mishaelnungkop

CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT

By: Nungkop Mishael

It is clear to me now that they (APC) don’t even believe in the “change” themselves.
Voted into power by 15million Nigerians, and after about one and a half years (1year 4 months to be precise) the change hasn’t “began”, they are waiting on me and the remaining population that didn’t believe in them to “change” the nation.
I’m a patriotic Nigerian, I love how I have operated, if I ever would like anything changed, it is the government, this present government, that I would like to change. And I wouldn’t hesitate once it is time.
Stop complaining that what has been done in 16 years can’t be undone in 1, 2, 3, 4 years. I bet two tenures wouldn’t be enough, except if Buhari and his Ministers would give us a time in-view when this change will begin, it does matter whether I change. Except if they are taking us for a ride of our lives.
The following is imperative if APC must bring the desired results.
“The new “Change Begins with Me” campaign has provided the most definitive evidentiary proof yet that the Buhari government is one giant bait-and-switch scam. Bait-and-switch scams are kinds of confidence tricks where unsuspecting customers are lured into (or “baited” to) an attractive, often too-good-to-be-true, offers. Once the customers’ interest is sufficiently piqued, sustained, and won over, the terms of the offer change (or “switch”). Buhari and APC baited Nigerians with a promise to “change” the country. After Nigerians swallowed the bait and voted them into power, Buhari and APC have “switched” and now say the “change” begins with everyday Nigerians who voted them into power, not they who promised it. That’s straight-up dupery. So next time overfed, recession-proof, morally bankrupt bureaucrats—or their unthinking automatons— tell you that change begins with you, not the current government that rode to power on the strength of its promise to bring about “change,” tell them they’re shameless bait-and-switch scammers!”

By: Dr. @Farouq Kperogi

AGAIN
“Change won’t begin with me when ministers have DSS officers shine their shoes in public. When army generals are above the law. When staff verifications deprive government workers of several months’ pay. When choice FGN agencies hire big men’s children and other job-seekers are asked to work as farm hands.
Change will begin with me after it begins with the APC and its leaders. After the presidential fleet is reduced at least by half to cut costs. After governors stop taking charter flights in a recession. After government intervenes to reduce food price for the sake of low income earners. Change will then begin with me.” By: Nura Alkali

Read further,

“APC in 2016: the damage of 16 years cannot be reversed in one year.
APC in 2017: the damage of 16 years cannot be reversed in two years.
APC in 2018: the damage of 16 years cannot be reversed in three years.
APC in 2019: the damage of 16 years cannot be reversed in one term so give Buhari a second term.” Prof. Moses Ochonu

AGAIN:

“The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, has frowned at the slogan of the national re-orientation campaign tagged, ‘Change Begins With Me’ launched in Abuja on Thursday, saying the project is aimed at blaming Nigerians who are only victims of the mode of governance perpetrated by the incurably corrupt political class that has held on tenaciously to political power in the country till date.”
Mr. Debo Adeniran, the Executive Chairman of the Coalition, said, “it’s disappointing to hear government’s attempt to transfer the blame of its daily unveiling failure on the victims of its apparent incompetence and seeming cluelessness in the face of a very challenging time.”
“One would have expected that by now, with the precarious state of the country, the government should take full responsibility for the roles required of it by leading with example and boldness instead of blame-shifting and expressions of frustration.”
“Yes, there is the dire need for Nigerians collectively to understand the background to the present situation of the country and the attendant sacrifices required of Nigeria and Nigerians to wade through the storm, but the present government’s excuses and false pretenses belie its so-called change agenda, to put it bluntly.”
“The task to rebuild our country is very daunting, no doubts about that, but the present regime knew this before it got to power. To continue to insult the collective intelligence of Nigerians with narratives that are apparently designed to disguise the lack of political will needed to abandon the ways of the old by the political class is totally provoking and unacceptable.”
“Nigerians had expressed and in a very ‘revolutionary’ manner for that matter, on March 28, 2015 when they voted massively for President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the Presidential elections their will and readiness for real change! Need we remind the government that reality before it realizes that the ball is in its court to bring the change Nigerians voted for to bold relief? What fundamental change has the government demonstrated beyond mere sloganeering and governing on the basis of false pretences? Adeniran queried.”
“For crying out loud the Presidential Fleet of about 11 aircrafts that was being maintained by the former regime which the present regime promised to reduce is still intact in spite of the humongous costs it takes to maintain them, yet it is the poor that must pay to maintain the unnecessary fleet that has been argued to be the most expensive to maintain in Africa! And this is in a country where the political class keeps convoys of expensive vehicles just to move an individual around; own choice properties all over the country and outside, where the political class’ dogs enjoy better humanism than the poor majority who are the real humans,” he continued.
The anti-corruption crusader, concluded, by advising the Government to move beyond excuses, rhetorics and repeated failed promises, saying, “that is the only way that government can lead by example and express in reality its claim that it understands the pains of the masses. The ordinary Nigerians in their majority are the sole victims in the subsisting scenario; they want their country to be salvaged and are ready to play their part in achieving that, transferring blame on them is unfair. It represents serious un-seriousness on the part of government in terms of its responsibility.
“Therefore we say, ‘Mr. President, the change begins with you and your government, Sir!’” Source: Daily Post Nigeria
From the Peoples Parliament

“First Get Rid Of The Log In Your Eye; then You Will See Well Enough To Deal With The Speck In Nigerians Eye”. CHANGE BEGINS WITH BUHARI AND APC.

