kai jama'a, no one is talking about the problem of
food scarcity which we have already started to
experience, even at an early stage. Abi its because
most of the guys here are Tuzurayes and Gaurayes.
Earlier this week, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Sayyida
Ruma while facing a Committee of Law Makers declared
that the country would soon experience a sharp rise in
prices of food commodities due to shortage of manpower.
Dr. Sayyadi Ruma said, "Nigeria has 74 million hectares
of arable land but only 34 million hectares are being utilised.
We require 2.5 million metric tones of rice annually and
our local rice production is not up to 500,000 metric tones
per year. This is because we have also not fully utilised
our potentials in irrigation farming. We have 2.5 million
hecters of irrigation land, of which not up to 220,000 is
covered."
He also stresses that "There are only 30,000 tractors
operating in Nigeria – a density of 0.2 tractors, which
serves about 14 million farming families in the country.
This is against about 4 million tractors in India".
I dont know how we are going to handle this food crisis
especially putting into consideration how our Governments
take issues with unseriousness.
What do we think is the solution?
I say we start storing then.
I have been feeling apprehensive ever since this shortage of food crisis came to the fore. Its really scary. Its not affecting Nigeria only, it is all over the world. Here in Nigeria, we are not prepared at all for this crisis. The only short term way out at the moment is for us to have an excellent rainy season so that the crops this yr will be better than last yr. The other thing is that there needs to be a rehaul on how farmers get their fertilizer. The business of fertilizer is only second to the business of selling crude in Nigeria. Its a disgrace that fertilizer has become a commodity whereby those in power extract the maximum amount of its value as a commodity before it reaches the farmer who by then cannot afford it. Or like I was hearing yesterday in the news that several farmers get to share 1 bag of fertilizer amongst themselves as part of govt's allocation and subsidy while what they need for optimal yield is on average 10 bags of fertilizer per farmer. Kai! Even if u decide to give it to the dagatai, its still the same old story, they give it to those whom they favor and sell the rest on the black market.
One thing again, I seemed to recall in my undergrad days when I studied soil or agricultural production or some such, that I was told in one of the lectures that tractors as we know them are not suitable for tilling our types of soil because they make the soil more friable, and I'd always wondered then how one could speed up the process of tilling and sowing if one couldnt use tractor, since manually its really time consuming and debilitating work. Well at any rate, there is always a motorized plough, attached to a bicycle (or a motorized bicycle).
We should go back to using organic fertilizer, although one of my colleagues when we discussed this said that it wasnt so possible now to immediately switch to using organic fertilizers because the soil had become something or other cant remember the term he used, but what he was trying to say was that the soil has to be slowly dechemicalized from NPK saturation, before organic fertilizers can become effective on the soil. Its kind of like a catch 22 situation without the absurdity that goes with a catch 22 situation.
Anyway long term solutions... engage more in agri-sylvicultural practices, that's the best solution, and our farmers have been practicing this consciously or subconsciously for decades but it seems that the practices are being abandoned or ppl have not cottoned on to the relationship between agriculture and sylviculture. At best in Nigeria, they exist mostly between the pages of sch text books.
What does this sylviculture mean?
DB everybody is concerned about htis food crisis.
The whole thing somehow took the world unawares. Like nobody saw it coming.
As much as the climate change,chinese and indian economies,high cost of oil contribute to the food crisis, so also has the world bank. Infact the IMF/world bank's contribution to the crisis cannot be underestimated.
These are the institutions that hitherto discouraged governments from giving out subsides to agriculture (a policy the Obasanjo administration quickly adopted).
They made governments to exessively reduce thier spending on agriculture. Now these same institutions are trying to raise a meagre $500 million which will be provided as subsidy to farmers across the developing world. This is what i call Flip-Flopping.
I'm glad the developed world is getting a feel of the food crisis, maybe now they will see how important it is to address the climate change.
