Sunday 28 September 2014

Borno’s economy groans under the yoke of Boko Haram insurgency

Borno’s economy groans under the yoke of Boko Haram insurgency
A couple of years ago, Alhaji Mohammad Asheikh, 52, used to be a major transporter in Gamboru, headquarters of Gamboru-Ngala Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno.
His company — Gamboru Transport Company – then had about 15 trucks in its fleet.
However, Asheikh is now a pauper living on charity, as his once-thriving business has collapsed; thanks to the Boko Haram insurgency.
Recounting his ordeal, Asheikh said that his business nosedived after suspected Boko Haram insurgents launched several attacks on his vehicles on different routes.
“I used to be a major transporter in Gamboru; I had about 15 vehicles, mostly trailers and articulated lorries.
“Unfortunately, I lost everything within a very short time to Boko Haram attacks,” he said.
Asheikh said: “It all started in November 2013 when I lost three trailers conveying goods from Kano to Maiduguri during an attack in Benishiekh, the headquarters of Kaga LGA.
“The trailers were destroyed in an early morning attack by the insurgents, who also killed the drivers.”
He said that he lost another trailer in December 2013 in another attack within the same vicinity in Benisheikh.
“When the November attacks occurred, we asked our drivers to hold on for a while but as soon as they started operation in December, one of my trailers was attacked again in Benisheikh,” he moaned.
Asheikh said that he lost three other vehicles in a row in Mafa in January 2014.
“In January this year, I lost three articulated vehicles conveying cement to the Republic of Cameroun during an attack in Mafa, headquarters of Mafa LGA.
“I also suffered another huge loss in May when I lost three trailers at the Ngala park,” he said, adding: “The trailers were burnt while they were loading cows for transportation to the southern part of the country.
“As it is now, I have lost everything but I thank God that I am still alive,” he added.
Asheikh, who is currently taking refuge in a friend’s house in Maiduguri, said that he had been surviving on the goodwill of his friends and former associates.
He, however, noted that a number of people similarly had a harrowing experience as a result of the insurgency.
“So many people have lost their means of livelihood to the insurgency; we believe that the whole thing is a trial from God and it will end one day,” he said.
Sharing similar sentiments, Alhaji Bello Maduganari, the Chairman of the Maiduguri chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), said that several members of the union suffered a similar fate.
He specifically said that the Boko Haram violence had destroyed the livelihood of over 1, 000 members of the union in the last few years.
“We lost over 50 members between January 2013 and August 2014, due to attacks on major roads by the insurgents.
“Besides, more than 1,000 commercial vehicles were destroyed during the Boko Haram attacks,” he said, adding: “In Bama alone, over 200 commercial vehicles were destroyed.”
Maduganari, however, noted that the situation was not different in other places like Damboa, Konduga, Mafa, Dikwa and Marte, among others.
“We have large number of members who are now unemployed, as their vehicles were destroyed in the attacks.
“At present, most of them have nothing to do because they have lost their means of livelihood,” he added.
The NURTW leader said that some of the union members had resorted to begging, all in a desperate need to eke out a living.
‘In all honesty, the situation is quite terrible but we thank the state government for providing occasional aid for our members, particularly during festivities.
“Last Sallah, the state government donated bags of rice, sugar and other food items to the union; we shared out these items to our members in need,” Maduganari said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Modu Bukar, the Chairman of the Monday Market Traders Association, said that the insurgency had virtually destroyed the economic base of the state.
“As I am speaking to you now, over 3,000 traders have been pushed out of business in Maiduguri alone. Traders from Bama, Gamboru, Biu and other towns have also suffered huge losses,” he said.
Bukar, nonetheless, noted that traders in the Monday Market were quite lucky to have survived several attempts to set the market ablaze.
“The Bama market was set ablaze in 2011 and the entire structure was reduced to ashes.
“Although government awarded a contract for the market’s reconstruction, the insurgents returned several times to destroy the new market under construction,” he added.
Bukar said: “In Beneshiekh, Marte and other places, several lock-up shops constructed by the government have been completely razed.
“Even in places like Baga and Konduga, fishing villages were attacked on several occasions and hundreds of people were killed.”
Bukar lamented that the development had created an army of unemployed persons across the state.
He appealed to the Borno State Government and the Federal Government to initiate an economic empowerment programme to tackle the growing unemployment crisis.
Commenting on the issue, Dr Ibrahim Umara of the Department of Political Science, University of Maiduguri, described the situation as pathetic.
He stressed that the Borno State Government must initiate a holistic approach towards revamping the state’s economy after the end of the Boko Haram insurgency.
Reacting, Gov. Kashim Shettima said that his administration was aware of the economic problems created by the Boko Haram crisis.
Shettima said that the government was working on plans to secure a N2 billion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for small-scale industrialists in the state.
He said that the rationale behind the move was to kick-start the state’s economy by providing soft loans to entrepreneurs whose businesses were affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.
“The CBN has accepted to provide a N2 billion loan to small-scale industrialists in the state.
“Part of the money will be distributed to our businessmen in different parts of the state as loan to enable them to revive their businesses, which were destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgency,’’ he said.
Shettima said that the government will also look at the possibility of extending the loan to members of the state chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) because of their role in maintaining the state economy.
“We are also making contact with the Bank of Industry to secure a N1 billion loan for our industrialists to enable them to replenish their business,’’ he added.
The governor, however, expressed some reservations on the interest rate being charged on loans by the country’s financial institutions.
“My fears on these loans have to do with the interest element; if the interest rate goes beyond two digits, it will be difficult for industrialists to break even and still pay back the loan,’’ he said.
Nevertheless, Shettima said that the state government would take the responsibility of paying the interest on the loan, while the beneficiaries would be expected to pay back the loan only.
Also speaking, Alhaji Zanna Mustapha, the Deputy Governor, said that plans were underway to distribute 500 buses to NURTW members in the state on loan basis to cushion the effect of the insurgency.
Mustapha told newsmen in Maiduguri that the state government would also subsidise the vehicles by 50 per cent to enable the beneficiaries to achieve a breakthrough and make profits.

