Day 45: My National Conference Exploits ( Civil society, Labour, Youth and Sports)

Thursday, 19th June 2014…

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended, and adopted as amended.

The Committee on Civil Society, Labour, Youth and Sports headed by Mrs. Bola Ogunrinade and Comrade Issa Aremu as deputy chairman presented their report.

Recommendation made by the committee and additional recommendation made by delegates were as thus;

 

RECOGNISING, that young Nigerians between the ages of 18 to 35, represents a third of the country’s population, have the lowest recorded employment ratio, 70% of this group are unemployed, a fact that poses severe consequences for economic development, social cohesion and the political stability for the entire country.

THAT, It has been widely accepted by all delegates at this conference that when, young people are provided with employment opportunities, with the right capacities, they become productive assets and take their part in mainstream society offering the best of their skills, energy and talents. 

I won’t bore you with the whole motion. Above is the intro of the motion we (Yadoma Bukar Mandara, Nnaemeka C. Ikegwuonu, Hassan Rilwan, Mosunmola Umoru and Sylvester Okoh) presented to the conference to amend some recommendations made by the committee.

Our recommendations were aimed at strengthening government initiative to build capacity of the youth and create jobs.

We propose the following amendment to the committee recommendations;

- A National Jobs Creation Agency be established through the merger of the National Directorate for Employment (NDE), The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the YOUWIN Department, the Community Services Women and Youth Employment Project (CSWYE) and Graduate Internship Scheme of SURE-P.

- That the Youth development Fund as proposed by the committee should be for job creation and capacity development, to be administered by the National Jobs creation Agency.

- The fund will consider and fund projects within enterprise development, infrastructure and artisan development.

- The agency will deploy latest satellite mapping and visual imaging for the purpose of documenting number of jobs created. It will also publish a “state of jobs creation in Nigeria” annual report with verifiable records of its achievements. The digital images and annual report must be available to the public.

 

Conference adopted the recommendation contained in our motion above, saying if implemented will lead to coordinated job creation. 

However - Our attempt to reduce the age of Participation of Youths in politics on that day for the second time faced serious defeat and also our recommendation for youth inclusion in politics and political process atleast (15%) also faced defeat– Not like we gonna give up though! 

Further recommendation made by delegates and the committee;  

- Except otherwise decided, henceforth, judicial officers convicted of corruption or perversion of justice will be liable to 50 years in prison and loss of all official entitlement including gratuity and pensions without an option of fine.

The decision was based on the examples of some Asian countries where the enactment of such laws helped to restore sanity, reduce corruption, abuse of office, instill due process and the rule of law.

- Legislation be enacted by the Federal Government that would stipulate life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of stealing pension and any public fund.

- A law be enacted by the Federal Government to provide for life imprisonment with hard labour for any person convicted of rape; while other laws should be enacted to criminalize the use of children for child labour and for alms.

- Henceforth, any group of workers that remain on strike for more than four weeks shall not be entitled to and not be paid salary for the period and any other time after the four weeks.

- 26% allocation for education in annual law at the federal, state and local government levels to revive the education sector. It is believed that with such increased allocation, the ailing educational system would be revived and sustained.

- Government provides an intervention fund as a matter of priority to revitalize abandoned skill acquisition and vocational training centers throughout the country.

- Delegates rejected the recommendation of the committee on the need for the Nigerian Government to give donor funds to Nigerian NGOs..

- Also a recommendation was made that Nigerian NGOs should show some level of transparency on finances they get from international donors. 

- Observing the growing incidence of casualization in the economy that is driven in part by employers’ penchant to cut cost and enhance profitability. It said currently, most employers of labour do not respect the legal provision that after six months of work, the casual workers must be permanently employed. To circumvent this law, such employers resort to terminating the appointment of employees after a couple of months and then quickly re-engaging them on a fresh contract. It was therefore resolved that all multinational companies and government agencies that have employed casual workers for more than six months should be mandated to take immediate steps to convert them to permanent workers.

- On the National Youth Service Corps, a new program was set that it should be split into three phases for it to be repositioned for relevant youth empowerment.

It said the first phase will be a one month orientation; followed by six months of primary assignment, integration and industrial exposure; and lastly, five months of vocational and entrepreneurial skill acquisition.

- Full implementation of the 2nd Nation Youth Policy and Nigerian youth employment Action plan and provision of a legal backing to aid this process.

- States and local government should play a supportive role of provision of logistic and accommodation for youth corps members, though it was recognized that some states already do that.

- Teaching of life skills in secondary school to prepare the youth to coping in the larger society. The committee notes in particular the need to pay attention to family life as it is the bedrock of society. Parents must lay solid foundation for teachers to build on at school. The curriculum of life skills teaching should include;

a. Healthy living style/Sex education

b. Managing time, money and self

c. Effective communication skills

d. Information Communication Skills

e. An understanding of Nigeria and its people

f. Introduction to total quality concept

g. Civic responsibilities

h. Agricultural Orientation

 

- Review of education policies to include practical application of theories such that the discrimination between B.Sc. and HND become eroded.

- Law backing the establishment of the National sports commission should be finalized and passed by the National assembly.

- The Director General for the National sports commission should be on a tenure basis and should be appointed from outside the civil service.

- Early identification prospective talents and consequential multiplication of training facilities across the nation should be encouraged.

- The encouragement of sport endowment fund and import waivers for sport equipment.

- Adequate and prompt funding of all sports including Paralympics.

- Specialization should be encouraged based on natural resource and physical features e.g swimming at the riverine areas, polo in the north and other areas where there are established cultural festival in wrestling, boxing, fishing and boat regatta etc.

These were some of the recommendations adopted, amongst other serious and unserious recommendations. 

The 38 page report of the committee on Civil Society, Youth, Labour and Sports report after much amendment was adopted as amended.

We adjourned at some minutes after 6pm to resume on Monday 9am …. Yes no sitting on Fridays remember?

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

Day 44: My National Conference Exploits (Social Sector)

Wednesday 18th June 2014….