Some History, please read:

“Your Excellency Sir, Change starts with you.

_____________________________

Change was your idea not ours.

Change was your manifesto, we do not have a manifesto

Change was your mantra, not ours

Change was your magic word

Change starts with you.

We did not vote us into power…

We voted you into power because we bought into your Change mantra.

Change you sold.

Change we bought.

And Change we want.

Change we can touch, Change we can feel, Change we can relate with, and Change that has a human face. And we want it from you.
Show the light, we will find the way.

In 1937, when the Great Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe( Owelle Osowanya Onitsha) launched The West African Pilot newspaper. He chose a very special motto for it.

“Show the light and the people will find the way”.
Zik knew leadership is everything.

The very idea that ‘Change’ starts with the led and not the leadership can be best described as an abdication of responsibility by the leadership.

That was the utopia Carl Marx preached, but as he also found out, it took the intervention of the ruling class in the person of Frederick Engels for his ideas to be heard.

There is no known historical precedent where the people led the change paradigm without the leadership.
I have ruminated through my books on political and economic history. There is no known reference.

The closest was the French Revolution of 1789, and if you take a closer look, it was not even started by the Proletarian class. Danton and Robespierre were not ”the masses”.

Every dramatic, and drastic change witnessed from the 19th to 20th century across the globe has been top down.
Nnamdi Azikiwe studied it quite well in his Renascent Africa, and came to the conclusion that “Show the Light, and the people will find the way”…

Chairman Mao failed woefully in China because he believed change could come from the people that was why he launched the Cultural Revolution.
But it took Deng Xiaoping to show that leadership is everything when he manipulated the ”unseen finger” that has pulled over 600 million out of poverty in the last 30 years.That is leadership!
Cuba withstood the world’s blockade, suffered all sorts of indignities, yet gave their people one of the best education and health care services in the world. It took the leadership of Fidel Castro.
General Park knew this quite well when he set out the policies that encouraged the Chaebols in South Korea.You can describe him as a dictator, but he laid the foundation for the take off of a prosperous Korea.
Today I am writing this with a Samsung mobile device thanks to the foresight of General Park, hose daughter incidentally is the present President of South Korea.
Lee Kuan Yew is an evident testimony that change can only be effectively and efficiently launched top down. He enumerated everything succinctly in his well received book, From the Third World, to the First World. Singapore today is a living testimony to that.
Mahathir Mohammad pointed out that principles can be replicated. He learnt from what happened in neighbouring Singapore, and helped steer Malaysia in same pathway.
Can we take a loot at what leadership caused in Chile, that is today well referenced as the Chile Miracle? The bringing in of the Chicago Boys who helped drew the economic blue print that led to the emergence of the first rich society in South America? This too is a well documented case study.

What of Dubai?
Was it the poor people of Dubai that caused the change or the Sheikh who pursued his dreams inspite of contrary views from ‘knowledgeable folks’….today, the Dubai experience has been duplicated in Qatar, Oman, Bahrain etc etc…and in each case, it took leadership.
Brazil already has an economic growth template initiated by President Cardoso while he was the Minister of Finance. But it took Lula Da Silva to take Brazil to global prominence.
Now let us come home to Africa.

Botswana has always been described as an oasis in the midst of poor leadership, mismanagement and chaos. Was it the Batswana people that engineered the change process or the leadership of Ketumile Masire who followed in the footsteps of the first President of the country Sir Seretse Khama. He mentored Festus Magae, reputed as Africa’s incorruptible leader. Is Botswana today not regarded as Africa’s most stable country, with the continent’s longest continuous multi-party democracy. It is relatively free of corruption and has a good human rights record.
Look at Rwanda, just 20 years ago, it was the most destroyed nation in the world. Go there today. It is a model, walk through the streets of Kigali, it is the neatest city in Africa. Even Rwandans dont even walk around dressing haggardly. Interact with them to check out their level of patriotism. Check out their growth rate and how today they are the most respected African country at international diplomatic circles.

Look at Ethiopia, hitherto known for poverty and hunger…today it is the driving force in the Africa rising story. They are building a massive 8000 km railways criss crossing the entire country.Their airline is the most profitable state run airline in the world, and the rate of infrastructure development is second to non in sub Sahara Africa.
I can go on and on….

