EDUCATION, HEALTH SECTORS AND THE UNENDING IMPUNITY OF THE RULING CLASS

 By Prof. Victor Ukaogo

The Health Sector has become the Scapegoat of Coronavirus. It would seem to many that before now the health workers did not worry much about the sector; they worried just for the many allowances that accrue to them. We may not know the details but from the outside it was like they merely worried about the disparity in their wages even as the unions within the sector battled against each other. We have not seen a concerted national action demanding tangible reforms of the health sector. Imagine patients buying syringes , surgical gloves etc in a hospital? To be given prescription drugs, only God knows!!

The competition and rivalries in the sector is legendary as nurses envy the doctors to the point of maligning them as incompetent and inefficient. The intra sector intrigues refuse to go even with the CMDs and consultants forming cabals to push their respective ideas in hospital management.

Of course as the squabbles grew, the general good of the sector suffered with no group championing or demanding for reform or facelift of the sector. Hazard allowances and sundry other personal demands dominate the airwaves hence the recurring strikes in the sector. The strikes were not for the general good of the sector because these strikes were either sectional or factional; all to the good of their oppressors.

But thanks to Covid 19. The pandemic finally gingered nurses and other health workers in Parklane Enugu to protest for their ill preparedness for covid 19. They spoke in one voice at least for once in what appeared to be for their own good or survival. No sector of the society  can develop optimally without government intervention with  substantial resources in that sector. At least,  Covid 19 has exposed our inadequacies in the Health sector which is a product of negligence and wickedness. Maybe health workers should pursue the progressive development of the sector by restrategizing; who knows if the government will do something. 

But the government invitation extended to chinese doctors recently appeared to many as the grand funeral for the  ailing health sector.  Imagine Nigeria, a super exporter of health entrepreneurs to all corners of the world being roundly humiliated by technocrats in government!! Well, it is not in doubt that whatever happens after covid 19 will surely be a case study for research.

 The decay in the health sector is in no way an accident.  Indeed the sector is not the only sector assailed by the vicissitudes of failed governance. It manifests as a clearly orchestrated wickedness by the rich to dispatch the poor to their early graves. But have they not become victims of their own wickedness?

It might be difficult to argue that the health sector is not like the Education sector. For indeed they appear quite similar with few contrasts. As medical tourism booms in the land so has education pilgrimage prospered. Imagine how Nigerian students fill mushroom Ghanaian private universities paying in dollars!! Imagine a 4 year degree course in Nigeria is offered for a mere six months with certificates according to reports in Benin Republic? Parents that complain of 30k school fees in Nigeria happily pay thousands of dollars across Seme border for their children. Interestingly, in those universities in Ghana and Benin Republic, Nigerian professors and lecturers service them in full. So the death of public schools is the happiness of proprietors of private universities. The consequence of public school failure is the shipping of  their children abroad. Yes, anywhere outside Nigeria.  But in this era of pandemic, how far did they go in medical tourism or academic pilgrimage? Covid 19 should be congratulated for exposing the health sector and the education  sector. Indeed, but for the pandemic, the shenanigans in the health sector would not have been exposed as high profile health clinics couldn't manage what doctors in tents did to discharge a pool of recovered covid 19 victims. And for t

he parents that are  willing to ship out their wards at a short notice, they failed woefully in their enterprise.  And today, the lockdown has indeed locked the big and the small.

I am not in any position  to attest to the reality or otherwise that there is an unseen deity or what appears as one compelling government not do any good to its citizens without struggle. ASUU wrestled the government to the ground to extract TETFUND from them and this intervention agency is today the only remaining hope for  the University system in Nigeria.

It is true that lecturers are being starved and blackmailed by successive regimes, but ASUU is resolute with principles; it is the only union the government  can never break no matter the antics or arsenal deployed. Teachers are resolute in demanding for proper funding of the universities not the increment in salaries as being bandied about by beneficiaries of the rot in the sector.

ASUU is the only union in the world whose members will go hungry instead of compromising. This 3 months salary seizure in this period of ruthless  pandemic  must have shocked the presidency along with their advisers as the union remain poised to salvage the Education  sector from the fangs and jaws of the rich for the benefit of the poor.