In Nigeria there is a need for serious prayers.The minister of finance just recently hinted that the price of rice will go up.This has prompted the commodity traders to start hoarding foodstuff.
The minister of agriculture has said that government will have to provide both a short and long term solution to the problem. I was surprised when he said that the country does not have stock of rice(the most staple food) in its strategic food reserve.
Alot needs to be done to tackle this problem. Maybe now,the government will see a need to invest in agriculture.
Quote from: gogannaka on April 17, 2008, 11:40:19 AM
What does this sylviculture mean?
I'd just finished writing the word on one separate paper with a thought of checking its meaning either from thefreedictionary.com site or when I get home then I see you too were asking of its meaning.
LOL. Thats what they say it means:
The cultivation of forest trees for timber or other purposes; forestry; arboriculture. But still Aunt Husnaa is needed to explain it a bit more.
And to the thread's issue, as also mentioned Husnaa that this is not only affecting Nigeria but world generally. Thus I've heard of it from many media both local and international...thats the matter has been a for-front problem surfacing the world. Sincerely, I feel there is nothing human or at least
I could do to stop it but prayer. And people of government should do everything to, lets say, minimize it. But its jarabawa from God.
Allah ka kawo sauki, amin.
The Malthus theory of populaton states that population would increase at a geometric rate and the food supply at an arithmetic rate.
That is what is happening.
Hakkun ya sadiki - maza naf'alu al'an.
kai ashe har yanzu larabcin bai mutu ba.
Quote from: gogannaka on April 19, 2008, 05:29:29 PM
The Malthus theory of populaton states that population would increase at a geometric rate and the food supply at an arithmetic rate.
That is what is happening.
We've gone past that GGNK, this is different. Besides, Malthus's theories belong in the same rubbish bin as Darwin's theories of evolution. The world's population has stabilized somewhat and great strides have been made in genetically engineered food products that increase at a quasi geometric rate at least. The latest is the GM foods. I really really wont be surprized if this current scarcity in world food is a conspiracy to get ppl to accept GM foods if they have no other alternative, since there is a stiff resistance to it.... think about it....why is it that it is only the developing nations that are being worst hit by the scarcity? I even heard someone the other day on DW TV saying that food prices shouldnt come down in the third world, but there should be more investments in the third world agric sector... Well good and fine.. at least soaring food prices can help farmers in the third world that is in theory. But the main culprit is not economics really, but climate change for the worse which to say the least was INDUCED by the developed economies that practice conspicuous consumption habits and spew out green house gases all over the globe. So I think it is rather a vicious cycle because the initial impetus for investing in the agric sector has been pulled out from under the third world farmers, so what is happening right now is not helping them either. Take for example the case of chicken farmers.. there is no grain to feed the chickens.. so on what base does the chicken farmer stand in order to rear his chickens when the food they need to grow is not available? so how can soaring food prices help him?
anyway.. let me go joo for the mean time. I am stealing time that i dont have to talk here.
FG to import N80bn rice
Written by AbdulFattah Olajide
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Daily Trust Newspaper
The Federal Government yesterday expressed grave concern over rising food prices in the country and ordered the immediate importation of 500,000 metric tones of rice at an estimated cost of N80 billion in order to ameliorate the situation. It also ordered the immediate release of an additional 11,000 metric tones of assorted grain from the nation's strategic reserve.
Ondo State Governor Chief Olusegun Agagu, together with his Kano and Akwa Ibom States counterparts and Minister of Agriculture Dr. Abba Sayyadi Ruma, announced the measures at the State House, Abuja soon after President Umaru Musa Yar'adua held an emergency meeting with state
governors over food security and power. Agagu said the "alarming increase in food prices" and the "diminishing availability of food" in the country have reached an "emergency" situation.
"Although we cannot say there is famine in Nigeria yet, the prices of foodstuff are going up and the availability in a number of places is diminishing, and that as a responsive government we must take immediate measures to address this ugly trend. Measures that will be implemented in the short term, medium and long term to ensure that Nigerians do not starve", he said.
