By Eric Teniola

This is the concluding part of the piece which last week quoted sections of the Ahmed Joda Panel’s Report recommending that all rural activities of some ministries be transferred to the newly created NAPEC

THEY are to be executed by the states and local governments directly and the Ministry of Agriculture should be re-structured and should relinquish its following activities to states and local governments: Tractor hiring, land clearing and development, horticulture, fertiliser distribution, seeds and seedlings propagation and distribution, agro- forestry, extension services, inland fishing and co-operatives development.

The Ministry of Agriculture should also transfer the co-ordination of the agricultural universities to the National Universities Commission, which has better facilities and capacity to supervise the universities. The panel recommended in addition the need to set up targets in the struggle to eradicate poverty in Nigeria.

In view of the foregoing commendations, three federal ministries/institutions should be entrusted with the mandate for the primary effort to eradicate poverty in Nigeria. These are: Federal Ministry of Education in charge of UBE, Federal Ministry of Health in charge of Primary Healthcare matters and National Poverty Eradication Commission, NAPEC, in charge of employment generation, development of rural infrastructure and economic empowerment.

Also, the panel recommended four-year targets for the Federal Ministry of Education that adult literacy rate in the country to increase from its current level of 51% to 71%. In addition, the panel recommended that the Federal Government should pay attention to the development and nurturing of a culture of good governance as a precondition for national development.

We are not unaware of the fact that a lot has been said and or written in this country on this issue. What has, however, been lacking until the advent of this administration is putting these into practice. Nevertheless, it cannot be over-emphasised that good governance embodies the fear of God, accountability, transparency, a responsible and responsive government, leadership by example, equality and justice. These are cardinal points to be imbibed and respected by both leaders and the followers. Thus, government and the people must contribute equally to good governance and nation building. 

The global trends inevitably pose newer challenges that will necessitate the refocusing of government’s role in governance as well as the citizenry’s taking up the vast opportunities provided by the New World Order. Our prosperity, or lack of it, is tied to how we as a people are able to cope with what is happening in the wider world.

In conclusion, the panel declared: “We wish to state that only by a combination of good leaders, good governance and good followers would we be able to bring about economic prosperity and qualitative democracy, which would enhance our standing before the International Community.

The Panel recognised the very important role that all stakeholders need play in the effort to alleviate poverty, and more specifically eradicate absolute poverty. Government must pursue its programmes and projects in partnership with Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs; the Organised Private Sector, OPS; and the International Donor Agencies. Uncontrolled population growth is a major contributor to poverty.

Any strategies for poverty alleviation must take into account the need to address the problem of population growth. The rate of population growth in Nigeria has been 2.83%, while that of food production is about 2.5 %. More people are being born than there is food to feed them. Therefore, government must urgently address this issue. One of the reasons for the rising rate of population growth has to do with unplanned rates of birth.

“This problem can be addressed by encouraging child-spacing, which is recommended in the interests of the child and its mother, and which is not discouraged by most cultures and religions. However, given the deep-rooted suspicions about family planning in many religious circles, creative ways of public enlightenment and education have to be devised by government in order to promote a the positive health attitude to child-spacing.

Another problem giving rise to the rapid increase in population growth is associated with traditional beliefs that giving birth to more children is an investment for subsistence security in the future, especially at old-age. Given the high mortality rate, many people believe that the more children they have, the better their chances of having surviving off-spring to look after them in subsistence production, and in old-age.

This problem should also be solved through imaginative public enlightenment campaigns and through deliberate policies of reducing infant mortality, such that people can have greater confidence that death may spare them an heir. Perhaps the greatest safeguard against the dangers of over-population is increased investments in agricultural development and food production. Therefore, the Panel recommends that government should pay greater attention to evolving strategies for increased food production. 

“All three tiers of government have, for years now been levying numerous taxes and levies in their effort to generate more revenue. State and local governments have been known to employ consultants and task forces to assess and collect taxes, which were hitherto unknown sometimes at gun-point.

As at the last count and according to the figures compiled by the Organised Private Sector, there were about 250 of these taxes and levies. Generally, most Nigerian cities do not have adequate water supply for even human and much less for industrial use. The collapse of water treatment facilities due to lack of spare-parts chemicals has caused intense hardships to many dwellers of Nigerian cities.

It has led to reliance on ponds, rivers, and generally untreated water for drinking. As a result of this, there has been a resurgence of preventable water-borne diseases such as cholera and guinea-worms, which are now causing havoc in the country. The need for safe drinking water, therefore, cannot be over- emphasised.

In view of this, the Panel recommends that: the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, should accelerate the process of the rehabilitation of all water-works and treatment plants in the country.  The Federal Government should embark upon a massive programme of the extension of rural water supply with a view raising the current level of potable and safe water supply from the 30% to 50% by the year 2003.