The destruction of public schools will be good business for private universities and their owners.  For parents that side the oppressors, the failure of ASUU in in his current face off will determine finally the fate of this generation. If the health sector is comfortable with the ruin and decay, all well and good but for us in knowledge industry, they must contend with teachers to the end. I sometimes wonder if madam minister and her allies in the punishment of University teachers were living in Nigeria or in the moon when this same ASUU wrestled repeatedly with military apologists in the 80s and 90s or even as late as 2013. If Military regimes didn't silence nor defeat ASUU, this rudderless civil contraption can do even less to the union.

It's unfortunate that whenever and wherever technocrats perpetrate impunity, everybody will quickly direct their anger  against President Buhari. Now the seizure of 3 months salary and the refusal of the Accountant  General to obey the presidential directive to pay the teachers over a week after is most instructive.  But like Dr David Wayas said 'History will surely remember ASUU for standing  alone for the truth,  by the truth and nothing less'. It is in the DNA of ASUU to show the light, let us not fail in this self appointed  task because victory is already in sight.

Be blessed.

Nigeria; A Country Created By Britain To Destroy Itself

By Elochukwu Nicholas Ohagi
For Family Writers Press International.

Nigeria didn't just start spoiling under APC.

It started spoiling from the first day Nigeria was created. That is because Nigeria was never meant to progress.

Nigeria was created for the interest of the British government alone.

 The more Nigeria continues to exist, the more the country self-destruct for the benefit of Britain. That is why Britain brought together people with completely different world view. People who instead of channeling a part to random progress, they keep experiencing persistent chaos.

 Britain studied the Nigeria people so well, hence they handed the contraption over to the North during the period of independence transition.

The northerners had earlier declared that they are not ready for independence three years prior to independence; so tell me how such people could have effectively managed the affairs of the newly independent country.

You must understand that in the 50s and 60s, literacy level in the North was nothing to write home about, yet the British jumped Nnamdi Azikiwe and Obafemi Awolowo who were highly intelligent and know what it takes to lead a mordern society and handed Nigeria over to Abubarka Tafawa Balewa.

They wanted the new nation to fail and most importantly depend on them.

Britain understands the diverse ideological, cultural and religious rivalry between the North, East and West, so they utilized it perfectly to their advantage. No nation with such bitter rivalry will succeed without breaking into different fragments.

From the inception of Nigeria's independence, the mission of Northern political fundamentalists is to supress the Igbo and not to grow the nation. So the North who know they can't do it alone sees an accomplice in the Yoruba who have settled for the office of the 'most beloved slave' from the hated South.

In this, Britain retains control of their colony through the back door, the North gets the lion-share in a resources they contribute nothing to, while the Yoruba settles for the rest. The East, from where the entire resources comes from remain cheated, marginalized and impoverished.

Go to the Eastern riverine areas and you will shed tears over the horrible suffering of the poverty-raged inhabitants. The oil pollution is something that can't be completely cleaned in the next 50 years.

It pains me when I hear people today lament that APC destroyed Nigeria, and it even pains more when PDP members especially the main players in the 16 years of absurd administration and embezzlement start trumpeting against the misrule of their APC twin brother.

Who is fooling who?

Was it not how APC members prior to 2015 election, kept shouting how PDP destroyed Nigeria.

After the series of destruction of the country by many different military coup including that of Gen Muhammadu Buhari, it was PDP that the country was handed over to.

This PDP instead of writing a new people's constitution, accepted the one which the outgoing military government handed over to them. It was actually a military manual through which the military who were majorly led by northern military personnel will use to rule from the background. And indeed they succeeded.

It isn't a surprise that since Nigeria returned to democracy, four men have ruled Nigeria and  two were ex-military Generals. In a culmination of 21 years of Nigeria's democracy, the military have 13 years.

For 16years, PDP know that Nigeria's constitution isn't working, yet they protected and defended it. They even wiped out Odi and Zarki Ibiam in the protection of the same 1999 constitution.

Non of these PDP players remembered that Nigeria should be restructured and the constitution changed until they were sacked by same PDP members who went rogue and formed what they called APC.

It is always good for us to know where actually the rain started beating us.

When APC unleashed all their terror on Nigerians, destroying the little that PDP left behind, PDP came back promising the people heaven on earth as to be voted back into power.

