The Chairman announced the Death of Alhaji (Bar.) Hamma Misau AIG (Rtd), a minute silence was observed in his honour.
After that, votes and proceedings of 24th, 25th and 26th March were read and adopted.
And the main gist; the Chairman told us the outcome of the proceedings of their behind the scene meeting with the "50 wise men" as he put it. He said they have arrived at a conclusion that in the absence of consensus 70% instead of 75% (3/4) or (2/3) as earlier proposed and debated on will be used. The house agreed to the submission without protest this time.
Well after that, the work plan for the conference was adopted after much recommendations and suggestions were made on how to make it cooler, some were correcting the grammatical errors in the work plan among other unimportantly important things.
Then the structure of the committees were deliberated upon, so many complaints were made on how the committee of Education for example was lumped into another committee and also, no stand alone committee that will tackle the economic issues of Nigeria amongst other meaningful complains.
After that, there was a session for review of the speech of the President made during the inauguration of delegates. Each delegate will be given 3-minutes to make his/her submissions on general matters it seems but definitely not the presidents' speech.
Below are some of the submissions of the first set of people that spoke yesterday.
A speaker was worried about the outcome of the conference, said "it's not the conference but the Implementation of the resolutions. He said he was part of the 2005 conference and if their resolutions were implemented then, there'll be no need for us to be here today".
Another speaker drew our minds back to 1960 saying "the development and unity were in order, people were employed, agriculture was booming, but since the advent of oil, we all became lazy & wretchedly poor".
"The children we are talking about today are not the same as those of 50 years ago, these ones are of the digital age" said another speaker
Another speaker spoke on religion saying "whether we like it or not, religion is an emotive material. No religion preaches violence yet we experience violence. For that reason we must discuss frankly the issues of religion. Our children go to school but are not safe, he urged us to discuss this for the sake of ourselves and that of our children so that we will experience the peace hitherto known".
Another speaker said: "my fear is that some of the cogent view made here will not be accepted by the national assembly".
Power went off in the middle of someone's speech and another shouted - "corruption".
A speaker, speaking on religious tolerance said "he schooled in a catholic school where all his teachers were reverend fathers yet they tolerated him and accommodated him, he wants that sense of unity revived.
Another speaker said "the people of the North have to be mindful that we don't want to break up, what the Emir said the other day is not good and we should stick to the code of conduct".
"We have to question our patriotism, most of our leaders rob us and go to Dubai and London to buy houses. Let's create an enabling environment for our children, grandchildren and generation yet unborn" said another delegate.
A traditional ruler said "We the traditional rulers want to be given roles, you don't know what we are facing in our palaces. The politicians run to us at night and during the day, afterwards they forget about us" he lamented.
"Ask a Northerners the best leader ever, they'll say Amadu Bello", ask a Yoruba man, he will say Awolowo. Ask an igbo man he will say Azikwe and Mike Opara. The question we should ask ourselves is which template did they use to lead? Self determination was their key. We can do that too".
One of the representative of the people living with disabilities, thanked the president for gathering people all over Nigeria. He said after reading the presidents' speech, he notice he has in no where spoken about people living with disabilities roles in nation building, though disappointed, he tried to find something similar to that and he found the inclusiveness of everyone. He complained of the absence of people living with disabilities in position of power and hope that they should be inclusion of about 30% of people living with disability at government positions.
Another speaker said, "they say power belongs to the people but can we really say that power belong to the people"? But Poverty has interchange power.
More like poverty belong to the people I muttered.
A female speaker said "Nigerians want to live in peace but the political elites due to their greed are using those things that divide us, like religion, against us.
"For our royal fathers. We will be glad if they lessen involvement in politics and be more patriotic" another speaker said.
"When they talk about resource control, it is not resource control, it's resource ownership said a speaker. He added, let's look deep into it, if we don't want federalism let's look for something else.
This nation is built on lies said a speaker. He said "he doesn't even believe if Nigeria's population is truly 170million. I don't even believe that is accurate, you may not like this but I'll rather we sort the help of the UN to help get an accurate record and exact number of Nigerians. Some billions will be wasted on census soon, I wish we will use this money to get accurate record" he lamented.
Another speaker said "he had his fears about the conference, believed some of the delegate came with xenophobia, but when we reached at the 70% consensus, the xenophobia has gone today" he said.
A speaker was bitter why there's a committee on how to share the revenues but none for how to make revenue. We need to find ways to make more pie not just how to share it.
There was plenty wash on the Presidents' speech though - there'd be no need sharing those washes. Some were a perfect definition of boredom and you might just doze off reading them.
A speaker made his speech brief by saying "All of us are commending the president but I hope at the end of this conference we will be commended too for a successful and fruitful conference".
When it was time for closing some minutes after 6pm, a motion was moved for adjournment till the following day and it was seconded.
The Chairman said he is really impressed by the conduct of delegates today.
Well the 3 minutes session is still on, you will hear more, read this space......
After that, votes and proceedings of 24th, 25th and 26th March were read and adopted.
And the main gist; the Chairman told us the outcome of the proceedings of their behind the scene meeting with the "50 wise men" as he put it. He said they have arrived at a conclusion that in the absence of consensus 70% instead of 75% (3/4) or (2/3) as earlier proposed and debated on will be used. The house agreed to the submission without protest this time.
Well after that, the work plan for the conference was adopted after much recommendations and suggestions were made on how to make it cooler, some were correcting the grammatical errors in the work plan among other unimportantly important things.
Then the structure of the committees were deliberated upon, so many complaints were made on how the committee of Education for example was lumped into another committee and also, no stand alone committee that will tackle the economic issues of Nigeria amongst other meaningful complains.
