The Wednesday 25 September 2024, edition of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Weekly Subject Experts’ Presentation was held at Hall C, TY Buratai Block, Abuja. There were three presentations made by the Subject Experts covering China, Southern Africa and Middle East/Turkey.
The first presentation was made by Brig Gen CS Okafor Subject Expert on China. His presentation discussed on China Pushes Smaller, Smarter Loans to Africa to Shield from Risks. On the 16th of September, the Agence France-Presse, (AFP) and Voice of America (VOA) reported that China’s years of slashing cash on big-ticket infrastructure projects in Africa may be over (AFP and VOA, 2024) and over the years Beijing has dished out billions in loans for trains, roads and bridges in Africa which has saddled most African governments with huge debts they often struggle to pay back (Lucks, 2024). But recently, China has adjusted its lending strategy in Africa to consider its domestic economic troubles and Africa’s debt problems. In the recently concluded China-Africa Summit, China focused more on direct green energy exports to Africa, partly due to tariff wars with the US and potential conflicts with the European Union.
Brig Gen CS Okafor analyzed that in some cases, China loans have helped African nations to build or upgrade much-needed infrastructure. However, a wide range of lending practices have contributed to financial distress and increased the risk of default for African countries ravaged by the global shocks of the last few years. According to the Debt Management Office, Nigeria (2020), the total borrowing from China is USD3.121 billion as of March 31, 2020 and these are concessional loans with Interest Rates of 2.5 per cent per annual, tenor of twenty (20) years and Grace Period (Moratorium) of Seven (7) years.
In his recommendations, Brig Gen CS Okafor pointed out that the Federal Government of Nigeria should embark on fiscal discipline and purposeful leadership to manage resources sustainably and should keep an eye on the type and content of loan agreements being signed by state governments to escape falling deeper into a debt trap with China. The FGN should not default on its loan repayment with China to prevent the risk of confiscation of Nigerian assets abroad and also reduce the cost of governance by cutting down government political appointees and other layers of inefficiency as measures to save money.
Similarly, the second presentation by Brig Gen S Musa Subject Expert Middle East/Turkey. His presentation focused on Greece Mulls Stricter Border Measures on Border with Turkiye. According to Daily Sabab Turkiye newspaper of 22 Sep 24 and Kathimerini newspaper of 17 Sep 24, the Greece government wants to ramp up measures on its border with Türkiye and is requesting additional aid from the European Union for it, a report said Tuesday. The Greek newspaper Kathimerini and Daily Sabab of Turkiye reported on Tuesday that the number of migrants in Greece could soon rise sharply as a result of increased returns of people who have been granted asylum in the country, or who have applied for asylum there but have then traveled on to Germany and also reduced welfare benefits for asylum seekers and rejections at German borders are also expected to have an impact on the numbers coming to Greece. However, around 30,000 of those irregular arrivals traveled by boat from the West Coast of Türkiye to the Greek islands in the eastern Aegean, rather than crossing the land border between the two countries.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Brig Gen S Musa explained that Nigerian borders are massive with hundreds of footpaths crisscrossing to neighboring countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger with links to Mali, Libya and Sudan and Conservative estimate by locals indicated that there are well over 250 foot paths from Damaturu-Maiduguri axis alone that link direct to Cameroon, Chad Mali and Niger. These path are mostly ungoverned, unmanned, unprotected and thus serve as a leaky routes for irregular entries, drugs, arms and ammunition trafficking in to Nigeria. Therefore, for Nigeria to effectively overcome her numerous security challenges holistic/comprehensive and interrelated – whole-of-government approach is necessary of which boarder security is key. Unfortunately, the lack of requisite manpower, patrol vehicles, surveillance helicopters and equipment among others compound the problem of border porosity in Nigeria.
He recommended that, the Federal Government of Nigeria should consider protection of Nigeria’s borders a priority security concern in order to effectively checkmate prevailing security challenges, also should establish a well trained, fully equipped and motivated Border Guards to protect its borders. FGN should utilize innovative technology such as radars, alarm systems and surveillance helicopters to secure her borders.
The third presentation was by Col OR Akerele (Rtd) subject expert for South Africa. His presentation focused on Extradited Former Eskom Contractor to Face 65 Counts of Corruption, On 20 Sep 24. The BBC News reported that a British businessman who was a former contractor for South Africa’s ailing Power utility outfit Eskom, has been extradited from the UK to South Africa to face 65 counts on corruption. It could be recalled that Eskom, being the major electricity producer and supplier in South Africa has been bedeviled with corruption and poor management in the past one year leading to power outages in the country. Consequently, the country embarked on various stages of power cuts and load shedding at different hours of the day and week within this period, until the Eskom chairman and CEO’s appointment was terminated and a new CEO appointed to reform the outfit and improve electricity supplies in South Africa. Aside this, corruption in contract scam, other issues bothering on supplies and theft of poor quality coal, financial mismanagement, reposition and theft or resupply of equipment by local and indigenous contractors also led to the problems of Eskom.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Col OR Akerele (Rtd) noted that No matter how long a crime is committed, justice must be sought through all acceptable legal means and prompt efforts made to deliver judgment irrespective of the status of the offender and also determination displayed by the Minister of Electricity and Energy, South Africa to bring the offender to face the court and the need for the Nigerian judiciary to continue to be resilient and remain professional in presenting cases to external courts and obtain extradition orders for offenders against Nigeria. The need for the Attorney General of the Federation to ensure that Nigeria is represented in international and foreign courts by teams of seasoned and qualified legal luminaries to deliver prosecution brief and ensure victory at the courts for Nigeria in all cases affecting the country, in foreign countries.
He recommended that the Federal Government through the EFCC should immediately arrest and prosecute all contractors and businessmen who had defaulted in the execution of jobs and contracts in the electricity sector and should expedite actions on the implementation of various outstanding reforms in the electricity sectors. The Ministry of Power through the EFCC should arrest and prosecute all government officials who has been found to have been corrupt during their official duties.
