Celebrating 2016 World Food Day

WORLD FOOD DAY: RESUSCITATING NIGERIA’S AGRIC SECTOR

       On Sunday, 16^th October, the world over is celebrating the 2016 edition of World Food Day. Due to the inevitable impact of food on mankind, the World Food Day (WFD) was established during the 20^th General Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) in November 1945. During the conference, all the Member States of FAO resolved that October 16 each year should be commemorated as World Food Day; the day was meant to coincide with the anniversary of the founding date of the organization - FAO.

        In the history of mankind, no one has ever boasted of living a healthy life without an adequate food on his/her table. This implies that a healthy living is not unconnected with consumption of required dietary. Food, which remains one of the three basic needs of man on earth, can only be acquired or guaranteed via thorough participation in agricultural practices. No doubt, agriculture is an integral part of human existence considering that it is the only means that can guarantee the three paramount needs of man, which are: food, clothing and shelter.

        Obviously, several countries in the world depend solely on agriculture as regards Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and creation of employment opportunities. Such countries jealously safeguard it because they acknowledge that it is the most affordable and assessable source of revenue within the reach of man. This is a clear indication that agriculture can function as a revenue source as well as means of survival. Suffice it to say; sustenance of agriculture remains one of the prime desires of any rational and vision-oriented country in existence.

        Owing to its challenges, including lack of access to mechanize farming, undesirable topography, poor climatic condition, unavailability of land, poor soil texture, insufficient funds, et cetera, many prospective farmers in most developing nations, like Nigeria, have over the years lost interest in agriculture, thereby endangering the socio-economic status of the affected nations. It’s not anymore news that lack of participation in either subsistence or commercial farming among the populace of a certain country invariably leads to malnutrition and tremendous decline in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

       The most devastating aspect of apathy in agriculture is the one observed amongst the youth as a result of their eager and unending quest for white-collar jobs. To say the least, the ongoing lack of enthusiasm among the young ones, in the area of farming, contributed immensely to the current scarcity of food on the African continent. History indicates that between 2011 and 2013, a total of eight hundred and forty-two (842) million individuals, or about one in every eight persons in the world, were estimated to be suffering from chronic hunger. This signifies that the said set of people was not regularly getting enough food for themselves to carry out their active life activities.

        The theme of this year’s World Food Day is “Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.” One of the biggest issues related to climate change is food security. The world’s poorest – many of whom are farmers, fishers, and hunters – are being hit hardest by higher temperatures and an increasing frequency in weather-related disasters. At the same time, the global population is skyrocketing and is expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050. To meet such a heavy demand, agriculture and food systems will need to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change and become more resilient, productive, and sustainable. This is the only way we can ensure the general well-being of ecosystems and rural settlements, as well as reduce emissions.

        Growing food in a sustainable way means adopting practices that produce more with less input, in the same area of land, and use natural resources wisely. It also means reducing food losses before the final product or retail stage through a number of initiatives, including better harvesting, storage, packaging, transport, infrastructure, market mechanisms, coupled with institutional and legal frameworks. FAO is using this period to call on countries to address food and agriculture in their climate action plans and invest meaningfully in rural development.    

        As the world over celebrates the 2016 annual World Food Day, I urge governments at all levels to wake up from slumber with the view to ensuring that the bane of the Nigeria’s agricultural institution is thoroughly addressed. This can be made possible by providing the needed support for any genuine prospective farmer, such as soft loan with zero interest rates, arable land, enabling environment, or what have you, as the case may be. Similarly, the various commercial banks ought to be conscientized not to hesitate in granting loans to any intending indigenous farmer.  

        Governments should equally subsidize the prices of farming machinery/equipment to enable every commercial farmer purchase them without much ado. In the same vein, the ongoing restriction of importation of goods and services into the country must be duly strengthened and intensified by the apt authorities to include the Customs Service, among others, toward increasing the level of demand on locally-made commodities.

        On their part, the farmers ought to, from time to time, validate the membership of all their members, and also encourage the upcoming ones to register, to enable the government or any concerned corporate body to easily assess them as well as ascertain the genuineness of anyone who claims to be a practising farmer. They should also sensitize their members on the need for specialization towards boosting production; farmers need to concentrate on a particular crop/livestock farming to enable them obtain a desirable outcome. After creating a sound foundation, any farmer can in the future consider practising mixed farming.

        The various governments should as well endeavour to own and manage various mechanized farms at their respective jurisdictions with a view to supplementing the privately owned ones. They mustn’t leave everything for the private sector, in order to ensure adequate price regulation on the goods and services. Such measure would also intensify the anticipated diversification and massive employment opportunities for the youth. In view of this, every agriculture ministry is expected to boast of staff that are qualified in various agricultural disciplines, rather than professionals from other areas. And, every staff must be prepared to go to the field.