They even had to employ the service of a former APC member, to become their party Presidential candidate. Atiku Abubarka who never mentioned RESTRUCTURING during his eight years as Vice President of Nigeria now promised Nigerians restructuring if voted into power.

But APC who has mastered how to use the 1999 constitution fortified themselves with it. They first removed the Chief Justice and replaced him with ordinary sharia court judge. They rigged the election, and those they couldn't rig, they removed using supreme court. All was constitutional.

It is not surprising that since 1960 till date, Nigeria has not recorded any progress, yet Britain keeps drilling oil, together with other multinational companies. The politicians keep looting and dumping it in foreign banks.

In everything, the people remain the losers. They are fooled every four years. Come 2022/2023, some APC members will return back to PDP and start fooling the people once again, telling them how they want to remedy the country destroyed by APC. They might succeed in fooling the people and take over power, but it will be the same tales of a failed state.

The British government who amalgamated Nigeria know that as far as Nigeria remains one, they will continue harvesting failure all to their gain.

Sadly, same thing is happening almost all over Africa. European countries are sponsoring bad leaders in Africa. Leaders who will open up Africa for them to loot and destroy.

Have you wondered why Africa is extremely rich, yet inhabits the poorest people in the entire world? It is due to the manipulative nature of the European colonial powers on African countries. study the few good African leaders and see how they were murdered.

Britain knows that dividing Nigeria and allowing Biafra to become an independent nation will not only help the people trapped inside the unworkable contraption, it will also help entire Africa to grow. That is because Biafrans will export their ingenuity across Africa and beyond; thereby stopping Africa from surviving through European and American aides.

Before you start singing APC and PDP come 2023, kindly remember that those politicians in these parties will keep destroying you unless you end Nigeria. Stop the endless vicious cycle and embrace freedom.

Elochukwu Ohagi, Philosopher Teacher and Activist.

Edited By Paul Ihechi Alagba
For Family Writers Press International.

ARE THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES TURNING CONSPIRACY REALITIES?

WHILE MEN WERE UNDER LOCKDOWN AND YOU WERE DISTRACTED, YOUR LAWMAKERS WANTED TO HURRIEDLY PASS BILL TO MAKE COVID-19 VACCINE AND VACCINE CERTIFICATE COMPULSORY

Ichie Chukwuebuka wrote the following. You need to take time to read with understanding.


Yesterday, a bill to strengthen NCDC was nicodemusly brought to the house of Reps, the bill immediately scaled 1st & 2nd reading and was scaled for passage on the 3rd reading, but what was puzzling was that against the tradition of Bill reading and passage in the House, the 55 pages document of the bill was not given to the members of the house for them to go through and understand what were the contents of the Bill they were being rushed to pass.

Some woke members of the house raised alarm on this anomaly, poked further and learnt that there were many suspicious and controversial contents of this Bill, among them being that NCDC will now have unlimited powers to force every citizen of Nigeria to be vaccinated and be issued  vaccine certificate, failure to accept to be vaccinated and be certified (by any means they deem fit) you will not be allowed to  purchase air tickets, board flights or move about in public places.

These members of the House who raised the alarm pointed out that the contents of the bill are very suspicious and fitted perfectly into some conspiracy theories that are being peddled on social media locally and internationally on the intention of some suspicious global power interests to create vaccines, forcefully make people to accept these vaccines and go further to implement a means of identification by way of chips implant or any other means they deem fit to identify those that have taken the vaccines..

The House members wondered on why Nigeria should be at the forefront of enacting such a Bill at this time and even in a hurry to pass the  Bill which will support forced vaccination and certification to identify who has been vaccinated and who has not, even when no effective vaccine has been created.

The House turned rowdy amidst the concerns and complains of some members of the House which necessitated the suspension of the passage of the Bill pending further review of the Bill by members of the House.

Two lawmakers from the House who were on Channels TV Sunrise program this morning who were asked what their opinion on the Bill was, clearly stated that the Bill is suspicious and lend an amazing credence to the conspiracy theory that has been in circulation over sometime now on forced vaccination and identification by some certain global powers, they insisted that every content of the Bill must be made public and proper clarification given on the Bill contents and implementations.

NOTE:
Read further publication on Vanguard

Life has returned to normalcy in Madagascar.

