Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Weekly Subject Experts’ Presentation was held at Hall C, TY Buratai Block, Abuja. There were four presentations made by the Subject Experts on West Africa, Gulf of Guinea, Central America, Nigeria and Indian Sub-Continent.
The first presentation by Maj Gen OO Adeleke (Rtd) subject expert on West Africa and Gulf of Guinea, discussed how ‘’We Haven’t Received Our Allowances Despite Dr. Bawumia’s Promise’’ – Nurses Association. Evans Annan reported on 21 May 2024 that the Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association (GNMTA) members had not yet received their allowances, despite assurances from Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. In an interview in Accra, Pascal Adombillah, the President of GNMTA, expressed frustration over the delay in the payment of their allowances. He stated that: “For now, we have not had any updates regarding the allowance. And on whether the money was released to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department for the students to be paid.”
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Maj Gen OO Adeleke (Rtd) quoted Kolawole that ordinarily, not paying this wage/salary only means that the employer is violating their end of the contract, and there is barely any implication to that. This breach of contract can only be taken to civil courts and other dispute-resolution platforms. However, Nigerian lawmakers want to make sure that salary payment is done without delay while proposing that refusal will pass for a punishable criminal offence. Salary delays have become commonplace in the Nigerian civil service, especially at the state level. It is on record that 12 states owed workers’ salaries and pensions for at least a month, while some have gone on for over six months to 2 years. Thankfully, the Nigerian lawmakers want to make sure that salary payment is done without delay while proposing that refusal will pass for a punishable criminal offence.
He recommended that the National Assembly should ensure that the Employees Remuneration Protection Bill is comprehensive enough, to capture MDAs, state governors and state agencies.
Similarly the second presentation by Brig Gen Ed Idimah subject expert on Central America centered his presentation on how Belize Cracks Down On Traffic Violations With Stricter Enforcement. In a bid to bolster road safety and ensure adherence to traffic regulations, the Belize Police and Traffic Department on Wednesday, 22 May 2024, unveiled a comprehensive list of traffic violations and corresponding fines, which will be rigorously enforced at routine checkpoints throughout the country. The list encompasses a wide array of offenses, ranging from minor infractions like failing to display a license sticker on a motorcycle (carrying a $25 fine) to more serious violations such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which can result in a hefty $500 penalty.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria Brig Gen Ed Idimah stressed out that, In Nigeria, traffic violations are a serious problem with far-reaching consequences, including accidents, congestion, and loss of lives. The prevalence of traffic violations in Nigeria is a matter of concern, and the government has been making efforts to curb the menace. Studies have shown that reckless driving, overloading, and speeding are the most common traffic violations in Nigeria (FRSC, 2020; Oyebade, 2017). Reckless driving accounts for 40% of traffic violations, followed by overloading (30%), and speeding (20%) (FRSC, 2020). These violations are often caused by factors such as inadequate driver education, poor road infrastructure, and lack of enforcement of traffic regulations (Oyebade, 2017).
He recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria should invest in the development and maintenance of road infrastructure, including well marked lanes, clear signage and functional traffic lights to improve traffic flow and reduce likelihood of violation and also the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) should increase the presence of their personnel on the roads to enforce traffic regulations and deter violators.
Equally the third presentation by Brig Gen CC Ogbu subject expert on Nigeria focused his presentation on how Reps Pass Bill to Reintroduce Old National Anthem; Bill Scales Second Reading in the Senate. On Thursday, 23 May 2024, Vanguard Newspaper and The Cable amongst other media houses reported that the House of Representatives passed a bill seeking to reintroduce the old National Anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ and discard the present one, ‘Arise O’ Compatriots. According to the report, the house speedily passed the bill for first, second, and third readings during plenary on the same day. The bill passed third reading after Hon Julius Ihonvbere, majority leader of the house who sponsored it, moved for its consideration at the “committee of the whole” where the clauses were voted on and approved.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria Brig Gen CC Ogbu pointed out that, a national anthem is a patriotic song or musical composition that is either recognized officially by a nation’s government and constitution or is accepted as such by convention through popular use. It usually reflects the history, struggles, and traditions of a nation and its people and serves as an expression of national identity (World Atlas, 2024). The concept of a national anthem became highly popularized in 19th century Europe but some date much earlier. After their independence from European colonial powers, many of the newly-independent nations also composed their own national anthems and today, virtually every sovereign nation in the world has its own national anthem. The oldest national anthem belongs to the Netherlands and is called the Wilhelmus.
He recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria should alert the National Assembly on the strategic implications of reverting to the old national anthem, coined and imposed on us by our British Colonialists and also the National Assembly should direct more efforts towards enacting people-oriented bills that can significantly improve the standard of living of the citizenry.
Lastly, the fourth presentation by Brig Gen WD Nasiru subject expert on Indian Sub-Continent centered his presentation on The 10th World Water Forum Organized by Indonesia. The 10th World Water Forum (WWF) 2024 was held from 18-25 May, 2024 under the theme “Water for Shared Prosperity.” This significant event was jointly organized by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the World Water Council. The Forum, is the world’s largest event on water, it has been held every 3 years since 1997, with a different host country each time. It serves as a unique platform for the global water community and key decision-makers to collaborate and make long-term commitments to address global water challenges, aiming to provide clean water for all.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria Brig Gen WD Nasiru pointed out that, the lack of safe water and sanitation leads to waterborne diseases, such as cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid fever, which cause millions of deaths yearly, especially among children under five (WHO, 2022). Despite the Nigerian government’s efforts to address the water and sanitation crisis in the country, there are still several challenges that need to be addressed. One of the major defects is the inadequate budget allocation and funding for water and sanitation infrastructure. In 2018, the government budgeted over 1.60 trillion Naira as an investment to extend water supply access and improve sanitation services to 90% of the population, the allocation for these plans in the 2020 budget was only ₦12 billion due to the COVID-19 pandemic (NIH, 2018).
He recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria should implement nationwide campaigns to educate the public on water conservation practices, such as rainwater harvesting and efficient water use, encouraging the adoption of water-saving technologies in households and industries and also should allocate substantial funding for the construction and maintenance of dams, irrigation systems, water treatment plants, and pipelines to ensure efficient water distribution and minimize losses.