        Above all, there’s a compelling need for Agricultural Science to be studied by every high school student as a core subject, and equally sit for it during their School Certificate Examinations. There’s also need for all the tertiary institutions in Nigeria to introduce Agric Science in their schools as a general course for every first year student; there would be need for a formidable legal backing towards ensuring the effectiveness of this measure.

        Additionally, governments, non-governmental organizations, among other stakeholders, should endeavour to continually grant bursary to the undergraduates studying Agric Science or any agric-related discipline towards encouraging prospective ones. The various civil society groups are required to solicit for this on behalf of the students. Let’s sacrifice now and enjoy forever. Think about it!

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Researcher, Blogger, Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador 

            

Oyegun, Tinubu and Their Makossa Dance

OYEGUN, TINUBU AND THEIR MAKOSSA DANCE

        The last time I checked, the pioneer cum incumbent National Chairman of the ruling Nigerian political party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a National Leader of the party, in the persons of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu respectively, were obviously enjoying a faceoff. The two respected politicians who are respectively the former governors of Edo and Lagos states have lingered the altercation that it has become a major public discourse not just in Nigeria but beyond. 

        The prolonged rift is not unconnected with the primary election of the APC for the forthcoming November 2016 Ondo gubernatorial poll that took place recently, on 3^rd September 2016 precisely, in which Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu emerged as the party’s flag bearer with 699 votes ahead of his rival, Mr. Olusegun Abraham who polled 635 votes. It was gathered that the outcome of the said poll wasn’t in favour of Sen. Tinubu who reportedly wanted the latter to emerge victorious.

        Thereafter, Sen. Tinubu accused Chief Oyegun of manipulating the election in his favour by ‘altering the delegates’ meant for it. He equally frowned over Oyegun’s refusal for a fresh primary election to be conducted as was recommended by the Appeal Committee that was set up after the election. It would be recalled that a National Working Committee (NWC) was inaugurated immediately after the primaries in order to address an impasse, but Chief Odigie-Oyegun rejected the committee’s recommendation that another primary election should be conducted, stating it was only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that had the immunity to upturn the results of the election.

       To this end, Sen. Tinubu has called for Chief Oyegun’s resignation as the National Chairman of the party; he has employed every means and method, particularly the mass media, to ensure that he actualized his aim. Chief Oyegun who has emphatically lamented over the tantrum which he described as ‘reckless and baseless’, stated that he could not be removed on the pages of newspapers, saying there were constitutional procedures that could determine such intent.

       On Tuesday 4^th October 2016, scores of Chief Oyegun’s loyalists under the aegis of APC Democratic Youth Frontiers staged a protest at the national headquarters of the APC in Abuja to let out their grievances over what they called ‘domineering attribute’ of Sen. Tinubu. They asked the latter to limit his ‘political empire’ to Lagos State or South-West, stating that no state or region is greater than Nigeria; they further called on him to ‘either leave the party or curtail his greed’. Though the supposed beneficiary has dissociated himself from the protest, the aftermath of the august visit is still generating fathomless ripples within and outside the shores of Nigeria.

        It’s so surprising that within a short interval the APC took the mantle of leadership, the party has refused to convince the citizenry that it’s indeed the ruling party. Barely a year and plus the party was given the opportunity to lead the teeming Nigerians, its leaders have started dancing Makossa when they are required to dance to the tune of Hi-life. The same set of individuals who promised to safeguard national/people’s interest has chosen to protect only their personal interests. How do you reconcile this?

        If these highly revered politicians could engage in a ‘fight’, or wash their dirty lilies in the public, for the sake of a gubernatorial poll, one may wonder what their personalities would entail during a presidential poll. The yet to arrive 2019 presidential election would be the first presidential poll the APC would be witnessing while in power, and it’s pertinent to note that that would be when the party’s maturity would be duly tested by the electorate. Hence, its leaders need not be told that Nigerians cannot wait to embrace the aforesaid period.

        It’s even more appalling to realize that the scenario is occurring at a time everyone is deeply concerned about how the country would depart from the monster called recession; at a time we are discussing how to brainstorm, towards the anticipated economic diversification; at a period the country’s leaders are expected to think beyond politics; at a period the country is required to jettison any act of personal aggrandizement; and, at a moment, we strongly look up to the leaders with a view to fostering remedy to the lingering predicaments.

       The conflicting leaders ought to acknowledge that suchlike attributes bring enormous distraction to leadership. We are not unaware that people, leaders in particular, need to disagree to agree, but the way and manner in which this one is being paraded is truly baffling. Thus, they must note when and how best to think, talk, act, strike, or fight, as the case may be. They shouldn’t be doing things at the awkward time; such manner of attitude is an aberration, thus unacceptable. That’s time for everything.

