BY HENRY UMORU, CHRIS OCHAYI AND LAIDE AKINBOADE

Education Sector: A success song for Mrs. Access

Professor Ruqqayatu Ahmed Rufai is perhaps one of a handful of ministers in the outgoing cabinet that matched words with action in actualizing the mandate set for them and which they set for themselves.

She was appointed the senior Minister in the Ministry of Education at the reconstitution of the federal cabinet in April 2011 and in the last 14 months accomplished most of the reforms she promised to carry out at the education sector.

Some of the promises made by the minister at the assumption of office in April 2010 included developing a One_Year Strategy for the Development of the Education Sector, developing credible data on the Nigerian Education Sector, and the development of a strategy to give a higher percent of Nigerians access into tertiary institutions. In fact, this particular effort earned the minister, the nickname of “Mrs. Access.”

The establishment of nine new Federal universities was part of the initiatives of the Minister conceived to create more access at the tertiary level. The initiative which, though has been flayed by critics as too ambitious in the face of under_funding of the operational federal universities, was also made to establish federal presence in other states that are yet to have federal universities.

The new universities established by fiat, have the mandate to commence admission of applicants by September this year. The minister, while justifying the creation of the institutions at a forum in Abuja, stated that the Federal Government was establishing more universities due to the enormous access challenges in the country.

She said the number of candidates who sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, overwhelmed the available spaces in all existing universities.

One other area the ministry recorded another achievement was the donation of the 104 new buses supplied to the Federal Government Colleges at the cost of N600 million. She was represented by the Minister of State, Barrister Kenneth Gbagi at the launching of the newly acquired buses.

Another milestone in the tenure of the outgoing ministers was the launch and official presentation of the Senior Secondary School Curriculum drawn up by the  Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC. The curriculum has itself been approved by the National Council on Education, NCE.

The new Senior Secondary Education Curriculum, SSEC, developed by NERDC, is expected to be implemented in September 2011 beginning from Year 1 with the gradual phasing out of the old curriculum,”

The Minister, Prof. Rufai also presented a ‘One year strategy for the Development of the education sector” shortly after her inauguration.

The strategy, according to her, was “based on the Federal Ministry of Education’s Roadmap focused on interventions that would have maximum impact on the education sector.”

The One_Year Strategy had four focal points as originally contained in the roadmap:

Access and equity Standards and quality assurance Funding, partnership and resource utilization

Technical, vocational education and training.

Due to lack of education data, the education minister had established two committees, one on ensuring that data from 2006 to 2010 were collated and published and another on ensuring that the 2010/2011 annual school census was carried out successfully.

The other committee, she said, was to work on enhancing the annual school census in Nigeria as it was the basis for collecting vital information on basic and post-basic education.

The second committee will also work to ensure the success of the annual school census for this year 2011. In addition, it has developed a 2-year Strategy that is meant to enhance the Nigeria Education Management Information Systems, NEMIS, of the Federal Ministry of Education.

The 2010 Nigeria Education Data Survey_a collaborative work of USAID and DFID and the National Population Commission, presented in Abuja was also the initiative of the minister aimed at transforming the education system.

She remarked that the Data Survey “is another key information tool on Nigerian Education.”

With these information sources at our disposal, we can now effectively deploy resources to tackle challenges identified.

International Development Partners such as USAID, DFID, UNICEF, UNESCO, have also consistently partnered with the Ministry of Education which enable it to record this success.

Daggash and Nigeria’s failed roads

It was promises galore for Nigerian road users when the outgoing Minister of Works, Senator Sanusi Mohammed Daggash assumed office at the Federal Ministry of Works.

The Bornu State born politician had assured Nigerians of his determinations to turn around the miserable state of the substantial portion of the about 34, 000 kilometres of federal highway across the country.

This promise to many Nigerians, suffering from pains associated with deplorable state of Federal road network, represented a ray of hope that the nation’s roads would again become pleasurable to drive on.

Senator Daggash took over the reigns of affairs of the ministry from the currently embattled Dr. Hassan Mohammed Lawal who is currently facing trial on allegations of monumental fraud and financial recklessness leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC allegedly committed during his stewardship at the Ministry of Works.

Dr. Lawal succeeded Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke who was first appointed at the commencement of the administration in 2007 as Minister in charge of Transportation as the Ministry was then known.

Dr. Lawal shortly before he exited the Ministry in 2010 had awarded multi-billion Naira contracts for the reconstruction, construction and repairs of various highways across the country.

Some of the contracts awarded included the N140 billion contracts for the rehabilitation, strengthening and repairs of 32 major highways projects spread across the six geo-political of the country.