As a long term measure for combating the food crisis, he said 1.68 per cent of the Federation Account dedicated to natural resources development would be dedicated to the development of agriculture and production of food over the next four years.
He said, "Mr. President announced that the 1.68 per cent from the Federation Account dedicated to Natural Resources Development Fund will be dedicated towards the development of agriculture and production of food over the next four years. As at now, the account has N80 billion and as the account grows every year through the contribution of 1.68 per cent from the Federation Account, it will be dedicated to ensuring that in the medium and long term, Nigeria produces enough food for herself and for export. The details of this programme will be worked out between the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources and state governors within a short period of time."
Governor Agagu said the 500,000 tones of rice would be imported from Thailand. He said, "A number of countries have stopped export of rice, with the exception of Thailand that has dedicated about 3.9 million metric tones of rice to African countries which are more vulnerable and are depending so much on the importation of rice. So one of the options that Nigeria is working towards is the possibility of an import from Thailand. Already, Thailand is supporting a rice producing group (Stallion Group) in large scale rice production in Nigeria because this is one of the medium term solutions that are to be put in place immediately in order to make sure that in the short term of one, two or three years we would have made certain level of guaranteeing rice as a commodity, taking into consideration our heavy dependency on rice."
According to him, one of the key decisions taken at the emergency meeting was "That there should be additional release from the strategic grain reserve of the country to augment supply, create more availability and therefore stem the alarming increase in food prices. We use the word additional because some quantum 40,000 metric tones had been released earlier but because it is now reaching an emergency situation we still have 11,000 metric tones available and that it will be released immediately."
Another major decision was "That to save the situation, and further ameliorate our condition, government will import 500,000 metric tones of rice immediately in addition to what we are producing at home now. We all know that several states in the country are rice growing, so we will encourage our people who are rice growing to grow more. The rains are here and rice takes about two to three months to mature, our people will be encouraged to grow more. But because we already envisage some short fall in supply, we therefore took a decision to import 500,000 metric tones of rice to be sold to our people at subsidized rates. These two measures are for the immediate term to dampen the escalating price in the markets and make food available to our people. People can shift from other food stuff that are expensive to rice. This is short term and we can't live on this forever."
The third decision, according to Agagu, was that "For the medium term, that is after three months, a very dramatic decision was taken that as a nation, take very drastic possible revolutionary steps to address the challenge of food production and food security in Nigeria. In this regard, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, with the states and research institutes to ensure that in the medium to long term, Nigeria will not produce only enough food for herself but should be in a position to export to other countries."
Apart from the decision to dedicate the Natural Resources Fund to agriculture, Agagu listed another major decision as, "State governors have been challenged to increase their budgetary allocations for agriculture substantially over the next four years. The contribution from the Federal Government in addition to the contributions from the state governments should definitely have very positive impact on our food production capabilities and food security will be addressed permanently."
Lastly, he said, "government also took a decision that it will put in place special measures that will ensure the sustenance and enforcement of policies and regulations of government. A number of policies and regulations that government has put in place are aimed at stimulating domestic production of food, and food products. We noticed that some of these policies and regulations have not been efficiently implemented, therefore government took a decision that it will put in place special measures to ensure such policies and regulations are implemented, obeyed and honoured by all. One of such is government's decision a few years back to ensure we create more room for the consumption of cassava, which our farmers grow a lot. That flour millers should include at least 10 per cent cassava flour in baking flour. We noticed that some millers have been obeying while others have not and so government took a decision that such measures that will enhance productivity should be pursued vigorously for the good of our farmers and our country."
I think thats a good move by FG to shun out this ravaging calamity of food shortage in Nigeria. But one big problem is; that would not, unless if we are lucky enough, reach those that are due for the supply--masses. Amma Allah ya na gani. Allah bring bliss to our country, amin.
its too late for the Federal Government. N80b wow, a good
money to be stolen without identification.
DB,
You should be optimistic!
I think the main forces behind the current food crisis are largely un-natural, or in other words economic. Climate change seems to be a secondary issue compared to the biofuel industry and the changing demands of an exploding middle class in Asia.
Husnaa i'm looking at it this way:
More people get richer in china,india and say Nigeria.
People get married or not and have kids.Population grows.
Rice (worlds staple food) consumption increases and the farmers have left the villages to come to the cities and work in industries(white collar) or do okada(in nigeria's case).
Only the old people are left and they can only produce 1/7 of what the youth could have produced.
Everyone buys a car or bike and oil gets scarce.
Europe starts using food to produce an alternative for fuel.(giving the food to the cars,how ironic)
The industries get higher demand for everything and they keep emmitting bad greenhouse gasses which cause climate change thus either reducing rainfall or increasing it beyond farming standards.
All in an effort to produce for a teeming,richer populace.
It goes on and on and on!
I hope the 80 billion naira aid will drastically help the nigerian situation.
A friend in lagos told me that Stallion group,who the government plans to use for the importation,had just ordered shiploads of rice when the finance minister made the statement about an increase in the price of rice. The management ordered that the rice be stored in the warehouse and not to be sold.
Shikenan yanzu when the govt says to stallion 'abeg import rice for us' they will just release the grains from the warehouse and be acting as if they have done the nation a favour.
Quote from: gogannaka on May 03, 2008, 04:42:26 PM
I hope the 80 billion naira aid will drastically help the nigerian situation.
A friend in lagos told me that Stallion group,who the government plans to use for the importation,had just ordered shiploads of rice when the finance minister made the statement about an increase in the price of rice. The management ordered that the rice be stored in the warehouse and not to be sold.
Shikenan yanzu when the govt says to stallion 'abeg import rice for us' they will just release the grains from the warehouse and be acting as if they have done the nation a favour.
Nigeria kenan. :o :o :o
Surprisingly i bought a bag of rice for N6500 on saturday.
Maybe the hoarders were frightened by the news of the 85 Billion Naira import.
Allah ya dada sawwake mana.
I've heard of that decrease of price too, GGNK. Let me tell you, even other goods' price (Cement for e.g) starts falling too. But I personally relate this development to our prayers. Allah ya karo sauki, amin.
Not only that we are in serious problem, but our Govt.s has no policy on Agriculture in Nigeria. Since the oil boom, govt.s pay little or no attention to Agriculture. They always prefer a "fire brigade approach" on issues to do with Agriculture. Look at even the northern governors, they pay no attention to the sector despite all the abuse from the south that the north is not contributing to the national cake, but benefitting. With effective and articulated agricultural policy Nigeria can fed the world. However a political will to implement the policies is a great factor, for in Nigeria we have over eighteen (18) agricultural research institutes plus over ten faculties of agriculture, but due to lack of the will, they seems not have existed
The liberian government just signed and agreement with African Development Aid and the world bank for the preparation of 15,000 hectares of land for mechanised rice farming. Total cost to be borne by the world bank is a little over 30 million us dollars. Some body pls do the math for me, $30miilion for 15,000 hectares at an average yield of 7 tons a hectare. How much will it cost the yaradua govt. to develop a rice program that will ensure we produce the 500,000 tons they were planning to import at 80 billion, with the attendant multiplier effect on the local economy? Instead we sit down at FEC and authorise a minister to open an letter of credit for 80 Billion in favour of a contractor, who may or not even source the 500k tons in the time envisaged. every major rice esporting country has banned the export of the crop, a ina za a samo half a million tons before the end of the year?
Bear in mind that we alreday have most of the upstream infrastructure for irrigated rice production in the form of the various river valley outfits, so were not even starting from scratch. The original masterplan for the hadejia basin as taken over by HJRBDA envisaged 300,000 hectares. All documentation, blueprints etc for this project as envisaged and started over 30 years ago under audu bako are more or less the same documents that the river basin authority is using, and we barely have more than 15 % of the planned hectarage, because of lack of funding and interest by successive governments.
