By Kola ANIMASAUN
Dora Akunyili turned a low profile job at the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to a high profile one.  She also went on to hold her own at the Federal Ministry of Information. She was one of the best known ministers of the realm.  Before that, she had wanted to be a Vice-President of Nigeria.

I knew she was going to be a politician when she showed keen sense in the Yar’Adua’s problem in the case of Goodluck.  If her profile had shown up, it went up higher.

I was not surprised when she resigned her appointment and indicated she was going as a Senator of the Republic.

I do not see her as a gambler but I would have seen her as one with a keen sense of the occasion. She did not think twice before she went in for APGA.  As an Anambra indigene, she will not go in as a PDP politician. All things considered, APGA rules Anambra and it would have been dumped if she does not go for it. I do not know if she had declared for PDP but Peter Obi, the Anambra State Governor, said, “It was a courageous decision that only those with strong characters could take.”

Obi said: “For a person in her position to resign so that she could vie for the Senate, which is an opportunity to represent her people, is worthy of commendation.”

He said: “Anambra cannot be a highly-sophisticated state, with highly-intelligent people and continue sending one-legged men to represent her in a pushing competition.”
Dora has finally become a politician, if she behaves, as we expect she would, the sky can be the limit.

Until new govt takes over
The government has stopped doing anything for many years except for sharing revenues – to the local governments, some state governments and Federal Government.  Nowhere is this very clear than in the area of energy.

When Obasanjo came into the Presidency, he promised our lot would change within six months. And, from then we would have uninterrupted supply.  Obasanjo spent a term and then another nothing happened. Oh yes, plenty happened – billions was spent and, at the end, we had to argue who spent what but nothing spent on what.

Of course, some of the people who made some oversight functions became millionaires. We have not heard anything about it.

Bless his soul. Umaru Yar’Adua promised to improve electricity supply and we did not see what he did until he died.  And, Goodluck took over and we did not see any improvement.  What he has promised us was that electricity will go private. So, in 12 years, we have not had good supply of electricity and we have been nursing debts we did not incur.

We would not know who are going to inherit all our good fortunes of many years.  Be that as it may, we must move forward. We must move quickly and timely. For Nigeria, there could be many electricity companies servicing as many areas. Just as we have telecommunication companies. These would use many more Nigerians and create more employment.

The ranks of the self-employment will increase.  Manufacturing can then properly project its productions. They do not need to include the unnecessary cost of generators and contingent expenses.

In 12 years we cannot say we have improved our roads (except that they have deteriorated); we cannot say our education system has improved; we cannot say our health has improved. Every facet of our development has stagnated.

We do not expect any improvement in our lives.  At least till a new government takes office.

20,000 ghost workers in Police
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, recently disclosed that 20,000 ghost workers have been uncovered within the Police.  And, wait for it: N6 billion has been recovered following e-payment system.

He disclosed some police officers, bank officials and some staff of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation conspired to defraud the Police.

According to Ringim: “Daily we receive complaints from men in Abuja that their pays have been unduly cut.  Some state commands pay constable N16,000.  Some pay N18,000 without reasons.  We are going to change those responsible for this; government money is not a free thing for all to be converted to personal use.

“I have received complaints about how salaries are deliberately delayed.  It shouldn’t happen in the Police because it is an embodiment of law and order.”

Ringim said a Special Task Force had found that salaries were continuously paid into some particular accounts and multiple payments were made in some accounts.

A Commissioner of Police in charge of Special Investigation Unit, Ali Ahmadu, said some police pay officers in Abia State were being quizzed by detectives concerning over 20 officers’ salaries being paid into same account.

Police paymasters, accountants as well as Divisional Police Officers have been fingered in the conspiracy. We would hear more about the police paymasters.  They have tried to cover their frauds. Some have offered heavy gifts to the IG who has refused to accept them or who has accepted them as exhibits.