THE recent announcement by the Federal Minister of Finance of the government’s decision to refinance the country’s debt by borrowing dollars at seven per cent instead of locally at between 13 and 18.5 per cent would have been commendable if it was not just a mere paper exercise which would still not reduce the quantum of debt the country is owing. On paper it would reduce the cost of borrowing, but at maturity it would require the country to source for dollars to repay.

THE recent announcement by the Federal Minister of Finance of the government’s decision to refinance the country’s debt by borrowing dollars at seven per cent instead of locally at between 13 and 18.5 per cent would have been commendable if it was not just a mere paper exercise which would still not reduce the quantum of debt the country is owing. On paper it would reduce the cost of borrowing, but at maturity it would require the country to source for dollars to repay.

THANK God somebody at the topmost level of the Federal Government has finally put on his thinking cap. But for those wedded to the illusion of Nigeria exporting 2.3 million barrels of crude oil in 2018, Ogbeh’s alarm, despite its frightening implications, is a step in the right direction. Anybody who has conducted research into the trend in the global automobile sector would be alarmed by the rapid rate at which the leading auto manufacturers – Toyota, General Motors, Ford, Volvo – are moving towards marketing electric cars. Volvo is far ahead of the others who will now scramble to catch up.

READING that statement by the white man who was migrating to Europe, I was temporarily livid with rage. The man was a racist quite all right. But, he was also telling the truth. African leaders have destroyed all the good structures the colonial masters left. While European Houses of parliament are still as pristine as they were six hundred years ago, ours less than one hundred years are uniformly eye-sores. If governments cannot maintain the structures close to them, is it any wonder that they almost always destroy those far away? The tragedy of Apapa Wharf is another reminder that governments, Federal and States have destroyed more than they built. There are no monuments for visitors to see.

by Dele sobowale Never leave a black man with anything beautiful; he will only spoil it— White South African as Mandela was taking over as President. READING that statement by the white man who was migrating to Europe, I was temporarily livid with rage. The man was a racist quite all right. But, he was […]