  No lockdown!  No forced holidays!

People are going about their business. Reports say on March 23rd they had 9 confirmed coronavirus cases, and in one month precisely on April 25, they had 122 cases.

When coronavirus was first detected in the country, WHO predictated that they were at the verge of  unmitigated disaster.

 In general, as at today 25th April, Magadascar has no coronavirus cases and 100% recoveries , with NO SINGLE DEATH--ZERO DEATH.

WHY? HOW DID IT HAPPEN?  The young President looked inwards.
I have been condemning "copy and paste", stlye of leadership of African leaders. A few who decide to look inwards have had better results.

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina believes that Madagascar could possess a remedy to coronavirus, and manufactured a local herb, which the country is using to treat patients.

WHO got mad!!! World Health Organization condemned his medicine because it was made in Africa,  not in US, Europe, Asia or Australia.

WHO didn't try to investigate the 100% success story of the concoction and see if it could be adopted or modified. They condemned it, against its 100% EXCELLENT RESULTS.... Please who does that kind of thing? This is why l will continue to question WHO's integrity in this whole horrible pandemic.

The Magadascar medicine is called “Covid Organic” or “CVO”.  The President has made it compulsory for the citizens. He drank it on National television, live.  Most vulnerable citizens and school children are given the medicine free of charge.

World Health Organization should know that facts and  results don't lie. And there is nothing they can do against it.

Oh, how we need the young President of Magadascar with brain, to lead real African revolution against the slavery of China and the rest of neocolonial masters.

Gaps, Challenges & Issues In The Ongoing Asaba Beautification Exercise: Pro Poor Analysis

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

Ideally and personally, I hold nothing inter-personal with the leadership of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, but because, we are enjoying or you will say enduring some harsh realities around the democratic culture we find ourselves, there is still need for as a non state actor/stakeholder, I will be doing better to improve the system, when i actively engage and share my candid opinions.

I will like to share some early regrets or apology to any here who may find this piece uncomfortable, especially, state actors and their partners, kindly don't blame me, my response is a function of my over fifteen years volunteering for the non state actors and civil society circle, am grateful, you quite understand my bias and basis of this engagement.

Yes, Hon Marakpor Is working, but for the fact that there are some folks, some where who are not happy, such raises the need to take some second and more in depth analysis of the issues at hand.

There are gaps in what she is doing so far, as the indicators point to the fact that She was just too much in a hurry to make a name more than strategically working out some sound framework of action at the boardroom, before embarking on the street level engagement, which strategic planning session will itemize possible citizen's response.

I don't think that her boardroom planning sessions, ever gave rooms for involvement of other stakeholders outside her political party, agency and her spheres of more powerful controls.

If she had at these sessions, pro actively involved, civil society bodies, trade and labour unions, youth and women leaders and other opinion shapers, even those from opposition political parties, she must had being fed with sound information about possible harsh realities her field engagement might throw to citizens, and sound plans on mitigation outline.

There were no detailed plans nor attentions taken about how her planned actions will negatively impact the people, hence, the heavy out cry from citizens at the commencement of the exercises.

In the name of beautification, we all witnessed how some folks sole means of livelihood were denied them, with zero alternative provided for them.

What in the point of fact is our polity turning into, are we still humane, why embark upon this project with no plans for alternative options more especially, fixing alternatives that will reduce hardship, less expensive and sustainable.

Between having some cleaner environment and having folks die or suffer health challenges because their means of livelihood is taken away from them, without alternative arrangements, which is better public sector response.

If her board room project designs template where critically debated over well and involved more stakeholders, who could sit across the boardroom table, while maintaining pure development driven eye ball to eye ball engagement and sitting on the table as equal brainstorming partners, all the gaps and issues registered today would had being taken care of and folks will have no reason to be afraid nor had concerns about loss of their sole means of livelihood, folks will without compulsion leave those spots the agency wanted evacuated.

There will be zero need for the use of armed security operatives, who would had spent those man hours securing other crazier hot spots in town.

I have zero issues against any quest to have a clean environment, but where an agenda will impact the citizens negatively to any degree, it is only ideal and  proactive that the state actors response should be that of a humane and pro people response, and not one that add more stress and hardship.

