COVID-19 IN NIGERIA: WE SAY NO TO CHINA INTERVENTION

Can the world ever trust China again? Would Nigeria romance with the prime suspect of the current global crisis (COVID-19)? How can we? In 2012 China handed over a fully funded and built headquarters building in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to the African Union (AU). A great gesture of friendship and solidarity, perhaps. But not long after, it was alleged to have been bugged, leaking vital, confidential information of the Union to China in faraway Shanghai! True or false, the Union had to change its computer servers to check the alleged mischief. But issues of health are different. Misfiring means losing a life, or even lives. On a national scale, that can amount to thousands. Painful loss. Avoidable loss. The authorities must tread with caution here. Face masks, test kits, ventilators, vaccine and doctors - all from or of China. Hmmmm, caution we must exercise. Until now we have been using our indigenous doctors, and they have been doing well. WHY CHANGE THE WINNING TEAM? Please let us DISCARD this idea of Chinese intervention. WE DON'T NEED IT. Let us stay safe Stay indigenous. Stay Nigerian We shall overcome

Saturday, 21 February 2015

President Jonathan’s performance on INFRASTRUCTURE

Deterioration of infrastructure is a perennial problem anywhere in the world. This is because of use of such facilities. In Nigeria, for example, roads go bad often. This has been attributed to various factors, including poor maintenance culture by government. Infrastructural decay is, of course, political opponents’ weapon to attack sitting governments. That therefore admits that infrastructural decay did not start with any particular administration, though has to be tackled by all. Let us then see how far the present administration in Nigeria has performed infrastructure wise. This article (and subsequent ones on Jonathan’s performance) is edited from many published online or posted on Facebook. They may not be exhaustive.    Infrastructure may be looked at under various headings. They are:

  Power:

a)      Released the Roadmap for Power Sector Reform which defines objectives as Capacity Expansion, Improved Service Delivery, and Obviating bottlenecks to Private Sector Participation.
b)      Instituted the Presidential Action Committee on Power (PACP) and the Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP) to drive the implementation of reforms in the power sector.
c)      Privatized the power sector, unbundling PHCN into 11 distribution companies (DISCO’S) and 6 generation companies (GENCO’S) and a single transmission company (TCN), and positioning the sector to respond adequately to growing power demands. The sale of PHCN’s assets was the largest and most transparent privatization transaction in Nigeria to date.
d)      Secured $3 billion for investment in transmission capacity expansion through 2018.
e)      Improved stability in electricity generation and distribution. Power generation increased from 3,514MW in 2011 to 4,500MW. This is despite acts of sabotage by unpatriotic elements who vandalize power installations according to the Minister of Power, Prof. Nebo, in a ministerial media chat.
2        Roads:
a)      Some 2,000 kilometers of road were built or rehabilitated by the end of 2013 - the highest in a single year by any government.
b)      Increased good and safe length of Federal Roads from about 52% (17,742km) to nearly 85% (28,320km). This includes the Lagos-Benin expressway, Abuja-Lokoja expressway, Enugu-Abakiliki expressway, Onitsha-Owerri highway and most parts of the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway.
c)      Deployed 38 state-of-the-art Bergkamp FP5 Mobile Pothole patchers for year-round road repairs.
d)      Introduced the SURE P Public Works Programme, which trained and hired more than 6,000 Nigerian youths to maintain and improve the country’s road system.
e)      Installed street lighting along usually dark urban stretches of Federal highways and major bridges across the country. 
f)       Commenced construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge between Onitsha and Asaba to relieve the pressure on the old Niger Bridge which was completed in December 1965. This is funded through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
g)      Launched the rehabilitation of the 127.6km Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
h)      Enabled the ongoing rehabilitation of the Oturkpo-Oweto Road in Benue State, Otukpa-Anyangba-Ajaokuta-Okene Road in Kogi, Ningi-Yadagumgume-Fuskar Mata Road in Bauchi, Wukari-Takum Road in Taraba and Benin-Shagamu Expressway in Edo State.
3        Water:
a)      The Jonathan administration has revitalized the 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) nationwide.
b)      Completed the Greater Makurdi Water Supply Scheme to supply 50 million litres of water per day to nearly one million people in Makurdi.
c)      Completed the Mangu Water Supply project, which supplies more than 2.5 million gallons of clean water per day to the residents of Gindiri and Mangu township in Plateau State
d)      Completed the Northern Ishan Water Supply project, which provides 2.5 million gallons of clean water per day to the communities of Uromi, Ubaiaja, Ugengu, Ugboha and Iguben in Edo State.
e)      Brought the massive Galma Dam water supply project to 85% completion. This project will supply 186 million cubic metres for potable water to residents in 23 towns in Kaduna State.
f)       Brought the Kashimbilla Multipurpose a Buffer Dam Project 65% completion. This project will supply 60 million gallons of treated water per day to citizens in Taraba State.
g)      Brought to 35 percent completion the Central Ogbia Regional Water Supply project, which will provide potable water and sanitation to 16 communities in Uteke, Bayelsa State.

4        Railway:
Revival of the comatose railway system of transportation in the country is happening under the current Goodluck Jonathan administration.

a)      Produced a 25 Year Strategic Vision for Nigerian Railways.
b)      Rehabilitated the Western Railway Corridor: Lagos-Ibadan-Ilorin-Jebba-Minna-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano, with a branch line from Zaria-Kaura Namoda.
c)      Rehabilitated the Eastern Railyway Corridor: Port Harcourt-Aba-Umuahia-Enugu-Makurdi-Lafia-Kuru-Bauchi-Gombe-Maiduguri, with branch lines from Kafanchan-Kaduna and Kuru-Jos.
d)      Modernized the Abuja (Idu)-Kaduna Standard Gauge rail line.
e)      Rehabilitated and constructed the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Standard Gauge rail line.
f)       Rehabilitated the Apapa Port railway network.
g)      Procured 29 new locomotives and 20 new tank wagons.
h)      Refurbished 240 coaches and wagons.

5        Dredging of the River Niger:
This very essential service, neglected by past administrations, has been carried out to facilitate sea travels.

6        Air Travel:
This administration is minded to make whatever means of transport Nigerians choose to travel through, safe. There is re-modelling, beautification and standardization of airports across the country. In addition to that, aircraft from Nigeria are now allowed to fly directly to the United States of America instead of going through many stopovers in Amsterdam and some other European cities along/in the route. The Akanu Ibiam Airport in Enugu was upgraded into an international airport, directly connecting the South-East region of the country to the outside world for the first time since independence.

7        Communication:
 As of the second quarter of 2014, the number of registered active telephone lines in Nigeria stood at 130 million out of a total of over 170 million telephone lines. Due to favourable economic policies, Internet penetration in Nigeria has now increased from about 45 million in 2011 to 63 million in 2014, overtaking countries such as the United Kingdom and France in the process. What this means is that more people now use the internet in Nigeria than in the UK and France. Introduction of the Nigerian electronic identity card (e-ID card), one of the most secure in the world and the largest in Africa. The e-ID card serves as both an international identification module and an electronic payment solution.
We will look at another area in our next publication. God bless you.



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