Breakdown of the figure shows that while a total sum of N23,503,729,194.78, was committed for the repairs, construction and maintenance of highways, another N116 576,716,396.29 was committed to addressing 26 highways under the Zonal Intervention Projects.

These projects were said to be ongoing when President Goodluck Jonathan, the then Acting President, dissolved the federal cabinet which swept away Dr. Lawal and replaced him with Senator Daggash. As it were, Senator Daggash’s brief was to sustain the implementation of the contracts he inherited.

On assumption of office Daggash and the Minister of State for Works, Engr. Chris Ogienwonyi embarked on an on-the-spot inspection tour of all ongoing Federal road projects across the 36 states of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Daggash explained to Nigerians that the tour was designed to equip him with comprehensive knowledge of the situation of the highways in the country, which according to him, will aid him in drawing a roadmap with which to execute his mandate.

Some of the highways and bridges visited by the Ministers included the Niger Bridge linking Onitsha in Anambra State to Asaba, Delta State. Daggash who lamented the precarious condition of the bridge reiterated the administration’s commitment to award contract for the construction of a second bridge across the Niger.  He raised the hope of millions of users of the bridge when he assured that the present administration is desirous and committed to construct the second Niger Bridge.

He said, “the pre-contract award process will soon commence and assured that the process will be open and transparent while Nigerians will be informed on government final decision as soon as it is ready.”

The raised hope has been dashed as nothing was heard from him since them. Another critical road which was became a national embarrassment is the Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki expressway linking the nation’s prime seaport to the nation’s leading international airport. The airport road

easily gives the first impression for any visitor to Nigeria on the state of infrastructure in the country. It was not surprising that the road was easily used by Governor Raji Fashola in castigating the Federal Government during the recent election campaigns.

Also, the promise by the Minister to rescue the dualisation project on the Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja road from the catalogue of government’s failed projects was as at press time still a failed promise.

Spirited efforts by Senator Daggash to review the design for the dualisation project, after faulting the existing one did not materialise.

The Minister while receiving a delegation from Kogi State government had said that the Abuja-ABaji-Lokoja road is very strategic to the entire country, which according to him, will continue to receive adequate government attention.  This development followed the submission of findings by the committee set up by the Federal Government to unravel the circumstances surrounding the road project, which has been on the slow pace since its award in November 2006.

His position that the Federal Government would continue to inject funds into the dualisation projects, was not matched with actions. Like those before him, the minister failed after promising to repair the deteriorated Benin-Ore-Shagamu expressway.  Senator Daggash, while on inspection tour of the road, described the Expressway road as ‘the worst on the planet.’

Daggash, who was accompanied by the Minister of State for Works, had assured that the N9.7bn contract for the repair of the road would be completed in November 2011.  The physical tour of national corridors embarked on by Senator Daggash at his commencement of duty did may not have achieved its  aims and objectives as reports gathered from the tours could not be implemented to the benefit of Nigerians.

Unlike the previous ministers, Senator Daggash failed to tap from the opportunity provided by the dry season to marshal resources for the quick execution of road projects. In fact, many road projects awarded by the administration in the last four years have been abandoned by the contractors handling them, either due to lack of payment or lack of effective supervision or monitoring by the Federal Government officials responsible for that.
With the near absence of the other means of transportation system, railway and waterways, the significance of the road in the socio-economic life of the nation would not be overemphasized.

Environmental ordeals of Odey

ENVIRONMENT Minister, Mr. John Ogar Odey, was first appointed Minister of Information and

Communications in July 2007. In December 2008 after President Umaru Yar’Adua reshuffled his cabinet, he was assigned to handle the Environment portfolio.

He took over from Halima Tayo Alao who was appointed Minister of Environment and Housing in July 2007 by President Umaru Yar’Adua, and was relieved of her position on 29 Oct 2008.

Odey was on his appointment very passionate about some environmental issues that have been a challenge to the nation such as e-waste, solid waste renewable energy, desertification  erosion and floods.

At several outings, the minister reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to restoring the ecosystem.

One of them was at the inauguration of the national training on Ecosystem  and Community Based Climate Change Adaptation in Nigeria where he said: “The Federal Government is determined to ensure effective restoration and management of our ecosystem  through the

creation of appropriate mechanisms and incentives such as improved policy planning and awareness creation on climate change adaptation measures, education and awareness creation are crucial for sharing information about climate change adaptation best practices.”

The Minister of Environment at the 2010 segment of the 16th session of the conference of parties to the United Nations framework convention on Climate Change (COP16) and the sixth session of the conference of parties serving as meeting of parties to the Kyoto protocol (CMP6), at Cancun, Mexico, also said that it was imperative for all the nations in the world as a matter of urgency to come together to fight the surge of Climate Change.

