Why Nigeria is backward

For sustainable and endurable development, human capacity building must be considered a priority on the agenda of any government. Many developed nations achieved development because they were able to harness their human resources efficiently. For if a nation has a large amount of mineral resources without adequate human resources, the result will always be utter wastage.

Recently, the Nigerian Bureau of Employment revealed that there were approximately 100,000 unemployed graduates as at 2005. These numbers indicate that majority of our human resources are somewhere redundant. Isn’t it frustrating that after four years of your life learning about an endeavour, in order to become useful to the society, you are hit with the realisation that you have wasted your time?

The genesis of our problem lies in the fact that our economy is run on wishy -washy policies and trial and error basis. No government since independence has been able to formulate a plan towards any achievable goal, none of the leaders we’ve had really have any traits of foresight or the slightest idea of where this country should be heading.

Over the years, the deadline for the attainment of a certain level of acceptable development has been fixed many times, like in a fairy tale, on that appointed time we would have better infrastructure, affordable houses, good health care system, and abundant jobs. Yet recent reports coming from the World Bank do not indicate any sign of progress . Managerial principles explain that no progress can ever be made if there is no laid out plan. How can there be continuity between successive administrations if there is no plan?

This nation is blessed with inestimable amount of human resources. In Africa, we are considered the paradigm of intelligence, revered for our tenacity, resilience, and creativity. In whatever endeavour a Nigerian is found around the world, we are always found among the best -whether sports, entertainment, academics, art or business. So why are we are stuck in this dilemma of backwardness and poverty despite our wealth in both human and mineral resources? The answers lie in obvious lack of managerial abilities of money mongering politicians.

The decay in our polity is the result of lack of focus by our leaders coupled with get-rich-quick mentality that has paralysed their thinking faculty.

Okwena Timothy
tymoti@doramail.com

Need for consumer education

Consumers in any part of the world are the final users of a product or service. They are so important to the extent that they determine the continuous existence of products and services, because if there are no buyers, producers of products and services will be out of business. However, in this part of the world, consumers are taken for granted by producers/manufacturers; they are never cared for, exploitation is the order of the day.
Most producers only care about their profits with no much concern for the final users of these products or services which they offer to sell in the market place.

Moreso, the heterogeneous nature of consumers makes them vulnerable to the antics of these dubious producers. Against this background, is the establishment of Consumer Protection Council (CPC), a step in the right direction by the Federal Government. The council is the apex consumer protection agency of the government established to promote and protect consumers` interests in all areas of products and services, by providing speedy redress to their complaints, inform, educate and empower them (consumers) to act as discerning and discriminating consumers in the market place.

Therefore, it is important to educate the consumer about his rights and responsibilities so that he can purchase goods and services based on rational decision instead of being cajoled by dubious sales promotions and advertisements. It is absolutely true that substandard or fake products and services have caused great damage to our national development through the loss of human resources. Examples are: accidents caused due to the use of fake tyres or substandard brake fluid etc. Many potential leaders of tomorrow have lost their lives by reasons of these unpatriotic acts.

Most consumers do not know their rights and responsibilities under the law, and the information in possession of consumers will determine their decision when purchasing any product or service. Some rights and responsibilities consumers must know and insist on are: the right to satisfaction of basic needs that is, goods and services must meet the standard of quality promised such that there is value for money in purchase; the right to safety protection from hazardous products, production processes and services; the right to information which enables informed consumer choice as well as protection from misleading or inaccurate advertising and labeling; the right to choose at competitive prices; the right to redress, compensation for misrepresentation, shoddy goods and unsatisfactory public and private services.

Salami Olufemi,
Corps member,
Consumer Protection Council,
Awka, Anambra State.