I can also go into Europe and give examples where just one man or woman came up with an idea, sold it to everyone, and ensured everyone is part of it.
Even democratic Germany survived the economic crises of the last decade because of the leadership of Angela Merkel.
In the United States, and at different times in their history, we have seen the emergence of someone who took the bull by the horns, and steer the nation from economic doldrums to prosperity.
It started with Thomas Jefferson.

Then we had Abraham Lincoln

Then Franklin Delano Roosevelt whose astute leadership ensured Americans elected him four times as President even when he was bedridden. We had John F.Kennedy, whose dream was to put a man in the Moon. We also had Ronald Reagan

Bill Clinton, and ofcourse Barack Obama. These leaders stood out.
In the UK we had men like Winston Churchill whose words, just words boosted hope in time of despair, and whose wisdom helped save an entire continent.
In France we had men like Charles de Gaulle. He was France, France was him. He was affectionately described by the French as “Celui qui dit non”

Your Excellency Sir, show the light, and the people will find the way!”

LEADERSHIP IS EVERYTHING.” by Kelechi Deca

Ovie Anthony Papero wrote:

(Very instructive)
“Change must begin with Buhari

Change must begin with Budget padding.

Change must begin with Solomon daunlog.

Change must begin with declaring how much have being recover so far.

Change must begin with naming those that loot our treasury.

Change must begin with Dogara.

Change must begin with saraki.

Change must begin with Bringing back the girls.

Change must begin with Remita.

Change must begin Osun state that has no single commissioner.

Change must begin with state that have refuse to do LG election for years.

Change must begin with steady power supply.

Change must begin with reducing president fleet.

Change must begin with stopping nepotism.

Change must begin with reducing your salary by 50%..

Change must begin with Burutaigate

Change must begin with conclusive election.

Change must begin with reducing fuel price.

Change must begin with CBN selling dollar at 197 for manufacturers and not pilgrimage.

Change must begin with all our leader.
Pa Buhari you can not preach change from the bottom to the top for us, we demand change from top downwards.
What have Pa Buhari sacrifices?
We buy fuel for 145, does Pa Buhari buys?

We pay house rent, does he pay?

We earn below a dollar, He earns above a dollar.

We pay PHCN bill, does he pay?

We pay tax, how much does he pay?

We pay for medicals, does he pay?

We pay for schooling , does he pay?
Why not let your leadership be by example?
In conclusion:

After all is been said and done, it is instructive for us to go back to the words of Chinua Achebe “the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership.”
In the final analysis, I must say here that APC Leadership must take responsibility seriously. Nigerians have changed since the day they voted your party into power.
Remember, change is Constant and i will not hesitate when the time comes.

TELL THE PRESIDENT OF CAMEROON TO FREE FOMUSOH IVO FEH |By: Mishael nungkop

He was just about to start university in Cameroon, where he lives. But an SMS message changed everything.

One day, Ivo received a text message from a friend, saying: “Boko Haram recruits young people from 14 years old and above. Conditions for recruitment: 4 subjects at GCE, including religion”.

His friend’s message was a comment on how difficult it is to find a good job without being highly qualified – joking that even Boko Haram (an armed group) won’t take you unless you’ve passed five high school subjects.

Ivo forwarded the message to a friend, who sent it to a friend in secondary school. A teacher saw the text, having confiscated the phone, and showed it to the police. Ivo, his friend and the young student were all arrested sometime between September and December 2014.

The charges against them include trying to organize a rebellion against the state. Right now, they are in prison facing a trial in a military court and a 20-year prison sentence.

Demand that Cameroon drop all charges against Ivo and let him go.

Copied:

Follow the link and https://www.change.org/start-a-petition?step=ask&utm_source=petition_show and sign the petition to #ReleaseFomusohIvoFeh

Signup with amnesty international and help someone get a life. https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/write-for-rights/?viewCampaign=58373

All You Need Is Love (The JAMs song)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_You_Need_Is_Love_%28The_JAMs_song%29?wprov=sfla1

PREPARING OR DECIDING FOR A POLITICAL CAREER?

