NIGERIA LIKE OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAS 7 MAJOR PROBLEMS-BY DR.GBENGA ADEOYE. - THE BUSINESS PACKAGE

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Thursday, November 26, 2020

NIGERIA LIKE OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAS 7 MAJOR PROBLEMS-BY DR.GBENGA ADEOYE.



Most of the times, we get concerns about symptoms instead of focusing on the real sickness or disease.

 Today, you hear of insecurity, recession, dilapidated higher instituitions, no power supply, bad roads,  unemployment and poor health care. 

All of these are actually  fruits from the tree of  the real problem.

I have therefore reviewed the situation in Nigeria and most African Countries and my findings identified Seven Major Problems which are:

1. PLANNING PROBLEM

a. There is a popular saying that he who fails to plan is planning to fail.I will rather say that he who fails to plan will automatically fail without necessarily planning how to fail.

b. I discussed with a Senior Friend from Kaduna few days ago and we were able to empirically conclude that our population in Nigeria doubles every 30 years.

From 1960 which was about 60m people to 1990 which was about 120m and from 1990 to 2020 which is about 240m by estimates.

C. We have no plan on transportation of these mass population that is growing everyday.

Sometimes the plans are just mere paper plan without deliberate actions to bring them to reality.Mere talks cannot translate to development.

On Sunday 22nd November, 2020, I was on Lagos Ibadan Express Way with a friend and we were stuck in traffic for hours.

My friend said and I quote..
"This is how it will continue for the next 10 years.." I said why? He said show me a clear plan to take care of these tankers and container trucks on the high way."

From Lagos to South South and then linked to the North via Lekki axis to Benin, we ought to have 10 rail lines for moving goods and passengers such that heavy trucks will no longer be found on our roads.

d. I observed this system from England to Scotland.All goods are being moved by trains.Passenger Trains moving while Trains for goods are also moving on their lines.

From Agbara, Gbagle (now called  Badagry)  and Igbesa  to Sokoto, we need another 10 rail lines moving goods from Ogun state Production Side to the North.As they get to the North, they will also return with Pepper, onions, cows and so on.Orile Imo and Kajola area in Obafemi Owode Local government down to Sagamu also requires rail lines to move goods from factories in the area to the east and to the north.

If these plans are not in place; we are going no where or if they remain on paper without definite and deliberate actions, our problem will continue for ages.

e. Farm Settlements Plans ought to be an annual project such that clusters of similar crops can be developed in a modern way.

2. CORRUPTION PROBLEM
It is well known that over invoicing of projects and high cost of governance  has reached a level that seems as if we are deliberate in committing economic suicide. Projects that worth N100m can be executed for N1b in Nigeria. In some cases payments could be made without execution. So, if you ought to build 10 health Centres at a cost of N20m each and you end up awarding the contract at N200m, you will be able to do just one instead of 10.
What 1m people ought to use will then be for 10m people and so depreciation and high cost of maintenance makes such facilities to wear out faster than usual.

You see a man after getting political appointments or winning election, he will just suddenly become a billionaire. Living large and some times marry more wives.

When you do not work for wealth, misuse is inevitable.

3. QUALITY OF POLITICAL  LEADERS AND CIVIL SERVANTS.

When you review the quality of men and women that have been in leadership in Nigeria over the years; you will probably want to cry.

No doubt, we have some very few intelligent men and women in politics but people with intelligence and integrity are  usually pushed aside. NIgeria is a country with so many intelligent people but those intelligent people are not allowed around governance and leadership and the few ones that get involved normally leave in regret as they want you to suspend your brain in the name of loyalty.

The Law of Power is that you cannot outshine your boss anyway.

So when you make a sound professional to be a subordinate to someone who does not have 10% of the intelligence of his subordinate, then the subordinate over time will begin to act like an idiot too.
It is in Nigeria that you will see many Builders, Structural and Civil Engineers doing well in private sector but in government, Minister of works will not be an engineer.Are we really out of  our minds? One day in Africa , I hope they will not make someone who studied Accounting to be Minister of Health....Round pegs in round holes is vital.

In a country made up of many Agric Experts and intelligent people; One Minister wrote that Management Science Courses should be cancelled in Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria . Does anyone need rocket Science knowledge to know that Agriculture like any other business is connected with Accounting , Economics, Banking and Finance and Business Administration.

How does one College affects many other Agric related colleges negatively ? In fact, they are meant to compliment Agric Sciences.

When you put round pegs in square holes, the result will be failure.

People who studied Agric Economics understand better.

It is high time brilliant graduates with patriotic minds like late Simeon Adebo  from my town begin to take jobs as civil servants. We must not leave our government service to those below average anymore.

The kind of brains in the likes of Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo that made them to think about IITA, free Education, WNTV among other great innovations ahead of some countries in Europe is what we need in leadership not people who cannot address people without reading from a printed paper.From local government to the highest level; we need best brains.

4. STRUCTURAL PROBLEM
As long as we continue to run our country claimed to be a Presidential System in a unitary form, we cannot move forward. This affect almost all our decisions and projects.

The way Nigeria was in the First Republic is the best way to run a Federation. Each Federating Units can then develop on their own based on their comparative advantage.

It is only deceptive for anyone to think that Nigeria will develop properly with this current structure. It is also clear that leaders at the centre enjoy power so.much that everyone in leadership since 1999 have done their best to avoid restructuring. Some merely talk about it without doing it while some pretend and claim that our problem is not structure but the worst set of people are those who ignore the structure and feel that no matter what people say; they will leave Nigeria as it is.

5. DISCONNECTION BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT.

The data from government most times is far from the truth. GDP and growth rate are mere statement that has no bearing with the reality on ground. When you see the convoys of leaders, their lifestyles and how they talk about billions; you then go out and wonder why we have so much poverty in the land.How can we  allow Universities to be shut down for almost a year? How can customs head office be far away from our major Ports? How can NNPC be operating outside the source of crude oil.
How can you leave Apapa road as it is? Why would it take as long as it is taking now to clear goods ?
How can we have 10 Presidential Jets in a country where many sleep without food daily?.How can we move in bullet proof expensive cars when many children are out of School in the North?, How can a governor go home to sleep when water is not running in our major cities.? How can we claim to be developing when our hospitals are not in good shape.?How can we claim to be doing well when we  cannot generate electricity for our industrial and domestic use.? How can we claim to be leading right when Gratuity of retired civil servants are not paid for almost 10 years in some states.? How can we stop corruption when Cooperative Contributions and Pension deducted from workers are not remitted? How can we claim to be doing well when local government elections are  mere coronation service and not election per se.? How can we sleep in cities and ignore our rural dwellers without good roads, water and electricity yet they are the one feeding us?

6. HIGH COST OF ELECTION & FAULTY ELECTORAL  PROCESS
In every investment, you want to recoup your capital as fast as possible and also make profit. The high cost of elections, ranging from campaign and primaries is one major cause of corruption.

The process is also not encouraging.It appears the process is designed to aid rigging.If you don't have billions, you cannot run for certain offices.

It just make sense for anyone that have spent billions to steal so as to recoup his / her  investment.That is the reality on ground. 

We need to stop the lucrative nature of political offices so that people will not see it as an alternative to setting up factories and creating jobs through businesses.

People ought to participate in every process from primary to election day but only the wealthy  can do it now.

We must adopt other means of voting in addtion to the current one so that eligible voters can vote.

7.INSECURITY AS A BUSINESS FOR SOME PEOPLE.

The level of insecurity in Nigeria points to one thing and that is collution.

It is clear that some people are behind Banditry, insurgency, farmers and herdmen clashes all over the country.

The questions are :

1. How do they get the weapons?
2. How many people involved in terrorism have been punished.?
3.Does it mean we have weak security men? I do not think so.
4. What is the body language of leaders all over the country over certain events .?
5. Weappns used during election, where are they from and who is keeping them after election?  
6.How would you  explain the kidnapping of Dapchi girls in the afternoon and of course the Chibok Girls too. Who aided this and for what benefit? 

It seems like business.

The seven problems stated above; if attended to urgently; Nigeria and in deed many African Countries will become great and Citizens of Western Countries will seek our visas.

Dr.Gbenga Adeoye  holds a PhD in Management Accounting, a Bachelor's Degree in Law. He holds an MSc.in Banking &  Finance He also  holds a Diploma in Criminology and Security Studies.

He is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria &  An Arbitrator of UK and Nigeria.

He is an advocate of Tax Justice, Good Governance and Socio Economic Development of Africa in general and Nigeria in particular.

He can be reached on gbengaglobal@gmail.com

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