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One year of Buhari’s leadership
By Shamsuddin Salisu Daura
With one year of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at the helm of political affairs in Nigeria being commemorated at this time with sobriety and reflection, there is no scintilla of doubt that his promising administration has rekindled hope and optimism in the country after the rots of monumental mismanagement, corruption, impunity and neglect of infrastructure and social services left by the successive PDP governments since 1999 and the attendant mass poverty, misery and despondency. So far, the premium placed by the present administration on transparency, honesty and accountability in running of public affairs has generated it widespread commendations and support within and outside our polity.
Worthy of note in this regard is President Buhari’s impressive anti-corruption war, which has been waged with uncommon sincerity of purpose, courage and determination. This thereby has woken anti-corruption investigative bodies like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) from their slumber, as vastly attributed to the body language of Mr President. The ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government at all levels in Nigeria are not spared from the anti-graft searchlight of the Buhari government going by the probes of public institutions in critical sectors like oil/gas and maritime.
In fact, never in the annals of Nigeria has a government embarked on a large-scale anti-corruption campaign as in the present national leadership in the country with no institutions of government being made to be a sacred cow – be it the executive, legislature, judiciary or armed forces. The ongoing investigation by EFCC into $2.1 billion arms scam shows how pervasive official corruption was in the recent past in the polity, which undermined national security considering its debilitating effects on the war against the deadly Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. However, it is reassuring that with the accountable leadership of President Buhari, there has been a significant upturn in the anti-insurgency operations by the military against the sect in the past one year, with the bulk of the militants decapitated. Clearly, this heart-warming development accounts for the recovery of most of the territories in the northeast of the country and the marked decline in suicide bombings by the group.
Having repositioned the armed forces and law enforcement agencies in Nigeria, for effectiveness with improved funding, there are high expectations that there would be a dramatic decrease in factors threatening to torpedo our internal security situations like insurgency, militancy, herdsmen-farmers’ clashes, armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism and vandalisation of critical national infrastructure like oil pipelines and electricity cables. Also likely to affect national security in the country in a favourable manner is Buhari administration’s irrevocable commitment to address mass poverty, youth unemployment and lack of social opportunities through more than N500 billion social welfare package set aside in the budget of this year. Expectedly, such a huge safety net programme would help, in no small measure, in cushioning the adverse effects of the recent removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
Come to think of it, the scrapping of the annual multi-billion naira fuel subsidy regime, which in 2013 alone or thereabouts gulped N1.2 trillion, is a courageous step by the Buhari administration considering that the policy was a grand fraud against majority of Nigerians by a cabal who benefitted from it. For one, it does not make economic sense to subside consumption like fuel but production (including agricultural and manufacturing sectors), as seen in most developed countries around the world. For another, with the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria, it would pave the way for a competitive system that would reduce fuel price in the long run, check hoarding and frequent scarcity of the product, set in motion the machinery for establishment of refineries by private investors and end controversial deals that have cost the country billions of naira like the so-called oil swap. In addition to all these is the bald fact the funds saved from scrapping of fuel subsidy will now be invested by the Federal Government in provision of infrastructure and social services, apart from social palliatives, that will benefit the masses.
Part of the emblematic features of Buhari’s hopeful leadership in Nigeria is solemn commitment to public accountability. This is mostly exemplified by the bold implementation of the Treasury Singe Account (TSA) by the administration in order to stave off wastes and leakages in the MDAs of government. It is interesting to note that more than N2 trillion has reportedly been netted as savings from the TSA, a gigantic sum one quarter of it usually filtered into individual pockets in the past through embezzlement and fraud. Also noteworthy is the galvanisation of leading revenue generating bodies in Nigeria by the Buhari government like Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) with appointment of honest and capable hands as their bosses. Apart from these proactive measures aimed at shoring up our national revenue base in this era of slump in crude oil prices, the government has been unrelenting in its loot recovery drives. The same applies to taxation, with emphasis being placed on checking tax evasion and tax avoidance by individuals and corporate bodies in order to enable the Federal Government to utilise revenues there from to finance development of infrastructure and social services in the country.
Kudos should also be given to the Buhari government for its efforts to reform our troubled oil and gas industry for accountability, effectiveness and competitiveness. Evidently, the efforts have started to yield dividends with the gradual return of Port-Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries to operational level. The administration is also open to welcoming investors who are willing to build private refineries.
Within the realm of international diplomacy, the Buhari administration has recorded a remarkable feat in the past one year by restoring Nigeria’s prestige and respectability among the comity of civilised countries.
Finally, with one year of Buhari’s hopeful leadership being commemorated at this period, Nigerians, regardless of the prevailing difficult economic challenges facing them, are implored to reflect on the gains so far, mindful that to destroy is easy but to rebuild is excruciatingly difficult. Of course, underpinning Buhari’s hopeful leadership in the past one year are, essentially, its avowed policy of no business as usual in managing public affairs, its proclivity to good governance, its unparalleled anti-corruption stance, its commitment to economic diversification in the face of global crude oil price crisis and, above all, its keen determination to engender a new Nigeria that will work for its people through due process, rule of the law, peaceful coexistence, national security, social inclusion, equality of opportunities, social justice, respect of basic human rights, economic progress and sustainable development.