Where are all out esteemed economists? why arent they crying foul over the matter? Abin dai ba'a cewa komai. Wannan ma kurum tabargaza ce. The problem with our politicians I think is that they tend to regard this money as their own not baitul mali's ajiya. So it appears to them that they have a money glut and can afford to waste it any how. Shi ma 'yar Adua'r ina kansa ya shiga ne? In banda Nigeria, ni bantaba jin inda a ka dauko maras lafiya a ka dora shi kan gadon mulki ba. irin su castro, sun samu tangarda da lafiyar su sun ajiye mulkin amma mu anan, don wani mugun nufi, maras lafiyar ake dorawa. Ko dan hankalinsa ya rabu kashi ashirin, ya kasa aikin yabar wa masu mugun nufi suyi yadda su ke so. At any rate, in the light of what Kitkat said, the decision to buy the rice is the dumbest ever.. especially as no country will part with that much rice. Kuma if they try different sources, what happens is that even if they are successful, the rice will arrive peacemeal and late just like Kitkat says and the aim defeated. Besides why cant we utilize the fadamomi? Mind you suma ADPs dinnan are the most corrupt institutions. Our immediate problem actually with rice farming is to have enough available water to farm the rice with. We should employ the israeli system of underground irrigation channels. I think from the sounds of it, it partially solves the problems of salt buildup in open surface water channels. It also minimises surface evaporation. amma not sure if this can be done to rice cultivation seeing that rice is semi aquatic in its early lifecycle. But we can adopt it for other crops nevertheless.
another project is to desalinize ocean water for domestic and agric uses. It sounds fantastic but its very possible to do, only very expensive. I think Saudi Arabia has done it? not sure, I heard that many years back. This is an option if only our govts can investigate such things and the billions of dollars we are investing into thin air should be better utilized this way. Ni fa in life if I want something desperately, I am willing to sacrifice, going days or weeks outside my usual comfort zone in order to get what ever it is I am after. In the current climate of misery that most Nigerians live under, it would have been a comfort to know that the misery was all for a good cause, instead of for nothing.
Quote from: HUSNAA on May 19, 2008, 03:04:53 AM
The problem with our politicians I think is that they tend to regard this money as their own not baitul mali's ajiya. So it appears to them that they have a money glut and can afford to waste it any how.
Husnaa kenan, in most cases i dont like the way you directly
accused "politicians" over the recent crisis, though they might
be involved amma so insignificant. The person to be blamed
most which i now come to understand is the "Public Servant"
who has always been the custodian of "policy implementation".
You must agree with me that it is the public servant for prepares
the budget of the Ministry every year, and it is only through
our prepared budgets that meaningful development in every
sector will be achieved. The recent criminal act by the personnel
of the Fed. Ministry of Health is an eye opener that the public
servant is the actual culprit and saboteur of the nation's economy.
It is still the public servant who shows the politicians that if we
were able to do this we will get this and we will cover this by doing
this. The politician has never been the Permanent Secretary of
a Federal Ministry, though some might argue that the position
has been politicised, but we need a strong and cogent reasons to
go by that assertion.
Quote from: HUSNAA on May 19, 2008, 03:04:53 AM
another project is to desalinize ocean water for domestic and agric uses. It sounds fantastic but its very possible to do, only very expensive.
kindly elaborate on this desalinize ocean water.
The public servant is the most corrupt nigerian.You have to connive with him to carry out any corrupt practise or else it will not work.The public service needs to be sanitized before corruption can be rid from the country.