Police can’t find kidnap victim despite arrest of abductors

Weeks after four members of a kidnap gang were arrested by operatives of Edo State Police Command, the whereabouts of their victim still remain unknown to the police. 

Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, made this known on Tuesday in Beninwhile parading 46 suspects arrested for various crimes ranging from armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms, kidnapping, stealing, rape to defilement.

The four suspected kidnappers, Lucky Ogbeifun, Augustine Patrick, Okundia Austin and Vincent Aighobhi, allegedly abducted their victim, a woman whose identity was not revealed, with her driver on 2 September, in Delta State.

“The woman’s Toyota Prado Jeep was also driven away. Through covert itelligence, the operatives of Edo command recovered the Prado Jeep and two other vehicles and arrested four suspects. The suspects confessed to the crime,” Adebanjo said.

A police source said runaway members of the kidnap gang had demanded N80 million ransom from the victim’s family.

Also commenting on the 50 year-old man who hacked two children to death with a machete at Okha II community in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of the state last week, Adebanjo said effort was on to get the fleeing murderer arrested.
Adebanjo who thanked the media and the people of the state for their support, called for more collaboration from all to make the state safer.

Items recovered from the suspects were 20 assorted guns, 192 live Cartridges, nine vehicles and 12 machetes.

Police arraign 5 brothers over N91.5m land fraud

Police arraign 5 brothers over N91.5m land fraud
The police on Wednesday arraigned five brothers in an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, charged with N91.5 million land fraud.
The brothers are Nojimu Alonge; 65, Mohammed Alonge; 60, Tawakalitu Alonge; 65, Dalili Alonge; 54 and Bariu Alonge; 54, facing charges of conspiracy, obtaining money on false pretext, stealing and forceful entry.
The prosecutor, Insp. Daniel Akpochi, told the court that the accused committed the offences sometime in 2011 at No. 1, Stone House, Oko-Ado, Ajah, Lekki Expressway, Lagos.
He said the brothers induced one Chief Stephen Ajose to part with N91.5 million on false pretext as they made him to believe that they would assist him to secure 125 acres of land at Oreki village, on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
Akpochi said that the accused never fulfilled their business obligations to Ajose and all efforts by the complainant to recover his money proved unsuccessful.
The offences contravened the provisions of sections 52, 285(a)(b)(c), 312(b) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Section 312 prescribes 15 years imprisonment for anyone found guilty of obtaining something on false pretext.
However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Adedayo, granted bail to the brothers in the sum of N10 million each with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the case to Oct. 27 for mention.

Obanikoro is violent, dangerous – Lagos APC

Obanikoro is violent, dangerous – Lagos APC
Controversy over last Saturday’s clash between supporters of the PDP and the APC in Lagos state rumbles on, as the publicity secretary of the APC in Lagos, Joe Igbokwe labeled the junior minister of Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro a violent and dangerous man.
Igbokwe, in a statement on the clash, which led to the death of a local APC leader, Alhaji Azeez Asake, also called on security agencies to guard against impunity as the nation moves closer to the 2015 general elections.
His statement in full:
“Gentlemen of the Press, please recall that last Saturday PDP held their zonal rally at TBS Lagos, and thereafter one Alhaji Azeez Asake of APC was killed in Lagos Island by a group known to be loyal to Senator Musliu Obanikoro, a junior Minister in the Ministry of Defence. One man known as Abija who leads the group was the one that ordered one Olokodano to shoot Alhaji Asake dead has been arrested by the police and is now in police custody. Olokodano who fired the shot has not been arrested.
 
“We thank the Lagos State police Command led by CP Kayode Aderanti for this great job and we want the police to go the whole hog and get to the root of the matter. Impunity and political brigandage is enveloping the country and we need to fight it as 2015 elections draw near. Police, the armed forces, DSS, SSS, Civil Defence, our Courts, NYSC etc are institutions that we need to strengthen our democracy to thrive seamlessly in Nigeria. These are institutions needed for democracy to grow. This is the reason why we are praising the Lagos Police Command for doing a great job. The command has demonstrated in actions and deeds that police can be trusted at a time like this. The new CP in Lagos is getting it right and we need to give him a pat on the back. He had asked those keeping illegal arms to surrender them to the police in their own interest. We support this 120% beyond mathematics.
 