Shamsuddin Daura, a social commentator, wrote in from Garki, Abuja. 08038587866, Email: [email protected]
Before the Hajj 2016 airlift
By Ibrahim Muhammed
Barring any hitches, airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to this year Hajj in
Saudi Arabia may commence by first week of August. Med-view Airlines Limited, Max Air, AZMAN Air Services and Fly-Nas Air (Saudi Arabia designated carrier) are set to ferry our dear pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
Last week, NAHCON and the approved air carriers officially signed and sealed the 2016 Hajj airlift agreement, waiting to be delivered. In furtherance to the task ahead, NAHCON has inaugurated aviation monitoring committee and other standing committee for Hajj 2016 operation.
Likewise, a total of 136,020 Indian pilgrims will perform Haj this year. According to Indian Deputy Consul General and Haj Consul Mohammed Shahid Alam, four air carriers namely: Air India, SpiceJet, Saudi Arabian Airline and Flyna Air (Saudi designate airline) will transport India Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year. Pakistan’s 107, 210 pilgrims will be airlifted by Pakistani Air, Shaheen air and Saudi Arabia airline.
Let’s examine the critical areas of Hajj operation. Pilgrims movement i.e. transportation and accommodation are major determinant factors in the success or otherwise of Hajj exercise. So, NAHCON should uphold its last year record of transporting pilgrims before its schedule date or even less.
In 2105, about 95% of Nigeria pilgrims were airlifted to Madina airport directly, thereby relieving pilgrims the stress of going to Madina by road.
To surpass the 2015 record, airliners, states pilgrims boards and other relevant security agencies must be time cautious because the advantage of time and place in all practical actions is half a victory; which being lost is irrecoverable.
Accordingly, the agreement for the provision of accommodation for pilgrims at both Makkah and Madina has been signed and sealed. Based on the new guidelines issued by NAHCON, the building to be provided as accommodation for Nigerian pilgrims must be duly registered with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and other relevant Saudi agencies; the authorized capacity of the building should be 500 bed spaces and above all should be situated within one (1) kilometer radius from the Haram in both Makkah and Madinah.
Where the distance is beyond one (1) kilometer radius, shuttle bus to and from the Haram shall be provided on daily basis at a ratio of one 25-seater bus to 150 pilgrims; the toilet ratio per pilgrim must not exceed six (6) pilgrims per toilet within the building; have adequate kitchen, dining facilities; have standard bedding facilities like clean bed sheets, pillows, blankets, etc.
The online visa request for Nigerian pilgrims is ongoing in all the 36 states pilgrims’ boards and agencies. The E-tracking online hajj integrated system introduced by Saudi Arabia has transform hajj services include visa processes. Pilgrims now access the level of service rendered to them via this platform. It creates an open transparency system of Hajj management.
The renew confidence in Hajj operation was as a result of the N1.7 billion naira pilgrims refund recovered and distributed to pilgrims by NAHCON for services not rendered or rendered unsatisfactorily during the 2015 Hajj exercise. Pilgrims now believed they will get a commensurate value for their money. The above record breaking achievement was made manifest because of the E-track.
Currently, the commission is sponsoring a pilgrim’s enlightenment programme on NTA (Monday 6-6:30pm), provides interface for pilgrims to understand the spiritual and administrative dos and don’ts of Hajj. For maximum impact, state’s pilgrim’s boards need to domesticate such enlightenment program in their various states, and to translate it into local dialects for the benefits of pilgrims who are illiterates. Airliners should make provision for on-board pilgrim’s enlightenment to serve as a refresher tutorial for pilgrims on transit.
To avoid the repeat of confusion that followed last year stampede, the commission introduced E-bands (Electronic bands) to be worn by pilgrims for easy tracking and identification in the events of an emergency. In the same vein, The Indian Haj Mission has introduced innovative Global Positioning System (GPS) application with each pilgrim given traceable band to help locate and track its pilgrims in the events of an emergency. That was in addition to Saudi Electronic bracelet recently introduced.
In addition, the commission also appointed Jaiz Bank Plc as its official collection agent for Hadaya (animal sacrifice fee) for this year hajj. A move meant to streamline the process of animal sacrifice and to shield pilgrims from exploitative tendencies of ‘middlemen’.
Finally, the projection stage has been meticulous on the part of Hajj commission and some states pilgrims’ boards. However, ability to stick to the blue prints will determine its success. Realization is an offspring of a realistic plan, and those who fail to plan early in Hajj exercise are potential passenger of a fail train – which Hajj administrators might have learned in earnest.
Ibrahim Muhammed is the National Coordinator, Independent Hajj Reporters, 08037024356
