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  • When Oyo Governor Visited Former President Obasanjo in March , 2019

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  • MSF calls for Assistance to curb Measles Epidemic in DRC

    Drc 2Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has called on called on local and international organizations to assist in the combating of a measles epidemic currently ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC).

    MSF made this call through its Medical Coordinator in DRC, Rachel Séguin,''MSF teams, in collaboration with the teams of the Ministry of Health, are doing their utmost to cut the chain of transmission of the disease by providing vaccination responses as soon as cases of measles are reported, and by providing care for patients.''

    "But in addition to the efforts already made in recent months, more resources and organisations are needed. Ensuring the supply of vaccines and medicines is essential - the sooner the better."

    The Ministry of Health in DRC, recently declared an out break of the disease which has officially recorded more than 1,500 measles-related deaths in the first five months of this year.

    This accounts for  75 per cent of the total number of deaths recorded throughout 2012 during the deadliest epidemic of the last decade. 


    Since January,  MSF has been working with local teams of the Ministry of Health in 10 provinces of the country: Haut-Lomami, Haut-Uele, Ituri, Lualaba, Kasai, Kasai Central, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tanganyika and Tshopo, to combat the  measles epidemic.

  • Cameroonian Govt Orders Crackdown on Hard Drug Suppliers in Schools

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    The Cameroonian Government has ordered the idenfitication and crackdown on suppliers of hard drugs to schools.

    The Government gave this order, recently,  through the Minister of Terrotial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, during a meeting with administration and security officials in Douala.

    The order is coming on the heels of the increasing rate of drug abuse  amongst school children and the youth in the city of Douala and the rest of Littoral Region.

    Atanga Nji maintained that urgent steps had to be taken to  the  curb trafficking of Tramol, Tramadol and cocaine in the region, just as he warned of  the consequences of their abuse on school children and youth .

    To stem the tide the Minister  ordered that efforts be made  to identify the sources of supply of these drugs a step towards apprehending as to the traffickers, while noting that  synergy of action by all stakeholders was required to maintain the peace.

  • Somalia gets First Female Mayor

    SomaliaSafiya Hassan Sheikh Ali Jimale has been appointed the first female Mayor in Somalia.

    Safiya Hassan Jimale,  will  oversee the affairs of Beledweyne in central Somalia.

    The city  is the capital of Hiiran Province, located in the Shebelle Valley near the border with Ethiopia and about 210 miles north of Mogadishu.

    She becomes the second Mayor of the city, which has more than 1,7 million inhabitants, after Beledweyne held municipal elections in 2012, the first since the beginning of the civil war in the early 1990s

    Women currently in position of Mayors in  the Africa include Yvonne Aki Sawyerr of Freetown, Sierra Leone, Marie-Chantal Rwakazina of Kigali, Rwanda, Rohey Malick Lowe of Banjul, The Gambia and Soham El Wardani of Dakar, Senegal).

  • Sudan Military Orders Closure of Al Jazeera In Khartoum, Warns Protesters

    Sudan 5As tens of thousands of protesters continue their agitation for civil rule in the capital, Khartoum, the Sudanese military has ordered the closure of the office of  Al Jazeera Media Network.

     According to a Press Release by Al Jazeera denounced the "abrupt" closure of Khartoum bureau and the banning of its reporters from reporting in the country, calling it "a complete violation of the freedom of the press".

    The protest  is coming on the heels of a  two-day strike organised by demonstrators and opposition groups frustrated by a deadlock in talks on a transition to democracy.

    In reaction the head of the central region in Khartoum, General Bahar Ahmed  said ''The protest site has become unsafe and represents a danger to the revolution and the revolutionaries and threatens the coherence of the state and its national security.''

  • Budget Failures Responsible for Low Productivity of Workers-AWC

    President 3The absence of budgetary provision for training and retraining programmes for workers in Nigeria in the last four years has been fingered as one of the impediments to good governance.