The conference resumed sitting at 09:12 am.

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted.

Committee on the Social Sector report was presented by the Committee Chairperson who always call herself Woman elder states-man- Iyom Josephine Anenih, supported by the deputy chairperson, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, the former Minister of Education.

SOME of the recommendations made by the committee and additional recommendations made to the report by delegates and read for adoption as usual by the deputy chairman in an articulate way were as thus;

My submission that day;

My generation have been castigated even on this floor of being half baked and unemployable but Mr Chairman, Sir, if you buy a bread and realize the bread is half baked, who will you blame? The bread or the baker? 

Certainly the baker, the baker is our Educational system. 

There is need for a complete overhaul of our education system.

The Environment for learning in this country is not conducive, students packed in a class using books they should use to write in fanning themselves, warding off odor from all direction - if our academic environment can be made conducive like the plenary hall of this conference, then learning will be made easy.

There is need to recognize e-learning and e-education to decongest our universities. We need more e-universities, and there is a strong need to revamp the NOUN! 

Further recommendation by committee and delegates. 

- In a bid to reduce the current negative impact of medical tourism on the image and integrity of Nigeria and her healthcare system, there is a need to set strict procedures that must be observed by public officers seeking medical treatment outside Nigeria. Seeking medical treatment abroad has resulted in immense capital flight and drain on Nigeria’s economy resulting from medical tourism; cited abuse of existing processes for screening of referrals for foreign medical treatment as one of the reasons. 

Resolution; that henceforth, there should be restriction of government sponsorship of public officers for foreign medical care; and that unless for exceptional cases that require referral abroad, all public officers should mandatorily utilize local health facilities.

These exceptional cases, must be screened by a medical board made up of appropriate medical and healthcare professionals.

In addition, the recommendations of the board should be subject to the approval of the Minister of Health who is the chief medical adviser to the Federal Government; except where such exceptional cases are serious emergencies, in which instant approval may be given.

- There is need for improvement in the quality of healthcare services in Nigeria; a deliberate effort to refocus the attitude of healthcare workers to patients in Nigeria; and improved political commitment to health by political office holders.

- Free-healthcare be established for children aged 0-5 years; senior citizens from the age of 65 years; persons living with disability or the physically challenged persons; free maternal services and free school health programmes.

- Cancer screening should be made free in our hospitals. 

- Nuclear medical therapeutic drugs or components should be exempted from taxation and should enjoy special customs clearance. 

- The provision of National Health Insurance Scheme should be made mandatory and not optional, consequently it should be made mandatory for every employer with more than five staff to undertake health insurance on behalf of every staff. 

- Fully equipped mobile clinics should be provided in rural communities.

- The government and National Medical Association should enforce extant rules to check and monitor privately owned health facilities to ensure standard compliance with medical ethics. 

- To avoid frequent strike by medical personnel which often cause health destruction and loss of lives, government should ensure that challenges facing the health are immediately addressed to prevent medical personnel from resorting to strike action. 

- Health workers posted to rural areas should be given higher incentives than those in the urban areas. 

- Government should encourage the training of traditional midwives and birth attendants.

- Appropriate compensation should be paid to families of victims of medical negligence.

- Government should assist NAFDAC to establish regulatory desk in strategic Nigerian embassies/high commissions particularly in china, India, USA and the UK to help the agency stop the influx of counterfeit drugs at source and strengthen inter-agency information sharing. 

- There should be review of laws on fake drugs to incorporate life imprisonment (without pardon) for importation, distribution and sale of fake drugs. 

- Government should employ ICT; in particular the social media to campaign for preventive health, provide information on reproductive health and monitor national epidemic through electronic surveillance. 

- Assets of promoters of counterfeit drugs be confiscated and used to compensate victims where injury suffered is approximately linked to the dangerous effect of the counterfeit medicine.  

- The Federal Government should dedicate special fund to support horsemanship and residency training programmes for medical doctors. 

- All public officers and those aspiring to public offices should undergo mandatory drugs, alcohol and saintly check-up 

After a very heated debate these were agreed upon;

- Government should convert all Almajiri schools to normal schools and integrate Quranic education curriculum to absorb the millions of out of school children.

- Government should provide free basic education with free uniforms, books and midday meals for all children from primary one to junior secondary three.

- Government should build additional Almajiri Schools to bring them up to 400 as originally planned while a 10 year plan of sustained implementation should be put in place with a view to providing access to all children.

- Government and owners of mission/private schools should dialogue to facilitate the handover of all mission and private schools to their original owners. In returning the schools, it was agreed that owners must ensure that they are affordable and able to serve wider variety of the public as it were in the original concept of the mission schools. There should be regulation of fees charged by the schools; the schools should provide assistance to the local community through scholarships and other services; and that children from other denominations should not be marginalized in the admission process. Staff of such schools should have the option of remaining with the institution or being absorbed into government service in the case of the return of the mission and private schools to their original owners.

Further recommendations; 

- Government should legislate to prohibit installation of telecommunication mast in residential neighborhoods and to prohibit other practices that negatively impact on health including female genital mutilation.

- The Nigerian Social insurance trust fund (NSITF) bill currently before the National Assembly which covers areas as old-age scheme, employment (work) scheme, unemployment benefit, family/child benefit and medical care benefit among others, should be passed expeditiously. 

- All tier of Government must priorities WASH ( water sanitization and hygiene ) by funding the sector especially sanitization to ensure a healthier populace. 

- Federal, State and Local Government should establish vocational schools for out of school children.  

- Government should formulate and implement a policy that would strictly limit the number of students per class in schools.

- A state of emergency should be declared on Basic Education in Northern Nigeria.

- All states in the country should be encouraged to domesticate the child right act to enforce right to education. 

- The concept of community service should be introduced in our education curriculum.

- Education should get at least 20% of budget allocation annually. 

- A polytechnic commission should be established.

- Drug Education be included in primary and secondary school curriculum. 

