Oil In Anambra...Curse or a Blessing?

The first sign was clear as well as it was ominous from the first minute after President Jonathan declared Anambra as oil producing. 3 ex-governors Mbadinuju, Ngige and the Incumbent Peter Obi are already at daggers drawn! 

The fight is really not about what oil meant for the enhancement of the lives of the common people on the streets of Anambra; it was not about how the oil discovery will create the platform for employment, free basic education and Medicare for the state; it was not for the constructive engagement with the federal government on how much is due allocation and how the remmitance will be structured....it was rather about who did the most in discovering Oil in Otu, Anambra state.

I have a different opinion.

All 3 of the governors have done too little too late!

We have so much at stake than to believe Oil will solve all Anambra funding challenges; that will be leading the wild goose chase.

If history is anything to go by, oil will bring around the following.

- Inter communal strife:- DO NOT FORGET THE UMULERI AGULERI SQUABBLE IS STILL NOT 100% RESOLVED (and this is the community that will host our first oil wells)

- Bigger Scale Corruption:- The Ibori conviction and the galaxy of abandoned projects in Delta state despite getting the 2nd highest allocation in the country due to oil is a clear pointer.

- Environmental Pollution:- Oil spills, Marine life attack and chemical hazard spill-out is a no brainer in any mining community and the sight of dirt in heaps and bounds never attended to in Onitsha and Awka is not testifying to the capability of Mr Peter Obi to manage oil and its resultant environmental effects in the state.

- Youth Docility:- the entrance of oil in the economic equation of Anambra state will lead to increasing docility in certain segments. This is not compulsorily going to happen but certainly looks like its going to happen. People will leave farm work and seek to get a slice of the "State Cake"

I stand for the new generation of Anambra professionals across the globe; when I discuss with my brethrens, our perspectives are quite straight forward:

1. Forget the discovery.

2. Build the Productive capacity and the Intrinsic Generative capability in Anambra state

3. Build 3 model centres of Excellence in Onitsha, Awka and Ekwulobia. Onitsha for industry and commerce, Awka for Academics & Governance, Ekwulobia for Commercialise Agricultural ventures.

4. Generate power locally in River Niger and Otu in Aguleri.

5. Power mechanised agriculture in the valleys of Aguata, Orumba North and South.

6. Free land and Zero taxes for 5 years for all manufacturing firms willing to come to Anambra State. 

7. Build bigger road, Bridges, Canals and create room for access to our hinterland farms.

Anambra state has huge potential in the millions of its zestful business men in the markets of Otu Onitsha, the thousands of artisians and traders in the Afor, Nkwo, Eke, Orie of great towns like Nnobi, Awka Etiti, Igbo Ukwu, Nteje, Uli, Umuchu and the Hard working farmers of Ndiowu, Umunze, Omogho and Awgbu!

I believe in Anambra State, the people of Anambra and the resources. If we allow oil to go the way of all the other oil producing states, we will be set back 20 years. My prayers is that Anambra will chart the new direction for becoming a Economic Giant in Nigeria with or without Oil.

Thank you.

Joseph Chimezie Onuorah 

Bsc, PGD, MBA,MCIPS

Deme Deme I of Orumba.

FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL: In the view of a Total Shutdown of the economy #OccupyNigeria#

I seat in my room in the buzzly Ajao estate of Lagos South west Nigeria an ruminate over the unfolding events of the next coming days and weeks and have the urge to cry for this my beloved behemoth called Nigeria.


The Federal government at the prodding of an excitable governor of the central bank and the high sounding Minister of Finance Okonjo Iweala has removed the only true link to governance that the 160 million Nigerians have to their government and all the billions of dollars in the annual budgets i.e. Petrol.

A government that has failed in all other indicators like Security, Power, Education, Health care, Infrastructure, transportation and has left its citizens confounded in crass poverty, fear, hopelessness and abject emptiness. For over 10 years, Fuel subsidy has been the only small connection that the millions of Nigerians have as a solace.

Today the issue is clearly that of trust, No single Nigerians can categorically say that they have 100% trust that the government of the day has the ability of prudence and responsibility to manage the 1.3 Trillion Naira that will be saved from this Fuel subsidy removal.