“On Asake’s murder, we are using this opportunity to ask the Ministry of Defence to call Senator Obanikoro to order. We repeat that we have it on records that Senator Obanikoro has been a violent politician who uses every means possible to achieve the desires of his heart positive or negative irrespective of the feelings of others. Senator Obanikoro is violent, ruthless and potentially dangerous and he sees politics as a do or die affair. This must be an embarrassment to the Ministry of Defence where he is a junior minister. Ministry of Defence works to defend every Nigerian whether APC, PDP, tribe, religion East, West, North and South etc. To use that exalted Ministry to advance the cause of the ruling party is a threat to National unity and a threat to our renascent democracy. Senator Obanikoro and his boys must be called to order. Like we said last week, Lagos APC may resort to self help if our teeming supporters cannot be protected by from excesses of Lagos PDP by those that are paid to defend the common people.

Synagogue collapse: Forensic identification, DNA analysis of recovered bodies begins

Synagogue collapse: Forensic identification, DNA analysis of recovered bodies begins

The Lagos State Government on Friday commenced forensic identification and DNA analysis of bodies recovered from the site of the collapsed building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Ikotun, Lagos.

The Commissioner for Health Dr Jide Idris, who made this known in a statement issued in Lagos, called for DNA samples from relatives.
“The State Government has considered it necessary to start forensic identification and DNA analysis of the recovered bodies in view of the need to identify each of them.
“Family members and all nationals who believed their relations could have been in the collapsed building should come forward and submit samples.
“They should come forward and submit samples that can aid forensic identification and DNA analysis of recovered bodies,’’ the statement said.
It quoted the commissioner as appealing to the families of the victims especially parents, children and siblings to visit the Department of Forensic Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.
It added that those eligible to give samples for the forensic identification and DNA analysis in order of preference were the parents, children and siblings of the deceased.
NAN

Oritsejafor is finished; CAN is damaged – Cardinal Okogie

Former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Olubunmi Okogie.

Image courtesy: Daily Post NG
Former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Olubunmi Okogie. Image courtesy: Daily Post NG
In perhaps the most stinging criticism of the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), by a past leader of the body, the former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Olubunmi Okogie, said the current president of the association, Ayo Oritsejafor is making a mockery of the association by his closeness to President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Describing him as “fallen from grace to grass”, Mr. Okogie said Mr Oritsejafor’s has also lost grip of the leadership of CAN.
Mr. Okogie, who spoke during an interview with the New Telegraph newspapers, said Mr Oritsejafor “unrighteous” quest to remain in power and his “romance” with politicians have finished him and derailed the once respected Christian body from the lofty dreams of its founding fathers.
“My brother, I must tell you this; CAN leadership today is zero. CAN has no leader,” he said.
“Thank God you are talking to one of the founders of CAN, and I was there as their leader for eight years. Then, the whole country knew that CAN had a leader, not by my own might, but by God. Because what we were doing then, we had only one voice. But the problem we have now is that people are struggling for power in unrighteous way. And because he is struggling for power, he can do little or nothing.
Ayo Oritsejafor CAN president
Ayo Oritsejafor CAN president
“And we didn’t buy the position. But this time around, because they are rushing to be in power, nobody obeys them. And look at how they are making mockery of themselves and making mockery of “religion”. Is that religion? Today, they are with the federal government. We saw the writing on the wall when we left. The very first person that took over started romancing with Obasanjo. Then one or two CAN presidents tried their best before it got to this present CAN president, Oritsejafor. This is not right. Look at how Oritsejafor has fallen, from grace to grass.”
Mr. Okogie took a swipe at the CAN president over his link with the $9.3 million smuggled abroad purportedly to procure arms and seized by South African authorities.
Two Nigerians and an Israeli were arrested at the Lanseria Airport in South Africa on September 5, 2014 as they tried to enter the country with the cash conveyed in a private jet owned by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ayo Oritsejafor.
Mr Okojie said if Mr Oritsejafor is indeed a man of God as he claimed he should rely on God and should have no business getting involved in the $9.3 million arms scandal.
“They are ready with their moneybags. Where did they get the money from? Where did they get the $9.3m that has been seized by South Africa from? They said it was to buy arms. We have to be very careful in this nation. What is the man (Oritsejafor) looking for? If you call yourself a man of God, then you should rely on God. Why should he be jumping up and down? But because he was not elected, not chosen by God, that is what is happening. Today, he wants to build a university, tomorrow he wants to be something else, next tomorrow he wants to be like other people.
He said Mr Oritsejafor is a sinking man and might take President Goodluck Jonathan down with him.
“And he is not going down alone; he is also staining the name of the Head of State. Of course, why not? If you eat with those with dirty hands, then you must be dirty.”
Criticising the House of Representatives for electing not to investigate the botched arms deal, Mr. Okogie said the deal was a clear case of money laundering and that President Jonathan and Mr. Oritsejafor should be prosecuted for their involvement in the deal.
“In fact, if I have a lawyer, I would sue them. And I am telling you that I will win. If you can tell me that if I carry huge sums of money without declaring it, that you will arrest me for money laundering, then what is this one. They were carrying all that money and it was not declared. It is a clear case of money laundering. Yet, they are the ones making laws against money laundering.”
The Catholic priest also spared some stinging words for private jet flying mega preachers in the country describing their taste for finery things as unbiblical. He said rather than surround themselves with material things; they should instead spend the money to take care of the needy in the society.
“As far as I am concerned, why are they men of God? I asked one so-called religious leader, and you know what he told me? He said, “My God is a rich God. So if yours is a poor God, that’s your business.” Imagine! So you can even see that this one can’t be called a man of God. And these are the people that tell you they can work miracles, that they have a direct telephone line to God.
“They say they can do this, they can do that, and God is watching all of us. If it were to be in the Old Testament, they would all have been struck down by God. But God is a patient God. We have to be praying for this kind of people, for them to have a change of heart. What are they looking for with jet? Another one said, “Jesus said go into the whole world and evangelise, so how can I go into the whole world, with what? I need a plane to be able to go to the whole world.”
“Even the devil can quote scripture. But did Jesus Christ say you should go and steal to go and buy plane? But now they are claiming that they were given the jets as gifts. But why can’t they spend that money on the poor? There are many Nigerians who are begging that they have nothing to eat, and yet you say you’re preaching. Preaching for what? Are there no pastors where they are going? May God not punish us according to our sins.”