- The Universal basic education scheme schools be extended from junior secondary school (JSS3) to senior secondary school (SS3)

- Federal, state and local government should as a matter of urgent public importance establish institution to absorb out of school children (who lack the opportunities to further their education at whatever Level) under apprenticeship schemes linked up with vocational schools, adult education, mass education, and other educational programmes. These scheme should be adequately funded by the Government as the case may be and made attractive to encourage enrollment of every out of school child. 

- Provision of adequate security at all schools. 

- Government and other stakeholders should endorse inclusive schooling and special needs education as an integral part of our educational curriculum.

- Industries should be compelled to accost students on industrial attachment. 

- Salary of teachers should be reviewed upwardly 

- Government should increase funds to better equip laboratories for practical classes especially in the science based disciplines in tertiary institutions.   

- Medical schools and teaching hospitals should be upgraded to international standards to enhance the training of doctors and other medical professionals. 

Other recommendations;

 

- Government should provide intervention fund to the housing sector similar to the intervention fund provided for the aviation sector and entertainment industry. 

- Reintroduction of sanitary inspectors for the purpose of household health facilities in homes and public places. 

For persons living with disabilities; 

- The national disability bill pending before the National Assembly should be passed. 

- The electoral act be amended to allow People living with disabilities especially lepers to exercise their voting right during election.

- Albinos should enjoy free medical care including provision of sun glasses.

- Special passage ways should be made for people living with disabilities in banks, hotels and airport where metal detector prevent entry or exit. 

- Special lift carriers in higher rise building be made for people living with disabilities to avoid injury by overcrowding.

- A law should be passed for compulsory assistance to persons living with disabilities by able-bodied persons while crossing the road.

- Provision of special overhead bridge.  

On pension; 

- 2004 Pension Act should be amended so that payment of pension to beneficiaries would continue throughout their lifetime instead of the current practice where payment is only made to people between 15 and 18 years post-retirement.

- Urgent need to amend the 2004 Pension Act to include a provision to hold the pension commission responsible and also prescribe penalties.

- All pensioners earning less than the approved minimum wage should be paid equivalent of the national minimum wage (18,000) 

  

- It was accepted that salary reviews should be reflected in calculating benefits across the board, particularly in reference to long-time retirees; salary increases should automatically affect retirees in both the old and new pension systems.

- To ensure full coverage of citizens, pension fund administrators and the national pension commission should be obliged to begin a comprehensive programme of registering the informal sector workers under the 2004 Pensions Act.

- A social security policy be put in practice to cater for the well being of the elderly in addition to the pension policy.

- The records compiled during the precious biometric data capture exercise, be updated and utilized in administering the pension scheme instead of embarking on another data capture exercise which will amount to wasting of resources.

Gender;

- Constitution amendment and enactment of additional relevant legislation (including the national gender policy) to strengthen the protection of married women and prevention of child marriage.

- National commission against domestic violence should be established.

- A bill on the abolition of all forms of discrimination against women in Nigeria should be moved and passed into law to address the issue of discrimination and violence against women and maltreatment of widows. 

- The federal government should put into effective use, the National policy on women adopted in 2004 and which was replaced by the national gender policy in 2006. 

- States of the federation should be encouraged pass laws against  the maltreatment of widows and widowers. 

- Domestication for the protocol on the rights of women in Africa. 

- Domestication of the 1979 convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination (CEDAW) endorsed in Nigeria since 1985. 

  

Proceedings at the Conference however came to a halt for about 15 minutes as female delegates and some male delegates took the floor to protest attempts by other delegates to vote against the application of the affirmative action demanding that 35% of elective offices at all levels be given reserved for women.

As soon as delegates voted to reduce the percentage from 35% to 30%, all the women in the hall including some men stood up, started singing and threatened a walk-out if the decision was not reversed.

When the hall was eventually called to order, some of the male delegates, spoke in favour of 35%. They stated that the matter was already an existing government policy.

At this point, it was unanimously decided that since the practice was already in existence and on-going, it should be allowed to remain. Instantly, some female delegates started asking for increase to 40% - women are insatiable in nature, oops I meant human! 

Myself and 3 other youth delegates excused ourselves on that day after break -4pm, met at the conference room in the secretariat of the conference to package a motion on job creation for Nigerian Youths, which was to be submitted latest by 6pm that day for the committee report coming up the following day. Unknowingly to us, conference has put the question for participation of young people in politics to vote, which in our plans was ought not to be taken on that day but the following day with the job creation motion on the committee on Youths, Labour and Sport report. However, conference voted down the recommendation prematurely brought to the floor to slash down election age by 5 years across board brought up by a SAN - the recommendation was not only premature but also not feasible - very sad though! 

The battle continues the following day.

 

The 89 page report of the committee on social sector after much deliberation, amendment, adoption and rejection was adopted as amended.

After which a delegate called on the attention of the conference to the effect that the Cameroonian authorities were demarcating boundary with Nigeria, without the presence of Nigerian representatives.

The conference, acknowledge the demarcation and resolved to call on the Federal Government to preserve its territorial integrity.

Conference adjourned at 7:28pm to resume the following day at 9am.

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

Day 43: My National Conference Exploits (Committee On Transport)...

Tuesday 17th June 2014...

Conference resumed sitting at 9:22am, presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted.

Committee on transport  presented their report.

Some of the recommendations made by the committee and additional recommendations by delegates include the following;

- Federal Government should ensure every major airport in the country is linked to functional rail lines to boost easy access to airports across the country.

- Initiation and construction of rail line from Lagos to Enugu through Ore to ease movement of goods and passengers from the Western flanks of the country to the East and South South.

- Government should review the existing transportation master plan for each sector based on economic analysis, to determine the economic rate of return on each transportation project looking at the economic impact and financial implication of such projects.

- Rail lines should be made to have a dualisation policy to allow for mass movements of trains as obtained in developed rail systems in other parts of the world.

- For effective and efficient transport system it was agreed that  the sectors; (Rail, Port, Land, Water, Sea and Air) be listed under the concurrent legislative list, that will spell out the areas of legislative competence of both state and federal government.