    This is the position of the All Workers Convergence(AWC) who made this known through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

    ''Generally, workers are complaining in all aspects  that affects productivity, including training, retraining and manpower development which ahs been at its lowest ebb in the last four years.This is so because in the last four years we have been having budget failures and the budget has not been fully implemented. Therefore funds for the training and retraining of workers might not be readily available based on budget non-performance, which of course has affected productivity and the psychology of workers, coupled with the gravity of low pay. Workers are generally ill motivated'', Comrade Emelieze opined.

  • Financial Autonomy for LGs Will End State Governors’ Mismanagement-Prof Olagoke

    ProfThe Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit(NFIU) recently pronounced that states would no longer control the funds of Local Governments in the country beginning from 1 June, 2019.

    However, state Governors insist that the NFIU’s action is illegal, but a cross section of Nigerians are of the opinion that the action is timely and would enable development get to the grassroots unhindered.

    In this interview, the Spiritual Head, Founder and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke opines that autonomy for the Local Governments would end wastage and mismanagement of finances of Local Government funds by state Governors.

    Excerpts :

    What is your reaction to the pronouncement of the NFIU Local Government funds ?

    The pronouncement of the NFIU is long overdue, in view of the fact that the financial scam we are trying to prevent through the states’ control of the Joint accounts of States and Local Governments, only resulted in the impoverishment of the Local Governments as well as the people at the grassroots.

    The superpower approach of many state Governors, with the attendant wastage of resources not been directed to the development concern of the grassroots must have informed the NFIU’s pronouncemnt.

    Equally, the bureaucratic process leading to the unnecessary delays as well as some hanky panky by the National Assembly and their probable collaboration with the Governors would have informed the Federal Government’s decision to separate the NFIU to do a perfect job.

    Governors forum

    Naturally, the clamor for the autonomy of Local Governments ought to have been done in the spirit of the need for the development of the grass roots, this is for rural integration to get a boost. The Local Government is closer to the people and this tier of government is easier to approach by the ordinary man.

    However, the culture of running governance as a personal empire, arguments would ever surface against the move by the Governors, whose meeting under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors Forum have never been known to be on the side of the masses, whose rights they regularly and easily trample upon.

    The state Governors should realize that their annual budget should be within the limits of what the constitution assigns them and projects to be executed must be such to cover their specified areas of jurisdiction.

    All over the world most especially in the countries that are known to be fully developed such as the United Kingdom as well as the french speaking nations like Cote Ivoire, the Local Authorities take charge of development at the grassroots, with visible impact on the lives of the people, making their nations to follow the normal curve of economic class-Low, Middle and High, but in Nigeria, the middle class has gone into extinction, leaving us to the mercy of the low, high and outrageously and extremely very high in an environment of poverty, destitution, hunger and diseases, with every matter of development been politicized.

    Structurally in Nigeria, a lot of things are wrong and they have been there for so long, mainly because the masses are highly marginalized and incapacitated. This has made the politicians to lose focus on development, while they chase the shadows of self aggrandizement, illegal acquisition of wealth with low records of physical symbol on record of good performance while in office.

    All the masses could reap as dividends of Democracy is mere propaganda to cajole the people . They spend three months in office as political office holders, all they acquire during this period would be fatter than the gratuity of retired Professors, who must have served the nation for almost 40 to 50 years.

    With the NFIU’s pronouncement, sanity would be introduced in the financial transactions of the Local Governments. Also one would hope that the institutional committees such as the ACTU will equally spring into action to check the excesses of principal officers and surrogate allied officers in milking dry various institutions. For example there is a need for Nigerians to know the sources of the funds of some civil servants building Malls and edifices in Abuja and Lagos and even buying houses abroad.

    I have seen Universities and Polytechnics, where some people appointed as Bursars thank their their luck in their religious houses and with all fanfare throw parties as if to say their salaries would be more than that of the Senators.