A more rationale method will be a phase in phase out Removal/refinery Re-investment strategy that will be open and transperent to all citizens. This has not come to the minds of the Government advisers and that is why this is very worrying.,

People in power who could not invest with over 10 trillion Naira budgeted and spent in the last 2 years of Jonathans reign, what is the impact that 1.3 trillion to be saved from subsidy removal will wmake. It will just fizzle like a gaseous element in the midst of the cabal that has continously drained the economy in mind boggling white projects and fictitious contract awards.

These fat cows are okay for all micro economic indicators to experience doubling and tripling and with direct hit on the poor masses meagre earnings and they are okay to continue earning 400million naira per annum each in the legislative house consuming free fuel on the nations account.

1. How will they know what the masses are suffering?


2. How will they feel th eneed for government to earn the trust of the populace before asking for the masses to cough out 1.3 trillion Naira.


3. How will they know that the prices of all items in strret side markets and local transportations have gone up by 150% and more.

The dont know and they will not feel it. They live in the dripping fat of ill gotten government money and looking for additional layers of fat to grow their excesses.

I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that this is te time to stand up to the 1% who have held us in this tight state of economic morass that we are currently sinking. I have dusted my ALUTA (STRUGGLE) shoes again that I left since my Student Union Goverment protest days in Ahmadu Bello University in 2002 against the government of Jonathan Goodluck because of the following reasons:.


1. I beleive the time is now or never.


2. If we dont do it, nobody will.


3. Better die fighting than fight as a dying man.


4. Each generation of men must out of relative obscurity discover their mission, either to fulfil or betray it.

ALUTA CONTINUA, VICTORIA ASCERTA!!!

JOSEPH ONUORAH (Deme Deme I of Orumba)


LAGOS NIGERIA.

FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL: In the view of a Total Shutdown of the economy #OccupyNigeria#

I seat in my room in the buzzly Ajao estate of Lagos South west Nigeria an ruminate over the unfolding events of the next coming days and weeks and have the urge to cry for this my beloved behemoth called Nigeria.

The Federal government at the prodding of an excitable governor of the central bank and the high sounding Minister of Finance Okonjo Iweala has removed the only true link to governance that the 160 million Nigerians have to their government and all the billions of dollars in the annual budgets i.e. Petrol.

A government that has failed in all other indicators like Security, Power, Education, Health care, Infrastructure, transportation and has left its citizens confounded in crass poverty, fear, hopelessness and abject emptiness. For over 10 years, Fuel subsidy has been the only small connection that the millions of Nigerians have as a solace.

Today the issue is clearly that of trust, No single Nigerians can categorically say that they have 100% trust that the government of the day has the ability of prudence and responsibility to manage the 1.3 Trillion Naira that will be saved from this Fuel subsidy removal.
A more rationale method will be a phase in phase out Removal/refinery Re-investment strategy that will be open and transperent to all citizens. This has not come to the minds of the Government advisers and that is why this is very worrying.,

People in power who could not invest with over 10 trillion Naira budgeted and spent in the last 2 years of Jonathans reign, what is the impact that 1.3 trillion to be saved from subsidy removal will wmake. It will just fizzle like a gaseous element in the midst of the cabal that has continously drained the economy in mind boggling white projects and fictitious contract awards.

These fat cows are okay for all micro economic indicators to experience doubling and tripling and with direct hit on the poor masses meagre earnings and they are okay to continue earning 400million naira per annum each in the legislative house consuming free fuel on the nations account.

1. How will they know what the masses are suffering?
2. How will they feel th eneed for government to earn the trust of the populace before asking for the masses to cough out 1.3 trillion Naira.
3. How will they know that the prices of all items in strret side markets and local transportations have gone up by 150% and more.

The dont know and they will not feel it. They live in the dripping fat of ill gotten government money and looking for additional layers of fat to grow their excesses.

I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that this is te time to stand up to the 1% who have held us in this tight state of economic morass that we are currently sinking. I have dusted my ALUTA (STRUGGLE) shoes again that I left since my Student Union Goverment protest days in Ahmadu Bello University in 2002 against the government of Jonathan Goodluck because of the following reasons:.
1. I beleive the time is now or never.
2. If we dont do it, nobody will.
3. Better die fighting than fight as a dying man.
4. Each generation of men must out of relative obscurity discover their mission, either to fulfil or betray it.

ALUTA CONTINUA, VICTORIA ASCERTA!!!

JOSEPH ONUORAH (Deme Deme I of Orumba)
LAGOS NIGERIA.