Regarding the 80 billion rice import,it is a short term approach.The Thai and malaysian government have 'bilaterally' promised/secured Nigeria the demanded 500,000 tonnes. And from what i heard in the news the federal government is dedicating 200 billion to the agricultural sector over the next 4 years.It will also buy rice milling machines in rice producing areas so as to process the local rice produced to match international standards.They have also issued contract for the revival of one irrigation scheme in kebbi state.Obasanjo started phase 2 of the Hadejia Jama'are irrigation scheme
All these are plans put in place by the federal government to ensure better food production,the only thing that remains is the commitment from both government and farmers.
This if properly implemented would go a long way in improving food production and security in the country.
But for the mean time let them import the rice make hunger no kill pessin.At least its better than them stashing the money in their accounts.
Just when i finished typing i came across this on Daily trust:
The federal government has denied that a whopping N80 billion was being spent on the importation of rice to cushion the effect of soaring cost of food and rice in specific in the country.
A statement issued to Daily Trust yesterday by Professor Oladapo Afolabi, the permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and water Resources stated this at the weekend.
He said after consultation with the state governors, the federal government, merely announced the establishment of an intervention fund and as well declared the account balance in the Natural Resources Development account to be N80 billion which is generated from the 1.68 percent accruing to it from the federation account.
He further said the amount announced by Governor Olusegun Agagu was to help the country in the development of a short and medium term facilities towards self sufficiency in food and not for importation of rice alone.
The statement did not give the exact amount dedicated for importation of rice but insisted that, the federal government would only be involved at the diplomatic level.
The statement read in part, "The Federal Government is playing the role of a catalyst by exploring the diplomatic channel of Government-to-Government cooperation. Therefore, the role of the Federal Government is to ensure favourable and prompt disposition of major rice producing countries to do business with commercial rice importers in Nigeria."
"For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources hereby re-affirm the position of the Federal Government in pursuing policies aimed at making Nigeria look inwards for food sufficiency and food security. The Ministry is presently fine-tuning its medium and long term strategies in repositioning Nigerian Agriculture."
Quote from: Dan-Borno on May 19, 2008, 08:54:52 AM
Husnaa kenan, in most cases i dont like the way you directly
accused "politicians" over the recent crisis, though they might
be involved amma so insignificant. The person to be blamed
most which i now come to understand is the "Public Servant"
who has always been the custodian of "policy implementation".
Quote from: gogannaka on May 19, 2008, 10:26:23 AM
The public servant is the most corrupt nigerian.You have to connive with him to carry out any corrupt practise or else it will not work.The public service needs to be sanitized before corruption can be rid from the country.
Gogannaka, don't just support your friend (DB) like this...so easily without taking 'close' look at what he'd said. LOL ;D I can guess why?
To me, politicians are most (apparently) corrupted people in Nigeria. Yet I agree that they could't execute their action without helping-hand of public servants. Amma fa, remember, for example, whats presently coming out from that public hearing on Abuja...most of the ppl alleged to have done the 'bad' things are POLITICIANS. Why? Because they are politicians. They know that their stay is just a matter of 4 (or 8) year period. Thus they usually say 'let me do what I can to enrich myself and my beloved ones before the termination of my period'. Amma kasan there are public servants there (Min. of Abuja and ..., as for example). Kai there are lots of more examples on that.
Quote from: gogannaka on May 19, 2008, 10:36:19 AM
"For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources hereby re-affirm the position of the Federal Government in pursuing policies aimed at making Nigeria look inwards for food sufficiency and food security. The Ministry is presently fine-tuning its medium and long term strategies in repositioning Nigerian Agriculture."
Kamar by/through doing what and what? Am surprised!
Muhsin i am not supporting BD because he promised me a Shuwa Arab.
On a serious note,i believe the civil servants to be the orchestrators
and mainteners of corruption in Nigeria.A common clerk or messenger can
kulla badakala that a president cannot/can never undo.Shegu ne kana ganin su.
