The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 631 (September 4 - 17 2024)
China's interests in Africa are being shaped by the race for renewable energy
China's interests in Africa are being shaped by the race for renewable energy
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<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />
Africans now have a voice... Founded in 1995<br />
V O L 30 N O <strong>631</strong> S E P T E M B E R 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Public<br />
urged to<br />
watch out<br />
for<br />
moped<br />
scams<br />
<strong>2024</strong> Summit of the Forum on China-African Cooperation<br />
China’s interests<br />
in Africa are<br />
being shaped by<br />
the race for<br />
renewable<br />
energy<br />
By Lauren Johnston, University of Sydney<br />
Continued on Page 3><br />
<strong>The</strong> public is being urged to<br />
watch out for reckless moped<br />
scammers who are deliberately<br />
crashing into oncoming traffic to make<br />
bogus claims, as new insights show<br />
that over 4,000 people have been<br />
targeted, leading to fraudulent claims<br />
worth a total of £70m in fraud.<br />
<strong>The</strong> scam is widespread across<br />
London, and reports show the<br />
dangerous activity is rising in Croydon<br />
and South West London, which is<br />
having a devastating impact on<br />
communities.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB)<br />
and City of London Police’s Insurance<br />
Fraud Enforcement Department<br />
(IFED), who are investigating the issue<br />
with the insurance industry, have<br />
revealed five top tips to help the public<br />
avoid these moped scams.<br />
Ursula Jallow, Director at the IFB,<br />
said: “<strong>The</strong> scale and impact of moped<br />
scams is unprecedented and has grown<br />
to become one of the largest, most<br />
complex Crash for Cash investigations<br />
we’ve ever seen.<br />
“Thousands of people have been<br />
targeted, and these shameless<br />
scammers’ tactics are becoming<br />
increasingly aggressive. For instance,<br />
we’ve found women who are driving<br />
alone or with their children, are being<br />
targeted<br />
more.<br />
“Everyone should stay alert to the<br />
signs of moped scams and report it to<br />
our confidential CheatLine. Evidence<br />
can not only help to bring those<br />
responsible to justice, but it can also<br />
help to protect victims from having<br />
fraudulent insurance claims being<br />
made against them.”<br />
Detective Chief Inspector Tom<br />
Hill, from the City of London Police’s<br />
Insurance Fraud Enforcement<br />
Department (IFED), said:<br />
“Moped drivers are deliberately<br />
crashing into other vehicles with the<br />
purpose of gaining compensation from<br />
insurance companies. <strong>The</strong> value of the<br />
claims that can be lodged for repairs,<br />
personal injury and replacement<br />
vehicles makes this an incredibly<br />
lucrative opportunity for fraudsters.<br />
“If you witness or are involved in a<br />
Continued on Page 15
Page2 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
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News<br />
SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />
China’s interests in Africa are<br />
being shaped by the race for<br />
Page3<br />
renewable energy<br />
Continued from Page 1<<br />
China-Africa relations have<br />
deepened over the past two<br />
decades, characterised by<br />
increased economic cooperation,<br />
investment and infrastructure development.<br />
China is now Africa’s largest trading<br />
partner, with partnerships focused on<br />
building roads, railways and energy<br />
projects.<br />
As the ninth Forum on China–Africa<br />
Cooperation (FOCAC) kicks off this week<br />
in Beijing, a new, green theme is shaping<br />
their relationship: the global renewable<br />
energy race.<br />
We asked Lauren Johnston, a<br />
development economist with expertise in<br />
China-Africa relations, to provide some<br />
insights into this development as it<br />
positions both regions as key players in the<br />
global shift towards green energy.<br />
How is the race for green energy<br />
shaping relations between China and<br />
Africa?<br />
<strong>The</strong> global climate crisis has created a<br />
push for renewable energy technology –<br />
like solar or wind power – which would<br />
lessen reliance on polluting energy sources.<br />
China saw some years ago it had a chance<br />
to lead in such a new industry.<br />
Africa is home to a lot of the important<br />
minerals needed to create renewable<br />
technologies – like copper, cobalt and<br />
lithium, key ingredients in battery<br />
manufacture.<br />
<strong>The</strong> race for green energy is therefore<br />
leading to a rush for these minerals in<br />
Africa, led by China, the US and Europe.<br />
Chinese mining presence in Africa,<br />
which is much lower than Western<br />
presence, is concentrated in five countries:<br />
Guinea, Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe,<br />
and the Democratic Republic of Congo<br />
(DRC).<br />
Among them, the DRC, Zambia and<br />
Zimbabwe are the crucible of the new green<br />
energy race in Africa. <strong>The</strong>y are home to<br />
Africa’s copper belt and the greatest store<br />
of lithium, copper and cobalt.<br />
<strong>The</strong> DRC is particularly important. It<br />
has significant reserves of cobalt and high<br />
grade copper, as well as lithium. Cobalt is<br />
an unusually hard metal with a high melting<br />
point and magnetic properties. It is a key<br />
ingredient in lithium batteries.<br />
More than 70% of the world’s cobalt is<br />
produced in the DRC and 15%-30% of that<br />
is produced by artisanal (informal) and<br />
small-scale mining.<br />
China is the leading foreign investor – it<br />
owns some 72% of the DRC’s active cobalt<br />
and copper mines, including the Tenke<br />
Fungurume Mine – the world’s fifth largest<br />
copper mine and the world’s second largest<br />
cobalt mine.<br />
China’s CMOC Group is the world’s<br />
leading cobalt mining company. It could<br />
produce up to 70,000 tonnes, thanks to the<br />
new Kisanfu mine.<br />
In 2019, the DRC and China were<br />
responsible for about 70% of global<br />
production of cobalt and 60% of rare<br />
earths.<br />
Zimbabwe is another country in which<br />
China has been investing within the context<br />
of the green energy race. Zimbabwe is<br />
home to Africa’s largest lithium reserves, a<br />
critical element in electric-vehicle battery<br />
production. In 2023, Prospect Lithium<br />
Zimbabwe, a subsidiary of Chinese<br />
company Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, opened<br />
a US$300 million lithium processing plant.<br />
It has capacity to process 4.5 million tonnes<br />
a year of hard rock lithium into concentrate<br />
for export, against a global backdrop of<br />
some 200 million tonnes produced<br />
annually.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are a couple of other<br />
developments on the continent that are<br />
worth watching.<br />
China is investing in the first megascale<br />
battery factory on the continent, in<br />
Morocco.<br />
Chinese interests also have permission<br />
to develop the world’s largest untapped<br />
high-grade iron ore deposit, in Guinea. Iron<br />
ore, used in steel production, plays a crucial<br />
part in the renewable energy sector in<br />
several ways – for instance, steel is used in<br />
wind turbines and in mounting structures<br />
for solar panels. <strong>The</strong> agreement to exploit<br />
the Simandou iron ore deposit involves<br />
various countries. China’s steel-making<br />
giant Chinalco is among the players.<br />
Production is due to begin in early 2026.<br />
As China ramps up investments in<br />
these green minerals, what concerns<br />
exist for African countries?<br />
China’s growing control over key<br />
renewables minerals brings several<br />
challenges to African minerals suppliers.<br />
For African countries it generates<br />
concerns for development – many want to<br />
add value to their minerals endowment at<br />
home rather than export raw materials to<br />
China and then import manufactures. China<br />
has been criticised for abandoning African<br />
interests by adding value in China and not<br />
in Africa. Many people and industries on<br />
the African continent lack access to reliable<br />
and affordable energy – and local industry<br />
is keen to capture that market.<br />
For instance, according to the<br />
International Energy Agency, China<br />
controls over 80% of the global<br />
manufacturing steps involved in making<br />
solar panels. <strong>The</strong> concentration of<br />
production in China, alongside<br />
competition, has pushed down global solar<br />
panel prices.<br />
China’s solar industry is keen to close<br />