        At the moment, Sen. Bola Tinubu is arguably reckoned to be the most celebrated and influential politician in Nigeria. However, the political juggernaut needs to equally note that a slight mistake from his person might reduce him to the least celebrated Nigerian politician unannounced. In view of this assertion, I would advise he continues playing the role of a grandfather rather than just a father. It’s time he understood that millions of people are really under his watch. Same is applicable to those who see themselves as his rival.

        If care isn’t taken, the next news we will hear is that someone has gone to court over the call for Chief Oyegun’s removal, as if the judiciary was established for the purpose of settling mere family disputes.  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

Time to Restructure Nigeria's LG System

TIME TO RESTRUCTURE NIGERIA’S LG SYSTEM

        Local Government (LG), otherwise known as the ‘third tier’ government, can be defined as a political structure under the state authority, established for a sole intent of decentralizing political power and delegation of authority. It is a platform under local committees toward maintaining law and order based on range of social amenities and to encourage cooperation and participation of people at the grassroots in order to improve their living conditions.

       The Nigeria’s LG system was set up by her local government reforms. Based on the 1976 Local Government Reforms, the Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulated the fundamental motives for establishing its LG. they are as follows: to make appropriate services and development activities responsive to local wishes and initiatives by developing or delegating such services to local representative bodies; to facilitate and bring the exercise of democratic self-governance close to the local levels of our society, and to encourage initiative and leadership potentials among the people; as well as, to mobilize human and material resources through the involvement of member of the general public in their local government, and to provide a two-way channel of communication between local communities.

       The aforementioned background has made it clear that the LG system was established solely to take democracy to the grassroots, where there is high level of vulnerable individuals. LG has, for a very long time, been regarded as the training ground for democracy. Hence, over the years, since inception, the system has been linked with the desire to promote grassroot democracy. In other words, people have learnt to see it as the last hope of a common man when issues concerning governance are discussed.

        In Nigeria, the LG system has taken different forms from one period to the other. The country had the pre-colonial experiences culminating in several traditional political systems. During the said era, such level of government was being run via the effort of the traditional rulers or warrant chiefs, as the case might be. Thereafter, there had been series of reforms in the country’s LG system. The 1976 Reform and the 1979 Constitution provided the premise on which the current LG administration was established.

        It’s noteworthy that, the LG structure comprises the councilors and the chairman of the council. The councilors are drawn from each political ward in the given LG, and they constitute the local Legislative Council of that area. Whilst, the chairman is meant to function as the Chief Executive Officer of the council area. The legislative council is liable to make laws as well as reach resolutions toward the wellbeing of the members of the council.

        By the establishment of the LG system, the people at the various council areas are expected to have a direct access to the government through their respective councilors. The councilors are required to listen to the yearnings of their constituents, and convey such demands to the council chairman for apt action to be taken. With the aid of this platform, the people find it very easy to freely relate to the government.

        However, it’s pertinent to note that lately, owing to financial instability among other anomalies, the various LG administrations across the country had not fared well. In most cases, the governors in charge of the state administration tend to boycott or truncate the allocations meant for the day-to-day running of the LG. Since the LG structure lacks financial autonomy, the administrators are often denied of their lawful entitlements. This approach, which has succeeded in abusing the system, has over the years made the platform seem moribund.

        The most devastating aspect is a situation where the governor of a state would prefer to set up transition/caretaker committees to man the various local government councils in the state, rather than conducting an election that would produce elective officers meant to manage the LGs. This very impasse, which is taking place in most states across the federation, ends up making the appointed personnel appear like the governor’s aides when they are constitutionally expected to act as chief executive officers. This is unarguably one of the greatest abuses witnessed by the LG system of government.

        For the LG system, to be viable once again, the Nigerian 1999 Constitution needs to be amended towards addressing some lingering obvious anomalies. The elections of the prospective LG administrators should be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), contrary to the ongoing routine whereby each state is entitled to conduct the said polls via its electoral agency. This measure would enable the election to be conducted as and when due without experiencing all manners of frivolous postponements and what have you, as currently witnessed in most states across the country.

        Similarly, a financial autonomy should be granted to the various LGAs, so that, they can assess their funds directly from the Federal Government (FG) as well as enable them to operate independent accounts. Before now, I wasn’t an advocate of the quest for a financial autonomy, but since it has become understandable that the system cannot properly perform if it remains under the state government, it’s needless to continue beating about the bush. To ensure credibility and prudence over management cum utilization of the funds, the various anti-corruption agencies in the country must tactically extend their tentacles to the LG level.

       Inter alia, the LG chairmen and councilors, as to be stipulated in the proposed amendment, ought to be mandated to reside at their respective LGAs, particularly at the headquarters. They must discontinue residing outside their respective LGs. Restructuring the LG system is one of the paramount ways of quitting the ongoing recessionary era. 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