Infrastructural development as solution to Niger Delta crisis

Today, the dictates of political economy on conflict have shown that peace and development are intertwined: no peace without development and vice versa. Thus, when a nation is caught up in a situation such as that of the Niger Delta, then, the way out is to take the bull by the horns by engaging in massive accelerated development of the area even in the midst of the conflict.

This strategy is most evident in Iraq where the US-led coalition is engaged in serious reconstruction efforts carried out by the South Koreans, Japanese, etc in midst of the insurgency. 

It is crystal clear that the failure of the Federal Government of Nigeria to yield to the legitimate yearnings and aspirations of the people of the Niger Delta region for an equitable share of their natural economic heritage, created the fertile ground for the current uprising in the Niger-Delta.

We would recall that The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) claimed in an interview with the International Crisis Group in 2006, that it wants an even-handed proportion of the oil/gas wealth of the Niger-Delta region ploughed back into the development of the region.

The Niger Delta is in dire need of good roads, bridges to link remote areas to centres of commerce and civilisation, skills acquisition centres/marine academies for the teeming unskilled indigent youths, electricity, potable drinking water facilities, functioning hospitals/health centres, schools (primary/secondary/tertiary), floating petrol stations for riverine areas, etc. These projects should be awarded to reputable construction firms by the federal government instead of allocating meagre amount to NDDC to execute rickety projects undertaken by lowly rated firms.

If the Federal Government can do this, the Niger Delta crisis would be resolved to a large extent.

Gibson Ikanone,
bbluedove@yahoo.com

Bretton Woods and the Nigerian experience

Since the return to civil rule in 1999, Nigerians have been experiencing hardship resulting from the implementation of economic reforms dictated by the Bretton Woods institutions (IMF and World Bank).

These institutions force our leaders to place alien laws above divine laws and our own constitution. Today, over 80% of our people live below poverty line despite the abundant natural resources available to us.

Thus, after 47 years of independence, Nigeria is still where it is. What we had under Obasanjo, for instance, was a government characterized by lawlessness, unemployment, insecurity, poverty, inflation and corruption. But the present Yar’adua administration has brought hope for Nigerians by reversing certain anti-people policies despite the controversial process that brought it in.

The economic reforms programme under former President Obasanjo, was not a programme for developing the productive base of Nigeria ’s economy. It was rather a programme of taking from the people to pay international ‘money lenders’ (IMF and World Bank).

In fairness to Nigerians, what kind of debt relief did we get that could not translate to improved standard of living? What we experienced was the dwindling of the purchasing power of Nigerians as well as lack of employment, shelter, energy supply and good health care delivery system. All these are the products of our romance with the IMF and the world Bank. Nigeria is the only oil producing nation that increased pump price of fuel in 8 years the way we did. Still no thanks to Obasanjo’s romance with the IMF and World Bank.

Most Nigerians now appreciate Abacha’s lack of diplomacy in openly defying IMF/World Bank conditions, instead of Obasanjo’s dance to their tunes by implementing their suggested reforms to the letter and selling everything that belonged to us as a people.

These problems can be solved if the Yar’Adua administration can choose a different path from that of its predecessor. It should fashion out home-grown developmental strategies and not rely on strategies suggested by the IMF and World Bank. We, as a people, should also learn to speak out as part of our responsibility towards a better Nigeria.

Kabiru A. Yakubu,
Department of Mass Communication,
University of Maiduguri,
Borno State.