Africa’s energy gap, providing sustainable<br />
energy to the millions that don’t have<br />
access. For instance, at this year’s Forum<br />
on China–Africa Cooperation gathering,<br />
China is expected to advance its Africa<br />
Solar Belt Programme. This is an agenda<br />
supported by the World Resources Institute<br />
which not only seeks to use solar energy to<br />
close Africa’s energy gap, but also to focus<br />
Continued on Page 14
Page4<br />
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SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong> <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />
Page5
Page6 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Opinion<br />
NNPC and those who<br />
plan to “remove” Tinubu<br />
“Hello, Bros. Hello. Hello. Hello”<br />
“Yes. I can hear you”<br />
“Which kin thing be this now? I don<br />
dey call you since, you no pick call. Person<br />
go dey call you, you no go pick.”<br />
“At your level, you should know that if<br />
you call somebody once or twice and the<br />
phone rings, the best thing to do is to leave<br />
a message and expect the person to call<br />
back.”<br />
“I called you up to ten times.”<br />
“Why? Once you call a person twice,<br />
leave a message or send a text. Do I owe<br />
you money? You Nigerians do not know<br />
how to use a phone. You think if you call<br />
me, I must answer you compulsorily. I do<br />
not respond to such calls. All the people<br />
who call me up and down are people who<br />
want to beg for money. In this Tinubu<br />
Nigeria, if you call me and up and down, I<br />
won’t answer. I may even block your line<br />
because the desperation is a serious signal,<br />
that a hungry Nigerian is calling me. I did<br />
not cause inflation oh, let nobody come and<br />
disturb me. All of you who voted for APC<br />
in 2015, 2019 and 2023, carry your cross.<br />
Do you know some people even have the<br />
effrontery to come and ask me to help pay<br />
for their wives’ hospital bills in the<br />
maternity ward. If you have enough<br />
strength to impregnate a woman, when it<br />
is nine months and the result comes out,<br />
carry your own cross. <strong>The</strong> notice is long<br />
enough. I don’t want to hear that nonsense<br />
about helping the neighbour. Neighbour<br />
wey no get common sense.”<br />
“So, am I one of those persons who will<br />
disturb you for hospital bills? When person<br />
call you, make you pick”<br />
“I dey unavailable that time. Davido<br />
says I am unavailable. Dem no dey see me.<br />
<strong>The</strong> network must have told you that the<br />
line you were calling was not available at<br />
the time. So, what’s up, Omo? I have a<br />
busy day.”<br />
“Have you seen what I am seeing in the<br />
papers today? <strong>The</strong>y say NNPC Limited is<br />
facing financial strain, financial pressure<br />
and that is why there is fuel scarcity, and<br />
long queues. NNPC says it is overburdened<br />
by debt obligations running into about $6.8<br />
billion”<br />
“I thought they said it was weather and<br />
bad roads causing the fuel supply<br />
disruptions, and that even if they were<br />
owing, it is in the nature of the business to<br />
source credit.”<br />
“We are in <strong>September</strong>. <strong>The</strong> weather<br />
condition will soon change from rainy<br />
season to dry season in Nigeria. <strong>The</strong>re is a<br />
limit to which anyone can blame the<br />
weather and the roads. <strong>The</strong> truth has now<br />
been let out of the bag. My question to you<br />
is what do you think this implies?”<br />
“It is obvious. NNPCL is the<br />
breadwinner of Nigeria. If the company<br />
says it is under financial pressure, it is as<br />
good as saying that Nigeria is financially<br />
bankrupt. When you link that to the fact<br />
that NNPCL is the sole importer of finished<br />
products in the downstream sector, it<br />
means that the NNPC Limited has no<br />
money to import more PMS, and that<br />
would create supply problems and translate<br />
into fuel scarcity and longer queues at the<br />
fuel stations. Very simple.”<br />
“Nigeria produces over 1.3 million<br />
barrels of crude per day. How is that<br />
possible? NNPC Limited can sell crude<br />
and make money.”<br />
“Sorry. Your 1.3 million, 1.4 million<br />
barrels have already been used to take<br />
loans upfront from Afrexim Bank and<br />
other sources. You produce the crude; you<br />
use it to pay existing debts. It is a perfect<br />
storm.”<br />
“But what of the plan to have an<br />
Operation and Maintenance concession<br />
with private investors at the Warri and<br />
Kaduna Refineries?”<br />
“It is called O and M. If you are an<br />
investor, I ask you, will you go and invest<br />
your resources in the same refineries that<br />
the Nigerian Government has not been able<br />
to fix for the past 20 years? Not even the<br />
Chinese who are looking for every possible<br />
opportunity in Africa will go near that.<br />
Why do you think the multinationals are<br />
very careful with Nigeria and some of them<br />
are using style, style to reduce their risk<br />
margins in Nigeria? A country that cannot<br />
protect its biggest assets cannot be trusted.<br />
Investors look at risk factors. And I don’t<br />
think that refineries should be for<br />
concession. <strong>The</strong>y should be privatized. Or<br />
sold as scrap. <strong>The</strong> Nigerian Government<br />
Alhaji Aliko Dangote<br />
cannot run refineries.”<br />
“President Tinubu is in China. He is<br />
talking to the Chinese looking for more<br />
investments. We pray that he succeeds at<br />
the Forum for China- Africa Co-operation<br />
(FOCAC)”<br />
“I hear everybody is in China too, with<br />
some of your Ministers behaving like they<br />
have seen Heaven, the same Heaven that<br />
they cannot create here in Nigeria”<br />
“Don’t mind those ones. Very soon<br />
there will be a cabinet reshuffle and they<br />
will be sent out”<br />
“How can you be so sure?”<br />
“I am not sure of anything. I just think<br />
that the President should return to the<br />
country to address the many matters<br />
arising. He is Minister of Petroleum, and<br />
the fuel queues have not disappeared.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is flooding in many of the States.”<br />
“<strong>The</strong> President does not have to be on<br />
the ground for the country to run properly.<br />
That is why he has appointed people to do<br />
the job. <strong>The</strong> fuel scarcity issue is simple. I<br />
wish the government can deal with all the<br />
rent collectors in the oil and gas sector.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are the ones causing the problems<br />
and they are all over the system. <strong>The</strong> fuel<br />
marketers. <strong>The</strong> fuel depot owners. <strong>The</strong><br />
middlemen. <strong>The</strong> thieves. Tinubu did not<br />
cause the crisis. This is one of those things<br />
that Tinubu inherited. He is trying to clear<br />
the rot in the land. His situation is<br />
compounded by the fact that he is coming<br />
as President after eight years of Buhari,<br />
whose government is remembered for its<br />
sleep-walking for eight years!”<br />
‘Buhari. Hmm. Have you noticed that<br />
since he left office more than one year ago,<br />
nobody, I mean nobody, I mean no<br />
institution or platform anywhere in the<br />
world has invited him to come and give a<br />
BY REUBEN ABATI<br />
lecture on any subject, not even cattle<br />
rearing? Even his Vice President gets<br />
invited all over the world. President<br />
Jonathan has been busy virtually every<br />
month since he left office in 2015.<br />
President Tinubu has a lot to worry about<br />
taking over from Buhari”.<br />
“I am hearing that the Federal<br />
Government may increase fuel price. <strong>The</strong><br />
Minister of State for Petroleum has said<br />
that PMS must be sold above the landing<br />
cost, at the open market price to stop<br />
smuggling and ensure sustainable fuel<br />
supply.”<br />
“One, I don’t think the fuel subsidy<br />
regime which government had to go back<br />
to is sustainable. It only benefits the rent<br />
collectors of Nigeria. Two, I am worried<br />
about fuel price going through the roof.<br />
What would be the open market price of<br />
PMS? N2,000?”<br />
“People are already buying fuel at over<br />
N1,000”<br />
“We have issues with foreign<br />
exchange. If we don’t strengthen the Naira,<br />
people will groan.”<br />
“As an economist, I think the pain may<br />
be for about two months, then things will<br />
stabilize and the market will adjust and<br />
self-correct.”<br />
“Please leave economics out of this<br />
matter. No economic theory works in<br />
Nigeria. When prices go up in this<br />
environment, they will refuse to come<br />
down and the government will be<br />