    I have equally seen Registrars building palaces of complexes in different cosmopolitan towns and floating event centers as well as hotels spreading across hectares of land, but without having genuine sources of funds from any of their established business conglomerate.

    The owners of these, reflect the rot in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, in a land where we are fighting corruption. We must not lose sight of this.

    To make the financial autonomy of Local Governments to stand firm, there is the need to have a very effective network of anti-graft measures to checkmate possible excesses of Local Government Principal Officers from relaunching orgies of financial recklessness.

    It is not enough to make a law or effect a change, it is necessary to monitor critically, the workings in order that the Local Government does not again deviate from the expected service target of effecting development positively, with welfare of the people as a priority.

  • Foundation Feeds Families in Seychelles

    Seychelles 1Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Foundation(SSTF) in continuation of its "Don't Waste, Eat!" food waste reduction programme' has distributed over 200 kilogrammes of food to over 35 families.

    The "Don't Waste Eat!" food waste reduction programme kicked off in July 2018 and is facilitated by  the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Foundation, (SSTF) in collboration with Betterfly Tourism --a software publisher for tourism profession.

    The programme serves to equip staff with necessary skills to measure and monitor food waste, provide hotels with a platform that facilitates monitoring of cost savings and food waste reduction.

    According to the SSTF Project Officer, Rosetta Alcindor. the Foundation is committeed to putting smiles on the faces of families.

    "There is more to a food donation than what we usually think. We are not only providing food for the community and diverting good food from the landfill, but we are also putting smiles on families' faces.''

    "Though a lot of the products are buffet leftovers or had reached their best before date, they are still good for consumption.''

    "As the food is donated, it reduces the demand for importation of food products on the market as families now consume what they were donated, hence avoiding CO2 emissions along the supply chain," Alcindor stated.

    Families received vegetables, fruits and other food products which included pastries, cakes and bread. The donations were made by SPAR supermarket and a number of hotels which are members of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association such as Alphonse Island Lodge, Constance Ephelia, Bravo Restaurant, H Resort and Kempinski Seychelles Resort.

  • Kenya Govt Releases Funds for Free Education

    Kenya 7The  Kenyan Government has made available Sh14.5 billion to Primary and Secondary schools  in the countryin  furtherance of its policy on  free education.

    This disclosure was made by the Education Principal Secretary, Dr. Bellio Kipsang  who gave  the breakdown  as Sh10.8 billion  to secondary schools  and  primary schools for Sh3.65 billion.

    "The funds have started to reflect in schools bank accounts," Dr. Kipsang disclosed.

    Dr Kipsang said the funds will enable principals and headteachers to serve learners effectively,  while stressing  that the funds were transmitted through the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) unlike in the past when the Ministry of Education relied on the information that principals of secondary schools provided.

    The government  makes available Sh22, 244 annually for every secondary school student and Sh1, 420 for each pupil in primary school.

    In his views, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha said NEMIS will facilititate the provision of quality, reliable and timely education statistics to enrich the government's planning processes.

    "The unique identification issued to schools, learners and all members of staff in our institutions of learning will improve the management of resources in the education sector and allow all efforts to be directed at achieving quality education for sustainable development . ''

    "Through this system, education sector players will get to know the status of education in regard to access, quality, equity, relevance, efficiency as well as institutional development," said Prof. Magoha

  • Govt Should Review Legislation on Convicts-Oyo Controller of Prisons

    AgodiThe Federal Government has been called upon to review the legislation  stipulating that ex-convicts cannot be employed by the three tiers of government due to their status.

    This call was made on Wednesday by the Oyo state Controller of Prisons, Mr. Tosin Akinrujomu  in a chat with Poverty Line in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    ''There is a clog in the wheel and it is the government legislation against convicts. A convict cannot be employed by the Federal, State and Local Governments. For example a convict released into the society, such as a Professor cannot go back to  the university again. The tendency is for such a person to go back to crime. Government should look into this'', Mr. Akinrujomu stated.

