Opinion I On The Controversy Trailing NASS' Pay Package

ON THE CONTROVERSY TRAILING NASS’ PAY PACKAGE

        

There are three major arms of government in any democratic terrain to include the executive, legislature and the judiciary. The legislature, which is our subject matter, is a group of people with the power to make and pass laws. We aren’t unaware the crucial and inevitable role of law-making in every existing country across the globe, hence Nigeria isn’t an exception.

       

Nigeria operates a bicameral system of legislature, whereby the country’s legislative responsibilities are shared among two separate assemblies. They are regarded as the Upper (Red) and Lower (Green) Chambers otherwise called the Senate and the Federal House of Representatives, respectively.

       

It’s noteworthy that a bill can originate from either chambers but cannot become law until it has been duly passed by both as well as assented to by the President. However, constitutionally, the Legislature can override the President’s veto, if both assemblies agree to do so with a two-third majority vote of its overall members after thirty days.

        

In recent times, many in various quarters have opined that the bicameral legislative mode being operated in Nigeria is an epitome of bureaucracy. According to them, the system has bedevilled the country’s financial status. This has overtime ensued tremendous debates among concerned citizens both home and in the Diaspora.

        

It seems the set of Nigerians with the above notion was vindicated penultimate week. In the period in review, during his interaction with the TheNews Magazine, the lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Shehu Sani reportedly disclosed that each of the legislators in the Red Chamber goes home every month with N13.5 million as ‘running cost’ allowance. He further informed that that was in addition to the N750,000 monthly consolidated salary coupled with other allowances the senators invariably receive.

        

It’s worthy of note that ever since the shocking revelation was publicly made, the colleagues of the whistle blower have began to condemn such an abrupt gesture. In their words, they could not expect Sen. Sani to act as the Spokesman of the Senate let alone ‘misinforming’ the people. Having claimed that the notice was false and unfounded, they feared that it could make their respective constituents lose their trust in them.

        

It is apparent that Sen. Sani who is a well known activist may have spoken against the wish of his colleagues. Little wonder they reacted in a displeased mood, stating that the said legislator had brought his ‘silly’ activism cause to the Senate. But, the question is; why did they think it wise to refute such information that bears an element of truism? Does it imply that they are not only seeing Sen. Sani as a ‘silly activist’ but an insane lawmaker?

       

This is exactly reminding me of the case of Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin who sometime ago equally blew a whistle in the legislature, the Green Chamber though. At the time, Hon. Jibrin disclosed that the country’s 2017 budget was ‘padded’ by his fellow legislators. In consequence to the unexpected avowal, his colleagues ganged up against him and subsequently succeeded in suspending the poor lawmaker who was seemingly standing alone.

        

In the same vein, Sen. Sani’s colleagues are ostensibly making a frantic move on how to silence him. They are perhaps of the view that relegating the whistle blower to the background would enable them to discredit his confession. Whatever move they intend to make, they ought to acknowledge that the actual figure, which has long been shrouded in secrecy, has eventually been divulged.

         

A discussion has been on that some persons venture into politics for service whilst a few others do so for self. I cannot concur less with the belief that several Nigerians participate in the aforementioned profession for the sake of the latter. This is the reason, for instance, a lawmaker having collected his/her constituency allowance, rather than using the fund for what it is meant for, would end up siphoning it into his personal purse.

        

Our politicians are really taking advantage of the civil servants. In other words, the former is obviously cheating the latter. How could one reconcile the fact that a lawmaker that sits at intervals and also goes on a recess is entitled to a bogus monthly allowance of N13.5m or thereabouts while a civil servant that works on a daily basis receives a minimum wage of N18,000? No wonder a Nigerian politician, on the average, is apparently ready to kill just to win an election.

        

Each day, we are being reminded that Nigeria is passing through recession, yet the pay package of a certain group of workers is enough to revive the country’s moribund refineries as well as resuscitate her dying institutions. The acknowledgement of such occurrence does not in any way bring hope for the weary citizenry. Hence, the time has arrived for us to take our future into our hands.

       

The public servants, particularly the political leaders, must take into cognizance that they were only mandated to plough our land, and not to plunder it. Think about it!

 

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

 

   

ShortStory I Greater Day Ahead

GREATER DAY AHEAD

        “When would this suffering end?” Uzo soliloquized. “Or, could it be for eternity?”