That we make laws and support government's actions that shields the poor and reduces hardship to the poor and vulnerable, is a hallmark of our improved and sustainable civilization.

That our government agencies will outrightly destroy micro enterprises and nano scaled businesses, serving as the only hope of survival for the urban poor with zero attendant recourse to first taking and documenting database information about those whose shops, kiosks, containers, wheel barrows and tables containing their wares were destroyed, with a view at making some business development and far reaching improved business enhancement opportunities for them is not a worthwhile development, especially, for a state like Delta State.

That the agency currently does not have in their office a comprehensive database detailing names, contact info, ethnicity, economic and other social details about those who were negatively impacted in the course of implementing their duties, to all sane thinking persons remains an administrative minus.

Those affected are humans and citizens, we will require of the state government to be more proactive and pro people, that they are poor and vulnerable or not directly capable of making governance process stagnant, is not an excuse that their current reality, with respect to loss of their means of livelihood should be ignored.

 If the state government continues to move on as if they just engaged animals, there are greater possibilities that more cases of
social tensions and ills, will become the resultant outcome.

Early last year and the previous years, the political leadership of Oshimili South LGA, through her agents allotted and sold out portions of spaces and spots at the market, again, I ask, does it mean that the council authorities does not have a comprehensive list of those they sold out spots to, if they have such database, it will be great and progressive, if by now, these female petty traders are reached out to and some cushioning cum palliative measures extended to them.

That the council authorities forgot and left these poor women to their life shattering fate and family unity threatening realities, points and paints the image of a zero sensitive government.

Next and painfully hit fellows in the cause of this ongoing beautification exercise are the 104 Asaba fruit vendors community.

Some city critics and opinion shapers, our media outfit recently had some news analysis engagement with, pointed out to Asaba Post News Wire ONLINE, that so worrisome, most of these fruit vendors, say about 75% of them do not reside in Asaba.

We were informed that on daily basis these transport themselves and their wares from Agbor, Umunede, Abavo, Issele Uku, Ogwashi uku and other parts of Anioma Nations to Asaba to do their trade.

Like earlier advocated for on their behalf, we still hold and maintain that the official claim of N5,000 rentage is on the high side and economically unsustainable for these women who deal on perishable goods with zero preservative facilities nearby.

Considering the stress of transportation, harsh sunshine and rainfalls that will deal squarely upon them, not to mention the frequent, if not weekly disturbances from youths loyal council authorities coming to demand for levies, tolls adds nothing but more stress and hardship.

Hence, we advocated for a N1,000 monthly rentage.

Again, we hold that Hon Mrakpor's approach towards executing her agency's "beautification exercise" is
not pro-poor.

A sight at how those youngsters hanging around her hop at these poor petty traders along Nnebisi Road, both trampling, destroying and throwing their wares into their waiting hillous vans and tippers, we say is both inhuman and does not return back any human respect nor dignity to the poor suffering Nigerians, who sweat out and eke out their daily meager means of livelihood under sun and rain.

We stand with these poor citizens, yes, the agency had claimed that these poor fellows were given countless warnings to quit those spots where there trade, but the question all pro poor advocates asked was "what alternative spots did the agency point at to these poor fellows"

We are confident that had these ones seen alternative spots, there will be zero cries, lamentations and curses these poor petty trades haul at the agencies task force youths.

Even the holy books frown at those through who the poor weep, wail and cry.

Though, we are yet to confirm some recent statements credited to Hon Mrakpor as it concerns the "leave township" riot act read to these poor petty traders.

Ordering the poor to leave urban cities and rapidly relocate back to their various communities on the grounds no more other than that they are poor, we hold as the most inhuman treatment the poor can receive from those who they labored to vote into office is to be denied their sole means of micro livelihood.

SOURCE: ASABA POST NEWS WIRE

Delta State To Benefit From USAID's $3.5m WASH Intervention Fund

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

All is set for Delta State government to get an intervention support from the American government to support her Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiative.

Yesterday, Wednesday, at the state's government house, the state governor and representatives of the American government signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) documents.

Gov Ifeanyi Okowa, signed on behalf of Delta State government, while, Mr Collins Dreizin, from the USAID Mission Office In Nigeria,signed on behalf of the United States of America's government.