    The Controller appealed to government to make more funds available to the Prisons Service saying '' government should look into the funding of prisons. The prisons are growing in arithmetical progression while crime is growing in geometrical progression. Funding for the prisons should be improved. Government should also look into the Judiciary and Police in terms of funding because we work hand in gloves.''

  • Liberian Woman Accuses Police of Covering Up Son's Murder

    A 50 year old Lberian woman has accused the Police of  covering up the murder of  her son.

    Madam Elizabeth Kamara dismissed police investigation report that her son,Exodus S. Kamara, was mobbed to death by an angry crowd, while insisting that the murder of her son was premeditated.

     The deceased lost his life  April 24, 2019, on the Smythe Road, in Sinkor, Monrovia.Murder"Cllr. Johnson and her security officers took my son in her compound where they beat him to death, and later dragged his body outside of her fence, and dumped it on the street like a dog," Madam Kamara alleged in her statement to reporters on Thursday, May 2, at the grounds of the Temple of Justice on Capitol Hill''.

    Cllr. Johnson is reported to be an employee of the Dean and Associates Law Firm owned by Justice Minister, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean.

    Madam Kamara made this allegation when she e interacted with newsmen at the Temple of Justice after two of Cllr. Johnsons' private security guards, Junior Sayee and Abraham Gardour of the Alarm Security Service, were arraigned before the Monrovia City Court on a charge of negligent homicide brought against the pair by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP).

    Kamara said she was not satisfied with the police investigative report that did not charge Cllr. Johnson with murder, "because I feel she was the brain behind my son's death."

     Kamara was arrested at Cllr. Johnson's residence  prior to his death

    The police report had earlier claimed that the victim (Kamara) was arrested by the defendants, while stealing planks in Cllr. Johnson's fence. According to the report, an angry crowd forcibly took him away from the hands of the two security officers.

    Thereafter, his lifeless body was found lying unconscious on the Smart Road, Vai Town Community.

    However, Madam Kamara tearfully claimed that Cllr. Johnson employed her son as a driver, but was later dismissed due to misunderstanding that erupted over unpaid salary.

    "My son was not a criminal, but the one who tried to collect his just pay from Cllr. Johnson who had refused to pay his salary when she ordered her boys to beat him, a situation that led to his death," Madam Kamara stated while weeping.

     

  • Govt Should Intensify Battle Against Piracy-Authors

    Pirated books 1The Oyo state chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors(ANA) has appealed to the Federal Government to curb the activities of book pirates in the country.

    The ANA made this appeal recently, through its Chairman Mr. Funsho Omotosho at an event to commemorate the World Book and Copyright day in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    Nigerian authors are not business people, only a few of us earn our living through writing. We have other things we do. Our appeal to government through the Nigeria Copyright Commission is for government to intensify the battle against book piracy. Without remuneration coming, the authors will languish’’, Mr. Omotosho disclosed.

    In her remarks, the Zonal Director of the Nigeria Copyright Commission, Mrs. Bisi Ogundiran called for concerted efforts among stakeholders to eradicate book piracy.

    ‘’We must jointly say no to piracy. Pirates eat where they have not sown and they kill rights owners. As Teachers we must ensure that all those books supplied to our schools are from the right source and are original, so that the benefits would go back to the rightful authors and publishers. We don’t want our authors and publishers to die before their time. Please do not patronize pirates, they are economic saboteurs, please do not encourage book piracy’’, Mrs. Ogundiran warned.

  • Nigerians Should Make Use of the Ramadan Fast to Cleanse Themselves of All Evil-Gran Imam Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide

    Prof olagokeAs Muslim faithful prepare for the commencement of the 30 day Ramadan fast across the globe, concerned citizens in different countries are of the opinion that the fasting period should also be used by all to fervently pray for members of outlawed groups and their sponsors who have derailed and are responsible for the unabating rate of kidnappings, killings, ritual killings, armed robberies, violence and other crimes in several countries of the world, to retrace their steps and embrace the teachings about God.