PREPARING OR DECIDING FOR A POLITICAL CAREER?
Are you young and deciding about a career in politics? Then this might just be for you!
If you have passionate opinions and are enthusiastic about enacting positive change, working in politics can be an appealing career option for you.
There are a variety of ways to start a career in politics. You need to build a solid educational foundation, seek out volunteer experience and internships, and familiarize yourself with the kind of paid jobs available to those starting out in the field.
Getting Educated

Before you can begin a career in politics, you should strive to know the ins and outs of the legislative process. Pay attention in school. Be genuinely interested in history and civics classes; they explain the basics of the three branches of power in the Nigeria’s government: legislative, executive, and judicial.
The legislative branch is comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives. They’re responsible for making the laws at the federal level, and the House of Assembly members serves that function at the state(s) level.
The executive branch, the president, vice president, and cabinet at the federal level; the governors, their deputy, along the commissioners at the state level, carry out/execute the laws.
The judicial branch is the Supreme Court, the high courts, made up of the Chief Justice, Judges, appointed by the president/governors as the case may be and approved by the Lawmakers. The Supreme Court evaluates the laws.
Do not just learn about the basics of national politics. Familiarize yourself with your own state’s system. Oftentimes, politicians start by running for positions in the state or local government. If possible, get involved in your local political scene. Volunteer for a campaign or political party in your area.
Choose a field of study related to politics; Any of the social sciences is equally good.

When you reach university, your field of study is important. There are a variety of majors that help you prep for a career in politics. A political science degree is one of the most popular degree paths for those interested in a career in politics.
You build knowledge of political philosophy, learn how public policies are formed, and study how government bodies operate in Nigeria and other nations. You also learn about social issues such as warfare, poverty, and global inequality, good governance, development etc.
A degree in public administration may provide more hands-on skills. You learn about public policy, fundraising, budgeting, government decision making, and community analysis. If you’re seeking to work in a local community, or work directly with a specific community, this could be a great major for you.
International relations might be a good major if you hope to get involved in politics on a global scale. You will get a detailed introduction on the basics of law, world history, international relations, and how these issues come into play in negotiations and partnerships between countries. Warfare, trade, diplomacy, and poverty will be issued discussed while you pursue an international relations degree.
Communications could also be a good degree path and could serve you well as an elective, if you’re interested in a political career. Communications degrees focus on public speaking, marketing, journalism, and rhetoric. A degree or minor(elective) in communications can give you specialized skills you can use to become politically involved in the world of journalism or news.
Develop skills related to politics. As you pursue your education, work to develop certain skills that are vital to a political career. Communication, both written and spoken, is an important skill to have if you work in politics.
You will have to communicate with a variety of other people in any political office and also write or proofread legislation and draft proposals, press releases, and more.
Taking English classes or getting a job on a campus newspaper in college can help with your communication skills. The ability to collect and analyze information is important, so make sure you’re an excellent researcher before launching a political career. If you’re a student, many professors may need research assistants for their own work. E-mail around and see if anyone is willing or able to hire you.
You can also stock up on coursework where research papers are required to complete a class.
You can also look for job or internship where you would be responsible for researching certain topics for an organization, politician, or professor.
Gain computer skills. In an increasingly digital world, proficiency with a variety of computer programs is vital to success in the political field.
Take computer classes in college and build your computer skill set so it contains a wide range of computer programs. Check with #N_Hub if you’re within Jos, #PlateauState .. they’re a good place to start.
Look for internships and jobs that require you to build upon existing computer skills. Download certain softwares and teach yourself the basics by using online tutorials.
Making Connections

Volunteer: The easiest route to begin a political career is to start by volunteering. The connections you make as a volunteer could lead to bigger opportunities down the road.
Get involved locally. Find a grassroots organization or non-profit that shares your passions and political interests. Such organizations are almost always seeking volunteers and even small office tasks can help you further your career. A willingness to work hard will reflect well on you down the road, and you may eventually be offered a job or an internship.
Volunteer each election cycle. Political campaigns are always in need of volunteers during election periods. You can go door-to-door spreading information about a candidate, call supporters asking for donations, and help register people to vote in the upcoming election. Simple office tasks in local campaign offices or headquarters are also much appreciated during this time.
Election seasons get very busy in the political world, so this is the easiest time to find meaningful work as a volunteer.
Stay in touch with anyone you meet while volunteering. Someone who supervised your a campaign activity/work during a presidential election can be a reference you use while applying for a job or internship.
Network:

Networking is vital to the political world. When it comes to finding jobs, it often comes down to who you know. Strive to network as much as possible during your political career. Try to work in an area where you can interact with major political players. Work in your state’s capital, where you’ll have a chance to meet state senators and representatives.
If you want to work in say Abuja, try to get involved in the area so you can make connections to people who work there as well. Keep regular correspondences with anyone you’ve worked with professionally.
If you’ve interned or volunteered with anyone, stay in touch with them periodically. If you use your social media responsibly, adding contacts on Facebook could be a good way to stay in contact.
You can also send out occasional e-mails. Keep them as a contact on LinkedIn and like and comment on any new skills, jobs, publications, or other honors they post about. You want these people to remember you down the road as your connections with them could help your political career or a job in the future.
Look for internships:

Internships are an important stepping stone into any career path, but especially one in politics. If you’re a tertiary institutions (college, university, polytechnic student…), you can ask an adviser or counselor about where to best apply for internships. A good adviser should be able to direct you to websites that list internship opportunities based on your interests and areas and may even have a few personal connections to share with you.
There are also international intern opportunities like the Young Africa Leadership Initiative where you can learn valuable experience and take classes while gaining real world experience. If this is something you’re interested in, ask your college adviser about how to integrate such an experience into your education.
If your college or university has a career center, pay a visit and have your resume critiqued. A strong resume is vital to landing a good internship. If you’ve recently graduated, some internships may still be available to you. Such internships may even pay or offer a small stipend. Keep your eyes out for good internships on job forums and LinkedIn.
Join Twitter. Twitter is a social media platform used heavily by politicians. If you want a career in politics, it’s important that you have a Twitter account. Many politicians use Twitter to make political statements and interact with voters.
Following a politician you admire on Twitter might allow you to interact with that person without having actually met him or her. Forming connections on Twitter is a new form of networking. As Twitter is such an important marketing tool for politicians, potential employees may ask for your Twitter handle on a job application. It’s important to maintain a clean, profanity free Twitter page and post appropriate content. Good content for a political job would include tweeting about issues important to you and sharing news articles, op-eds, and essays about current events and politics.
Learn about the different political career paths:

Once you’ve gained some experience in the field, familiarize yourself with a variety of different political career paths. Paid positions for those starting out in politics include the following: Campaign staffers manage political campaigns and perform duties like writing speeches, conducting research, preparing candidates for public speaking events, forming media strategies, and supervising volunteers.
Field representatives are staff members that work in district offices monitoring meetings, coordinating events, and acting as a liaison between city, council, and district officials. You will be the voice of a politician or organization as a field representative, so it’s important to have excellent communication skills.
Legislative aides are aides assigned to cover specific issues or areas for a politician or political party. You will write memos and press releases, meet with lobbyists to discuss the issues you’re assigned to, and track legislation. This job is research and analysis heavy.
Legislative corespondents work mostly in the media. You would manage all media, such as press releases, op-eds, speeches, and newsletters, related to a candidate or political party.
Run for local office. Getting some kind of position in a local office is a great way to kickstart a political career. While you will likely not land a position in the state senate the moment you graduate college, something small like being on local government legislative council can help with a resume when you begin looking for jobs.
Getting your name on the ballot is a topic for another day. Meanwhile, you must know that the rules for political parties and also for campaigning are very important factors to be familiar with. Figuring out how to do so is where you’ll put the research skills you’ve developed over the years to test. Carefully consider the position you want to run for, based on your career goals. Prepare for a lot of time and money. Running a campaign is timely and costly, but can be worth it as being an elected official is a great stepping stone for a political career. You may need to do a great deal of fundraising in order to successfully launch a campaign, so plan well ahead of time. Clean up your social media and be aware of any potentially damaging information about yourself. Even minor infractions, like getting caught drinking underage, can come up in a campaign, especially if it’s competitive. Be prepared to address any issues that might upset your voters and supporters.
Land an entry-level job. Politics is a competitive field. It might be hard to find that first job, but there are things you can do to increase your likelihood of getting hired. Start a professional blog. In an increasingly digital world, having a blog you can link prospective employers to that you update regularly is a huge plus. You don’t have to have a huge following. Just show employees you’re a self starter who’s committed to the field of politics.
You can include your opinions on different political causes, link to relevant articles, and respond to current events. Be specific about what you want. Oftentimes, a resume includes too much experience and is not focused in on one area. If you want to work in political journalism, stock your resume with any experience related to writing, copy editing, and communications. Leave out campaign work or put it towards the bottom under “additional experience.” Use your alumni status. If you graduated from, say, #PLATEAU STATE UNIVERSITY BOKKOS, UNIVERSITY OF JOS, find PLASU Alumni organizations or Uni Jos Alumni organization. People who automatically know and respect your educational background are more likely to give you a chance that someone who went to a school in a different part of the country.
Go back to old connections. If you volunteered at a grass roots organization throughout college, contact them. Even if they’re not hiring at the moment, they could keep your resume on file and call you back later. They also might know similar organizations that could use someone with your skill set.
Be prepared to move:

Politics is a dynamic field and if you’re serious about working in the industry, you need to prepare to move around if necessary. If you want a higher paying job, you may have to switch locations. Jos is the primary location if you want to work in Plateau politics. If you want to rise in ranks, start saving money to move to Abuja as you gain experience in the local political scene. You might also have to relocate frequently if you get a campaign job.
Oftentimes, working on a political campaign means following a candidate from place to place. You might have to change locations every few months, which means you’ll have to make certain sacrifices. It can be hard to keep do certain things and having a spouse, or a significant other who would like to have you around can be difficult during campaign years.
Nungkop Mishael Salamu

C.E.O/CONSULTANT

SPECTRUM Political Consultancy

spectroomconsulting@gmail.com

07016781339

THE MINISTER OF POWER WE NEED|By: Nungkop Mishael S.

Nigerians live, breathe, feed, study and procreate in darkness. This no doubt is unbefeating and undesirable for any people in civilized societies.
I believe strongly that what is missing isn’t the resources (endowment) to put things in order; but the “man power” in the person of the Minister of Power of our country Nigeria.

What then is desirable of a Minister of Power in Nigeria?

In my thinking:

1. The Minister of Power befitting for a nation like Nigeria, owing to the reality on ground should be one who is equal to the task of giving Nigerians what is due; what resources goes into that ministry.
2. The Minister we need is and should be that sacrificial, tough, meticulous and sincere leader that will lead Nigeria out of darkness.
3. We Need A minister of power who will read power, think power, speak power, dream power, write power, advocate power &
4. A Minister Power only, and not be distracted by other business of equal importance requiring equal attention such as the Ministry of Works, and that of Housing.
The Need for power in order to attain any national Vision like Nigeria’s V20:20:2020, The NEEDS, SEEDS, LEEDS etc, cannot be over emphasized.

• We all know that the engine of life the world over, is the uninterrupted electrical power supply.
• We also know that there is a very strong link between the per capita consumption of electrical power and the state of physical advancement of a nation. This means that if the energy consumed per person in a nation is very high, more industries will be working, which leads to a strong nation.
• The inadequacy in the supply of electricity on the other hand means all the artisans and several commercial and industrial outfits would not be able to contribute productively to the national development through their various trades. The attendant results are the evident poverty and lack of development at all facets of the economy.
• Inevitably, if all things remained the same, Nigeria would have to forfeit/give up her dreams as contained in the Kuru Declaration Vision20:20:2020 of becoming one of the greatest 20 economies of the world by year 2020 in 20 years time from the time of articulation of this Vision at the dawn of the Millennium.

Finally, considering the above, I will like to call on the Federal government to relieve the Federal Minister of Power, Works and Housing of the added responsibilities of Administering Housing and Works ministries in order to concentrate on the work of power and thereby leading Nigeria out of darkness.
By: Nungkop, Mishael S.

GRAZING RESERVESOR CATTLE RANCHING DEBATE.

STOP!

Can you all STOP?
Okay Those against the Cattle Grazing Reserves Bill which is still under debate in the National Assembly Have Won.
THEIR ARGUMENT Seem superior. The problem is that they’re not sure if the proposed policy is that of a Cattle Grazing Reserve or of a Cattle Ranching Policy. Until that is sorted out; I think they have a point which I believe we all are now familiar with. Something about an ulterior motive the Bill seeks to achieve at the end of the day when passed into law. Furthering of “Northern Hegemony” and of such others having religious colorations…

It may seem like a reason good enough to be dogged about rejecting government’s program(s) in its totality. Yet, it may be as a result of other reasons.
Because of our plurality as a people, it is evidently and clear too that camps exist, that we are divided either along political ideologies (if there are any idealogies in our politics) or ethnic, religious and our territorial borders as the case may be. We now have (informally): the Leftists-pro government, the Liberals I would say in one camp and the Rightists, the Conservatives, the Illiberals on the others; whom I think are in the opposition. The rest of the population leans on either of the two depending on whose argument they hear and believes first.

This is, on a first degree good for us, if we disagree sometimes and agree with each other on our terms (those we claim) of doing greater good for the majority.
The sad news is the part where unhealthy rivalry and unhealthy opposition and extreme swings; which the stalwarts of both camps are guilty of. Those whose defense for their principals and hate for that of the other camp knows no end. Sheer gullibility and hypocrisy manifest in acceptance as right and never wrong even if it is whatever comes from ones “party”. And rejecting whatever emanates from the other no matter how credible.

A PIECE OF THOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTISTS
Maybe you should seek to understand how this policy will work and what it potends for Nigeria and Nigerians at large. Maybe the protestations would’ve been understood better should you educate your readers of not just superior arguments but objectives ones.
You seem to be opposing something you don’t have much information on or clarity about and therefore some people wouldn’t understand your position and your protest. Your fears remained perceptive, energy sapping and exhausting on your part as it will prevent you from understanding the perspective of the Bill before the National Assembly, Bills don’t translate into laws overnight or on their own. Don’t employ emotions or biases may set in. Don’t for the sake of opposition of the government of the day in Plateau state; for whatever reason; political or otherwise you treat people who shares a different perspective or take on the policies of government from that held by you. “In politics, there are no permanent friends; neither are there permanent enemies”. Very true!

Please, seek to understand the ‘facts’ of and in the Bill, not speculations about the entire Bill from reliable and accountable coffers like your Representatives in the National Assembly and the Senate.

It is better you express your dissatisfaction or support for a Bill still subject to debate in such manner than is befitting of civilized people than what has been the case lately in/on social media platforms.
Let our Representatives (That is if they really represents us at all) do their job.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHT FOR BOTH CAMPS.

As a people I believe inside of us all is goodwill and strengthen and passions for the good of our state; that is the one thing I can say is genuine and undefeated of umanipulatable about us. We all must be as calm and collected as we can. From what has been going on; we have been fighting over a Bill, an egomaniacal fight that has injured our fragile relationship as brothers. Worse is when it turns into insults and a kind or “Cold War”.

It is about time to Stop all this Noise and Talk the TALK. One to another as brothers.
A THOUGHT FOR THE LEFTISTS:

Whatever happens, we are in this together. If Lalong Disappoint PLATEAU PEOPLE; there’s NOTHING you can DO TO FIX IT or help APC retain or return to power.
GOD Bless Nigeria!

GOD Bless Plateau State!

DEALING WITH THE CHALLENGE OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATE: AN ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING NATIONS LIKE NIGERIA.

DEALING WITH THE CHALLENGE OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATE: AN ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING NATIONS LIKE NIGERIA.

Recently I read about the Zimbabwean Dollar, there is in print The $100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar banknote, with the Zimbabwean Dollar Worthing only USD $1 = 30,000.00 ZD. I couldn’t stop wondering what must have led to that HYPERINFLATION!
Nigerian financial institutions CBN, particularly must learn from the U.S Federal Reserve way. The US Dollar $ hegemony did not result naturally someone must’ve acted…

It wouldn’t be a catastrophic experience with Nigeria if something is not done by the right people.

For instance, the following impacts of the CBN’s extremely restrictive foreign exchange policy is a concern as raised by: #Proshare

• A significant reduction in manufacturing output given that many of the products on the list of the 41 items with forex allocation restrictions are intermediate goods, which are critical inputs to several manufactured products;
• Lower profitability and higher production and operating costs;
• Higher crdevelopment.lts with foreign suppliers due to the lack of forex to settle obligations;
• Increased inflationary pressures;
• Higher unemployment due to the closure of several manufacturing companies; and
• Negative perceptions of the country as an investment destination.
What the Nigerian government is trying to do is to pursue an import substitution strategy/policy. This was widely advocated by Third World Writers (Dependency school of thought) import substitution industrialization, the idea behind ISI is that countries that have been reliant on importing products (usually by more economically developed Global North countries) will instead decide to focus on their own production of products that they formally imported. This will not only make these countries less reliant on outside states’ finished products, but the goal is for them to also build their economy through industrialization.

They are policies that attempt to reduce foreign dependency of a country’s economy through local production of food and industrial products. Import substitution policies advocate replacing imports with domestic production. It is based on the premise that a country should attempt to reduce its foreign dependency through local production of goods, mainly industrial products. Many Latin American countries implemented import substitution policies with the intention of becoming more self-sufficient and less vulnerable to adverse terms of trade.
Import substitution industrialization is “measured” by a change in the ratio of imports to the total availability (imports plus domestic output) of a single product or category of products. If this ratio falls over time, then import substitution is said to take place in that particular sector” (Bruton, 1989).
While there are arguments for the benefits of import substitution industrialization, there have also been criticisms related to state-adopted ISI policies. For example, one of the biggest critiques is that with ISI, the state often nationalizes companies, and then protects them from the international markets. While this can be seen as a positive as it pertains to allowing those companies to grow and develop, one drawback is that “import substitution industries create inefficient and obsolete products as they are not exposed to international competition” (Sanderatne, 2011). With governments protecting domestic products, their willingness, or need to ensure a top quality product are not necessarily ensured, given that they no longer have to keep on an even playing field. By being protected with high import tariffs into the country, local products will have an easier time being sold, even though the same products might be inferior to international products.
Thus, government authorities restrict imports to certain essential goods while the currency is devalued to make imports more expensive and exports attractive. The economy faces budget deficits due to government spending on industrial investments outpacing its revenue.

More money is printed to cover the budget deficit, thereby stoking inflation, making domestic goods more expensive and reducing exports further.

One example is India’s import substitution strategy between the 1950s and 1980s. The Indian authorities were pessimistic of the country’s ability to boost its export earnings and decided to embark on an import substitution policy.2 It implemented a range of import bans, quotas, high customs duties (sometimes as high as 200%), and harsh foreign exchange restrictions.

These protectionist policies led to a decline in India’s share of world export markets from 2% in the early 1950s to 0.53% 40 years later due to loss of export opportunities. India also faced balance of payment problems due to the growth of its import substituting industries, which required large quantities of imported raw materials, machinery and capital goods.

Another consequence of import substitution was the creation of inefficient and obsolete products that could not compete in the international market.

There were also instances when import substitution worked well in a country. Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector recorded increased production due to import substitution policies.

Protectionist policies led to the increase in production of rice and several food crops . However, it is important to note that import substitution sup-ported by input subsidies, effective marketing plans, guaranteed prices and research.

These policies become viable if it is complemented with government support and adequate infra-structural investments.

Import Substitution in Nigeria: Import substitution is not new in Nigeria as several past administrations have attempted various import substitution strategies. Some of these include the 1972 Indigenization Decree, which led to the development of the petrochemical plants, the iron, steel, textile, breweries, agriculture and cottage industries, and the establishment of assembly plants that used imported processed materials in the automobile and cement industries.

Though these at-tempts met some degree of success, it is mainly the cement industry that has been able to fully actualize the benefits of import substitution. Nigerian cement companies not only meet local demand for cement, they also export cement to neighbouring African countries.

In 2012, the Jonathan Administration introduced the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) in order to enhance local production of goods that were imported as well as chart a comprehensive course for turning Nigeria from a country that only exports raw materials (crude oil) to one that has a solid manufacturing base.

The current Buhari Administration has repeatedly stated its intention to revolutionize agriculture, manufacturing and overall infrastructure. The decision by the current administration to implement this highly comprehensive and strategic NIRP, developed by the past administration, should help reposition the country’s manufacturing industry in the medium term.

The case for import substitution is strong given data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). In 2015, Nigeria spent approximately N1.6 trillion on importing “boiler, machinery, appliances”, N1.3 trillion on “mineral products” and over N600 billion on “vehicles, aircrafts and associated parts”. Spending such huge amounts to import has led to a dearth in local manufacturing and a steep decline in the foreign exchange earnings conserved.

Though import substitution has the benefit of increasing domestic employment, enhancing resilience against global shocks, conserving foreign exchange and protecting domestic infant industries, it is not without its drawbacks.
Nigeria’s protectionist and import substitution strategy of import bans, quotas, and the restriction of foreign exchange allocation to the importation of select items are reminiscent of India’s import substitution blueprint. The blanket policy approach of banning or restricting the importation of a wide range of intermediate goods and finished products without ascertaining the feasibility of producing such items has led to increased production costs and rising inflation.

Given the need for Nigeria to reduce its over reliance on imports and improve its global trade competitiveness, it is imperative for the country to have a feasible plan to lower its import content and develop its export potential.
Despite the merits of import substitution and protectionism of local industries, choosing such an economic approach underscores a lack of clear economic vision. The current import substitution strategy in Nigeria seems to be borne out of fear and capricious thinking rather than clear economic rationalization. For instance, the CBN’s shutting official access to forex for the importation of selected items uses import substitution as a smokescreen for the real exchange rate issue of currency misalignment and forex scarcity facing the country.
In addition, rather than have a blanket policy towards import substitution and trade controls, a case by case approach that limits the importation of goods based on a comparative advantage analysis should be used. In essence, a temporary import substitution for select commodities in which Nigeria has potential comparative advantage should be pursued.

The country should also have an export-oriented economic vision to spur growth and development while also reducing dependence on imports. Countries such as Japan, South Korea and China that have used an export promotion approach attained a fast rate of economic growth despite beginning from a state of underdevelopment. This outward-looking strategy to development has led to growth not just in primary products and raw materials segment, but also in manufacturing.

Additionally, incentives and governmental support are required for successful reduction in import content and export development. The success in the development of the cement industry to its cur-rent state, where it is dominated by local cement manufacturers that also export, can be replicated in other sectors.

This is especially necessary in agriculture where government can provide subsidized financing, inputs and machinery. There could also be incentives to attract foreign investors as they respond positively to favourable trade and forex policies. It is critical to make the business environment attractive to foreign investors so that they can bring their capital, technology, managerial and technical experience to the country.

A combination of temporary selective protectionist restrictions, innovation, governmental support, human capital development and an effective export-driven master plan is required to catalyze Nigeria’s economic and industrial development. This will save Nigeria from the claws of import dependency.
Pat Utomi argued, We need more education of the people to understand these things and good representatives from the government side are needed.

“The political parties have an important role to play. They have failed in their duties to educate Nigerians on policy direction, on basic discipline for achieving sustainable development.
Utomi challenged the nation’s leadership to urgently embrace PPP for the interest and development.

It is important to heed to all calls as it will afford government the opportunity and knowledge needed for better decisions making.

Her heroes may fallen into the hands of the wicked ones in the night;

Yet her glory shall be testified of by her grands and even her great grandchildren…

Nigeria, Your
blood freshly flow in my veins.

Your dreams I share Your story I tell . Your pains I know.

You give me a reason to live.

You give me reason to FIGHT To protect your children, your
unborn children, Your grandchildren & your great
grandchildren too.

Help me O God! AMEN…