         Uzo whose father died four years back after a brief illness when he (Uzo) was barely thirteen, was lamenting alone right in his family’s bedroom. He was obviously an exemplarily brilliant chap who was about sitting for his Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) which included WAEC and NECO. Apart from his academic excellence, he was an out-and-out child every parent wished to behold.

         Uzo who happened to be the first child among him and his four siblings, was residing in Lagos State with his family. It’s noteworthy that the whole family was living in only one-room apartment. That was where they had been managing since two years back life became tougher and unbearable than it was.

         What actually prompted the above lamentation was owing to the fact that the poor boy was yet to register for the aforesaid exams because the needed fund was not available. What else could he do than to wallow in anguish?

         His mother, Ugonma who just obtained her National Certificate in Education (NCE) via in-service programme was a primary school teacher, and was in Grade Level 5. She actually entered the Civil Service few years back with her Senior School Certificate. Life wasn’t in any way easy with her; taking care of a family of six including herself was not unlike asking a palm wine tapper to ensure that he produced at least five kegs of palm wine from a particular palm tree on a daily basis.   
         Indeed, the poignant state of the family was seriously telling on every of its member.

        “God,” Uzo called sorrowfully. “Please, come and rescue me from this unending bondage.” He cried, looking at the ceiling.

        “Why can’t I be like Musa?” He wondered. “Or, Segun?”

          Musa and Segun were his classmates whose parents were well-to-do; their respective drivers drove them to school daily. Just like the saying invariably goes ‘all fingers are not equal’.

          Hence, he kept on wondering if his own world was different from that of his aforementioned colleagues, but more pitiably, his candid questions were left unanswered.

         He therein began to sing frantically. He was an ardent singer since his childhood. In his church, he happened to be one of the gifted and respected choristers in spite of his tender age.

         The soliloquy continued unabated not until his mother who was busy in the kitchen entered the room to checked on him having sensed his absence, unknowingly to her that her precious and lovable son had almost committed suicide.

          Uzo’s face coupled with the pillow that was lying on his thighs was covered with fathomless tears. He was helplessly sitting on a bed.

         “Uzo...!” His mum exclaimed as soon as she walked into the room, hastily walked to the bed and sat very closely to him, tenderly placed her left arm on his shoulders. “Uzo my son.” She soberly called.

         “Mum,” He managed to dish out.

         “Why are you doing this to yourself?”

           It was on Saturday morning at about some minutes past nine O’clock, and a very sunny moment. His siblings were as usual busy catching their funs outside.

         “At 17, you are not meant to bother yourself so much about things of this world.” Ugonma asserted, paused.

           He adjusted himself a bit.

         “Besides,” She rode on. “That you are poor this year 1994 doesn’t imply you remain poor by next year.”

        “Who knows if I would be alive till next year?” He thought aloud.

        “Stop saying that.” she scolded. “Where does your faith lie?”

          Uzo remained calm, couldn’t utter a word.

        “Is this what I have been teaching you?” she queried, frowning. “I keep telling you that God knows everything we are passing through in this family.”

          He seemingly became sober.

        “And only He knows the expiring date.”

          His calm posture that abruptly metamorphosed into a pensive countenance was really absorbing the opium.

         Ugonma’s pious nature had obviously helped in her children’s upbringing. Each day that passed in the family was loaded with the needed recipe as regards faith uplift. That was the only gold the poor widow could offer them come rain come shine.

         “That you are yet to register for your SSCE does not mean you won’t sit for the exams.” She faithfully assured.

          This time, Uzo became stronger emotionally and psychologically.

         “Don’t worry,” Ugonma continued. “God will surely provide the money, okay?”

           He nodded passionately as he remained seated on the weary bed.

         “So, wipe your tears.”

          Ugonma who was only putting on a single purplish wrapper, partially untied it and used it to assist him in wiping out the tears in his face.

          Thereafter, she made effort to rise him up from the bed and he complied accordingly. “Come and help me in the kitchen.” she urged the moment he rose.

        “Okay mum.” He wholeheartedly concurred without hesitation.

          To be continued, please.

 

Fred Doc Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

2348028608056
Twitter: @mediambassador 

 

Opinion I Imo Government, The Church And Imolites

IMO GOVERNMENT, THE CHURCH AND IMOLITES

        

The last time I checked, there was a perceived rift between the Imo State Government led by Governor Rochas Okorocha and the Catholic communion in the state’s capital under the leadership of Archbishop Anthony Obinna.