    The citizens are hopeful that the fasting period shall usher in a new era of peace and stability globally. In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke calls on Nigerians to use the fasting period to cleanse themselves of evil and cultivate integrity based behaviors. Excerpts

    The Ramadan fast is only some few days away, what is your message to the Muslim Faithful ?

    Nigerians generally need to change their attitude towards all festivals and seasons, since in most cases they declare holidays which always have economic implications on the nation.

    Suffice it now to say that such holidays need to be justified through the benefits of the exercises for which the holidays were always declared, be it traditional, Christian or Muslim.

    For the Ramadan session, the nation starts to benefit a lot if the design and the purpose are respected accordingly, because the goal for which it is divinely designed is to educate and reform the animal called man; to raise his bestial status into that of a person with high level of integrity.

    The expectation is for all Muslims to follow the behavioral objectives which is centered on achieving the culture of fear of God-which happens to be the bedrock of attitudinal reform towards achieving the four codes of life based on the positive mindset.

    Ramadan 1The adherents,during and after observing the Ramadan fast, must assume a permanent characteristics of positive self image where he or she sees himself or herself as been ever relevant in the scheme of selfless service, community peace and nation building.

    He must equally have that sense of confidence to individually perform tasks without supervision and with an endowed gift of a prime mover team work spirit.

    Thirdly, he or she must become an epitome of self esteem, who is expected to role model an established code of conduct with overbearing measure of discipline and integrity.

    The fourth, achievable must, must dominate exemplary life style through positive mental attitude for ease of relocation. Such a person is never found wanting when it comes to the issue of trust, accurate and precise decisions, before putting up any action.

    Such a person naturally will be awesome in identifying and recommending solutions, through his or her spiritual endowments, which bothers on social assignment activation and articulation.

    Ramadan 2Unfortunately, going by the past antecedents of Ramadan fasting exercises, generally, it had always been a case of annual ritual of ceremonial importance contrary to the designed goal of Saomu.

    Ramadan fasting which is to facilitate the establishment of the culture of the fear of God, which must reflect in using due process in procurement for the purpose of transparency and accountability in management, administration and good governance.

    Ramadan fasting remains a spiritual Doctor to mankind, an antidote for corruption and indiscipline and a reliable solution to the best way to achieve justice in the system to avoid disaffection and violence, equity in material distribution through common availed opportunity to have access, which acquisition of marginalization to promote inclusive society, in order that the individual and the nation would be able to have functional Democracy with full benefits for sustainable development, peace and security.

    We shall continue to cheat ourselves as mankind, if we fail as individuals and collectively as a nation, to goal set with adequate sensitization effect on the seriousness and messages of the Ramadan fasting exercise.

    We need the same attitudinal change and focus towards availed opportunities of seasons and festivals from all facets of our natural life-tradition, religion and social.

    Read Also : 1.7 Million to Experience Food Shortage in Somalia-UN @ http://1stguide.over-blog.com

  • Ghana President Empowers 1,000 Disabled Women Enterpreneurs

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    The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday empowered 1,000 women entrepreneurs living with disability, under the Presidential Empowerment for Women Entrepreneurs with Disability.

    President Akufo Addo, who presented  GH¢2 million  to the women , said ''Having set a fund target of some GH¢4 million, over the next two years, to support disabled women in business, the Ministry of Business Development has so far raised GH¢2 million of the amount. The one thousand (1,000) beneficiaries will not be required to pay any interest on the amounts they are going to receive."

    "They will only pay back 50% of the principal advanced to them. This gesture is part of my government's support to our disabled women entrepreneurs, to help them scale up their businesses, and employ more people. We anticipate that, with the monies being given to them today, they will and should be able employ, at least, two persons", the President stated.

  • Kenya to Recruit 919 Teachers for Schools

    Kenya 4Then Kenya Teachers Service Commission is set to recruit about  919 Teachers  for both Primary and Secondary schools.

    Of the figure 659  Teachers will be for primary school while 260 will be for secondary schools.

    At the present time the teacher shortage stands at 87,737; some 57,380 in secondary schools and 30,357 in primary schools.

    The recruitemtn shall commence in May, according to the TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia,candidates for primary schools will not have to apply but will be selected from the last year's application list.

    "Applicants for vacancies in primary schools must be holders of P1 certificate and will be selected from the county merit lists compiled during the May 2018 recruitment," Mrs Macharia stated.

    Applicants in the secondary school category , are  to submit their applications through county directors and Boards of Management by May 10.

    Mrs. Macharia also said that the candidates are required to possess a minimum of Diploma in Education and are  required to apply to Board of Management of the school where the vacancy has been advertised and submit a copy to the TSC county Director.

    "Successful candidates will be deployed to serve in stations in any part of the country and not necessarily in the county where they were recruited," she concluded.

     

  • New Minimum Wage : Some states Might Prove Difficult-AWC

    Kogi state 1The All Workers Convergence(AWC) has called on workers in Nigeria to be ready to confront any state Government that would refuse to pay the new national minimum wage.

    The AWC made this call through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

    ‘’As regards the implementation of the new national minimum wage, workers must not rest on their oars because some states might want to prove difficult. All necessary mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that any state government that refuses to pay must be confronted’’.

    ‘’Every state in Nigeria has the capacity to pay. And if there is any Governor that refuses to pay, the AWC is calling on such a Governor to resign. It is equally very important for labor to give conditions which include, government and employers of labor must not retrench workers, government must not increase the pump price pf petrol, under any guise and government must not also increase or introduce any form of taxation or devalue the national currency by any means’’, Comrade Emelieze stated

  • The People of Sudan Protest Bad Governance

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    The people of Sudan want good governance and they are doing all it takes to ensure this is achieved.

    Indeed, there are several other countries, whose citizens are also agitating for good governance, hopes are high that same shall be achieved sooner than expected.

  • Pump Price of Petrol- Govt. Wants to Strangulate Nigerian Workers-AWC

    Nnpc 1The controversy surrounding  the actual  pump price of the Petrol Motor Spirit(PMS) has been described as a kite flown by government officials to deny Nigerian workers a new national minimum wage.

    The All Workers Convergence(AWC) made this known through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

    ''The AWC  concludes that government has a sinister agenda strangulate the Nigerian workers and the generality of the Nigerian people. The question we ask is that even if government will have to take the increased salaries back from the workers what about the unemployed, the retirees and all those who don't receive salaries from any source ? It means that government would visit them with unprecedented agony and pain''

    ''However, while the AWC is  calling on government to  forget the idea of an increment in the pump price of petrol, VAT or the removal of petrol subsidy, is is also our view that if President Buhari knows he cannot pay the new national minimum wage, he should resign. Finally, labour is called to action and should be prepared for the mother of all protests, if the new national minimum wage is to be realized in the shortest possible period'', Comrade Emelieze  warned.

  • Algerians Continue Protests to Demand Exit of Those Still in Power

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    Algerians have continued to embark on protests for the past eight Fridays to press home thier demands for radical changes and the exit of those in the system.

    Just as it happened in the previous Fridays, the protesters poured into Algiers Streets, the main Post Office esplanade and Maurice Audin Place, their favorite place of rally since the first marches on February 22nd.

    The most recent protests is coming on the heels of the  appointment of Abdelkader Bensalah as head of state in accordance with Article 102 of the Constitution.

    Bensalah summoned the electorate for 4 July 2019 to elect a new President of the Republic.

  • Hunger is the Dividend of Democracy in Nigeria-Prof Olagoke

    Prof sabitu olagoke 2Nigerians have continued to complain over the unabating hunger and poverty in the land.

    Anti-people policies of the present administration have been identified as the major causes of the ugly situation, even though other causes abound.