Nine injured as Rivers PDP members clash over zoning of governorship seat

Wike
No fewer than nine persons were injured when disagreement broke out at a meeting of the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
The meeting was organised by some faithful of the opposition party in the state to discuss the zoning of the governorship position ahead of the February election.
The incumbent, Rotimi Amaechi, an Ikwerre will round off his eight-year tenure in May next year. There have however been agitations for the governorship slot to be zoned elsewhere particularly the Kalabari area of the state while the supporters of the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, who is also an Ikwerre are resisting the move.
The meeting held at Delta Hotel in the Old Government Reservation Area, GRA, was temporarily disrupted when the minister’s supporters arrived the venue at about 12.30 pm.
The opposition groups on the matter did not only engage in verbal punches, but also threw chairs at themselves.
Police later arrived at the venue to restore peace.
Some members, under the aegis of Concerned Rivers State PDP Stakeholders, at a press conference, demanded the dissolution of the state working committee of the party headed by Felix Obuah.
Israel Owate, the spokesman of the group, said the state chapter, led by Mr. Obuah, had been docile and that the situation made some of the members of the party to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“The Rivers State PDP has been run unconstitutionally by only a two-man executive, a situation which has made the party a limited liability company of those who claimed they incorporated it in the Abuja High Court,” Mr. Owate said.
“The running of Rivers State PDP by a two-man executive has adversely affected and disrupted the functioning of the party at the ward, local government senatorial district and state levels.
“The party does not have a proper membership register and does not have legitimate and properly constituted party officers at the various levels. This is because the PDP officers that defected with Governor Rotimi Amachi took with them PDP membership registers and confiscated some.”


Oritsejafor is finished; CAN is damaged – Cardinal Okogie

Former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Olubunmi Okogie.

