As Jonathan's Patience Dances Makossa with EFCC

AS JONATHAN’S PATIENCE DANCES MAKOSSA WITH EFCC

      The last time I checked, the erstwhile Nigerian first lady, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan was seriously dancing makossa with the country’s famous anti-graft agency Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in such a manner that everyone earnestly looks forward to seeing how the fascinating music would end.  

      It’s not anymore news that on 18^th April 2016, upon request by the EFCC, the former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs in the person of Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos State by the Nigerian Security Operatives – DSS, over alleged Money Laundering, while attempting to travel out of the country, having evaded arrest on several occasions.

       It was gathered that the aide was on the anti-graft agency’s wanted-list for his alleged involvement in the sharing of #10 billion to delegates during the December 2014 presidential primaries of the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Mr. Dudafa allegedly converted the money into US dollars, amounting to $47 million, and distributed it among delegates from the 36 states alongside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Investigations revealed that the fund was part of the alleged $2 billion meant for the purchase of arms but which authorities said was shared as slush funds by politicians via the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. It’s noteworthy that the case in question is currently being entertained by the Federal High Court in Lagos State.

      Thereafter, in July, some discovered alleged fraudulent bank accounts worth $31.4 million, linked to the defendant, were frozen by the EFCC, upon court’s directive as claimed by the commission. However, the former First lady Mrs. Patience Jonathan claimed ownership of the frozen accounts, stating that she was the sole signatory to the affected accounts. On 6^th September, she consequently, through her counsel, demanded a court declaration that the respondents have breached her fundamental human rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by placing a No Debit/Freezing Order on the accounts ‘without any court order’, or ‘serving any prior notice’ to her, thus prayed for #200 million compensation.

      In response to her fascinating claim, the EFCC stated thus, ‘We did not know that the accounts belonged to Patience Jonathan at the time we froze them. The accounts do not bear her name neither do they carry her Bank Verification Number (BVN). So, how can she accuse us of harassment?’ It would interest, perhaps shock you to acknowledge that the four accounts in question, lodged with Skye Bank Plc, are reportedly in the name of four different companies namely, Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd.; Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd.; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd.; as well as Avalon Global Integrated Service Ltd.

      Intriguingly, Mrs. Jonathan had since 2010 been reportedly using the credit cards of the accounts and operating them without any hitch. According to the report, even in May, June and July 2016 respectively, she travelled abroad for medical treatment and was using the cards over there, up till July 7 or thereabouts when the cards cease to function, probably owing to the No Debit Order issued on the accounts. Nevertheless, we reliably learnt that the claimer has written the EFCC amidst the ongoing court proceedings, precisely on 14^th September 2016, ‘begging’ for the ban to be lifted, saying that $15 million out of the $31.4 million in the controversial accounts were for the medical bills she incurred in London, UK in 2013. It’s worthy to note that she have refuted the report, saying that she never wrote the EFCC let alone tendering a plea. Amazing; isn’t it?

      During the last court sitting held in Lagos State by the Federal High Court, the woman in question accused the EFCC of hiring mercenaries to testify against her – a claim which was outrightly rebutted by the latter. In various quarters, many Nigerians were left with no option than to speculate that there must be something very fishy taking place, considering how things are going.

      Well, it’s worth noting that there are fundamental matters arising from the ongoing melodrama scripted by the EFCC and the ex-first lady. First; why were the accounts opened in those companies’ names? Since it is claimed that the accounts possess a sole signatory, why then were they opened with misleading names? Funnily enough, we have learnt that the aforementioned firms lacked addresses; suffice it to say that their localities were not tendered to the bank. We are not unaware that on no ground would a domiciliary corporate account be opened without tendering tangible addresses. So, how do we reconcile this?

       Another pertinent inquiry is: why did the claimer wait for over one month before filing a claim in the law court? According to records, the accounts were frozen in the first week of July, but she filed the claim in the Lagos High Court on September 6; the interval was almost two months, or more, if I’m not mistaken. No matter the degree of the consultations that were made prior to putting up the claim, the duration ought not to have lasted so long, because such issue involving finance required an urgent attention.

       Among all, why would the claimer plead with the EFCC to lift the ban/order while the court is still hearing her appeal, thereby contradicting the ongoing prosecution? Considering that she has refuted the reports, one may ask; did the press just fabricate the purported news? Besides, what kind of medical treatment(s) would result to such amount of money? Though I’m just thinking aloud, all the parties involved really need to look into this complicating angle critically.

      We equally learnt that the EFCC went further to freeze the personal account worth $5 million in Skye Bank belonging to the former first lady, due to its questionable features. It was gathered that the account’s name was ‘Patience Ibifaka Jonathan’. Against this backdrop, some Niger-Delta youths under the auspices of Ijaw Nations Worldwide recently took a protest to the EFCC’s Port-Harcourt office ordering the anti-graft body to, with immediate effect, defreeze the frozen accounts, claiming that the victim acquired her wealth via gifts, gratifications, and what have you.