    Sadly, the Federal, State and Local Governments have been nonchalant in addressing the worrisome economic status of Nigerians, just as a report ranked Nigeria among the eight nations in the world, which are homes to the hungriest people in the world.

    In this interview,the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke says hunger is the dividend of Democracy in Nigeria due to the absence of a leader that would transform the country into a prosperous land. Excerpts :

    Hunger and poverty is in almost every home in Nigeria, are you not worried ?

    The issue of hunger and poverty started to come unnoticed after the first coup of January 15, 1966 that led to the various military take over ab initio.

     By training the military were never groomed to govern, but to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

    Between 1960 and 1970, the poverty index was around 15 per cent, it nose dived to 28.8 per cent, during the second republic, Alhaji Sheu Shagari’s administration, experienced corruption and impunity.

    Hunger nigeria 1The Muhammadu Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon regime tried hard to reverse the ugly trend, by introducing War Against Indiscipline(WAI) this brought about sanity and it positively affected the psyche of all Nigerians, although under a dictatorship.

    However, the regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida soft pedaled and allowed the relaxation theory to take over, even though the War Against Indiscipline and Corruption(WAIC) was put in place, it turned out to be a game of deceit.

    Despite all the mitigation measures, hunger and poverty defied all programmes-OFN, DFFRI, Better Life and so on.

     This made Nigeria to look like an arid land where no plant could germinate.\

    The regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha recorded 65 per cent poverty index, while the fourth republic inherited 70 per cent poverty index according to a report by economic experts.

    The truth of the matter is that Nigeria has not been able to produce a leader that is capable enough to transform the nation into a prosperous land.

    Hunger could even be said to be the dividends of Democracy in Nigeria.

    Hunger nigeria 3When one considers the ever depreciating purchasing power of our Naira and ever increasing pump price of petrol, upon which the activities of industries and the transportation system depends, then one would reach the conclusion that all is not well.

    The relocation of more than 800 industries to other nations from Nigeria, worsened the employment situation which none of the successive governments since 2007 have been able to address.

    The recent balancing wheel of our economic equation, whereby government may assent to N30,000 new national minimum wage and at the same time increase in the Value Added Tax is in the works, would only serve to worsen the already bad situation.

    This is so because the consequent effect would reflect on the already two digit inflation figure to be on the increase, while prices of commodities beginning from food stuff to other commodities would sky rocket beyond the reach of the already impoverished masses.

    Economic experts have advised government to consider the downward review of the salaries and allowances of the ruling class, this should be effected.

    For example, the Senate is the highest in rank with N14.2 million per month. This could be scaled down to N7 million.

    The President and Vice President have been reported to receive N14 million and N12 million, respectively. This could also be cut to half.

    If this preferred solution could be accepted, the cost of governance would be lower and manageable, while the size of government would require trimming, without necessarily affecting governance negatively.

    Besides this, all political appointments including the ministerial ones would need to be monitored for effectiveness and accountability, for Mr. President to be able to take decisions on non performing Ministers.

    For example electricity is essential to activate business activities from the industrial sector to the minute level, in order that we may be able to produce abundantly without recourse to importation and at low affordable costs to the people.

    For poverty to be drastically reduced and to remove hunger from the tables of families in Nigeria occasioned by our over dependence on oil, attendant cases of fraud need to be effectively addressed.

    Hunger nigeriaFurthermore, economic diversification and establishment of several industries by government and private individuals would reduce our over dependence on oil.

    An independent economy would ever solve the problem of hunger and diseases.

    Nigeria is known all over the world to be the most fortunate fertile land that is full of resources, but for the mismanagement syndrome of the resources and kleptocracy in governance, poverty would continue to slap us on our faces.

    Government needs to work on the psyche of Nigerians, on our attitude, while the culture of philanthropy and selfless community service, need to be entrenched to create an environment that would be conducive enough for good idea germination for the benefit of all.