Happenings

Three Journalists were injured when  an explosion disrupted last Saturday's  ZANU-PF  political rally at the Bulawayo White Stadium in Zimbabwe.

The political rally had in attendance President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was there to campaign, ahead of the July 30 general elections in the country.

The three Journalists who were injured work for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation(ZBC), they are Cameraman Coster Thole, Technician Chipo Five, and Producer Forget Tsododo.

Although President Mnangagwa escaped unhurt, the source of the blast has not yet been uncovered, while security agencies step up investigations

Workers of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority(ZIMRA) will today(Friday) embark on  protests over issues revolving on poor  welfare and working conditions.

The notice of the strike is contained in a letter addressed to the Officer in Charge of Harare central of ZIMRA.

 According to the Secretary General of Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and Allied Workers Trade Union (ZIMRATU) General secretary, Mr. Lovemore Ngwarati, the workers have notified the management and the Zimbabwe Republic Police of their intention to picket the authority's head office  in Central Harare, starting from 1230hrs until 1400hrs.

The workers lamented that since 2003 the managemtn had embarked on 'costly job evaluation exercises'' without impelmenting the results.

They expressed reservations over the award of 

 "lucrative" three-year fixed term contracts "renewable without advertisement or equal opportunity" to the authroity's managers  while the 2500 strong workforce is "languishing in poverty".

In July 2005, the then Inspector General of Police Mr. Sunday Ehindero put in place committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the alleged killing of five Igbo traders and their female friend by some policemen at the Apo  mechanic village, Abuja on June 7 of the same year.

However, the committee was  headed by, Mike Okiro, then a Deputy Inspector General  of Police was dissolved by the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

The President hinged his decision on the fact that the Police could not be a Judge in its own case. In addition, the President's action was predicated on the testimonies of a  photographer, hired by the Police in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) to take photographs of the lifeless bodies of the six Nigerians sent to their untimely graves. 

The photographer confessed that the police were responsible for the crime, as he stated that he saw the police bring guns and placed  by the side of the corpses of the six, to make them look like armed robbers, after which, the police ordered him to take their photographs.

The photographer further stated that, he could not believe his eyes, when he saw the Commissioner of Police of the Command, explaining to Nigerians that those killed were armed robbers, while making particular reference to the photographs. Such instances abound till today.

This development emboldened the President to put a stop to the Police investigation, to avert a situation whereby the outcome of the investigation would favour the Police.

Without hesitation, the President set up a Judicial Commission  of Inquiry to find out how the six were killed and the role of the police in the incident. 

Nigerians now realized that the action of the President, was an indication that he lacked confidence in the competence of  Ehindero, as Inspector General of Police.

Complainants are converted to accused persons at Police stations, when money exchange hands, just as criminals boast of their cordial relationships with compromised officers and rank and file of the force.

Corruption and inefficiency have become recurring decimals in the Nigeria Police Force, this has affected almost all senior officers, who have occupied the position OF inspector General OF Police.

In this dispensation, Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief, when Ibrahim Idris assumed office as the Police Boss. They thought that they would soon begin to sleep with their two eyes closed This is not the situation, considering the manner the Police has handled the  Senator Dino Melaye case.

Sadly, for several years, there has been a disconnect between the IGP's office and the 36 state commands. This informed the establishment of special task forces by successive Inspectors General of Police to tackle crime nationwide.

Accusation of deprivation of funds and counter accusation of mismanagement of funds have characterized the relationship between the IGP's  office and the 36 state Police Commands.

Indeed, on issues bothering on corruption, the Police cannot be a Judge in its own case. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) is an anti-graft agency, with a number of policemen involved.

Indeed, the question of funding of the police still remains in the circle of administrative bottlenecks and the late release of funds by the Federal Government. Sabotage is now the order of the day. The insecurity in land addresses the question.

Of worry, is the communication lag between the office of the IGP and the Police Service Commission(PSC). The PSC is  not responsible for the appointment of the IGP.

Successive occupants of the IGP's seat have always been suspicious of any suggestion or advice emanating from  the commission.

Interestingly, some state governments, which are vigorously agitating for the establishment of state police, have taken advantage of the insecurity in the land.

However, state police cannot fly, in an environment filled with political office holders bereft of ideology and principles.

Nigerians should not be deceived by the activities of some selfish and greed-driven citizens, who continuously discredit the present  centralization of the  police structure, in favour of sectional interests and design.

The Lagos state Government has abolished the 50 year old practice of promoting civil servants based on their progression in their various careers.

The  state government hinged its decision on the need to ensure effective service delivery in the state.

This disclosure was made by the state Head of Service, Mrs. Folashade Adesoye at a news  conference to commence the2018 Civil service week in the state, at the state secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

“To this extent, all government officers now have clearly defined job schedules against which their performances will be assessed. This approach is based on the perception that governance must be open, timely, effective and efficient”, Mrs Adesoye disclosed.

Stakeholders in the betting industry, last Wednesday, shunned an interactive forum organized by the newly reconstituted Oyo state aming Board.

The stakeholders hinged their action  on the fact that the intention of the board might not be in line with their battles fr survival in te industry, considringthe tax regime in the state.

They lamented that the business environment in the state was unfriendly, harsh and hostile,just as they warned that any attempt to introduceaother category in te mulitple taxe regime, currently operating in the state, will force several operators to close down.

A few of the operators were, however, cited at the forum. 