confronted with another problem.”<br />
“But I hear the Dangote Refinery has<br />
started production, up to about 70 to 80%.<br />
If they pressurize the refinery further,<br />
production levels for PMS could reach<br />
90%.”<br />
“What you do not know is that Dangote<br />
Refinery is a private business. Oil business<br />
is international. Dangote Refinery is not a<br />
charity outfit. <strong>The</strong>y will sell at open market<br />
price and in any case NNPC limited has not<br />
yet reached an agreement with the Refinery<br />
as to how much fuel should be sold.”<br />
“Are we helpless then? Will fuel price<br />
go up?”<br />
“Things will get worse before they get<br />
better.”<br />
“But how about this thing I am hearing<br />
that one British national, Andrew Wynne<br />
is working with some other persons to<br />
remove Tinubu. <strong>The</strong> Police have declared<br />
a certain Drew Povey, also a Briton wanted<br />
for subversive activities against Tinubu’s<br />
government. Povey is accused of renting a<br />
Continued on Page 7
Opinion<br />
SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
NNPC and those who plan to<br />
“remove” Tinubu<br />
<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />
Page7<br />
Continued from Page 6<<br />
space at Labour House in Abuja as a cover<br />
for his activities which includes the<br />
funding of protests to create anarchy in<br />
Nigeria.”<br />
“<strong>The</strong> same Povey says he has been<br />
running an innocent business in Nigeria for<br />
about seven years and that he has never<br />
done anything wrong.”<br />
“A sleeper cell in Labour House,<br />
shortly after the NLC President was invited<br />
by the Police for terrorism related issues? I<br />
sense something here. But my position,<br />
Bros is that nobody should ever think of<br />
talking about removing Tinubu’s<br />
government. Britons coming to Nigeria to<br />
remove government? That would be pure<br />
madness. Anybody that tries any nonsense.<br />
No, it is not even trying, if anybody gets so<br />
reckless as to think of it, that person and his<br />
or her collaborators should be summarily<br />
executed. When a Northerner was in<br />
power, nobody talked about removing<br />
anybody. Now that it is our turn, some<br />
animals are talking about removing. This<br />
country belongs to all of us. Whoever is<br />
frustrated, hungry or angry should wait till<br />
the General Elections in 2027, and make a<br />
choice at the polling station.”<br />
“I agree with you. <strong>The</strong> Nigerian<br />
Military has also pledged their loyalty to<br />
the President and the Nigerian State. Even<br />
the Police.”<br />
“<strong>The</strong> Police have no option. <strong>The</strong><br />
retirement age for policemen has just been<br />
extended by the Senate from 60 to 65<br />
years. <strong>The</strong> IGP, Kayode Egbetokun has<br />
been granted a grace period of four more<br />
years.”<br />
“Well, well, well. I really don’t have a<br />
problem with that. <strong>The</strong> extension is not for<br />
Egbetokun alone. Other policemen will<br />
benefit from it, and every government has<br />
a right and the privilege to adopt its own<br />
directions. In the UK, Sir Keir Starmer<br />
wants to stop winter fuel privileges. He<br />
wants to introduce a more stringent tax<br />
regime. <strong>The</strong> only thing that bothers me is<br />
that I know one police officer who is<br />
always terrorizing other people,<br />
threatening to lock people up. What this<br />
new law means is that he would spend<br />
more time wearing the police uniform.<br />
Useless man.”<br />
“<strong>The</strong> general belief out there is that the<br />
retirement age for policemen was revised<br />
just to keep Egbetokun as Inspector<br />
General of Police. He is a Tinubu man,<br />
they say. And Tinubu wants his own person<br />
in that office.”<br />
“I don’t get it. If you are President, will<br />
you as Tinubu appoint Peter Obi’s person<br />
or Atiku’s person as IGP? <strong>The</strong>se are<br />
commonsense things. What we should<br />
expect is performance and better quality<br />
from the Nigeria Police Force.”<br />
“You know what I am thinking?”<br />
“What?”<br />
“With all these problems that we are<br />
facing in Nigeria, why would the President<br />
buy a new Tokunbo Presidential jet? Why<br />
would a member of the National Assembly<br />
of Nigeria collect as much as N21 million<br />
per month at a time NNPC Ltd says it is<br />
facing financial constraints?”<br />
“You have a point. Nigerian leaders<br />
should be seen to identify with the people.<br />
Yes. But purchase of PMS is not the same<br />
as buying a Presidential jet or the N21<br />
million that Senators collect. It doesn’t<br />
show on them anyway. Many of these our<br />
lawmakers look miserable.”<br />
“It is just that I expect higher standards<br />
of conduct.”<br />
“From who? From Comrade Senator<br />
Adams Oshiomhole for example?”<br />
“Ha. Comrade oh Comrade. I am his<br />
fan oh. And I like his contributions on the<br />
floor of the Senate. His intervention on the<br />
National Anthem issue. His request that the<br />
Nigerian military must account for all the<br />
money that they collected to fight terrorism<br />
and banditry. But Comrade drop person<br />
hand oh, with his attack on Mrs. Betsy<br />
Obaseki, the wife of Governor Obaseki of<br />
Edo State, publicly calling her a barren<br />
Dangote Refinery<br />
woman, and asking the couple why they<br />
have failed to adopt a child.”<br />
“I was shocked too. When did<br />
Comrade Oshiomhole become a family<br />
planning expert. And who ask am<br />
question? Wetin concern am?”<br />
“He was actually defending the APC<br />
Gubernatorial candidate in Edo State,<br />
Senator Monday Okpebholo, after Mrs.<br />
Obaseki - while introducing Mrs. Ifeyinwa<br />
Ighodalo to the women electorate in<br />
Ubiaja, South East Local Government said<br />
that it is only the PDP candidate that has a<br />
wife among all the Gubernatorial aspirants<br />
in Edo State. She did not mention<br />
anybody’s name.”<br />
“Having a wife or a child is not a prerequisite<br />
for becoming a Governor. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
is no such thing in the Nigerian<br />
Constitution. But even if the innuendo<br />
lands perfectly where it is targeted, what is<br />
Oshiomhole’s own in the matter? We hear<br />
more from him than from the APC<br />
candidate himself. He has become<br />
Okpebholo’s spokesman and campaign<br />
manager. I sympathize with the people of<br />
Edo State. Instead of their politicians<br />
talking about issues – how to fix roads,<br />
generate employment, create jobs, promote<br />
prosperity, what we now hear is gutter<br />
politics – who has a wife who does not<br />
have, who has children, who does not have.<br />
Who has DSTV, who does not. Terrible”<br />
“I think the Comrade Senator owes the<br />
Obasekis an apology. Politics or no<br />
politics, there are things an elder should not<br />
say. When JD Vance, Donald Trump’s<br />
running mate in the US election played the<br />
same fertility card referring to Kamala<br />
Harris as a “childless cat”, there was an<br />
uproar. <strong>The</strong>re must be decorum in politics.”<br />
“Sometimes I actually think that the<br />
whole world is going mad. Look at what<br />
the South Africans did to Chidinma<br />
Adesina. <strong>The</strong>y pursued her out of the Miss<br />
South Africa Beauty Pageant. <strong>The</strong>y threw<br />
all kinds of things at her: <strong>The</strong>y said she was<br />
married or divorced, the organizers said it<br />
did not matter, they said her mother is an<br />
identity thief and that she is actually from<br />
Mozambique. Nobody remembered that<br />
Nelson Mandela, father of modern South<br />
Africa also married a former First Lady<br />
from Mozambique. When Chidinma was<br />
invited to participate in the Miss Universe<br />
pageant in Nigeria, South African netizens<br />
pursued her still. <strong>The</strong>y gave their votes to<br />
Miss Kwara. But in the end Miss Chdinma<br />
Adesina emerged victorious. A very big<br />
story about xenophobia, national identity<br />
politics, Nigeria-South Africa relations and<br />
the love-hate relationship between the<br />
peoples of both countries.”<br />
“Quite a moving human story.<br />
Congratulations to Chdinma Adesina.<br />
Thanks to all the fans who gave her the<br />
15,482 votes that brought her victory.<br />
Perhaps not everyone is going crazy. Some<br />
people will always stand by you, no matter<br />
what.”<br />
“What do you think of Nyesom Wike<br />
saying he would fight anybody that<br />
supports Governor Fubara of Rivers State,<br />
be such a person a Governor of another<br />
State or anybody at all?”<br />
“Please, Bros, I think my phone is out<br />
of credit. I sincerely do not want to discuss<br />
Wike.”