Take a look at the ministry of health scandal. It was the perm sec and Director
admin(both civil servants) that actually masterminded the sharing of the unspent
300 million.To add salt to injury they(civil servants) decided to give the minister
of state (a politician) a mere 1.5 million from the loot while some of them got as
much as 25 million. So i am not just supporting my aboki :)
Ka je ka nemi kwangila a federal ko state govt ka ga yadda civil servants suke
sha'anin su.
Muhsin, its you that is supporting your aunty with out any
foundation - how can you even site the Abuja scandal and
claim that it is ochestrated by politicians, may be you did not
fing the opportunity of watching the active participation of
the different Directors at the Ministry.
The Hon. Minister stated clearly that he only sign the CofO
while the processings where done by the officers who are
Directors & Co.
However, GGNK has given you an assignment, go to any of the
Ministries and seek for contract - may be your eyes will open
more wider.
Quote from: Dan-Borno on May 19, 2008, 08:54:52 AM
Quote from: HUSNAA on May 19, 2008, 03:04:53 AM
The problem with our politicians I think is that they tend to regard this money as their own not baitul mali's ajiya. So it appears to them that they have a money glut and can afford to waste it any how.
Husnaa kenan, in most cases i dont like the way you directly
accused "politicians" over the recent crisis, though they might
be involved amma so insignificant. The person to be blamed
most which i now come to understand is the "Public Servant"
who has always been the custodian of "policy implementation".
He hehe DB kenan! To kai in banda abinka, ai politicians are public servants as well. Lets put it another way: Not every public servant is a politician, but every politician is a public servant as long as he is holding an office or is appointed to do something for the ppl. Kuma bayan haka, ai politicians dinne a ke kama wa with the most horrendous acts of theft and thievery, ko ba haka ba? Ina su alamesiegha or what ever his name is.. ina su james ibori? ina su saminu turaki? ina su ba politicians bane? were they not policy implementers as well? (albeit at a higher hierarchy?)
Quote from: HUSNAA on May 19, 2008, 03:04:53 AM
another project is to desalinize ocean water for domestic and agric uses. It sounds fantastic but its very possible to do, only very expensive.
kindly elaborate on this desalinize ocean water.
[/quote]
Desalinize? remove the salt out of the water to make it drinkable and usable in general.
our only online aunty, yes, politicians who are occupying
public office are public servants, no dispute, but those
we are referring to me and GGNK are the ordinary civil servants,
that is why i sighted examples with Perm. Sec. and Directors
which of course are not politicians but career civil servants.
You raised the issue of Alameyeseiga (irin wanna suna mai
wuyan rubutawa), I agree they steal, however, what we are
arguing is if at all the civil servants (not political office holders)
did not comply with their verbal instructions and insist that
it must be done the legitimate way, i doubt much if Turaki
or whoever is the Governor of a State will just go to the Bank
and transfer some money into his private account.
Take this scenario as an example:
Bakangizo is the Governor of Ikko State, on the 15th of Jan.,
2002 he is expected to conduct the Local Govt. election in his
State and his ruling party Wawura Personal Party (WPP) has
vowed to capture all the L.G.A's, He now directed that enough
funds be released to all the Party Chairmen of the Local Govts.
to ensure that money reaches all corners. There was no budgetary
provision which says that States' money be utilised for sponsoring
a political party - The Commissioner of Finance Mr. King was confronted on
how to source money, he in turn informed his permanent secretary
Ummita who advised that a memo requesting for N1b for purposes
of computerising the Ministry of Finance and training of staff at
America be raised. The Hajiya Ummita (Who is a career civil servant)
directed the Director in charge of "Computer" and "Training" EMTL
and the memo was raised advicing Government on the need to
computerise the Ministry of Finance payroll system so as to ward off
ghost workers and Government should also approve the training of
the Ministry's staff at an American institute. The Permanent Secretary
Ummita in her usual old stuff language convinced the state and forwarded the
matter to Mr. King who in turn went to His Excellency Bakangizo who
approved the money single handedly which will be later RATIFIED at the Executive
Council Meeting (an avenue created by civil servants to steal money.)