- In order to reduce road accidents and other associated hazards, there is need to develop effective rail system such that petroleum products can be transported from one part of the country to the other.

- Government should as a matter of urgency complete the National Hanger Project at Uyo Airport in Akwa Ibom State so that it would serve as a repair and maintenance hub to airlines operators.

- Foreign airlines be encouraged to employ Nigerian pilots and other staff as the number of unemployed qualified Nigerians in this sector compared to the burgeoning number of their foreign counterparts is precarious and unacceptable.

- The Committee had observed that the existing transportation infrastructure in Nigeria comprising roads, railways, ports, airport and pipelines is inadequate in terms of accessibility and inter-operatability.

- It located that the transportation sector represents a significant proportion of Nigeria’s key infrastructure because it facilitates the links between spatially located facilities and acts as mechanism for maintaining social contact.

Transportation, it said, affects the totality of a country’s activity ranging from its people, economy, environment and even its politics.

At the same time, the report noted that an ineffective transportation system could frustrate the efforts of government and the people, while an adequate transport system can impact positively on the national development and enhance the standard of living of the people.

It noted, “a well-planned and developed inter-modal transportation system is an essential infrastructure requirement for socio-economic development.

“Transportation goes beyond facilitating the movement of people and goods but also contributes to the regional and national development creating positive multiplier effects on all sectors of the economic activities, which will lead to job creation and poverty alleviation.”

It also noted that the most central challenge identified in this sector is the absence of an integrated approach to transportation development and management in Nigeria.

According to the committee, the absence of a central authority to oversight the implementation of the various National Transportation Master Plan and the heavy dependence on budgetary provision for transport development has led to inadequate funding regimes and distortions in most transport projects.

The committee observed that the privatization of projects such as the ports concessioning has not also removed the financial burden from government as public funds are still being applied to the expansion and maintenance of the facilities, leaving the concessionaires to collect revenue.

- Conference said government should ensure urgent construction of perimeter roads and fences around the airports so as to enhance airport security and prevent incidents of stray animals colliding with aircraft on the run way.

- Abandoned Onitsha Cargo Airport in Anambra State should be completed to enhance commercial activities in the South-east.

- Government was also mandated to fast-track the completion of Lokoja and Onitsha ports projects; and also dredges all inland waterways.

On roads,

- Government priority road development plan; Jos-Gombe-Yola, Mayo Balwa - Jada - Ganya - Tongou - Jamtan Road, Benin-Ore-Sagamu-Papalanto-Illaro-Obele-Benin Republic Border, Badagry-Seme-Benin Republic Boarder, Gombe-Yola and Mayobelwa-Jada-Jada Gariye- Toungo -Jamtari roads in Taraba state.

So many uncompleted road and those untouched were recommended to be completed from north to south to everywhere. Similar links were recommended for rial.

Other recommendation;

- Conference said government must, as a matter of priority, fast-track the completion of East-West Road which links the southern parts of the country to the western part to enhance effective transportation within the geo-political zones.

- Government was also tasked to establish Road Development Fund for the development and maintenance of public roads and that the sources of revenue may include among others, toll gates with a provision for alternative routes, vehicle tax, weigh bridges, parking fees and petroleum tax. It was decided that there should be a legal framework for the private sector participation in the financing and management of public roads in the country.

- Conference also asked the Federal Government to start work on the Nigerian sector of the Trans-African Highway as a way of easing transportation with the African continent.

- All states must have mass transit system.

- Major airports should be linked to rail lines.

- The cabotage act act should be reviewed to effectively achieve its objectives.

- That all existing security apparatus nationwide and in particular those attached to the intermodal transport system, must be restricted, screened and equipped with modern weapon and other technical know how, to enable them fight the new wave of crimes, insurgency and other forms of security threat. 

- That the River Niger waterway should be setup and the River Niger should be dredged to keep it navigable at all times.

- Nigeria should establish a Naval coast guard for effective security in Nigeria costal waterway and to protect Nigerian fisheries resources.

-  Coastal road from Badagry to cross- river be set up.

- Rail construction must have a dualization policy to allow for mass movement of trains.

- In communities situated on estuaries and River banks, bridge should be constructed to access the communities.

After amendments and argument and counter argument the report of the committee on transport was adopted by the house m.

We adjourned at 6:03pm to resume the following day.

On a Twitter: @Yadomah

Day 42: My National Conference Exploits (Committee On Energy)

Monday, 16th June 2014…

Conference resumed sitting at 9:05am, presided over by the Chairman.

Votes and proceedings of Thursday 12th June 2014 were read, amended and adopted as amended.

The Chairman of the committee on Energy - Sen Rashidi Ladoja, Adewolu, presented the report of the committee on Energy to the conference.

Some of the recommendation and additional recommendations made on the report of the committee on Energy were;

- Establishment of Niger Delta Energy Corridor so as to serve as a veritable tool for the rapid industrialization and diversification of the Nigeria economy – well some delegates flared up hearing this, to them anything Niger Delta is just a threat. You cannot blame them though because of the way and manner  SOME of the Niger Delta delegates try to force things down peoples throat, this recommendation was voted down twice until someone explained to the house how when established it will benefit Nigeria not only the Niger Delta. The house then voted for it.

- The need for Nigerian Government to consider the construction of mini refineries in each state as it is done in Malaysia.

- Communities close to gas flaring should be paid compensation for the effect of gas flaring.

- Three-year time frame should be set within which the nation's refineries should be put into operation.

- Coal should replace firewood for domestic cooking.

- Conference rejected an amendment that government should phase out the use of generator in all market to avoid respiratory track crisis – Well how will you blame them? 

- Recommendation that the privatization contracts between the Federal Government and GNECOS, DISCOS, which is observed to be on the brink of collapse, should be reappraised was rejected too.

- The president should declare a state of emergency in the power sector in other to live up to the promise made by late President Umaru Yar'Adua – Its like everyone is using the declaration of state of emergency everywhere since I suggested it on poverty who says the youths can't set a trend? LOL!

- Government should release take-off grant to HYPADEV so that the communities in river banks would have access to power.

- Total ban of the flaring of associated gas, while any oil field that does not have infrastructure to capture associated gas should be shut down by the end of 2014.

- That the PIB should clearly criminalize gas flaring and offenders should pay the commercial value of the flared gas.

- Power of the minister to grant exemption of gas flaring should be abolished under the nation's laws - I remember my committee (Environment) recommended same.

-  Laws should be enacted (and those available should be enforced) at the State and Local Government levels to control indiscriminate cutting of trees for household energy and charcoal making and export - My committee made same recommendation too.

- The need for the petroleum Act of 1969 be reviewed in the interest of justice and equity.

- The need for Nigeria to explore the nuclear option following the recommendation that the possibility of nuclear plant remains an option once commercially exploitable place is found.

- Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, has two principle objectives and a third objective should be added to include protection and preservation of the environment where minerals are found.

- Conference rejected an amendment that 20% of the 60% equity of NNPC in the JVC and IOC be given to oil -producing states - don’t even ask me why?

- Street lighting in Nigeria should be by solar energy.

- Simple solar appliances should be developed for home use in Nigeria. this can give relief to Nigerians and reduce the depression on their income through diesel and fuel consumption.

- That the FG should develop a policy in respect of Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro hydro plants to ensure that tree fringe forest is replaced immediately for the water level to be kept highly stable.

- Urgent step be taken to ensure accurate and independently verifiable metering of the oil and gas operations. 

- That where opportunities are created for communities to participate in developing oil fields from which the international companies are divesting, care must be taken that the divesting companies do not pass their liabilities, especially those related to massive environmental damage to the communities or other local investors.

- That Jatropha plants should be planted across the nation as such plants serves as a source of renewable energy.

- There should be a power strategic plan with a long term objective of utilizing PPP options to develop our Gas pipeline network. 90% of Nigeria's current gas pipeline are located along the atlantic coast and there is need to extend the pipeline infrastructure to hinterlands.

- That the 1.68% federation account allocation for solid minerals development be dedicated to coal - to - Power scheme for the next six (6) years (including funds already accumulated as seed money) to facilitate attainment of 33000MW coal-fired power contribution and an aggregate rating of 55,000MW by 2020.

- That a management company or department under LNG be put in place to liaise with the UN and World Bank so as to participate in the ongoing global gas flaring reduction programs.

- That all new non-associate gas produced in Nigeria should be reserved for the domestic market until such a time that domestic demand is satisfied and a pricing regime for gas should be developed to make this possible.

- That the building of floating filling station at riverine areas of the Niger Delta be investigated.  

- FG should consciously continue to participate and invest in power generation along with competent private sector investors.

- While considering the use of bio fuel in the energy mix, the current National Bio- Fuel policy, authored by the NNCP should be radically reviewed to; 

a) Close gaps created in the current policy with regard to taking into cognizance the environmental and socio-economic problem associated with monoculture agricultural production necessary to produce crops for bio-fuels.

b) Curtail extremely liberal tax incentives, including many years of tax holidays stipulated for investors, to ensure that the nation is not short changed 

c) Ensure that proceeds from pollution tax to be imposed on oil companies (by the policy) should be used to clean up the environment and communities impacted by petroleum resource extraction rather than being used in subsidizing bio-fuel production.

- That everything be done to fast track the development and completion of identified large hydro sites in Nigeria such as Mambilla, Zangeru, Gurara, Dadin Kowa and Kiri Dams.

- A deliberate policy to encourage local production of spare parts and all electric equipment needed by the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry. 

- A two (2) year time frame should be given to firms in the electric power sector to allow then stabilize and provide efficient power supply to Nigerians.

- Framework that will focus in implementation of small hydro, wind and solar pilot projects in Bauchi, Cross River, Katsina, Ogun, Enugu and Plateau states be set up.

- Power/Energy is so strategic to the industrial take off and the well being of the people that Government should not leave it to the hands of the private sector. Rather, the country should adopt a top-down approach by amending the existing legal framework to allow state Government, Local Governments and the private sector to be involved in power generation, distribution and marketing locally.

- Without prejudice to food production and biodiversity, Research & Development in renewable energy, science and technology as well as policy analysis and market research should be intensified. The existing research and development centers and technology development institutions should be adequately strengthened to support the shift towards and increased use of renewable energy.

- Remewable energy devices and systems should be developed and implemented, incorporating national standards, codes of practice, maintenance manual, life cycle coating, resources management and coat benefit analysis tools.

- That Government find ways to improve gas supply and transmission to ramp up power delivery to the system as a possible solution to the current cash shortfall in the sector, in addition, Government should implement the National Gas plan whose main objective is to transmit gas source to all the states of the federation for industrial and domestics as well as to independent power project (IPPs).

- That Government Policy should encourage the use of low energy light bulbs.  

 

- That tidal and wave energy should be harnessed.

- Immediate step should be taken to remove the current restriction on how much power a private entity can generate off - grid. 

- Nigerian engineers should be adequately represented in the planning and implementation of all aspect of the power sector reform program.

Some of the recommendations I submitted include; 

- Immediate reversal of the last Electricity Price Increase. No price review until 10, 000MW (at least) generation is achieved.

- The illegal, uneven and oppressive Fixed Charge Should be REMOVED immediately.

- A proper audit of every house should be carried out, and the concept of “Estimated Billing” Should be done according to the Regulations, and Explanations made to Consumers.

- The Electricity Distribution Companies Should starts the installations of Meters immediately.

- Making it illegal for consumers to tamper with their Power Connection.

 - Opening of fully-equipped and staffed Forum Offices at locations within the Disco franchise area agreed with NERC.

- Opening of fully-equipped Customer Compliant Units (CCU) by all the Distribution Companies.

- Full implementation of the Customer Metering Plan, as approved by the Commission, within eighteen (18) months from the date this Tariff Order takes effect. Failure to strictly comply with the terms of such Metering Plan will be met with sanctions from the Commission.

- The development and implementation of a single standard or set of principles for estimating the consumption of unmetered customers and the strict use of such standards in accordance with the applicable customer service rules already established by NERC

 - An Independent body be set to probe and review the activities and claims of NERC in the last 3years.

- Demand for Full Implementation of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005 and 2007.

- An Independent Body to probe and review of all funds going to NERC.

 -Liberation of the Licensing procedures to firms that want to generate power.

- ALL Power Sector Operators should be asked to sign a Service Level Agreement, failure to meet this should be met with sanctions.

The committee on Energy report after amendments and counter amendments by delegates was adopted as amended.

Announcement:

The assistant secretary, conference proceedings, announced the death of the husband of delegate – Ugoeze Milicent Okonkwo. Also announcement was made of the death of the son of delegate – Hon. Muhammad Lawal Nalado.

The deputy chairman, on behalf of the Chairman and the conference commiserated with the bereaved families.

We adjourned at 6:22pm to resume the following day at 9:00am. 

See you soon.

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

Day 41:My National Conference Exploits (Economy, Trade and Investment)

Thursday, 12^th June 2014….

Conference resumed sitting at 09:28am, presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted as amended.

Motion of urgent national importance was moved by a delegate, urging delegates to observe a minute silence in honor of all those who lost their lives during the June 12 1993 election crisis and the series of events that trailed the annulment of the result of the presidential election, which was presumably won by late Chief M.K.O ABIOLA, as it was June 12 2014.  So many delegates applauded the motion and seconded it.

Comments:

“So many Nigerians died on that day. That is why we are here. Moshood Abiola paid the ultimate price. It is something we should never wish away like it never happened. Some of us here were victims of June 12. 
“Those who fell for June 12 should be remembered today. We should pay tributes to those who fell for the cause of democracy spearheaded by Moshood Abiola. We should always remember this day as a watershed in the history of Nigeria.”

“Without June 12, there would be no May 29. “That is the basis of our freedom and democracy, and for that, we should remember the day for what it is worth. I therefore support that motion.”

“The best way Nigerians could mark the significance of June 12 was to use the occasion to call on all politicians to reaffirm the need for a free and fair election in the coming year, and what we are seeing today is like we have not learnt from that unfortunate situation that happened on June 12, election is now do or die. There is unnecessary violence. The real memory of June 12 is to reaffirm our commitment to free and fair election.”

“June 12 has continued to remain critical in Nigeria’s history. June 12 gave rise to May 29. We should not deceive ourselves. Some people paid the supreme price to attain the democracy we have today. We should not trivialize June 12 and I think that is something that is important. So many elder statesmen here went into exile and some of them were detained unjustly. We should observe a minute silence for all those that died in the struggle. They paid the supreme price in their sense of messiasm. We should give honour to whom it is due. June 12 is not just important; it is a watershed of Nigeria’s democracy.”

“Regard June 12 as the authentic democracy day; “I lend my voice to the observations made; but for small mindlessness, June 12 should have been Democracy Day. May 29 is there because someone came to office and decided to make May 29 the Democracy Day.

“June 12 is democracy day in Nigeria. That day, the man that contested against Abiola came from Kano State and he agreed that he was floored by Abiola in Kano, his home town.”

“That shows how popular, how valuable Abiola was.

However what baffled me was the resistance of some delegates of the idea of observing a minute silence. This tensed up the house – conference. Screams, shouts and insults hauled. The chairman had to roar in a strong voice that; “I ORDER ALL DELEGATES TO RISE FOR A MINUTE SILENCE” most stood up, but few reluctantly did, it was the most noisiest minute silence I have ever experienced whew.  I later realized that those that were against it were actually pissed that those who are trying to support the motion actually caused the crisis or were part of the problem of June 12 so they felt insulted by the bunch trying to claim good men.

Conference considered the report of committee on Economy trade and investment; debate on the report began. These were some of the recommendations of the committee and additional recommendations by delegates – I made a contribution to the report during my three (3 minutes speech as captured in the 5^thparagraph of this piece.

Recommendations;

-  Removal of immunity clause as enshrined in the Constitution. The clause, which has attracted unfavorable comments at every National or Constitutional Conferences, currently protects the President, Vice President; and state governors and their deputies from prosecution as long as they remain office. However, except otherwise decided, both the President and their deputies can now be dragged to court over criminal and civil cases.

- Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation should be made to pay prevalent interest rates on duly delayed remittances to the federation account. This resolution was meant to discourage late or non-remittance of money by the corporation into the Federation Account for allocation to the different tiers of government as demanded by law.

- Government, the armed forces and the private sector should collaborate and invest in the development of a military industrial complex that can support Nigeria’s defence needs as the largest economy in Africa.

- In a bid to attract patronage of goods produced in Nigeria, the National Assembly was urged to enact a law that would prohibit government from going abroad to source for goods that are available in Nigeria. The decision was meant to encourage promotion of campaign on locally produced goods so that Nigerians would be enticed to consume home made products.

 

My three minutes contribution on that day;

-        To improve the value of naira, we must regulate the circulation of dollars in this country - Schools, hotels, land and other transaction are done in dollars in some parts of this country, this has to be regulated.

-        We need to look at the most important GDP – Gross Devastating Poverty in Nigeria, Where poverty becomes a norm, things naturally become abnormal. We need to declare a state of emergency on poverty in this country.

-        The need to recognize and favor our home trained - Nigerian contractors when giving contracts in Nigeria – we have brilliant contactors.

-        The need to reduce unfair competition by reducing cheaper imports.

-        Cut the bureaucracy of registering companies in Nigeria, in other countries you get this done at a short time and cheap but in Nigeria you get it done at high cost and wait for a long period of time.

Further recommendations made by the committee and other delegates.

- To prevent excessive personalization of policies and promote policy consistency, it was decided that government submits a Bill on National Participatory Development Process to the National Assembly, to be enacted into law.