Page8 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Opinion<br />
<strong>The</strong> return of Fuel Subsidy<br />
By Reuben Abati<br />
Iwas away on vacation for just two<br />
weeks only to return to meet fuel<br />
queues still on the streets of Nigeria<br />
with the fuel stations rationing fuel in<br />
Lagos and other parts of the country. It<br />
is a big shame, and an embarrassment<br />
that the world’s sixth largest producer<br />
of crude oil cannot refine its own<br />
petroleum products. Nigeria has the<br />
finest blend of crude - Brent Crude<br />
notable for its low sulphur content, but<br />
as in everything else, we export the best<br />
of our assets, including people, only to<br />
buy back the same assets from<br />
outsiders. With finished petroleum<br />
products, we now import the same<br />
petrol that flows in abundance in the<br />
creeks of the Niger Delta and the<br />
backyard of some people’s ancestors.<br />
Reuters reported recently, that NNPC<br />
Limited, the sole importer of finished<br />
products, enjoying a monopoly in that<br />
regard was indebted to gasoline<br />
suppliers to the tune of over $6 billion<br />
forcing traders to backout, resulting in a<br />
scarcity of fuel in the country. Under<br />
contract terms, NNPCL is required to<br />
pay within 90 days of delivery, failing<br />
which the traders collect a late payment<br />
compensation of $250,000 per cargo.<br />
So, when Nigeria tenders for fuel, a<br />
number of traders now look the other<br />
way. Nigeria has no savings to bail it<br />
out, instead the government is<br />
desperately looking for money. It won’t<br />
be long before the Nigerian government<br />
begins to tax persons for dying, or<br />
having babies or for marrying or<br />
engaging in the basic ordinary tasks of<br />
living. In 2023, NNPCL took a loan of<br />
$3.3 billion from Afrexim Bank, but it<br />
looks like even that has been depleted.<br />
What we are dealing with, those who<br />
are familiar with the subject tell us, is<br />
simply the failure of policy, the lack of<br />
vision at the highest levels and the<br />
cumulative effect of the many years of<br />
the oil curse. President Bola Ahmed<br />
Tinubu worsened the situation. <strong>The</strong><br />
crisis that non-availability of fuel in the<br />
country has now created, with the high<br />
cost of living, inflation, loss of time and<br />
capital and the widespread angst in the<br />
land could have been avoided. We<br />
suffer because of Tinubu’s populism,<br />
over-excitement and lack of caution.<br />
On May 29 2023, at his inauguration<br />
as President of Nigeria, Tinubu allowed<br />
his emotions to get the better part of<br />
him when he suddenly announced in his<br />
inaugural speech that “fuel subsidy is<br />
gone!” Some poorly educated persons<br />
in his team must have told him that he<br />
should do something radical from the<br />
first day, and that after all in Kenya,<br />
William Ruto did something radical as<br />
soon as he assumed office. Ruto is<br />
today rueing the day he caused the<br />
tragedy that his exuberance has brought<br />
upon him. <strong>The</strong>re may have also been<br />
persons around President Tinubu who<br />
told him to take a step that would please<br />
the IMF and the World Bank, both of<br />
which had always argued that Nigeria<br />
could not sustain its subsidy regime.<br />
What no one told Tinubu was that<br />
whereas the removal of fuel subsidy<br />
was prescribed in the Petroleum<br />
Industry Act of 2023., President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari, Tinubu’s<br />
predecessor was happy to claim the<br />
credit that it was under his watch that<br />
the PIA was passed after 13 years – one<br />
of the longest running pieces of<br />
legislation in recent times - but he was<br />
not willing to implement every aspect<br />
of it. Section 205(1) of the PIA states<br />
that wholesale and retail prices of<br />
petroleum products would be<br />
determined by market forces, to<br />
encourage competition and private<br />
sector investment. As of 2022, almost<br />
one Naira in every four Naira earned by<br />
the Nigerian government was spent on<br />
fuel subsidy. Nonetheless, the Buhari<br />
administration played smart. It<br />
postponed the divine reign of market<br />
forces until after 18 months, stating that<br />
the removal of fuel subsidy could result<br />
in social upheaval, and that the timing<br />
would be problematic. Buhari willfully<br />
disobeyed the same law that he signed.<br />
He postponed the evil day and left a<br />
booby trap for Bola Ahmed Tinubu,<br />
who clearly out of over-exuberance on<br />
Inauguration day proclaimed that “the<br />
fuel subsidy is gone”. His media<br />
handlers have said that he was left with<br />
NNPC's Tower Abuja<br />
no option in the matter, because in any<br />
case the extension by the Buhari<br />
administration was due to expire. But<br />
could Tinubu have considered other<br />
options? Could he have chosen the<br />
option of a little honeymoon with the<br />
Nigerian people?<br />
<strong>The</strong> least that he could have done<br />
would have been to wait and study the<br />
situation and not resort to an impulsive<br />
policy-making decision to please the<br />
Western crowd. <strong>The</strong> error is not his<br />
alone. What happened to the so-called<br />
members of the Transition, Hand-over<br />
committee? <strong>The</strong>y should have looked at<br />
the situation on the ground and advise<br />
the President accordingly. Buhari<br />
thought the removal of fuel subsidy<br />
would cause social upheaval, Tinubu’s<br />
transition team should have embarked<br />
on a rigorous interrogation of why and<br />
how Buhari tactfully avoided the storm.<br />
He must be laughing at Tinubu in his<br />
Daura home. And this is without<br />
prejudice to the fact that every<br />
economist that I know argued that the<br />
fuel subsidy regime was unsustainable.<br />
It had become an avenue for corruption<br />
and sharp practices, the very reason the<br />
Jonathan administration decided in<br />
2012 to deregulate the downstream<br />
sector of the petroleum industry. <strong>The</strong><br />
Mafia, benefitting from the rot in the<br />
industry including present occupants in<br />
the corridors of power, sabotaged the<br />
Jonathan government. <strong>The</strong>y have since<br />
eaten their vomit, returning to 2012,<br />
and they are shamelessly comfortable<br />
about it. In 2012, fuel subsidy gulped<br />
just about N1 trillion. Tinubu created a<br />
perfect storm by removing fuel subsidy<br />
and also abolishing the dual foreign<br />
exchange rate at the same time. It is<br />
simple common sense. Both moves<br />
were populist but the timing and the<br />
combination were wrong. Within 15<br />
months, Nigeria is literally on its knees.<br />
Between May 2023 and now, the pump<br />
price of fuel has gone from N197 per<br />
litre to N6<strong>17</strong> per litre and up to<br />
N1,3000. President Tinubu promised<br />
the people that he would renew hope.<br />
He told us “e lo fokan bale.” On the<br />
Continued on Page 9 >
Opinion<br />
SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> return of Fuel Subsidy<br />
Continued from Page 8<<br />
<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />
Page9<br />
contrary. cases of sudden death<br />
syndrome have increased. Nigerian<br />
youths are fleeing abroad in droves<br />
because they cannot find hope in their<br />
own country. Nigeria has not even been<br />
able to meet its OPEC production<br />
quota. When the spot price of Brent<br />
goes up as it did during COVID-19, and<br />
now in the face of the conflicts in the<br />
Middle East, and between Russia and<br />
Ukraine, Nigeria is unable to take<br />
advantage of given opportunities. <strong>The</strong><br />
country is also underperforming in<br />
Domestic Revenue Generation as the<br />
elites in power, after a fashion, are more<br />
interested in their own luxury and<br />
comfort. <strong>The</strong> optics are scary. <strong>The</strong><br />
Tinubu government has left the people<br />
in a place of confusion: Fuel subsidy<br />
was removed on a whim, without<br />
clarity and proper consultation with<br />
stakeholders, and apparently no coordination<br />
with the sub-nationals.<br />
What I find particularly intriguing is<br />
that last week the same Tinubu<br />
administration trying to find a way<br />
around the fuel scarcity in the country<br />
and the fact that fuel now sells for as<br />
much as N1,300 per litre in parts of the<br />
country, directed the NNPC to use its<br />
2023 final dividends due to the<br />
Federation to pay for petrol subsidy, in<br />
other words, the Federal Government<br />
wants the payment of dividends to the<br />
Federation to be suspended, to boost<br />
NNPCL’s cash flow. On its part,<br />
NNPCL says it will be unable to remit<br />
taxes and royalties to the Federation<br />
anyway because of on-going subsidy<br />
payments or what it calls “subsidy<br />
shortfall and FX differential.” In<br />
summary, NNPCL says it has been<br />
paying subsidy, and the Federal<br />
Government says it should pay more.<br />