Odey identified Renewable Energy Programme as the key to enhance the development of a national energy programme which is itself, a key plan in President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

According to Odey, “The Renewable Energy Programme, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Environment, was established in May 2010 as part of our National efforts at tackling the challenges of Climate Change through voluntary emission reduction. Also the programme is expected to integrate into others as a key component of the national development agenda especially the national energy policy, which is a key policy of the present administration.”

While Mrs. Alao was the Minister the absence of key legislation needed to guide against deforestation was stressed, but as her successor leaves office in a short while, the situation persists.

The ministry had promised the establishment of woodlots and shelterbelts in Bauchi, Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Gombe, Yobe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States. In addition, it was promised that 10,000 to 11,700  fruit tree seedlings would be distributed among the people from each of these states.

In all these, Nigerians may well ask whether they have felt the impact of this ministry and ministers in combating the environmental challenges that the nation is facing, from solid waste, e-waste, climate change, deforestation, renewable energy, oil spill control, erosion and flood.

Indeed, the Federal Government spent over N3 billion on gully erosion in some parts of the country, but the effects have been little noticed in Anambra and Abia States where the scourge continues to ravage the communities in those areas.

Despite the fact that Abuja is the seat of power one of the major problems facing the inhabitants is that of disposal of solid wastes.

Indeed, it is generally believed that if properly managed that the environment sector can create jobs for millions of youths in this country especially in the area of recycling, from where the United States of America and some other developed nations of the world are making millions of dollars.

Nigerians are yet to feel reduction of emissions from fossil fuels or by making efforts to reduce green house gasses in the country.

With estimated reserves of 187 trillion cubic feet, Nigeria is the world’s 7th largest natural gas producer. Reports show that about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s gas is flared as it is produced and the country accounts for 12.5 per cent of the world’s gas flaring.

In its May 2010 report, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC stated that of the over 192 billion standard cubic feet, BSCF, of gas produced during the period, over 145 BSCF was utilised while over 43 bscf was flared at the detriment of the environment. The quantity flared represents 22.69 per cent of the total output. The quantity varies from one company to another.

Gbagi’s modest contributions

Minister of State for Education, Olorogun  Kenneth O. Gbagi  assumed duty in the Federal Ministry of Education with a pledge to cooperate with his senior Minister, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i in moving the education sector to the next level.

Prof. Rufa’I and Barr. Gbagi who succeeded their predecessors, former Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu and Minister of State for Education, Hajia Aishatu Dukku respectively. The duo assumed office with a resolution to reposition the education sector.

For example, the Minister of Education, Prof. Rufa;I while receiving Barrister Gbagi, having resumed duty before him, was quick to brief Gbagi on her efforts so far including the One-year Strategic Plan for the Development of the Education Sector, which she developed out of the Nigerian Education Sector Plan, to drive the sector within the time limit.

Gbagi, described by many as “vibrant minister” actually put in his best within the short period which helped to put critical areas of the sector on the right footing.

Comparatively, the performance in one year and two months that Prof. Rufa’I and Barr. Gbagi held affairs in the ministry, overwhelmed performances recorded by their predecessors, because the public judgment of the performance of the administration within the period was very high.

Barr. Kenneth Gbagi while at the Ministry of Education was a known advocate of improved quality of teachers, which according to him is central to the provision of quality education.

To this end, the minister’s determination to improve the quality of teachers facilitated the distribution of 500 computer sets, instructional materials and other learning kits to all National Teachers’ Institute, NTI Study Centres across the country.

Other major achievements under the minister was the inauguration of an implementation committee for the smooth conversion of the Yaba College of Technology and Kaduna Polytechnic into universities of technology.

It was is in furtherance of the ministry’s drive to improve access to tertiary education as contained in the recently developed one year strategic plan for the development of the education sector.

According to the minister, “the major term of reference of the committee is to propose a workable document that will guide the Ministry in ensuring the implementation of this FEC approval for the conversion of the two institutions into City Universities.”

Gbagi, had also recently, , distributed 360 laptops to Junior Secondary School, JSS (I) students of five selected federal and state-owned female secondary schools in Delta State.

The efforts he explained, were part of Federal Government’s pilot programme to empower the girl-child. JSS One students from the Federal Government Girls College, Ibusa, Onicha Ugbo Girls Grammar School, Onicha Ugbo, Our Lady High School, Effurun, Nana College, Warri and

Oginibo Grammar School, Oginibo benefited from the Millennium Development Goal, MDG-assisted Information and Communication Technology, ICT, initiative.

But perhaps, the greatest achievement of Gbagi may have been his role in the creation of the nine new universities spread across the country, an initiative that would give more access to tertiary education for more Nigerians.