The money was approved, it was the Perm. Sec who in conjunction
with his Chief Accountant Malam Muda will raise a Cheque of that amount, they are
the signatories, fake contract document will be written by the Ministry's
Legal Officer Mr. IBB and the money removed from the governments' account and
distributed among all the local government by His Excellency Bakangizo.
It is the Director Computer and Training in conjunction with his staff
print bogus receipts and invoices of all expenses, including Airticket
and Certificate of Attendance in America making their accounting book
look neat while both internal and external auditors will be compensated
adequately.
Who are the active actors?
Lets assume the Permanent Secretary Mr. King insist that the money being
released must be utilized for the purposes intended, at worst it can only
cost him retirement, so also the next Perm. Sec. Lets assume all the
Civil Servants refuse to cooperate? Can the Hon. Commissioner and
Bakangizo be able to get the N1b for sponsoring their political parties?
Now, each State is getting its share of fertilizer for the farming season,
the fertilizers are supposed to be sold at a subsidized rate, but when you go
to the Ministry of Agriculture you only negotiate with the procurement officer
and a whole allocation of a Local Govt. could be diverted to one person
thereby creating artificial scarcity.
Quote from: gogannaka on May 19, 2008, 10:26:23 AM
The public servant is the most corrupt nigerian.You have to connive with him to carry out any corrupt practise or else it will not work.The public service needs to be sanitized before corruption can be rid from the country.
An gaisheka GGNK.
NB
All characters mentioned in the above scenario is not
intended to portray anyone in a bad way but just for
the fun of the forum.
Na dai gano bakin zaren. When u refer to politicians, u mean Dan Borno, the Politician without a portfolio!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D..
BTW, u seemed pretty conversant with the Wuruwuru u sure are not a public servant either?? ;)
LOL,an excellent description DB.
It is the civil servant that implements any govt policy and thier inefficiency
hampers the actualization of any policy.
El rufai wanted to achieve an efficient workforce i don't know what happened
but it is the kind of reform we need now.
I was told that America is now converting grains to bio-fuels thats why there is shortage of food globally,the major supplies of rice,like thailand,india,brazil and usa itself,America is buying from them at a very exuberant price,they said by the year 2025,no car in america will use petrol as a source of fuel.
Food Prices May Spark Revolution in Africa, ANC's Zuma Says
By Mike Cohen
June 5 (Bloomberg) -- Rising food prices could fuel political instability that African governments will be unable to contain, said Jacob Zuma, leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress.
``The issue of food prices is actually a time bomb,'' Zuma said at a World Economic Forum meeting in Cape Town today. ``An uprising could emerge. I don't think there is lots that governments could do.''
Rising food prices have sparked protests across the continent in countries including Kenya, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and South Africa. While global prices are partly responding to food demand in China and India, they are also being driven by the wider use of crops for fuels and increased speculation by commodity investors.
``Oil prices are driving up food in a way we cannot deal with,'' South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said in Cape Town. Governments in rich nations must to do more to contain food demand or ``the wealthy are going to take everything, leaving the poor destitute.''
Thorleif Enger, chief executive officer of Oslo-based Yara International ASA, the world's biggest fertilizer company, said Africa had the potential to increase its food output fivefold. Africa uses about 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of fertilizer per hectare (2.47 acres) of farmland, a 20th of what was used in south Asia, he added.
``Higher food prices are something we have to deal with in future,'' Enger said. ``We have taken for granted that lower food prices were here to stay.''
Rising food prices presented Africa with an ``opportunity to turn around food production, said Monty Jones, executive director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa in Ghana.
``We all believe agriculture is the backbone for economic growth in Africa,'' he said. ``The majority of the working population in Africa is engaged in farming.''
To contact the reporter on this story: Mike Cohen in Cape Town at mcohen21@bloomberg.net
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aupeb6Rz28Zw&refer=africa
Allah ya kiyaye, amin.