This is enough talk to make anybody<br />
have a headache. For, the same Tinubu<br />
administration since May 29, 2023, had<br />
insisted that there was no fuel subsidy<br />
in Nigeria, even when everyone<br />
including the IMF reported that fuel<br />
subsidy had been re-introduced as far<br />
back as December 2023. Nasir el-Rufai<br />
and others told us the government had<br />
reintroduced fuel subsidy. Senator<br />
Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and<br />
Economic Planning said this was not<br />
true, quoting the PIA, and insisting that<br />
in fact the government was saving<br />
money from the removal of fuel<br />
subsidy, up to about N400 billion<br />
monthly.<br />
<strong>The</strong> lie is now out in the open. <strong>The</strong><br />
minimum that the Tinubu<br />
administration can do is stop the<br />
continuing cycle of deceit and<br />
hypocrisy on the fuel subsidy issue. <strong>The</strong><br />
deceit should stop. We are in the era of<br />
transparency and accountability. <strong>The</strong><br />
word of the government should be its<br />
bond. A government can admit that it<br />
made a mistake and it has found cause<br />
to change its mind. <strong>The</strong>re is nothing<br />
wrong in that. It is not enough for<br />
President Tinubu to issue an order to<br />
NNPCL directing it to use royalties and<br />
dividends due to the Federal<br />
Government to manage fuel prices.<br />
What is the exact amount that we are<br />
talking about? What are the details? For<br />
how long? If there has been a change of<br />
policy, President Tinubu should be<br />
courageous enough to come before<br />
Nigerians and use the same energy and<br />
enthusiasm with which he pronounced<br />
“fuel subsidy is gone” to APOLOGISE<br />
to Nigerians, tell them a mistake has<br />
been made, and explain how his<br />
administration hopes to resolve the<br />
problem. <strong>The</strong> reason there has been so<br />
much turmoil in town is because the<br />
people feel betrayed. President Tinubu<br />
needs to rebuild public confidence in<br />
his administration. He can start by<br />
making the government less<br />
ostentatious. He wants the people to<br />
make sacrifices. <strong>The</strong> process must<br />
begin with him. He needs to reinvent<br />
politics. He must lead by example. <strong>The</strong><br />
nation needs to know the truth. It is<br />
normal to make mistakes. It is nobler to<br />
admit one’s errors and seek to make<br />
corrections.<br />
In the face of the fuel scarcity in the<br />
land, Nigerians are asking: what is<br />
happening to the refineries in Port<br />
Mele Kyari - Group CEO, NNPC Ltd<br />
Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna? It does<br />
not require divine intelligence to get the<br />
refineries working, but what we are<br />
confronted with is an endless circus of<br />
lies. We are told again and again that<br />
the refineries will be completed, but we<br />
might as well be waiting for Godot. In<br />
August 2023, we were confidently<br />
informed that Nigeria would restart its<br />
four refineries by the end of <strong>2024</strong>, so<br />
said Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister<br />
of State for Petroleum. We heard the<br />
same thing in 2022. Lokpobiri repeated<br />
the lie. <strong>The</strong> Nigerian government<br />
should stop telling lies! It is irritating.<br />
Where is the Warri refinery that was<br />
supposed to start operation in the first<br />
quarter of <strong>2024</strong>? Where is the Port<br />
Harcourt refinery that was “technically<br />
completed” in December 2023? Dates<br />
are set. Deadlines are not met. And we,<br />
the people, are supposed to understand<br />
that we live in a country where<br />
promises are not meant to be kept and<br />
leaders can do as they wish, without any<br />
explanation.? No. No. No. It is<br />
offensive that Nigeria is so blessed with<br />
oil and gas resources and all we talk<br />
about is crude oil theft, militancy in the<br />
Niger Delta and the country’s failure to<br />
meet production quota. To all intents<br />
and purposes, Nigeria is still dependent<br />
on oil resources despite argumentations<br />
that the country needs to diversify its<br />
economy, and invest more in the nonoil<br />
sector.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is the unresolved matter of the<br />
Dangote Refinery. This was a project<br />
that we all prayed for and hoped for to<br />
meet local demands for petroleum<br />
products and generate competition and<br />
investment. In typical Nigeria fashion, a<br />
$20 billion worth of investment and the<br />
prospect of a pathway to economic<br />
regeneration has been reduced to petty<br />
stories about Dangote’s personality and<br />
identity, with such questions as why<br />
would he, a Kano man, set up such a big<br />
project in Yorubaland? Or why would<br />
anyone allow an extension of Dangote’s<br />
monopoly? How much did he<br />
contribute to Tinubu’s election<br />
campaign in 2023? As if that should<br />
matter? Somehow, the excitement over<br />
the proposed 650,000 barrels of<br />
petroleum products per day has been<br />
abbreviated by typical Nigerian stories.<br />
Some kill joys have even tried to demarket<br />
the Dangote project. And then<br />
there are others who are saying that<br />
Mele Kyari is the problem. Twice on<br />
television, I have said clearly that Engr.<br />
Kyari is not the problem. In terms of<br />
record, he has done much better than his<br />
own predecessors. His spokespersons<br />
have given us much information about<br />
his efforts. I do not intend to be their<br />
megaphone, only to add that it is far too<br />
simplistic for Nigerians to seek a fall<br />
guy for the same problems that could<br />
have been easily addressed through<br />
long-term visioning. Nigeria waits for<br />
you. While you are busy doing your<br />
own thing, trying to make an impact,<br />
Nigerians have a good habit of waiting<br />
till you get to a significant moment and<br />
they would pounce on you, to destroy<br />
your dream. We must all be careful not<br />
to turn this country into a hostile<br />
environment for talent, creativity and<br />
good citizenship. Tinubu has a duty not<br />
only to fix the loopholes, but also to<br />
embark on an urgent national project of<br />
moral regeneration. <strong>The</strong>re is too much<br />
toxicity in this land.<br />
I end this piece knowing that the<br />
fuel queues are still out there. NNPCL<br />
has given the excuse of distribution<br />
challenges and weather conditions, but<br />
can they tell us another story please?<br />
Even in countries with the most<br />
extreme weather conditions, they have<br />
fuel at their filling stations. And how<br />
about distribution challenges? A<br />
government that is determined to help<br />
and serve the people will find the<br />
political will to address those<br />
challenges whatever their colour or<br />
shape. <strong>The</strong>re is no limit to how far a<br />
government can go to deceive the<br />
people, but there is certainly a limit to<br />
the people’s anger and frustration.<br />
President Tinubu should know this.
Page10 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Opinion<br />
Nigeria’s Naira crude<br />
revolution<br />
Assuming no unforeseen<br />
circumstances, Dangote<br />
Refinery is expected to<br />
make its first delivery of refined<br />
Premium Motor Spirit, (PMS), to<br />
the Nigerian market by <strong>September</strong><br />
<strong>2024</strong>. <strong>The</strong> Federal Government has<br />
also announced that sales of crude<br />
oil to Dangote and other local<br />
refineries will begin on October 1,<br />
<strong>2024</strong>. To address concerns about<br />
pump prices and Dollar-Naira<br />
exchange rates, the Federal<br />
Executive Council approved a plan.<br />
<strong>The</strong> plan offers 450,000 barrels for<br />
domestic consumption in Naira to<br />
Nigerian refineries, with Dangote<br />
Refinery as the pilot.<br />
To begin with, this directive to<br />
the Nigerian National Petroleum<br />
Company Limited (NNPCL) marks<br />
a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s<br />
efforts to redefine crude oil sales<br />
and bolster the local economy<br />
through domestic transactions. <strong>The</strong><br />
move is expected to have a positive<br />
impact on various sectors, including<br />
manufacturing and agriculture.<br />
Selling crude oil in Naira will<br />
reduce reliance on foreign<br />
exchange, thereby stabilizing the<br />
currency. For instance, if Nigeria<br />
sells 450,000 barrels of crude oil per<br />
day to local refineries in naira, it<br />
could reduce the country’s foreign<br />
exchange expenditure by<br />
approximately $1.5 billion annually,<br />
assuming a crude oil price of $60<br />
per barrel. This could be a<br />
significant step towards economic<br />
diversification and growth, if<br />
implemented effectively.<br />
<strong>The</strong> success of this initiative<br />
depends on effective<br />
implementation; and the Zacch<br />
Adedeji-led Technical Subcommittee<br />
has a crucial role to play<br />
in this critical, perhaps, even<br />
national groundbreaking endeavour<br />