Image courtesy: Daily Post NG
Former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Olubunmi Okogie. Image courtesy: Daily Post NG
In perhaps the most stinging criticism of the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), by a past leader of the body, the former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Olubunmi Okogie, said the current president of the association, Ayo Oritsejafor is making a mockery of the association by his closeness to President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Describing him as “fallen from grace to grass”, Mr. Okogie said Mr Oritsejafor’s has also lost grip of the leadership of CAN.
Mr. Okogie, who spoke during an interview with the New Telegraph newspapers, said Mr Oritsejafor “unrighteous” quest to remain in power and his “romance” with politicians have finished him and derailed the once respected Christian body from the lofty dreams of its founding fathers.
“My brother, I must tell you this; CAN leadership today is zero. CAN has no leader,” he said.
“Thank God you are talking to one of the founders of CAN, and I was there as their leader for eight years. Then, the whole country knew that CAN had a leader, not by my own might, but by God. Because what we were doing then, we had only one voice. But the problem we have now is that people are struggling for power in unrighteous way. And because he is struggling for power, he can do little or nothing.
Ayo Oritsejafor CAN president
Ayo Oritsejafor CAN president
“And we didn’t buy the position. But this time around, because they are rushing to be in power, nobody obeys them. And look at how they are making mockery of themselves and making mockery of “religion”. Is that religion? Today, they are with the federal government. We saw the writing on the wall when we left. The very first person that took over started romancing with Obasanjo. Then one or two CAN presidents tried their best before it got to this present CAN president, Oritsejafor. This is not right. Look at how Oritsejafor has fallen, from grace to grass.”
Mr. Okogie took a swipe at the CAN president over his link with the $9.3 million smuggled abroad purportedly to procure arms and seized by South African authorities.
Two Nigerians and an Israeli were arrested at the Lanseria Airport in South Africa on September 5, 2014 as they tried to enter the country with the cash conveyed in a private jet owned by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ayo Oritsejafor.
Mr Okojie said if Mr Oritsejafor is indeed a man of God as he claimed he should rely on God and should have no business getting involved in the $9.3 million arms scandal.
“They are ready with their moneybags. Where did they get the money from? Where did they get the $9.3m that has been seized by South Africa from? They said it was to buy arms. We have to be very careful in this nation. What is the man (Oritsejafor) looking for? If you call yourself a man of God, then you should rely on God. Why should he be jumping up and down? But because he was not elected, not chosen by God, that is what is happening. Today, he wants to build a university, tomorrow he wants to be something else, next tomorrow he wants to be like other people.
He said Mr Oritsejafor is a sinking man and might take President Goodluck Jonathan down with him.
“And he is not going down alone; he is also staining the name of the Head of State. Of course, why not? If you eat with those with dirty hands, then you must be dirty.”
Criticising the House of Representatives for electing not to investigate the botched arms deal, Mr. Okogie said the deal was a clear case of money laundering and that President Jonathan and Mr. Oritsejafor should be prosecuted for their involvement in the deal.
“In fact, if I have a lawyer, I would sue them. And I am telling you that I will win. If you can tell me that if I carry huge sums of money without declaring it, that you will arrest me for money laundering, then what is this one. They were carrying all that money and it was not declared. It is a clear case of money laundering. Yet, they are the ones making laws against money laundering.”
The Catholic priest also spared some stinging words for private jet flying mega preachers in the country describing their taste for finery things as unbiblical. He said rather than surround themselves with material things; they should instead spend the money to take care of the needy in the society.
“As far as I am concerned, why are they men of God? I asked one so-called religious leader, and you know what he told me? He said, “My God is a rich God. So if yours is a poor God, that’s your business.” Imagine! So you can even see that this one can’t be called a man of God. And these are the people that tell you they can work miracles, that they have a direct telephone line to God.
“They say they can do this, they can do that, and God is watching all of us. If it were to be in the Old Testament, they would all have been struck down by God. But God is a patient God. We have to be praying for this kind of people, for them to have a change of heart. What are they looking for with jet? Another one said, “Jesus said go into the whole world and evangelise, so how can I go into the whole world, with what? I need a plane to be able to go to the whole world.”
“Even the devil can quote scripture. But did Jesus Christ say you should go and steal to go and buy plane? But now they are claiming that they were given the jets as gifts. But why can’t they spend that money on the poor? There are many Nigerians who are begging that they have nothing to eat, and yet you say you’re preaching. Preaching for what? Are there no pastors where they are going? May God not punish us according to our sins.”


TERVIEW: Our govt officials don’t steal public funds; they don’t use private jets or fly first class — Swiss Ambassador

Hans Rudolf Hodel, Switzerland ambassador to Nigeria
Hans Rudolf Hodel, Switzerland ambassador to Nigeria
Switzerland is a small but an extraordinary country that has largely tamed official profligacy and has succeeded in instilling a rare sense of accountability in its leaders and people, says Hans-Rudolf Hodel, the country’s ambassador to Nigeria. As a diplomat, Mr. Hodel is only allowed to fly economy class, not business or first class, much more a chartered or private jet commonly used by Nigerian elites. There are only two presidential jets used only when a large number of officials travel.
Mr. Hodel spoke to PREMIUM TIMES’ editors in Abuja in August about his country and its administration, Nigeria, corruption, Abacha’s loot, and more. Excepts:
PT: Switzerland like Nigeria is also a Federal state, but your country appears to have been able to manage its diversity successfully?
Ambassador: This is a subject I like to talk about very much because our federalism is really a success story. There are different types of federalism even in Europe, but for me the main difference between states or nations like ours, where the federalism comes from bottom up and states where federalism is decided by the central government….
Our nation was founded more than 700 years ago when people from three different regions- what we call Cantons- decided that they want to become independent and they threw out the Habsburg, the famous family which led to the founding of Austria and the huge success led to a huge empire. In present day Switzerland, there is a Castle called Habsburg. The Castle of Habsburg is in Switzerland. The last war against them was in 1315 when they had to disappear for good.
I had to explain this because it shows that people came together and decided that “we are stronger together”, it should not be every valley for itself and it’s better to do things together. For centuries, this remained our national idea. Hundred years ago that Switzerland was created and we had for the first time, a Constitution and the basis of that constitution is that all competences lie within the Cantons. We have three levels of administration; the Federal, the Cantons, which is like the states in Nigeria and what you call local governments, to us the Communities. But the decisive thing is the Cantons.
The Cantons have sovereignty about everything; but they said if we want to be able to defend ourselves against foreign powers, France, Austria-which was very powerful too-, Italy and Germany, then we have to do certain things together, and so like in every state, what will come to mind is what will be regulated at Federal and not Cantonal level which is Defence and foreign policy.
This was the competence that was given to the Central state.
But, of course, modern development does not allow you to do too many things at the local level and that is why more and more competences went to the Federal state. Nowadays, our Federal Constitution says all competences come to the centre if the cantons agree with that. Don’t forget that each canton also has its own constitution.
So, many competences are shared; for instance under Education, we have two Federal Universities; but all lower level schools and most universities are at cantonal levels. Police used to be at the Cantonal levels, but the bigger cities also had Police, at the moment, we have only Cantonal police; we have no federal police. We have a small unit at the Ministry of Justice called Federal police, but that is just for International Relations or some crimes involving explosives, but they have no uniform, it is just for administration.
Health, also remains a Cantonal competence, we have no Federal hospitals. Social Affairs is also a cantonal competence; that means that not just that they have the authority, but also that many things are not the same in all Cantons. Each Canton decides on its own how to conduct its affairs. It’s just recently that we began to unify the school year, which is now in autumn. Before, some cantons started in spring, others in autumn. That was causing confusion for people travelling or moving within Switzerland.
Some Cantons used to have seven years as mandatory school years, but now all have nine years. So you see a tendency of having more and more things go at a federal level.
This system is also a success because it is absolutely necessary that finances go together with competencies. That means if you are in charge of social security or health, you must also have the money to do it. So, all our three levels have their own authority on taxes; When I live in Switzerland, in a community like Bern, which is my home town, I pay taxes on my income to the city of Bern, I also pay taxes to the Canton of Bern and also pay to the confederation.
All these taxes are decided by the people themselves; that is a guarantee that the tax are executed well, because if my cantonal government in charge of the Cantonal University wants to improve it and needs more money, they have to convince the population that this one is needed and if they have to raise taxes for this reason, they will have to convince them so that people will be willing to pay taxes. Imagine how many countries in the world where people will agree to pay more taxes; in Switzerland, they do.
At Cantonal level we have taxes on income and wealth, while at the Federal level we have Value Added Tax, VAT. There is also income tax at federal level, but no wealth tax at federal level. That in a few words is how our federalism is working.
PT: In the light of what you just explained, how does your country ensure that corruption does not set in whereby people in authority corner what belongs to all citizens.
Ambassador: In Switzerland, people consider public wealth as their own; so if I will use my government’s money to do private things, then I will really have the impression that I am stealing from my fellow citizens because I am also a tax payer. For instance, whenever I travel for official duties, I fly economy because it’s my taxpayer’s money. I can’t say oh! Now I have an opportunity to fly Business or even first class because it is government money.
PT: As an ambassador, you fly economy? We believe Nigerian officials fly first class.
Ambassador: Oh yes, that is why I hardly meet them, I must fly economy. The only exception is that when you are first appointed and when you are going back, that is the first and last trips; you are allowed to fly on Business.
PT: Other top officials use presidential jets?
Ambassador: No we have only two presidential jets and they use them rarely. They are mostly used when a large government delegation is travelling, like when the Minister recently came here to lead a delegation to your government.
But, none of our Cantonal Governors fly official or private jets. Perhaps it is due to the proximity between citizens and their elected representatives. They walk in the street and take the trains to work just like any other citizen. For instance if I take a train to work, I may be in the same Wagon as the Member of Parliament representing my constituency or even the Minister who also often travels to work by train. That proximity favours a high degree of accountability as well.
Secondly, the fact that we don’t have any resources coming from the extractive industry, we don’t have oil, we don’t have minerals, so that “easy money” or that easy generated revenue, if I may say, is not there. So, the wealth that is generated is through the work of the people and the higher the value that the Swiss economy has become.
Therefore, that income that is generated is easily traceable when it is spent for public affairs.
That is a very strong point because cost of living is very high, what costs a dollar in other countries, costs five dollars in Switzerland. We have to earn this money, and so we have to be careful not to misuse this money so that we don’t become poor again.
Switzerland, two hundred years ago, was a very poor country and many citizens had to go abroad because there was not enough to eat in Switzerland. We have to be better than others, or we cannot maintain our level of living.
PT: I don’t know what you call leaders of your Cantons, here, we call them governors. But my question is on the level of their vehicle convoy?
Ambassador: Never! Our system of government is the same at both federal and cantonal levels. What we have is the Ministers coming together to form a government. There is not a President. For instance, our Head of State formally are the seven Ministers called the Federal Council. One of the seven persons is the president, but he is just a primus Inter Pares, he just presides over the Council of the Ministers once a week, one is vice president, and after one year, the Vice becomes the President, and the former president becomes a regular member. This is the same at Cantonal level. The Swiss do not like outstanding personalities who dominate the office.
On vehicle convoys, there was once a big scandal, it was in all papers because the wife of the president used her husband’s official car for shopping. Our Ministers have one official car, with a regular local registration plates, and he has one driver, so that he can work in the car, but there is no police car either in front or at the back.
Sometimes, the Ministers use the train, I remember one time I was coming back for holidays from St. Gallen to Bern as a student and I saw the Minister of Finance asking one employee of the Federal Railways when the next train going to Bern is leaving, and this fellow did not know that he was talking to the Minister of Finance, and we ended up taking the same Wagon with the Minister, I was seated right opposite him.
There is no reserve compartment for any top government official or police escort in the train for anyone. They don’t have to hide or fear anything from the population because they are doing the job that the population wants them to do.
PT: Was it a shock to you when you saw how our government officials generally move about and conduct their affairs?
Ambassador: No! I have served in many countries in the world, and what obtains here is basically what happens everywhere. People are actually shocked when they go to Switzerland, because the Swiss is the exception, not you.
PT: So even here you have only one official car?
Ambassador: Yes, but it is a bullet proof car, because my government has decided that in some special countries, we should have bullet proof cars for the ambassador, but they belong to the government. But I have a private car which is normally used by my wife. But when I am in another country, we always use private cars, we don’t have official cars. I buy the car I use with my own money, and whenever I am leaving I can decide to sell it or do whatever I like with it.
That is because I have a small allowance in my salary as part of transport. It is my decision to either go by taxi or train. The only privileged I have as an ambassador is that I normally have a driver.
PT: I know diplomats hardly talk about their areas of assignment, but without sounding as if you are interfering into Nigerian affairs, are you in a position to advise Nigeria on how best to curb this perception about corruption using your experience in your country?
Ambassador: A foreign ambassador is not here to give advice to his host country; we are not allowed to speak about Nigerian politics and similar affairs. I can explain how we do it in our country without saying it is a model for the world. I find it ok for Switzerland. But Nigerians must organise their country as they think is best for them; whether it is the government that should do that or the population. It is up to Nigerians to decide what is best for you, what I have to do is my job and have to adapt to the local conditions.
I think one of our added values is that because we don’t have 350-400 languages, we don’t have 170 million people; we have only four official languages and a population of 8 million. But at our own level we have that high degree of diversity within our country as well; religious diversity, language diversity, dialect and cultural diversity with the Italians, Germans, French and Romans.
So there are similarities between Switzerland and Nigeria, albeit on different proportions. So what we can do as an embassy rather than to come and give advice is to provide platforms of interaction between our two countries so that there can be a mutual type of learning, understanding and then people are free to take whatever they want back to their own country to say for instance this and this is a good idea, let us try and see how we can implement them.
To add to your previous question, I think a lot boils down to education as well. The way Swiss people are educated promotes an element of modesty in the system. We don’t go for people who stand out, that is why we have so many famous persons, Michael Schumacher and many others who have houses in Switzerland because people leave them alone.
If they go to other countries for instance and go to the shop, there will be a crowd around them, but Schumacher for instance before he got his accident can walk to the village bakery and buy his bread without anyone disturbing him.
That is a bit of the education that we have. For instance, we fly economy because I will surely feel a level of guilt to fly business for a flight that cost $5000 in business and $1000 in economy. The thing is what value can that $4000 difference add to my country, and that has always been the guiding principle.
If I am CEO of a very large private company, that is ok, but as a public servant, a government official, it is not possible. That is the kind of mindset that we have.
Interaction is very important. I am very appreciative of this exchange we are having, especially with a medium like yours. I am really impressed by the work you do here, I have you as a favourite news source on my Ipad. These types of discussions is what will help so much, not just to you but us as well, because that way we understand our host country better.
Coming back to education, let me add that we all went to public school, our best schools are the public schools; private schools are for those students who are not bright enough to go to high school without additional teaching. For students who are not bright enough and their parents have to take them to private schools for more teaching time so that they can be able to meet up with the required standard to get to the next level. I attended public schools up to my PhD Degree.
One thing also is that it’s people like you that have that transformative power. When we read your investigative pieces which facilitated our meeting with Tobore (Premium Times reporter) for instance, going through that investigative process which brought that story out, this touches the imagination of people well beyond Nigerian borders as well. So, I think it is through such independent-minded mediums, individuals that genuinely have the good of the nation and the good of the Nigerian people at heart that can expose abuses and corruption and also hold the leaders accountable. That is what is going to change Nigeria, if Nigerians want. It is very important for us to show support to people that have the good of their nation at heart.
PT: How much of Abacha loot has been returned to the country? You also said you don’t have oil and yours is a small country; do we benefit from trade relations with you?
Ambassador: Wherever I go in Nigeria, whoever I meet and who is a little bit linked to Media, we can discuss football, we can discuss art, handcraft, but every discussion we had, all lead to the Abacha question. This appears to be the real question and my answer is standard. In 2007 the Swiss government gave back 700 million Swiss Francs through bilateral agreement because we wanted to make sure the money does not disappear again.
So we had an agreement between Nigeria, the World Bank and Switzerland. The World Bank was guaranteeing that the money was used for the good of the people and that is it, all money is given back. Sometimes people mix up things. There was discussion about a son of Abacha who apparently lived in Europe; but the 700 million Swiss franc which is about $800 million Abacha money has been given back seven years ago.