After that, there was a session for review of the speech of the President made during the inauguration of delegates. Each delegate will be given 3-minutes to make his/her submissions on general matters it seems but definitely not the presidents' speech.
Below are some of the submissions of the first set of people that spoke yesterday.
A speaker was worried about the outcome of the conference, said "it's not the conference but the Implementation of the resolutions. He said he was part of the 2005 conference and if their resolutions were implemented then, there'll be no need for us to be here today".
Another speaker drew our minds back to 1960 saying "the development and unity were in order, people were employed, agriculture was booming, but since the advent of oil, we all became lazy & wretchedly poor".
"The children we are talking about today are not the same as those of 50 years ago, these ones are of the digital age" said another speaker
Another speaker spoke on religion saying "whether we like it or not, religion is an emotive material. No religion preaches violence yet we experience violence. For that reason we must discuss frankly the issues of religion. Our children go to school but are not safe, he urged us to discuss this for the sake of ourselves and that of our children so that we will experience the peace hitherto known".
Another speaker said: "my fear is that some of the cogent view made here will not be accepted by the national assembly".
Power went off in the middle of someone's speech and another shouted - "corruption".
A speaker, speaking on religious tolerance said "he schooled in a catholic school where all his teachers were reverend fathers yet they tolerated him and accommodated him, he wants that sense of unity revived.
Another speaker said "the people of the North have to be mindful that we don't want to break up, what the Emir said the other day is not good and we should stick to the code of conduct".
"We have to question our patriotism, most of our leaders rob us and go to Dubai and London to buy houses. Let's create an enabling environment for our children, grandchildren and generation yet unborn" said another delegate.
A traditional ruler said "We the traditional rulers want to be given roles, you don't know what we are facing in our palaces. The politicians run to us at night and during the day, afterwards they forget about us" he lamented.
"Ask a Northerners the best leader ever, they'll say Amadu Bello", ask a Yoruba man, he will say Awolowo. Ask an igbo man he will say Azikwe and Mike Opara. The question we should ask ourselves is which template did they use to lead? Self determination was their key. We can do that too".
One of the representative of the people living with disabilities, thanked the president for gathering people all over Nigeria. He said after reading the presidents' speech, he notice he has in no where spoken about people living with disabilities roles in nation building, though disappointed, he tried to find something similar to that and he found the inclusiveness of everyone. He complained of the absence of people living with disabilities in position of power and hope that they should be inclusion of about 30% of people living with disability at government positions.
Another speaker said, "they say power belongs to the people but can we really say that power belong to the people"? But Poverty has interchange power.
More like poverty belong to the people I muttered.
A female speaker said "Nigerians want to live in peace but the political elites due to their greed are using those things that divide us, like religion, against us.
"For our royal fathers. We will be glad if they lessen involvement in politics and be more patriotic" another speaker said.
"When they talk about resource control, it is not resource control, it's resource ownership said a speaker. He added, let's look deep into it, if we don't want federalism let's look for something else.
This nation is built on lies said a speaker. He said "he doesn't even believe if Nigeria's population is truly 170million. I don't even believe that is accurate, you may not like this but I'll rather we sort the help of the UN to help get an accurate record and exact number of Nigerians. Some billions will be wasted on census soon, I wish we will use this money to get accurate record" he lamented.
Another speaker said "he had his fears about the conference, believed some of the delegate came with xenophobia, but when we reached at the 70% consensus, the xenophobia has gone today" he said.
A speaker was bitter why there's a committee on how to share the revenues but none for how to make revenue. We need to find ways to make more pie not just how to share it.
There was plenty wash on the Presidents' speech though - there'd be no need sharing those washes. Some were a perfect definition of boredom and you might just doze off reading them.
A speaker made his speech brief by saying "All of us are commending the president but I hope at the end of this conference we will be commended too for a successful and fruitful conference".
When it was time for closing some minutes after 6pm, a motion was moved for adjournment till the following day and it was seconded.
The Chairman said he is really impressed by the conduct of delegates today.
Well the 3 minutes session is still on, you will hear more, read this space......
On Twitter: @Yadomah
Well at least its heading somewhere, what most of the delegates are saying makes sense, hope something tangible will come out of it all. Waiting for your own contributions though!
ReplyDeleteAh, the problem identification stage : may we not be stalled there forever.
ReplyDeleteOther comments: on the population and false censuses use tech and his 10m naira can more than complete a census
On religion, if it is true that there is no religion in the Constitution, can we clarify the implications of that? What rights and responsibilities with respect to religious practice, and what offenses?
Speaking of offenses, are laws enforced? Since in fact, some of the conference attendees are borrowing time from prison. What can be done about the way corruption in the judiciary and legal profession subverts justice all the time?
Very true that improvements need to be made in the productive areas: THE ECONOMY in particular. I am so frustrated about the way people sit and eat as though the problem is "not money but how to spend it" that I will say we must split up Nigeria. No, not politically, that is taboo at this conference. But economically. Let every state try its best to develop. Yes the federal can collect some taxes from the states and regions, and yes the federal can pay some subsidies to those regions that need specific help. But oil money is killing us. The ones I feel bad for if this happens would be the oil-producing regions, because instead of developing, corruption will finish them.
This your conference report is helping me understand how slow and unproductive our system can be. I used to think a lot could be accomplished in a 1 hour meeting, but Nigerian government (and my job) showed me another way :) What do you think about splitting up, economy-wise?
U're just brilliant. *Thumbs up*
ReplyDelete