- As a pro-gender policy, government was requested to provide a special fund for interest-free loans for women farmers, marketers, traders, transporters, and owners of rural cooperatives.

- All banks should establish gender desks to ease the stress of borrowing by women.

- Government was also mandated to build fuel depots in remote areas and riverine communities where there is plenty of crude oil but no fuel to buy at affordable price.

- Reduction by 50% of the cost of tuition, books, equipment and hostel for all female students in secondary and post-secondary education – it was later changed to all students.

- Central Bank of Nigeria should establish a special interest regime of a single digit for industries and condemned situations where banks record billions of naira in profit yearly while the manufacturing sector dies.

- Operators of micro, small and medium enterprises should be duly registered and provided with tax holidays of three years to relieve them of the burden of multiple taxation and enhance their productivity.

- In addition, local textile manufacturing industries were exempted from paying Value Added Tax (VAT) for three years while imported textiles should attract a levy of not less than 5% of the value of goods imported to boost the textile revival fund.

- Government should completely release the N100 billion budgeted for the cotton, textile and garment revival scheme through the Bank of Industry.

- As a move towards preventing monopolies in the privatized sector of the economy the Federal Government was asked to send Anti-Trust Bill to the National Assembly for passage into law.

- Government should initiate a program for small farm holders to significantly increase their productivity.

- There should be short and medium term poverty eradication programs with specific provision for; social welfare package for the vulnerable population i.e children, women, unemployed, elderly persons, mentally and physically challenged. Skill acquisition and empowerment programs and viable job creation.

The report of the committee on Economy, trade and investment after the amendment was adopted as amended.

We adjourned at 6:35pm to resume on Monday 9am.

Day 40: My National Conference Exploits (Agric & Water Resources)

Wednesday 11^th June 2014…

The conference resumed sitting at 9:02 am, presided over by the chairman

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted as amended.

Announcement:

The deputy chairman announced to the conference that Delegate Prof. Yusuf Turaki, lost his son on Tuesday 10^th of June 2014. The Deputy Chairman, on behalf of the chairman and the conference, commiserated with the delegate and members of his family. He further said that a condolence letter would be sent to the bereaved family.

Adoption of report of committee on Religion;

The deputy chairman called on the co-chair of committee on religion Nuruddeen Lemu, to brief the conference on the outcome of the consultation over the deferred issue of proposed establishment of Religious Equity Commission (RECOM) and the abolition of pilgrims boards – remember I briefed you on this on my previous post, how this almost caused a fight on the floor of the conference and how the issue was bracketed to be revisited? The co-chairman explained that after wide consultation, the most agreeable position amongst delegate was to retain the original proposal of the committee – establishment of religion equity commission (RECOM) and phased abolition of pilgrim’s board. He therefore urged delegates to adopt the committee recommendation on deferred issue as originally proposed and it was unanimously accepted by delegates when the question was put to vote.

 

After which the committee on religions report was adopted as amended.

 

Conference concluded voting of the additional recommendation of the committee on Agriculture and water resources which was debated on yesterday – 10^th June 2014.

 

These were some of the additional recommendations adopted;

 

-        States and local governments across the country should revitalize the already existing skills acquisition and agricultural training centers in each senatorial district as an initiative towards agricultural transformation. It is believed that when this is done, agriculture would be made attractive to the youth and would become a viable platform for job creation and poverty alleviation.

 

-        Urged Government to ensure that all the isolated programmes set up to generate employment or create wealth that are working at cross-purposes or duplicating each other are harmonized  and  operated under a single  national scheme to achieve a common objective.

 

-        In order to make farming attractive to the younger generation, Conference demanded a policy prohibiting any educational institution, from primary to secondary, from using farm work as a form of punishment for students’ misbehavior. Where agriculture is associated with punishment and drudgery; “it does not encourage young minds to be excited about, or look forward to the life of a noble farmer; a positive attitude towards agriculture is essential.

 

-        On loss of soil fertility, urged government to formulating policies to take cognizance of climate change and desertification by introducing species of trees and crops that are easily adapted to deserts and requires minimum water to survive.

 

-        Government “should invest heavily in Date Palm plantations to develop its related industries in communities with serious desert encroachment challenges.”

 

-        It was the position of the delgates that some animal species which are hunted as game and locally referred to as bush meat are being depleted and virtually becoming extinct except something was done about it and rapidly too. It was therefore agreed that government should encourage and promote large scale breeding and domestication of these species of animal.

 

-        Bio-Safety Bill that will regulate trans-border movement of genetically modified drugs should be initiated and enacted by the National Assembly without further delay.

 

This would check indiscriminate importation of genetically modified drugs that are not suitable for the country.

 

-        On irrigation, it was recommended that major irrigation infrastructure in the North West be extended to other parts of the country as a way of boosting farming in those areas. Man-power development or capacity building and training programmes on the management, operation and maintenance of the different components of large scale irrigation schemes whether surface, non-pressurized or pressured, should be intensified by government.

 

-        Building of rural roads that will link up farmlands with the urban market to facilitate faster evacuation of farm produce.

 

-        A diligent and holistic study of all large dams across the country was also recommended with a view to determining their functional conditions, and carry out repairs where necessary.

 

-         Flood plain agriculture should be included in the irrigation programme as a check against unnecessary flooding.

 

-         Involvement of farmers, herdsmen and rural dwellers in formulating policies pertaining to soil degradation in a bid to achieve a bottom-up-approach in addressing the problems of soil degradation.

 

-         Need for unified agricultural extension system that would involve visiting and training farmers within the area of coverage.

 

-        Fertilizer production plants be established in different parts of the country to meet the growing demands by farmers and also save the needed foreign exchange spent on importation of the product.

 

-        Appropriate policy should be put in place to facilitate the participation of people living with disability to enable them to enjoy low interest on loan and 50% subsidy on farm inputs.

 

-        Demand policy makers to ensure that Nigeria participates in agricultural research programmes at both the continental and regional levels so as to benefit from the results of such research.