       

The difference seemed to have emanated penultimate month from a certain burial ceremony that held in the state, precisely Owerri North LGA. In the said event, Archbishop Obinna was reportedly spotted in the church lamenting over all the perceived ill activities being carried out by the Gov. Okorocha-led government otherwise known as the ‘Rescue Mission’ Administration.

         

In a swift reaction to the lamentations, the governor’s allies therein allegedly assaulted the clergy. It’s noteworthy that the Archbishop had afterwards publicly refuted the rumour that his person received an assault from the aides of the state’s number one citizen. Notwithstanding, the spokesman of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese in the person of Rev. Fr. George Nwachukwu, on his own accord, insisted that his principal was actually assaulted.

         

I could not reconcile the two distinct public speeches separately given by the religious leader and his subject. The two different press statements were obvious indication that someone somewhere was trying to play prangs on the people. Please, don’t get my assertion twisted, because the truth of the matter remains that something is definitely missing somewhere.

        

However, some concerned Imolites have opined that the archbishop’s press release was not unconnected with the clergy’s intent to forestall likely societal upheaval or chaos. In other words, he might have foresaw that an uproar would ensue if he aligned with the report that he was assaulted, or even insulted, by the protégés of the Imo Governor.

        

At this point, I wish to candidly ask; who is really misinforming who? How could the archbishop clarify the people that he was never assaulted and his ally would on the other hand disqualify his boss’ notice? I’m still trying to fathom what exactly went wrong.

       

Be it as it may, I want to sincerely analyze what transpired in the church during the aforementioned burial ceremony. It was gathered that the archbishop, having aired his view, handed the microphone over to a certain politician believed to be of the extraction of the opposition political platform, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). And the political juggernaut therein began to pour out series of criticisms targeted to the APC-led government right before the congregation as well as the lying corpse.

        

When I got the news, I didn’t hesitate to ascertain if a requiem Mass was in the long run converted to a political gathering. How could a place designated for last respect to be paid to a deceased person be eventually used for political jamboree? Honestly, if I were the person in the casket, I would have without much ado become a living being just for the purpose of descending on whosoever that derailed in the process, because such a gesture was a slap on the soul  of the deceased.

         

I won’t hesitate to declare that the governor’s supporters equally derailed on that fateful day. How could an individual in his/her right senses think of insulting an ordained man of God let alone making it public? Such attitude of theirs was an eyesore, to assert the least. Even if the archbishop wasn’t assaulted as claimed, the fact remains that there was an attempt to abuse his priesthood.

         

No matter the provocation, a conspicuous attempt to humiliate an anointed individual is enough reason to scold whosoever that thought of such an act talk less of displaying it. Anyone who fails to condemn such manner of retaliation in its entirety is actually concealing evil, hence deserves to be scolded too. The best thing they could have done at that point was to leave the scene if they were really hurt. After all, two wrongs do not make a right.

        

Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that this piece was not informed by some persons’ quest to aggravate the perceived existing rift between the church and the state’s government; rather, was necessitated by the need to mediate between the ‘warring’ parties with a view to bringing an everlasting end to the ongoing uncalled melodrama.

        

I’ve chosen to remain mute all these while because I don’t like to speak or react when many are still talking. No matter how long it took my pensive pen to react, the fact is that I cannot claim ignorance of such serious issue trending in a state in which I’m a stakeholder. It suffices to say that I’m bound to do the needful whenever such a matter comes into play; and the needful is to play the role of a mediator come rain come shine.

         

Hence, at this juncture, I’m earnestly appealing to all concerned to endeavour to sheath their sword. What Imo need right now is to face a subject matter that would usher in nothing but absolute oneness. The people of the state are already divided owing to political interests, thus we shouldn’t harbour anything that could bring further division among us. The Eastern heartland is at the moment seriously in search of harmony and peaceful coexistence among her people.

        

Everyone or any human creature is arguably an affiliate of the church. This is the reason anything that affects the church, in one way or the other, equally affects the human race. So, we wouldn’t want the church to be aggrieved with the government because we cannot cope with her ‘venom’ which she may vomit when pushed to the wall.

       

All in all, not minding who had wronged who at the burial ceremony, or so far, I enjoin the governor to swallow his pride towards ensuring that an unalloyed apology is tendered on behalf of his allies or the government in general. This is the best way a formidable harmony can be actualized among every party involved. Think about it!

 

Comrade Fred Doc Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

___________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador