What Buhari Must Do with $1bn Boko Haram Fund

Ring True

By Yemi Adebowale; yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com; 07013940521 (text only)

The $1 billion war chest approved for President Muhammadu Buhari from the Excess Crude Account is more than enough to put an end to the Boko Haram mess in Nigeria. Yes, the Senate is insisting on vetting the approval before expenditure. Some governors are also querying the approval from the ECA. At the end of the day, patriotism will prevail. I am optimistic that Buhari will jump this hurdles and push out the money. $1 billion is enough to get positive result on the war front anywhere in the world, if wisely spent.

If our President is genuinely interested in ending the Boko Haram war (those profiting don’t want an end), he should use this $1 billion to hire the best mercenaries from Israel, South Africa and Russia. If he is patriotic enough to take this decision, within few months, Boko Haram will become history. With this kind of money, these mercenaries will storm the North-east with highly sophisticated war manpower and the most modern fighter jets/attack helicopters. Any leader that is genuinely interested in ending the Boko Haram madness must look in this direction.

If Buhari hands over this special $1 billion war chest to the current managers of this conflict, this country won’t get any result. The biggest challenge Nigeria is facing in this war against Boko Haram is that most of those managing the war don’t want it to end. These heartless people are profiting immensely from the blood of our gallant soldiers and that of innocent Nigerians. This is why soldiers on the war front are being cruelly denied operation allowances. This is why our gallant soldiers are ill-equipped and ill-motivated. As long as the war is on, there will be more money for these coldblooded war managers. This is the truth that must be told about this war against Boko Haram.

I have persistently clamoured for the return of mercenaries because we all saw their impact when they were briefly used by the Jonathan administration. Buhari came and unwisely sacked them. This country must employ the best fighters from anywhere in the world to end this trauma called Boko Haram. The ultimate aim is to decapitate Boko Haram. The Theatre Commander of the counter-insurgency operations in the North-east (Operation Lafiya Dole), Maj-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, was honest enough to admit that the war against Boko Hara is sagging. He remarked last Saturday: “We have been losing our equipment and men to Boko Haram, I cannot tolerate this.”

This unnecessary embarrassment for this country on the war front continued last week when the terrorists ambushed some United Nations humanitarian workers and soldiers escorting four truck-load of food on the Dikwa-Ngala Highway. Four people were killed, while the four trucks conveying food for IDPs were hauled away. The rise in the ambush of humanitarian workers is creating a palpable air of unease between Nigeria and the UN. That was why the UN warned that it could affect its intervention and assistance to the needy in the North-east, where there has been a resurgence of attacks and killings by the sect in the last 30 months. “We must ensure the safety of aid workers and aid convoys across the North-east of Nigeria, so people in need of assistance can access it in a timely manner and in sufficient quantity. Many lives are at risk. Violence against convoys carrying humanitarian aid is unacceptable,” said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon.

It is so sad that the terrorists are still everywhere and moving around freely in the North-east. I can’t forget the attack on a military post in Sasawa (Yobe State), during which 18 soldiers were killed. What about the attack in Magumeri town, Borno State, in March during which the military outpost in the town was sacked? The terrorists overpowered the soldiers, with most of them fleeing. What about the killing of 69 oil explorers and soldiers in Borno State few months back? What about the terrorists boldly showing the video of 14 women abducted in Dalwa on June 20? What about the humiliation of our soldiers in Gashigha, Mainok and Malam Fatori? The University of Maiduguri was repeatedly attacked this year, resulting in the death of innocent people, including a professor of veterinary medicine, Aliyu Usman Mani. Never in the history of this institution has this much pain been inflicted on its staff and students. This horrific list is endless.

Our gallant soldiers are capable of beating Boko Haram if well-equipped and properly motivation. They are capable of protecting humanitarian workers if well-equipped and properly motivation. Unfortunately, the managers of this war have failed these gallant soldiers. These war commanders have become businessmen. This is why this country has been losing grounds to Boko Haram. The terrorists still hold territories and control at least three local governments in Borno State, from where they launch attacks on soft and hard targets. If Buhari hands over this $1 billion to these war managers, the anguish in the North-east will continue.

On the flip side, it is very sad to note that the Buhari administration has not shown practical sincerity in this war against Boko Haram. I was shocked with his approval of a provocative tenure extension (unusual 3rd term) to the service chiefs leading this war. These service chiefs have obviously failed our gallant soldiers. So, Buhari decided to reward them for failure? This is preposterous. If our President is desirous of progress, he has to retire those at the top hierarchy of this war and appoint fresh hands. The likes of Gabriel Olonishakin, Tukur Buratai and Sadique Abubakar must make way for new hands in the interest of Nigeria. They must make way for war managers who would invest more in technology, intelligence gathering and welfare of soldiers. Above all, we should be thinking about hiring the best hands from anywhere in the world to prosecute this war. This is the only way forward for Nigeria.

Now That the Paris Club Party is Over
This year, most state governors that owe civil servants huge salary arrears were only able to pay few months, using the Paris Club refund. The amount disbursed to states under this scheme was over N1 trillion. Unfortunately, a large part of it was diverted by our squandering governors, thus, making it impossible for them to sufficiently reduce accumulated wages. Well, the bad news for these governors is that the Paris Club party is now history. The final tranche has been released and I wonder what these lazy governors will now use for salaries.

It is depressing to see governors that have failed to meet the rudimentary responsibilities of paying civil servants as and when due, and providing basic infrastructure in their states, bragging around the country and junketing all over the world. These people are not worthy of being called governors. They have, by their actions and inactions, turned these hapless entities into failed states. Many are so incompetent and lazy to think of creative ways of motivating economic activities in their states and generating funds. They are so happy going to Abuja monthly to collect handouts (which they eventually squander), instead of spending quality time with forward-looking Nigerians to fashion out how to make their states viable. Industries and industrial estates are dead in many of these states. Many have great untapped agricultural potential that can make them viable, yet, struggle to survive.

So, the industries are not there and commercial agriculture is in comatose. How then do they intend to make their states viable? Allocations are dwindling with huge unpaid bills; yet, our governors live big and operate with a retinue of aides. Irregular payment of salaries has impoverished civil servants, forcing some of them to resort to begging in order to survive the hardship foisted on them, while the governors and their cronies live big. At a point, religious organisations were distributing food to traumatised civil servants in Osun State.

It is shocking to see many of them travelling around the world with a large entourage in the name of looking for foreign investors. Many will still remember Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State travelling to Turkey with about 100 people “to study Turkey’s industrial prowess”. Governor Ahmed Abdulfatah of Kwara State has also been involved in these dubious trips abroad in search of investors.
Many governors have taken huge loans beyond their repayment capacity. The monthly deductions from their share of federally-collected revenue to service the loans are now impacting negatively on their finances. A critical analysis of the contractual obligations/other deductions from the allocations of the 36 states shows that virtually all of them are deep in debt with very little to show for it. Imagine a state like Osun with a domestic debt portfolio of N147 billion within seven years of Rauf Aregbesola as governor. So, what did he use the money for?

The level of debauchery and ineptitude this country has witnessed in most of these federating units in the last two years is unprecedented. How can a man be happy to identify himself as the governor of a state that has failed to pay salaries? Many of them, even after collecting bailout funds from the federal government, loans and Paris Club refunds, still failed to pay these hapless civil servants. I can clearly remember that the anti-graft agency, which monitored how states spent the N338 billion bailout funds in 2016, reported that 16 of these governors stole or diverted a substantial part of the funds.

Some months back, medical doctors protested in Osogbo against payment of “amputated salaries” by the state government. Dr. Tokunbo Olajumoke, the leader of the doctors further raised the alarm that there was no drug/equipment in any of Osun government-owned hospitals. Olajumoke said this was contrary to Aregbesola’s claims that it had spent N10 billion to improve the sector.
The young man in Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has not fared well, with a backlog of unpaid salaries and moldy infrastructure in the state.

We need brilliant governors capable of fiercely tackling hunger, disease and unemployment and generating enough revenue to run their states. Clearly, most of these governors have shown that they are incapable of doing these. How I wish they will resign and allow people with good ideas and political will to take over.

Nauseating Moves to Increase in Electricity Tariffs
The plot to force traumatised Nigerians to pay more for electricity next year is gathering momentum. Our manipulative electricity distribution companies now have the support of the federal government, with recent remarks by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that “payment of high electricity tariffs is inevitable for Nigerian electricity users.” The fact that government is on the same page with the Discos on tariff increase, without addressing metering issues, is nauseating. Experience in our dear nation has shown that increase in tariffs does not necessarily guarantee stable supply. A serious government should be concerned that these shameless Discos have been rejecting loads, notwithstanding the persistent darkness across our country. This has resulted in generation companies shutting some of their plants to cut production.

Clearly, Discos are simply interested in making money and not providing quality service for Nigerians. Approval of increase in tariffs for them will only result in more darkness for Nigerians. Any government that is genuinely interested in solving this country’s electricity crisis must take back these Discos by activating necessary clause in the share purchase agreement, which they have persistently breached.

It is heartwarming that the Senate Committee on Privatisation has pledged to battle threats to increase electricity tariffs. Ben Murray-Bruce, Chairman of the committee, said it would be suicidal for prospective customers in the country if an increase in tariff is allowed without a concomitant increase is workers’ wages. The senator said all what the Discos need was to make their system efficient and effective to meet the needs of customers.