturday, I took my car for a wash in a roadside car was in abuja, and four young boys, with water from the road side tap, ekes out their living washing cars, i bet you will say it is a demeaning job - I purposely stayed with these guys for 5 hours, and these guys earns 500 naira washing one car - in five hours I was there, they washed over 15 cars - multiply that by 500 naira and assume they wash double or tripple that in a day, which i am sure they will wash more, and you can assume how much money they make on a daily basis. yet, everyone is suffering in your own yeye eye -

Same thin in London, a lot of folks eke out their living washing cars and making money, so, before you tell me that car washing is a bad thing to do, i can refer you to London and show you how many of our Nigerian graduates do the same thing in Londodn, washing cars - and you will just wise up.

You have totally lost me. What is your point? The fact of the matter people will always make money at others disadvantage ( For example generator sellers). The money you make in a failed country like Nigeria cannot buy good health, good roads, good government. At least the guys washing cars in london can go home to constant electricity, available healthcare, Good road and many more things that would better their standard of living. The guys washing cars in london have far more options than one in Nigeria and easily decide i dont want to wash cars anymore.

Going back to the headline point.

Dear friend it is 2009 and we are still trapped in 70's. The whole world has left us behind. Oyinbo man is thinking of alternative source of generating electricity we are still struggling with the primitive one. My only conculsion is that Our so called leaders are not interested in the wellbeing of the people. The structures you see in dubai was built in the last 20 years so it is damn possible

i_laugh:

the country is not working- the country is not working - stay there and moan, while others make money and are happy in the same country, even common artisans make so much money in the same country you think has no hope - on saturday, I took my car for a wash in a roadside car was in abuja, and four young boys, with water from the road side tap, ekes out their living washing cars, i bet you will say it is a demeaning job - I purposely stayed with these guys for 5 hours, and these guys earns 500 naira washing one car - in five hours I was there, they washed over 15 cars - multiply that by 500 naira and assume they wash double or tripple that in a day, which i am sure they will wash more, and you can assume how much money they make on a daily basis. yet, everyone is suffering in your own yeye eye -

Same thin in London, a lot of folks eke out their living washing cars and making money, so, before you tell me that car washing is a bad thing to do, i can refer you to London and show you how many of our Nigerian graduates do the same thing in Londodn, washing cars - and you will just wise up.

The only problem i have with most of your submissions on NL, is your deliberate attempt at closing your eyes to the suffering the poor masses
go through daily to make ends meet. So every body should join the car washing business? I mean wake up from your slumber and face what Naija
is all about.