FCT: Matching Mohammed’s promise and performance

What he promised when he came. “We are coming here with a very high sense of responsibility, we are coming here with an open door policy; we are coming here to open new frontiers so that we can work as a team.”

Those were the words of Senator Bala Mohammed on 6th April, 2010, and the setting was the official residence of the Minister in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, at Life Camp, Abuja.

He took over from Senator Mohammed Aliero from Kebbi State. Aliero had taken over from Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar from Gombe State and Umar from Mallam Nasir El-Rufai from Zaria, Kaduna State.

Mohammed who hails from Bauchi State State, was a serving Senator on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, when he was appointed a Minister by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He had also promised to hit the ground immediately. He was immediately faced with the problem of a growing population, land speculation, resettlement, compensation, problem of transformation, security, water, return of the beggars, failing infrastructure, expansion of existing infrastructure, bumps on the roads, influx of commercial sex workers, among others.

How far did he go?

One month into office, Senator Mohammed bemoaned that he had received 1,806 fresh land applications from prospective property developers, just as he immediately put in place Senator Saidu Dansadau-led Committee to among others look into the activities of the Abuja

Geographic Information Systems, AGIS and allocation of plots in the past. The Committee revealed that 18, 445 plots were allocated in three years with only 2.5 per cent developed so far.

Through this, he was able to sanitize land administration by strengthening the process which reduced fraud to some extent at AGIS.

The new Minister was also confronted with the problem of bumps, which were largely seen as the only infrastructural additions, even if negatively done, by his predecessor, Aliero. Senator Mohammed bowed to the pressure of the public and removed the bumps.

Moved by heavy traffic bottlenecks daily experienced by commuters between Gwagwalada – Giri road, the Minister inaugurated a Task Force to fast track the completion of the highway that was under construction.

The Minister also promised to procure and introduce speed cameras as a way of checking the excesses of drivers on the city’s well paved roads. The use of the cameras he noted, would also help in boosting the internally generated revenue.

In continuation of government policies, the Minister fought to ensure that the ban on Commercial Motor cycles from the Federal Capital City, FCC by former Minister Nasir El-Rufai October 1, 2006 was not lifted.

Eleven months after he took over, 1,447 of motor-cycles were impounded making a total of about 7,192 commercial motorcycles impounded  in the last four years.

Work on the Abuja light rail project inherited by Mohammed continued and is expected to be completed by 2013. The project expected to gulp N357.6 billion ($235 million) the Minister has recently noted may suffer if the paucity of funds currently facing the administration is not adequately addressed.

To help address the Security situation in the city, the Minister made a donation of 15 brand new Nissan Pick-Up double cabin vehicles to the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police. The donation was made a day to the Special National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The administration also focused on the education sector of the FCT with plans to spend N17bn on education in 2011 even as schools witnessed growth and development. Besides, arrangements for the take of the Abuja University of Technology, Abuja, AUTA in September have already commenced.

The Abuja Film Village International at Kusaki Yanga District, Kuje which is under a Public Private Partnership, PPP arrangement is also planned to generate 10,000 jobs. The plan is now in concept design stage.

The Minister also opened up two additional districts of Okanje and Kagini, even as infrastructure work for Katampe is on going through PPP.

Besides re-opening the upgraded and renovated Rubochi 40-Bed General Hospital in Kuje Area Council of the territory that was closed down in 2006, the Minister also introduced free medical care for children between the ages of 1-5 as well as community health scheme for those not captured in the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS.

As part of moves to develop the city centre, the Minister resurrected the rested Abuja boulevard (town centre) project by setting up a high-powered committee to study and make recommendation on the proposal.

Senator Bala also fought the Abuja Commercial sex workers through the efforts of his Secretary, Social Development Secretariat, Mrs Blessing Onuh by chasing them off the streets of Abuja and established a rehabilitation centre for them in Lugbe.

The Minister also during his fourteen months in office through the Board of the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, forced the Executive Secretary, Engineer Muhammad Sani Alhassan on an indefinite suspension because of alleged acts of exclusion and unilateral decisions on his part. Prior to the suspension, the Minister had pulled down a house belonging to Engr. Alhassan.

There were also repeated cases of collapsed buildings which compelled Senator Mohammed to meet with the FCT Chief Judge and members of the FCT Urban and Regional Planning Tribunal on how to resolve the challenges posed by court injunctions on the prompt removal of structures confirmed as illegal or defective and unfit for human habitation.

With Mohammed about to complete his tenure in office and whether he comes back as the Minister of FCTA or not, the issue of transportation, compensation and resettlement, development of the satellite towns to de-congest the city centre, water, health care, poor sanitation, among others are yet to be addressed.

He perhaps could have addressed many of these problems but for the unceasing flow of visitors, many of them with no official purpose, who took his attention from his schedule of official duty.