which could propel the country into<br />
meeting the needs of the present<br />
without compromising the ability of<br />
the future. Adedeji’s expertise and<br />
reputation for delivering results<br />
make him an excellent choice. With<br />
a strong background in public<br />
service, including his tenure as Oyo<br />
State Commissioner for Finance,<br />
Executive Secretary of the National<br />
Sugar Development Council<br />
(NSDC), and Executive Chairman<br />
of the Federal Inland Revenue<br />
Service (FIRS), he possesses the<br />
necessary skills to drive<br />
transparency and achieve the<br />
programme’s objectives.<br />
In the public service<br />
environment, bureaucracy dictates<br />
that success is shared, not<br />
individually claimed. For instance,<br />
FIRS operates under the Ministry of<br />
Finance, which will likely credit<br />
President Bola Tinubu for the<br />
programme‘s achievements.<br />
Ultimately, the President, who also<br />
serves as Minister of Petroleum,<br />
bears the responsibility. <strong>The</strong>refore,<br />
this Sub-committee’s work will<br />
significantly impact how history<br />
judges Tinubu’s government,<br />
making it a legacy project.<br />
On paper, the tasks seem<br />
straightforward, but two critical<br />
issues must be resolved first,<br />
otherwise, there will be fundamental<br />
defects. Firstly, the Sub-committee<br />
must ascertain the accurate crude oil<br />
production levels, factoring in theft<br />
and forecasting production for the<br />
next two years. Secondly, it must<br />
confirm the number of forward sales<br />
agreements. This is critical as<br />
Nigerians are not even sure that<br />
forward sales are still not being<br />
made. Only after addressing these<br />
issues can a realistic figure be set to<br />
support local refineries.<br />
If the Federal Government had<br />
not issued this directive, Nigeria’s<br />
dependence on oil exports and<br />
foreign currency would continue to<br />
stifle economic growth and<br />
diversification. Local refineries<br />
would struggle to access affordable<br />
crude oil, and the status quo would<br />
persist. This would mean missing<br />
out on opportunities for economic<br />
diversification, growth and<br />
development. To ensure costeffectiveness<br />
therefore, the Subcommittee<br />
must assess whether the<br />
allocated amount will achieve<br />
necessary economies of scale, and<br />
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also consider the opportunity cost of<br />
selling in Naira, which means<br />
forgoing anticipated foreign<br />
exchange earnings. Nevertheless,<br />
the ultimate goal is to utilize full<br />
production capacity domestically<br />
and export refined products, in sync<br />
with the national interest.<br />
Nigeria currently faces a balance<br />
of payment crisis and a<br />
dysfunctional economy. <strong>The</strong> country<br />
is not attracting worthwhile<br />
investments, apart from ‘hot’<br />
portfolio investors. What we need<br />
are patient investors who will<br />
eventually translate into socially<br />
responsible growth. <strong>The</strong>refore, the<br />
Sub-committee’s work is crucial in<br />
addressing structural debilitation<br />
stunting sustainable development.<br />
Establishing sustainable refining<br />
capacity at home can help address<br />
the balance of payment crisis and<br />
current account deficit. As a result,<br />
this will yield immense foreign<br />
exchange savings, benefiting sectors<br />
like Aviation, Manufacturing, and<br />
Agriculture. Added to these is that<br />
local refining capacity will support<br />
the transition to commercial,<br />
science-led farming, modernizing<br />
agriculture.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Sub-committee must<br />
accurately determine crude oil<br />
production levels and verify forward<br />
sales contracts. This ensures FIRS<br />
receives the correct revenue<br />
allocation for the Federation<br />
Account. As the sole collection<br />
agent for the Federal Government,<br />
the Service relies on precise data to<br />
manage and distribute resources<br />
effectively. In a world that seems to<br />
have forgotten its meaning, this<br />
underscores the significance of its<br />
role in maintaining the country’s<br />
economic stability, making it<br />
essential to ensure the Subcommittee’s<br />
assignment is<br />
Continued on Page 11
Opinion<br />
SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong> <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> Page11<br />
Nigeria’s Naira crude revolution<br />
Continued from Page 10<<br />
completed with utmost accuracy and<br />
transparency.<br />
<strong>The</strong> pending sale of national<br />
assets in the oil sector is prompted<br />
by the departure of major players<br />
like AGIP and TOTAL from Downand<br />
Upstream sectors. This<br />
development presents a critical<br />
concern that requires urgent<br />
attention. Indeed, this issue has<br />
already sparked intense discussion,<br />
as evident in the recent exchange<br />
between Oando/OVH/NNPCL and<br />
former Vice President Atiku<br />
Abubakar.<br />
To fully leverage the Naira crude<br />
revolution’s potential, NNPCL must<br />
address its internal challenges,<br />
which hinder its ability to compete<br />
with international peers like<br />
Aramco, Petrobras and<br />
PETRONAS. Unlike these industry<br />
leaders, NNPCL faces substantial<br />
challenges, including corruption,<br />
mismanagement, and security<br />
issues, which limit its ability to<br />
optimize production, invest in<br />
research and development, and<br />
diversify its portfolio. For instance,<br />
while Petrobras excels in deepwater<br />
exploration, NNPCL’s<br />
security concerns restrict its ability<br />
to explore and extract oil in certain<br />
regions. Similarly, while<br />
PETRONAS boasts a diversified<br />
portfolio,<br />
NNPCL’s<br />
mismanagement and corruption<br />
issues hinder its capacity to invest in<br />
new ventures.<br />
Overall, while NNPCL has<br />
opportunities for growth, it trails<br />
behind peers in terms of<br />
technological advancement,<br />
financial performance and<br />
operational efficiency. As the global<br />
energy landscape shifts, Nigeria<br />
must adapt or risk being left behind.<br />
By adopting best practices and<br />
addressing its internal challenges,<br />
NNPCL can unlock its full potential<br />
and support Nigeria’s economic<br />
development. <strong>The</strong> conventional<br />
wisdom, headed by Adedeji, has the<br />
technical capacity to get to the<br />
bottom of the dysfunction and in the<br />
process make path-breaking<br />
contributions to national<br />
development.<br />
With the <strong>September</strong> rollout<br />
looming, Nigeria’s economic fate is<br />
uncertain. Take it or leave it, the<br />
Sub-committee can be given a<br />
success possibility only if the<br />
Tinubu-led administration is<br />
prepared to sincerely confront the<br />
powerful cabals whose desperation<br />
is no more a hidden secret. In a land<br />
that’s full of possibilities and<br />
questions, it’s like trying to please a<br />
room full of hungry lions with a<br />
single piece of meat. Indeed, this<br />
makes Adedeji’s and his fellow risktakers’<br />
job appear even more<br />
Zaccheus Adedeji<br />
perilous than leading a conventional<br />
war.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Naira crude revolution has<br />
the potential to positively impact<br />
Nigeria’s economy by reducing<br />
reliance on foreign exchange, but its<br />
success depends, primarily, on<br />
addressing existing challenges. And<br />
as Nigeria embarks on this bold<br />
initiative, will it be the catalyst for a<br />
brighter economic future, or will it<br />
succumb to the same pitfalls that<br />
have hindered progress in the past?<br />
Again, what if the proposed hymn<br />
of humanity refuses to be a paean to<br />
our collective compassion but a<br />
dirge for our societal failures?<br />
At a time like this, one can only<br />
wish Zacch Adedeji and his team<br />
every success in this complex<br />
endeavour!<br />
May the Lamb of God, who takes<br />
away the sin of the world, grant us<br />
peace in Nigeria!<br />
Komolafe wrote in from Ijebu-<br />
Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria<br />
(ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)
Page12 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Opinion<br />
Elected representatives:<br />
Servants or masters?<br />
By Abiodun Komolafe<br />
“Not to know what happened before you were born is to remain forever a child.”<br />
- Cicero, 46 B.C.<br />
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106<br />
BC - 43 BC), renowned<br />
statesman, lawyer,<br />
philosopher, poet and ‘the greatest<br />
forensic orator Rome ever produced’,<br />
was right! We have to go into the past<br />
to understand today!<br />
<strong>The</strong> present conundrum in the<br />
National Assembly highlights just<br />
how far we have departed from many<br />
rational definitions of public service.<br />
It wasn’t always like this! From the<br />
early 1950s, with the commencement<br />