 

-        Government should grant low interest and long tenured micro-credit loans to assist the private sector to support agricultural development. In addition to existing budgetary allocation, “30% of the National Resources Fund be used for the development of agricultural sector while an additional 20% of the fund be used for the development of water resources especially the mechanized deep sea fishing which is a major foreign exchange earner.”

 

-        Urgent review of the curriculum of agricultural research institutes across the country to reflect more of the practical and less theoretical aspects of agricultural research.

 

-        Access to safe and adequate water as a fundamental human right.

 

-        A holistic study of all dams in the country to determine their state and to take immediate action where maintenance or repair is required.

 

The report of the committee on Agriculture and water resources was finally after plenty amendment adopted as amended with the exclusion of the recommendation on the removal of the land use act from the constitution – this matter is still bracketed as decision is yet to be reached on it by the conference, I am part of the consensus building committee trying to resolve this very contentious matter.

 

We adjourned at 6:53pm to resume the following day at 9am.

Day 39: My National a Conference Exploits (Agric & water resource)

Tuesday, 10th June 2014….

The conference resumed sitting at 9:11 am, presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted.

Announcement; 

The chairman announced to the conference that Barr. Yusuf Nuhu, Elder statesman from Kaduna, has replaced Late Dr. Mohammed Jumare who died on Monday 5th May 2015. Thereafter, the chairman called on the new delegate to stand up for recognition by delegates - not elder states-manly looking though.

Modification of procedure for discussion of committee report: remember I told you, the new procedure proposed for discussion of committee reports on my previous post - no more contribution on the floor, delegates will send in their additional recommendations or amendments on report of interest.

Delegates disagreed with that procedure saying we are in a democracy and have to be given the right to speak, not expressing ourselves on paper, the chairman had to re rule that, we revert to the old procedure - consistency can never be gotten out of over 400 people can it? 

Well we went back to the old procedure where people enlisted to speak on each report will be called upon to do so.

Report of the Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources was considered and commenced debated on.

The report is an assessment of Nigeria’s agricultural and water resources policies especially as they relate to food security and the refocusing of agriculture as a business for the creation of jobs and wealth.

Some of the recommendations made by the committee and additional recommendations by delegates; 

the committee noted that Agriculture has the potential to compete favorably and is much more environmentally sustainable than the oil and gas sector.

“It is also the most viable way to stem the current large scale rural-urban youth migration and thus prove the most viable solution to permanently deal with the problems of insurgency, armed robbery and kidnapping currently bedeviling the nation,” 

- Particular attention be focused on increasing agricultural productivity by paying close attention to the selection of adequate and appropriate land for agricultural production which would lead to meaningful rapid and increased crop productivity.

- Attention, it stated, should also be paid to immediate extensive needs assessment for the soil and water laboratories available in Nigeria so as to promote accurate soil testing and consequent appropriate fertilizer, liming and water quality assessments for increased productivity in rain-fed and irrigated agriculture in the country.

- To address the current critical shortage of manpower in the sector, the Committee demanded immediate passage of the Bill for the Establishment of the Nigerian Soil Science Institute which it said is pending in the National Assembly; it said the institute when established would provide leadership in regulating the training and professional practice of soil science in the country.

- Describing land as the most fundamental asset in agricultural practice, the Committee noted that accessibility to land has been limited by the Land Use Act whose presence in the Constitution it described as a disincentive to agricultural development “because it tends to discourage investments in land.” Called for its removal - resolution on this is still pending.

- The Committee lamented the dearth of qualified and trained manpower to adequately drive the policies and programmes in both sectors of agriculture and water resources; and declared that Nigeria is facing system failure owing to inadequate manpower, it was recommended that deliberate policies be put in place to attract Nigerian youths to study agricultural related courses in colleges of agriculture, polytechnics and universities.

It said such courses and the outcome of the research should be re-tailored towards developing curricular and researches aimed at developing local technologies that are sustainable and adaptable to local manpower usage.

The report observed that aside from technical policy issues, one area of concern to stakeholders has been the over-concentration and centralization of agricultural development programmes at the federal level and described it as being operationally and politically unhealthy for the system.

The committee said there was need to revisit the sectoral governance structure in order to strengthen the institutional framework based on a much greater implementable devolution of functions from the federal to the states and local governments.

It recommended that the Federal Government should substantially divest from direct programme implementation in the field and concern itself mainly with regulatory policy issues and the articulation of strategic national direction; provide guidance to states; among others.

To ensure effective policy implementation and harmonization, the Committee recommended the establishment of a National Agricultural Programme Co-ordinating Agency.

The agency would provide technical support to the states in planning, formulating and designing agricultural programmes based on the states priority and comparative advantage, working closely with the state agencies.

It would also assist the states in carrying out periodic evaluation and particularly impact assessment of the state and federal projects and programmes; and coordinate the gathering, up-dating and dissemination of national agricultural data including marketing and price information.

In the words of the Committee, the envisaged agency would be involved in ”maintaining a two-way track of information flow between the federal and state governments on the performance of Federal Government in order to facilitate the initiation of corrective measures where necessary or desirable.

“Co-ordinating and monitoring of special intervention programmes of the Federal Government as well as the donor assisted programmes and providing implementation support for such programmes.”

It was also recommended that research and development should remain a key function of the Federal Government in order to enhance their research output and synergy and strengthen their contribution to national development.

The report cautioned on the need to protect the farmers, especially the small-scale holders, from the vagaries and whims of market forces, and the need to guarantee market stability for agricultural produce, and protect and sustain farmers’ interest in agricultural production.

To this end, it recommended a recreation of Commodity Marketing Boards or Corporations, akin to what obtained in the country from the late 1940s to late 1980s; and that the first set of commodities to be included in this would be cotton, oil palm, cocoa and groundnuts.

Conference will on Wednesday consider all the recommendations of the Committee, amend some, adopt some and reject others based on majority decision.

We adjourned at 7:00 pm to resume ofWednesday 9 am…..