Contents of the signed documents featured American government's commitment to roll out a $3.5M intervention fund for construction of a Fecal Sludge treatment plant in Asaba.

Later, Delta State government representatives signed contract performance bond documents, expressing their commitment towards effective implementation of the WASH project in the state.

Hon Martins Okonta, Commissioner for Water Resources Development,, appreciated the United State's government over the support.

Our governor has approved a land for construction of this treatment plant, come with your equipment, the land is ready, we are ready to work and partner with you.

We are committed to this project, our only initial problem was electric power supply, but our government had overcome that challenge with the procurement of new 27 transformers, which will be connected to 33kva lines.

This new waste water treatment plant will go a long way at reducing youth unemployment, as many Deltans will benefit and be actively employed, Hon Okonta highlighted.

Commissioner for Justice, Barr Peter Mrakpor, representing the state governor during the contract performance bond signing session appreciated all parties.

Signing the performance bond document is a welcome development, it will put the board members, General Manager and his teams focused and give them some sound sense of direction.

Providing Deltans with quality, safe and clean water as they want it, is what this government want to do and that is what Deltans will get, Barr Mrakpor emphasized.

Hon Martins Okonta and Barr Peter Mrakpor witnessed as the General Manager, Board Members and Regulatory agency members of the Delta State Urban Water Corporation signed their respective contract performance bond documents.

In his remarks, Mr Collins Dreizin, pointed out, "today is the beginning of a great day for Deltans and beginning of bad day for water borne diseases in Delta State.

I am very satisfied with the high quality equipment and skills so far transfered, am happy over the MoU we signed with the state government today, Mr Dreizin said.

One of the highlights of the day's event was brand unveiling of the new corporation's logo and presentation of abridged documents on the state water laws in English language and Pigin English.

Later in the day, the state's deputy governor, Barr Kingsley Burutu Otuaro led other state functionaries at inspecting and commissioning a water treatment plant in Asaba.

The USAID E-WASH Program Delta State Team Leader, Mr Mark Adeyemi Adedayo, in company of Hon Martins Okonta, Water Resources Development Commissioner,  led Mr Collins Dreizin and Mr Jean Joliquor, both from to the acquired landed property for construction of the $3.5M fecal sludge treatment plant in Asaba.

SOURCE:Asaba Post News Wire Online

Day One at the ongoing South-South Regional Youth Climate Innovation Bootcamp.

This is a four day intensive training event.

Participants watched a video produced by the Yar'dua Foundation and CORE Production titled "No Where To Run To" a documentry that unveiled the ugly realities of the Nigerian Climate and Environmental Crisis, hosted by Ken Saro Wiwa Jnr with inputs from many academia, researchers, active citizens, activists, journalists and other non Nigerians working within the Climate Change and Environment Sector.

* Facilitators at the boot-camp led participants to review the South South Harmonized ideas at the previously held innovation hub in August and urged them to take all sessions during these four days boot camp very seriously.

* Capacity development partners from a social enterprise development firm ' Civic Innovation Lab' were introduced as facilitators for the four days South South Innovation Boot-Camp training.

* With their innovation boot camp training manual, Civic Innovation Lab refreshed participants understandings on, course guidelines; expected outcome; facts on Nigeria's -Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

* Participants were also exposed to Climate Change's mitigation and adaptation sectors, to help innovators broaden and understand how best they can think and fashion out better innovative ideas that will help the Nigerian state achieve her committment at attaining a 20% to 30% emission reduction by 2030, with a focus on the power, oil & gas, agriculture & land use, transport and industry sectors.

* Innovators at the boot camps were given ample time to share concepts and innovative views about their individual ideas that can help reduce emission according to Nigeria's NDC.

* Working in groups, participants brainstormed on the problem and solution statements of their individual innovative ideas and shared same at a post group work plenary session.

* Thank You, UNDP
* Thank You, Federal Ministry Of Environment
* Thank You, Health of Mother Earth Foundation
* Thank You, South South Climate Change Innovators

#YouthClimateActionNG

#Youth4NDCs

#NigeriaNDC

#ClimateHUBSS

@UNDPNigeria

@fmeclimateng

@FMEnvng

@Health_Earth

@civiclab

ALL PHOTO SHOTS BY OKONTA EMEKA OKELUM, Port Harcourt.