of self-rule in the regions and at the<br />
centre, parliamentarians were on<br />
allowances. This is because there was<br />
an element of public service entailed.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re were no ludicrous, self-serving<br />
perks such as constituency allowance<br />
and the absurdity of constituency<br />
projects had not yet come into place.<br />
This system functioned effectively,<br />
and the parliamentarians of that era<br />
etched their inputs into the public<br />
consciousness. <strong>The</strong> same thing<br />
prevailed at the centre. Since the<br />
parliamentarians were part-time, on<br />
allowances, most of them did second<br />
jobs in order to augment their<br />
incomes. Sadly, we’ve since<br />
abandoned this approach,<br />
succumbing to a culture of<br />
underperformance and increasing<br />
irrelevance.<br />
An instructive historical<br />
illustration comes from France, after<br />
the collapse of the 4 th Republic on<br />
October 5, 1958. When Charles de<br />
Gaulle came in as President of the 5 th<br />
New Republic in January 1959, one<br />
of his Executive Orders was to<br />
proclaim a Decree linking every post<br />
held by political appointees to a<br />
particular post in the civil service. In<br />
this way, the Senate President, for<br />
example, has the same remuneration<br />
as the Permanent Secretary. Today,<br />
over 6,000 French civil servants earn<br />
more than the President, yet this<br />
hasn’t hindered the country’s<br />
effectiveness. Instead, de Gaulle’s<br />
reforms have fostered a highly<br />
regarded public service, attracting top<br />
talent and demonstrating that<br />
equitable compensation can coexist<br />
with strong governance.<br />
Characteristically, Nigeria’s<br />
political establishment has headed<br />
into the opposite direction, with<br />
predictably disastrous results. <strong>The</strong><br />
consequences are stark: 133 million<br />
people (a conservative estimate)<br />
mired in multi-dimensional poverty,<br />
soaring inflation and a public service<br />
system that rewards self-serving<br />
politicians. <strong>The</strong> humongous perks<br />
obtained by subterfuge is clearly not<br />
attracting the best and the brightest<br />
into public service since the very<br />
concept of public service has been<br />
distorted and placed on its head, into<br />
not-public, but self-service.<br />
<strong>The</strong> furore over Nigerian Senators’<br />
emoluments has ignited a fierce<br />
debate, exposing the yawning chasm<br />
between the political elite and the<br />
masses. It’s a tragic reminder that, in<br />
our context, public service has<br />
become a euphemism for selfenrichment.<br />
<strong>The</strong> fact that these<br />
‘servants of the people’ have<br />
perfected the art of siphoning off<br />
public funds while their bank<br />
accounts overflow with ill-gotten<br />
gains reveals a sinister plot. It’s a<br />
A cross-section of Nigerian Senators during a Plenary<br />
twisted game of ‘trickle-down<br />
economics’ where the only thing<br />
trickling down is the Senators’<br />
tokenistic largesse. One can’t help but<br />
ask: what’s the price tag for selling<br />
one’s soul?<br />
Unlike the relatively corruptionfree<br />
First and Second Republics,<br />
today’s political system is ravaged by<br />
entrenched and widespread<br />
corruption. Emoluments have become<br />
a tool for buying loyalty and silence,<br />
rather than a means of compensating<br />
public servants. While previous<br />
systems had their flaws, the current<br />
excesses have reached catastrophic<br />
levels, igniting public outrage and<br />
demands for radical reforms. As<br />
Nigeria’s democracy teeters on the<br />
brink and its economy stagnates, one<br />
wonders: what concrete actions are<br />
elected representatives taking to<br />
alleviate the suffering of the masses?<br />
Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of<br />
simple living and selflessness has<br />
inspired generations. Gandhi believed<br />
that leaders should prioritize the<br />
people’s welfare, living modestly and<br />
selflessly. Similarly, Lee Kuan Yew<br />
advocated for modest political<br />
salaries, prioritizing public service<br />
over personal gain. Nelson Mandela<br />
embodied this spirit, living modestly<br />
and donating a third of his<br />
Presidential salary to charity. Former<br />
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda<br />
Ardern demonstrated her dedication<br />
to public service by taking a pay cut<br />
and prioritizing citizens’ welfare,<br />
Continued on Page 13 >
Opinion<br />
Elected representatives:<br />
Servants or masters?<br />
SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />
Page13<br />
Continued from Page 12<<br />
especially during crises.<br />
Former Uruguayan President Jose<br />
Mujica exemplified extreme<br />
simplicity by donating most of his<br />
salary to charity. Known as the<br />
‘world’s poorest President’, Mujica<br />
lived in a modest farmhouse, and<br />
drove an old Volkswagen Beetle. In<br />
India, former Tripura Chief Minister<br />
Manik Sarkar earned the nickname<br />
‘Poorest CM’ for his humble lifestyle,<br />
living in a simple apartment and using<br />
public transport. Without doubt, these<br />
iconic leaders demonstrated that true<br />
leadership entails selflessness,<br />
humility, and a commitment to the<br />
greater good.<br />
In Nigeria, the late Obafemi<br />
Awolowo championed modest<br />
salaries and allowances for<br />
lawmakers to keep them grounded<br />
and connected to the people. His<br />
philosophy prioritized the masses’<br />
welfare, as reflected in one of his<br />
famous quotes: ‘<strong>The</strong> test of our<br />
progress is not whether we add more<br />
to the abundance of those who have<br />
much; it is whether we provide<br />
enough for those who have too little.‘<br />
Similarly, Ahmadu Bello believed<br />
true leadership entailed serving with<br />
humility and dedication, not personal<br />
gain or aggrandizement. Both leaders<br />
emphasized the need for public<br />
servants to prioritize the people’s<br />
interests above their own.<br />
Obviously, the revelation of<br />
N21m-a-month salaries for Senators<br />
barely raised an eyebrow, as many<br />
Nigerians suspected the figure was<br />
even higher. In a clime so blessed as<br />
ours, it’s no surprise that the Senator<br />
who exposed this travesty will likely<br />
face suspension! <strong>The</strong> process has<br />
devolved into a farcical ‘boarding<br />
house’ dynamic, where the<br />
‘housemaster’ cracks down on<br />
dissenting voices at the slightest hint<br />
of insubordination. This is not what a<br />
modern, democratic parliament looks<br />
like! Sadly, the charade will continue,<br />
unchecked by any strong moral<br />
counterforce, perpetuating the<br />
‘development of underdevelopment’<br />
that has held Nigeria back for so long.<br />
‘Parliament’, as it is currently<br />
depicted in Nigeria, lacks the<br />
technical expertise to effectively<br />
monitor and direct affairs in a modern<br />
State. <strong>The</strong> absence of critical<br />
institutions like a Congressional<br />
Budget Office or Office of Budget<br />
Responsibility perpetuates illconceived<br />
and poorly monitored<br />
budget processes, resulting in<br />
unimplemented budgets and<br />
abandoned projects. This self-serving<br />
approach ensures parliamentarians<br />
lack access to vital technical inputs,<br />
relegating them to irrelevance in a<br />
highly competitive, interconnected<br />
global economy. Our downward<br />
spiral from tragedy to farce continues<br />
unabated.<br />
<strong>The</strong> controversy surrounding<br />
senators’ salaries serves as an<br />
unambiguous reminder of the urgent<br />
need for a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s<br />
public service ethos. Perhaps it’s time<br />
for the government to pause,<br />
reevaluate, and consider bringing in<br />
fresh perspectives from independent<br />
analysts and operators currently<br />
outside the mainstream. Contrarians<br />
can offer valuable insights during a<br />
stalemate, as the saying goes, ‘out of<br />
the mouth of babes…’ At a time like<br />
this, it behoves the government to<br />
revisit its manifesto commitments to a<br />
social market economy, embrace<br />
transparency and accountability, and<br />
strike a balance between State<br />
intervention and market forces.<br />
Finally, as we reflect on the<br />
examples of selfless leaders like<br />
Gandhi, Mandela and Mujica, it is<br />
clear that true progress can only be<br />
achieved when those in power<br />
prioritize the welfare of the people<br />
over personal gain. <strong>The</strong>refore, the<br />
Bola Tinubu-led government must<br />
continually work hard to justify the<br />
mandate freely given by Nigerians<br />
and deliver on its promises. This is<br />
crucial, as the country cannot afford<br />
to stagnate.<br />
May the Lamb of God, who takes<br />
away the sin of the world, grant us<br />
peace in Nigeria!<br />
Komolafe wrote in from Ijebu-<br />
Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria<br />
(ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk).