On trade relation, it is mostly in favour of Nigeria. It is about $600 million export value from Nigeria, while we export about $220 million. We export mostly chemicals, pharmaceuticals and machinery.
For Nigeria, it’s sad to say, it is 100% oil and it is a pity because I travel a lot in Nigeria. In less than two years I have been to 27 states and I see that you have huge agricultural potential. Unfortunately, wherever I go, I see all these people trading on the road. Nigerians have the tendency to like trade and not that much for production. So, the potential that Nigeria has is not yet fully used such that the export structure of Nigeria is also reflecting that and, especially with Switzerland, it’s only oil. In that sense, Nigeria profits from our trade relations.
PT: You talked about oil, a lot of the commodity trades are based in Switzerland, and I am sure you have been following reports in the last two years about how the NNPC here has been largely colluding with Swiss traders to basically rob Nigeria of its resources. What is the Swiss Government doing about that?
Ambassador: About two to three years ago, we found out that there should be a better control, but you know it is difficult. The activities of some of these companies are not very transparent, some are based in Geneva but most are in foreign hands.
Switzerland is trying to convince these companies to certain rules that we are developing with other countries. There are also private initiatives such as the famous voluntary principles for instance; we have always tried to convince not only traders in Switzerland, but have also tried to convince Nigeria to join such initiatives.
Netherlands, UK are also active. The goal is to force them to have more transparency and to respect the rules in the countries where they are active. These rules are not just economic, but also involve human rights, including the rights of the workers, and that is what we can do. We cannot interfere directly in their day-to-day businesses because our economic system is that companies have to behave and obey the rules.
A lot of these issues that have now come out between the NNPC and Swiss-based companies were actually revealed by a Swiss civil society, which is also a testimony of the accountability monitoring and investigation of Swiss citizens and civil society. The government is very aware this represents a challenge for our image, so we are working closely with both the civil society and the private sector to try and address this.
One of the challenges is by enforcing rules and regulations, while legislating. It is difficult to do so if there is no international consensus and harmonisation on similar types of legislations and rules and regulations.
If Switzerland, whose economy is significantly dependent on a number of these major multinational companies, both for taxes and employment; Switzerland has become a hub; and if such legislations are imposed in Switzerland, it is easy for some of these companies to move out and go to either London, Singapore or wherever and to keep doing what exactly they have been doing, and then at the end of the day, we have put ourselves off site. So, a lot of what is being done now is to work together at multi-lateral level in order to harmonise some of these rules and regulations. There is a lot of bi-lateral agreement between the Swiss government and a lot of these multinational companies to work jointly on increasing the standards and respect for human rights and security in the conduct of their operations, making sure that whatever is decided at the headquarters is felt throughout subsidiaries that are operating on the ground especially in fragile countries.
So, there is a whole number of initiatives that Switzerland is spearheading. Of course one of them is the voluntary principle on human rights and security and another one is called the International Code of Conduct for private security companies and many others, but within our banking system and other companies that are operating in Switzerland.
As part of these initiatives, issues such as the Abacha case cannot come up again because we now have the Right Money Strategy programme in banks, which stipulate that the real owner of the money is always known; and the banking secrecy at the international level does not exist anymore. The idea was helpful for the development of the banks, but now we have seen that it aids criminals. The idea of the banking secrecy which still operates at the national level says that the authorities have no right to interfere in the affairs of the people. Authorities can only do so if one is seen to be spending may be 100% more than he earns and there is suspicion that he might be involved in criminal matters. That is just for people living in Switzerland, but at the international level, it doesn’t work like this, there is no banking secrecy anymore.
PT: Still on the Abacha thing, when you entered into an agreement with the World Bank and the Nigerian Government, are you aware then how the money was spent?
Ambassador: Yes, we have seen the report; what I can say is that it was not possible to do that in the sense of a project work. It was for financial regulation in Nigeria which was of course the responsibility of Nigeria. It was entrenched into the official budget of the Nigerian government. But the World Bank then checks in the field. For instance, where there is no university and one is set up there through the provision of schools, so we can say indirectly that this money helps in the building of schools which otherwise the Federal government would not have built.
There was a report, I have seen it once. I have not read it, it is rather thick. It was plausible we wanted to do a good job with the Nigerian government and there was cooperation because the situation was such that there was illegal money in Switzerland, but there was no government to claim it. This case cannot happen again.
A lot has also been achieved in terms of transparency and being reactive to situations. For instance, Switzerland was the first country to block the funds of former Tunisian president Ben Ali and Egyptian president Mubarak as well. There are serious efforts of legal and mutual assistance between the two governments now to return this money.
Sometimes it is difficult because when you are talking about countries in transition like in Egypt, where you have the election of Morsi and he is thrown out and a new one comes, so it becomes difficult to sustain a process of mutual legal assistance and a transparent process of returning money. Who do you return it to? Sometimes, a lot of efforts is also done to carry out paper work and often takes time and it is sometimes interpreted to mean Switzerland wanted to keep the money, which is absolutely always not the case.
Also there is a limit to how long the Swiss government will continue to block the money. For instance, if the government blocks a money on suspicion of being a proceed of crime, it will only be for some time. If the Nigerian government does not approach us to say such money was stolen from us, please help us to recover it; if Nigeria doesn’t do anything about it after three months, we have to give access to the account back to the owner; even if we know it was stolen. In the eyes of the law, it is the property of a civil person.

Lagos police gets new spokesperson

Lagos police gets new spokesperson
The Nigeria Police Force has appointed a new spokesperson for the Lagos State police Command. Kenneth Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, replaces Ngozi Braide from September 25th.
Braide, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was the first female Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State.

She  assumed office on June 11, 2012.

Braide has since been deployed to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti-Ya