       As much as I owe the ex-first lady (Jonathan’s Patience) an explicit respect, I would as well like her to comprehend fully that all eyes are on her person as long as this energetic dance lingers. I am strongly convinced that she’s surrounded by many astute legal luminaries, hence I expect her to realize the best comment to make, or action to take, at any given time, and how best to present it. That is one of the rudimentary obligations of one’s lawyer, and not just filing cases at the court of law on his/her behalf and awaiting a victory.

      The EFCC, on its part, must equally be very careful on how it handles the issue. Any sensitive matter in the public domain requires not only experienced hands, but tactical and convincing approach. We must note that Nigerians are keenly and dispassionately watching the makossa dance; and I bet you, they are willing to observe till the end. Think about it!  

           

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

Sustaining Reliable Population Via IT

SUSTAINING A RELIABLE POPULATION VIA IT

       Population unarguably remains the most integral part of the anticipated developmental stride of any society. It is so, because, it’s one of the major factors that determine the society’s net worth. It’s noteworthy that, it is only human population that bears such idiosyncrasy.

       Two prime factors – natural and human resources, determine the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of every nation. It’s pertinent to acknowledge that the aforementioned recipes are interwoven. Natural resources obviously require human resources before it could be harnessed. Thus, without the latter, the former would remain crude or useless. This is the reason discerning leaders of any nation fiercely safeguard as well as sustain the nation’s human resources.

       A country’s resources can only be adequately managed by ensuring effective and efficient sustenance of its human population. Towards a holistic sustenance of a given population, it’s imperative to note the rudimentary factors that affect population growth, which are: birthrate, death rate, and migration. Having carried out the census of a country’s population, there’s need to checkmate the above factors in order to subsequently boast of a robust and reliable database.

      The point is that, a reliable population record cannot be sustained without involving Information Technology (IT). Ranging from census to update, each of the exercises involved requires proper utilization of IT for laudable functionality. Owing to the overwhelming impact of IT on every activity pertaining to population management, it’s high time the National Population Commission (NPC) started deploying its use in the agency’s day-to-day obligations.

      It’s appalling that the NPC cannot even boast of a reliable database as regards Nigeria’s population, let alone sustaining it. The authority needs to comprehend that the nation requires a standard population record with a view to boosting its socio-economic status, and such can never be obtained without a substantive database. Among all, a database cannot currently be considered viable if IT isn’t utilized. In other words, the concerned quarters are expected to embrace IT wholeheartedly, considering that it is the only way forward.

       In view of the above, our pattern of population census must be reviewed in earnest. Hence, as the 2017 population census is fast approaching, I enjoin the NPC to strategize in order to ensure that IT is fully inculcated in the overall scheme, so that, at the end of the national exercise, the country can boast of a comprehensive IT-based population database. Prior to the commencement of the exercise, the NPC should endeavour to establish an independent IT-oriented department/unit. The unit ought to be entitled to a well-experienced indigenous director.

       ‘Independent’, in the sense that the unit must have all the required resources to avoid intrusion. ‘Well-experienced’, in the sense that the prospective personnel must possess a convincing IT expertise. And, ‘indigenous’, in the sense that he/she must be a full-fledged Nigerian; being indigenous would enable him/her to regularly carryout the concernment diligently and with all required manner of patriotism. The unit should equally constitute personnel that are knowledgeable enough in the field of ICT. Inter alia, there should be an agency that would oversee/monitor the day-to-day running of the unit toward ensuring efficiency.

      After conducting the census, there would be need for constant and consistent thorough update of the database, and such needs to be done by the IT unit. The records need to be updated by subsequently observing the earlier mentioned fundamental factors that affect population. A tactical approach ought to be employed toward ensuring that the overall birthrate and death-rate occurring in the country is regularly gathered, regardless of the locality where the event took place. Hence, every maternity and mortuary operating across the federation must be duly certified by the NPC whereby every child delivery or corpse deposition, as the case may be, would be instantly reported to the commission via the respective ICT departments of the said centres.

       To this end, in event of home child-delivery, such case needs to be reported to any nearest maternity for onward documentation. Similarly, whenever one dies and his/her corpse isn’t taken to the mortuary, the bereaved family is required to report such incident to a closest mortuary. This implies that henceforth, any maternity or mortuary that isn’t recognized or approved by the NPC must be shut down indefinitely; such monitoring would equally require setting up of a mobile committee by the commission that would regularly oversee the existence cum activity of all maternities and mortuaries.    

       Regarding migration, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) alongside Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) is meant to work hand-in-hand with the NPC. The cooperation would help to invariably update the latter on immigration cum emigration matters. The proposed relationship would be effective and easy by involving ICT. Moreover, the NPC’s IT-department ought to continually make use of world-class softwares. The softwares must be designed by the department’s staff for privacy sake. The unit should also have classic anti-hacking softwares as well as experts.     
       All in all, an all-inclusive statistics of Nigeria’s population can only be properly sustained via the effort of IT. Since the country possesses all it takes to make the project feasible, let’s not hesitate in applying the resources. Think about it! 

  

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-ICT/Engineering Consultant, Researcher, Blogger, Analyst & Activist-

Founder/CEO, Docfred (Nig.) Ent. - Owerri

____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

http://frednwaozor.blogspot.com

Twitter: @mediambassador        

Harnessing Natural Resources Toward Greater Nationhood

HARNESSING NATURAL RESOURCES TOWARDS GREATER NATIONHOOD

      Some of the common natural resources on earth are land, water, sunlight, atmosphere, wind, coupled with animal life and vegetation. A natural resource may exist as a separate entity like fresh water and air as well as a living organism such as fish, or it might exist in an alternate form, which must be processed to obtain the required resource to include petroleum, metal, ores, and most forms of energy. Some, including air and sunlight, can be found everywhere, and are known as ‘ubiquitous resources’. Whilst, most resources only occur in restricted areas, and are referred to as ‘localized resources’.

      There are very few resources that are considered inexhaustible – these are solar radiation, geothermal energy, and air, though access to pure air may not be possible. The vast majority of resources are theoretically exhaustible, which means they have a finite quantity and can be depleted if improperly managed; a good example of this is petroleum. Such finite resources required a sound policy and regulation, to be implemented by the concerned government, towards their preservation.

       It’s pertinent to acknowledge that every manmade product consists of one or two natural resources. Suffice it to say that everything required or used by mankind constitute of, at least, a natural resource. In most cases, some of these resources such as air and water, are directly utilized or consumed by man without processing them. Such phenomenon proves beyond doubts that humankind cannot survive or strive successfully, as the case may be, without natural resources. This assertion is not unconnected with the reason every rational government makes frantic effort toward adequate use and preservation of the natural resources found within its country.

      In Nigeria, hundreds of natural resources are abound, in which each state including Abuja is a beneficiary. Some of these resources are petroleum, tantalite, lead, zinc, glass-sand, copper, gemstone, crystal, oil/gas, bitumen, phosphate, gold, coal, clay, salt, gypsum, iron-ore, uranium, and limestone, in addition to sunlight, wind, land, water, vegetation and air that are ubiquitous in nature.

     Some of the aforementioned substances can enable any country to massively embark on agriculture, and attain to any desired height. Nigeria does not possess just land, but a well fertile land that can produce crops in any quantity and quality. Its vegetation and atmosphere is equally invariably good enough to raise every kind of animal life, including wildlife. Though crop and livestock farming used to be the talk of the day in the Nigerian society, it’s sad to note that currently such lucrative occupation is being relegated to the background owing to over-reliance on mono-resource, petroleum.

      Moreover, proper utilization of clay alone can take the country’s tourism industry, that’s presently moribund, to enviable heights. Same is applicable to the use of other similar compounds or metals that are in abundance across the federation, to include uranium, limestone, and gold. In the same vein, it is disheartening that an essential mineral resource like coal has, over the decades, been swept under the carpet; coal can be used to produce energy, both in the form of heat and electricity.

      It’s mind-boggling to hear that a country like Nigeria that can boast of abundant sunlight, wind and what have you, is still battling on how to generate steady and reliable electricity, whilst countries like U.S.A blessed with just limited amount of the resources, are experiencing uninterruptible power supply. Away from energy; it could be observed that our forest reserves that could produce enough timber for importation, are currently wearing a pathetic physiognomy as a result of docile policies.

      Indeed, Nigeria is densely endowed with various lucrative natural resources, but it’s very sad that the governments at all levels are not doing enough as regards the adequate use and conservation of the resources; hence, this calls for drastic turnaround via deployment of genuine political will. Now that the sale of oil and gas is no longer booming, it’s high time we retraced our steps toward ensuring that each of the available resources is thoroughly harnessed for the needed economic emancipation.

      Crude oil ought to also be regularly renewed. We can clean used oil by using pretty conventional refinery technologies. The first step is vacuum distillation, which dewaters the oil. Then, we do wiped-film evaporation; this essentially separates out all the contaminants and additives. Finally, it would go through a hydro-treating process, which infuses hydrogen back into the hydrogen molecules and makes it a very high quality re-refined oil. This routine can be sustained via a sound policy.

      The government really needs to ensure adequate conservation and sustenance of these natural resources, through implementation of strict and viable policies cum laws, and their proper enforcement. Most of these policies such as Land Use and Forests Reserve acts, which were duly upheld in the past, are presently abused or overlooked. We need to revive them, make amends where necessary, as well as introduce new ones, towards attaining a greater nationhood. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-ICT/Engineering Consultant, Researcher, Blogger, Analyst & Activist-

Founder/CEO, Docfred (Nig.) Ent. - Owerri

____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

http://frednwaozor.blogspot.com 

Twitter: @mediambassador