Page14 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Opinion<br />
Nigeria and the Art of Going<br />
Backwards<br />
By Tony Ogunlowo<br />
Iliked the ‘old’ [new] national anthem<br />
‘Nigeria we Hail <strong>The</strong>e…’ written by a<br />
foreigner, Lilian Jean Williams to<br />
rhyme with the about to be independent<br />
nation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,<br />
in 1959. It was drummed into our ting<br />
craniums as kids and we had to memorize it<br />
word for word. We sang it at Assembly<br />
before school began; it was played before<br />
NTA began its transmission for the day and<br />
at every special event.<br />
With the country back on its feet after a<br />
disastrous civil war that nearly ripped it<br />
apart, it was time to finally ditch all ties to<br />
our former colonial past and re-brand.<br />
Along came our own very national anthem<br />
‘Arise O Compatriots’ written by five<br />
Nigerians led by B A Ogunnaike in 1978.<br />
Again, we had to learn our new anthem and<br />
sing it all the time.<br />
So now we’re going backwards to<br />
resurrect an anthem already consigned to<br />
the dustbin of time which by today’s<br />
standards sounds cheesy and patronising<br />
anyway. I know that when you get to a<br />
certain age you start feeling nostalgic (I<br />
know, I’m that old!) but you can’t bring the<br />
past back however hard you try: you have<br />
to let it go and embrace the future.<br />
A national anthem describes a nation’s<br />
identity and sovereignty: there’s no way the<br />
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu<br />
Americans are going to replace the ‘Star<br />
Spangled Banner’ with ‘God Save the<br />
King’. <strong>The</strong>y severed all ties with Great<br />
Britain more than 250 years ago and are not<br />
going to go backwards. That’s history.<br />
In Nigeria, we always seem to be going<br />
backwards. Amidst all the problems in<br />
modern day Nigeria, it seems changing the<br />
anthem – not even for a new one – takes<br />
precedence over everything else because<br />
the President deems it so. Is he going to<br />
revert the Naira back to its heyday when it<br />
was $1=N1? No! Is he going to make the<br />
country trouble-free like it was in the 70s<br />
and 80s? No! Is he going to make the cost<br />
of living go down to what it was during the<br />
oil boom years? No! Only the anthem needs<br />
changing because that takes precedence<br />
over everything (???), and the over-paid<br />
and over-fed legislators couldn’t wait to<br />
rush it through! And I’m quite sure if you<br />
don’t sing, play the new – old – anthem<br />
(I’m getting confused here!) you’re likely<br />
to be arrested and fined (as if the police<br />
don’t have anything better to do with their<br />
time!).<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are a lot of things that need<br />
changing to be even better than they were in<br />
the past but as long as this administration<br />
keeps on focusing on frivolities nothing<br />
will be done: Tinubu will spend four years<br />
in power, probably be re-elected for another<br />
term and the country will still be at the<br />
starting point, where Buhari left off, and not<br />
moved an inch forward. Already we’ve<br />
seen this administration going backwards<br />
and forwards on its policies. We’ve seen the<br />
oil subsidy removed with nothing to fill the<br />
vacuum; Air Nigeria, the new national air<br />
carrier is still a dream; and the emergence<br />
of a new white elephant called the Lagos –<br />
Calabar Highway – which will never be<br />
completed in our lifetime! Foreign<br />
investors are being driven away because of<br />
short term ‘tolotolo’ policies which are<br />
likely going to be revoked by incoming<br />
future administrations (as might be the<br />
new/old anthem), the crude oil market is<br />
not bringing in the much-needed cash and<br />
insurgency and uncertainty is flourishing as<br />
the country goes abroad for more-aborrowing.<br />
Anybody else want to ‘japa’ before the<br />
proverbial hits the fan? It makes you<br />
wander who’s driving the bus.<br />
<strong>The</strong> bus driver, his conductor and team<br />
need to drive forward towards the future –<br />
and not keeping on going back to the past.<br />
Nigeria is beginning to sound like Italian<br />
tanks during World War Two: one gear to<br />
go forward and four to reverse! It’s<br />
supposed to be forwards ever, backwards<br />
never.<br />
So now the President has got his wish –<br />
again: first ‘emi-lokan’ and now a new/old<br />
national anthem, perhaps he can now focus<br />
on the job at hand of reducing the hardship<br />
in the country instead of coming up with<br />
things aimed at distracting attention away<br />
from what really matters.<br />
You can follow Tony Ogunlowo on<br />
Twitter: @Archangel641 or visit<br />
http://www.archangel641.blogspot.co.uk<br />
News<br />
China’s interests in Africa are being<br />
shaped by the race for renewable energy<br />
Continued from Page 3<<br />
on powering schools and healthcare<br />
facilities with solar too.<br />
Some countries, like South Africa, are<br />
pushing back by imposing tariffs on solar<br />
imports to protect their local industries.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are also fears that the race to<br />
renewables, and the approach of Chinese<br />
mining-sector firms in Africa, is setting<br />
back workers’ conditions. Expansion of<br />
mines in some countries has also led to<br />
forced evictions and human rights abuses.<br />
What can African countries do<br />
differently to take advantage of China’s<br />
mineral rush?<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are several steps they can take.<br />
First, they can pay more attention to<br />
basic labour standards and human rights.<br />
Second, African firms should aim to<br />
learn from their Chinese partners. <strong>The</strong>y can<br />
develop the industrial knowledge and<br />
understanding of the skills and capabilities<br />
needed on the continent, similar to how<br />
China learned from Japanese, Taiwanese,<br />
Singaporean and Western companies in the<br />
past.<br />
Third, learn from how other emerging<br />
markets manage their relations with China.<br />
For instance, with China’s help, Indonesia<br />
has taken control of the global nickel<br />
market. Indonesia started by banning nickel<br />
exports in 2014, aiming to build up its own<br />
industries for processing and<br />
manufacturing. This plan was supported by<br />
Chinese investments.<br />
Lastly, what I call China’s Hunan<br />
Model for Africa has a focus on agriculture,<br />
mining, transport and construction<br />
industries, and on building talent. This<br />
includes technical and vocational training.<br />
<strong>The</strong> more African nations position<br />
themselves to take advantage of training<br />
programmes from other countries, the<br />
better their young people will be prepared<br />
to drive industrial growth and economic<br />
development in Africa.<br />
Renewable energy is shaping China's interest in Africa (Photo - Willi Heidelbach, Pxhere CC0)<br />
* Lauren Johnston is Associate<br />
Professor of China Studies Centre at<br />
University of Sydney.<br />
* This article is republished from <strong>The</strong><br />
Conversation under a Creative Commons<br />
license. Read the original article at:<br />
https://theconversation.com/chinasinterests-in-africa-are-being-shaped-bythe-race-for-renewable-energy-237679.
<strong>Trumpet</strong> Auto<br />
SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong> <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />
Public urged to watch out for<br />
Page15<br />
moped scams<br />
Continued from Page 1<<br />
Public warned about moped scams (Photo - Valentin Sarte, Pexels)<br />
Ursula Jallow - Director at Insurance Fraud Bureau<br />
collision and suspect it is Crash for Cash<br />
fraud, gather as much information as<br />
possible. This could be the make and model<br />
of the moped, its number plate or the<br />
clothing that the driver is wearing. <strong>The</strong>se<br />
details could be invaluable in disproving a<br />
fraudulent claim. Report the incident as<br />
soon as possible to the Insurance Fraud<br />
Bureau’s CheatLine.”<br />
alternative to making a claim, they may<br />
even try to pressure victims into handing<br />
over cash. Those considered to be more<br />
vulnerable are more likely to be targeted.<br />
<strong>The</strong> impact on victims can be<br />
traumatising and they may not realise<br />
they’ve been scammed until long after the<br />
incident, often when in discussion with<br />
their insurer.<br />
<strong>The</strong> IFB has found over 4,000 people<br />
have been targeted by a moped scam<br />
within the last three years, following an<br />
analysis of fraudulent claims received by<br />
21 insurers.<br />
Five top tips to stay vigilant<br />
• Look out.<br />
Be vigilant of anyone on a moped (or<br />
motorcycle) who is lingering unnecessarily<br />
or trying to hide out of sight, at the end or<br />
sides of roads or behind parked vehicles.<br />
much info about the incident as possible,<br />
including details of the other road user, any<br />
witnesses, photographs and recordings<br />
(local CCTV or dashcam footage).<br />
Report it.<br />
If someone thinks they’ve been<br />
targeted in a Crash for Cash moped scam,<br />
they should tell their insurer and contact<br />
their local police force. Evidence of the<br />
scam should be reported to IFB’s<br />
confidential CheatLine service via an<br />
online form, or the phoneline which is<br />
powered by CrimeStoppers, at 0800 422<br />
0421<br />
<strong>The</strong> evolving nature of moped scams<br />
Incidents of moped scams have been<br />
reported across London boroughs,<br />
including in Barnet, Brent, Camden,<br />
Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and<br />
Kensington and Chelsea. More recently,<br />
Croydon, Hammersmith and Fulham, and<br />
Lambeth have seen a rise in the issue.<br />
Moped scammers are mostly targeting<br />
Londoners, however it’s possible the<br />
criminal activity could also occur in other<br />
parts of the UK where road users are less<br />
suspecting of the activity.<br />
<strong>The</strong> fraudsters will often intimidate<br />
victims to try and get them to admit fault of<br />
a collision. And in some recent cases, as an<br />
• Know the signs.<br />
<strong>The</strong> moped scammer will drive headon<br />
into their victim and may then throw<br />
their moped down and even drop to the<br />
floor to fake an injury, before taking photos<br />
of the incident.<br />
• Watch out for accomplices.<br />
Many of the moped scammers work<br />
with an accomplice to act as a witness and<br />
help facilitate the fraudulent activity. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
might also use a van to obscure the<br />
victim’s view.<br />
• Collect information.<br />
If targeted, it’s important to collect as
GAB Awards<br />
Faces at the 2023 GAB Awards<br />
Page16 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> SEPTEMBER 4 - <strong>17</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Join us at the 26th Annual GAB Awards on Sunday 1 December <strong>2024</strong>.<br />
Further information at www.GABAwards.com<br />
<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> is published in London fortnightly by <strong>Trumpet</strong><br />
Field: 07956 385 604 E-mail: info@the-trumpet.com (ISSN: 1477-3392)