In his remarks of the board, Mr. Lekan Abari, opined ''this is a stepping stone to so many things that is going to be done. There are over 50 operators in the state less than 10 are in attendance''.

One of the stakeholders, who was in attedance, Mr. Michael Nwogu, the Cheif Executive of Celcon Limited, a platform provider, appealed to the board to protect operators, adding ''of all the stkeholers, only  those in sports betting are online and none of them are using ocal platforms, they all have to pay their subscriptons in foreign exchange, what is the board doing ?''.

Similarly, the Secretary of the Pools Promoters Asociation in Oyo state, Mr. Gbenga Ogungbenle drew the attention of the board to the fact that the business environment n Lagos varied from that  of badan, while lamenting  that the state governmen did not cary them along when it decided to make changes in the nomenclature of the board.

''What is applicable in Lagos cannot be applicable in Ibadan. We didn't know whe the sat government inaugurated the state Gaming board, there is little or no difference from the  pools beeting board we usd to know. We are not online, Why the change ? We don't know, all of us in the industry are passig through hard times'', Mr. Ogungbenle disclosed.

In response, the Chairman of th state Internal Revenue Board, Mr. Bisi Alli declared that the sanitizaton of the  revenue process by the revolved on mutula benefit.

''We are sanitizing the rvenue process in the state. Govenment must render service and you mus pay. Our state must be in line with what obtains in all other parts of the world. The essence of embracing technology  is to assist operators.

It makes your operations very easy and lesscumbersome. The cost of compliance becomes cheap, it reduces as transaction increases. It knocks down the cost of compliance. Those who operate illegally cannot come o our platform. More importantly, you need the government, the government needs you. If you don't partner with government, if you don't pay  your contribution, it might be difficult'', Mr Alli warned.

Sadly, jobless youths and secondary school students, form the bulk of those who patronize the betting centres, who also include market me nd women.

These category of people spend valuable time discussing, analyzing and projecting  winning prospects

In the present time, in Nigeria only a handful of civil and public servants take their duties seriously and wholeheartedly.

Their attitude is directly related to the position of government  in the three tiers on issues of workers' welfare and conditions of service.

Indeed, the  focus of those on government payroll in any given line of duty  or assignment is what is in it  to gain  and not what is ought to be done. In other words, selfless devotion to duty is no longer there.

Assigned  tasks in the  Ministries, Departments and Agencies are no longer done properly and promptly. A sizable number of  workers, no longer possess senses of responsibility. Who is to blame ?

For several years now, the monster of indiscipline has continued to fester. with due process as the major casuality. The struggle for ''power'' among government workers  is the most prominent activity going on in most offices.

Sharp practices are the order of the day, this is partly as a result of the  sectional Democracy in vogue today.

At the Federal , State and Local government levels, workers, who are co-opted to generate revenue  for government, make good use  of the opportunity to protect their future .

The source of inspiration for these category,  of workers include stories of government  workers who retired in 2010 and are yet to be paid their gratuities.

The popular discussion in most government  offices is the backlog of salary arrears owed workers, even though Comrades Ibrahim Yinsua Olayiwola and Adejare Ahmed of the Oyo state branch of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria(ASCSN) are of the opinion that workers should be devoted and committed to duty, to avoid  negative reports from their superiors.

The worrisome question everywhere at present  is : has the insensitive attitude of government  ensured workers devotion and commitment  to duty ?

Adolf Hitler labelled the extermination of the Jews in Europe, '' the final solution'', while the military dictatorship in Argentina which embarked on an unprecedented killing of its citizens code named same ''The process of National Integration''.

The activities of insurgents and armed  herdsmen which have claimed thousands of livers are similar to the above mentioned/

Between 1976 and 1983 millions of citizens lost their lives in Argentina. Death squads operating under secret circumstance and the cover of the state murdered about 11, 000 people, which are now described as ''The Disappeared''.

Two million people escaped persecution, while hundreds of babies born to ''The Disappeared'', were either sold, bartered or murdered.

Indeed, happenings in several states of Nigeria, including Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa and Kaduna, indicate that government is fully aware of the insecurity, even as the killings continue. This calls for concern.

On March, 23, 1976, General Jourge Videla, Head of the Argentine Army overthrew the government of Isabelita Peron, a former night club dancer. No civilian government had completed its tenure, excerpt for Juan Peron's first term in office.

General Videla hinged his action on the chronic inflation and high rate of unemployment that trailed Isabelita's government.

However, in Nigeria, a retired Army General calls the shots, even though the country still experiences symptoms of economic recession, mass unemployment, corruption and insecurity.

The Ejecrcito Revolcionario del Pueblo(ERP) and the Montotneros, took to kidnapping and killings. This plunged Argentina into crisis, in Nigeria, kidnapping and killings have gone on unabated. Political pundits put the blame at the door step of the present administration.

Nigerians are worried that the government has done nothing noticeable to ensure that the country does not slip into anarchy.

In 2009, the Defense Minister of Madagascar, Cecile Manorantha resigned  her appointment on the grounds that she  would not continue to be a part of a government that kills its people.

Also, the people of Madagascar vigorously opposed the attempts by President Marc Ravalomanana to lease one million acres of their land in the South of the country to a Korean firm, Daewoo for intensive farming/ The people have deep ties with their land and consequently view the President's action as a betrayal.

The same scenario is playing out in Nigeria.

The insecurity in the land has made foreign investment impossible, while  the disenfranchised and poor majority look in the gloomy future for reprieve.