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Buhari Weak In Managing Nigeria’s Economy, Governance – Report

Published

2 years ago

November 14, 2022

Editor

Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari has performed poorly in governance, economic and political transformation, according to the BTI 2022 Country Report.

The Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) measures the development status and governance of political and economic transformation processes in developing and transition countries.

Founded in 1977, the report is published biennially by Bertelsmann Stiftung, an independent establishment based in Gütersloh, Germany.

More than 250 experts from leading academic institutions and civil society organizations worldwide assessed 137 nations.

Nigeria is 108th overall: 86th spot for political transformation, 113th for economic transformation, and 99th for governance index.

The 31-page report warns that under “the weak leadership” of President Buhari, dangers in all political fields will persist and continue to shape the system.

It said after the lawsuits against the 2019 presidential and gubernatorial election results were dismissed, Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) consolidated power but have failed to meet expectations.

Noting that the last presidential election “was seriously flawed”, BTI said Buhari’s poor performance in his first term “continued and even worsened”.

The body criticized the President’s COVID-19 policies, as well as “his inability to professionalize the military in its campaign against the Islamist insurgency”.

The report said the military suffered repeated setbacks and faced new challenges in central Nigeria and in the northwest.

“Hundreds of people have been killed by organized criminal gangs involved in cattle rustling, looting villages and kidnapping for ransom.

“The increase in violence and crime indicates that endemic corruption has reached new heights, and the militarization of state and society is increasing,” it observed.

BTI said the Buhari administration’s “only halfheartedly pursued anti-corruption campaign did not yield any significant results”.

In the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released annually by Transparency International (TI), Nigeria is currently placed 149 out of 180 countries evaluated.

BTI recalled how the peaceful End SARS protests against police brutality and the government “were hijacked by hoodlums and criminals” and “turned into mayhem”.

The experts found violence throughout northern Nigeria increased again and continues to claim jihadists, security forces and civilians.

“The multidimensional violent conflict with various groups of insurgents has spread fast to the border areas of the neighboring states.”

BTI said people in southern Nigeria remain in the sphere of influence of border conflict, piracy, kidnapping and robbery.

The report decried the authorities’ incoherent policy to bring succor to millions of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

It stressed that judging by the attitude, “the international community will have to assume responsibility for these IDPs”.

The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria heightened over the past few months due to flooding, partly caused by climate change.

In its updated November 2022 report, the United Nations (UN) indicated that more than 3.2 million people are affected, amid food crisis fears.

There were over 600 fatalities, and 1.4 million people displaced, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Also, about 14,000 people have been affected by cholera in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) States since January, with 443 deaths.

The UN says the flooding increases risk of waterborne diseases, and while 4.1 million people face severe food insecurity, 1.74 million children may suffer from malnutrition this year.
DAILY POST

Headline

Iran President Had ‘Lot Of Blood On His Hands’ – White House

Published

9 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

Iran President Ebrahim Raisi had a “lot of blood on his hands”, the White House said on Monday despite Washington offering condolences after his death in a helicopter crash.

“This was a man who had a lot of blood on his hands,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, saying Raisi was responsible for “atrocious” rights abuses in Iran and had supported regional proxies including Hamas.

Kirby said, however, that “as in any other case, we certainly regret in general the loss of life and offered official condolences as appropriate.”

Earlier, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced on Monday five days of mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash.

“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province.

Headline

Iran Gets Interim President After Raisi’s Death

Published

18 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei assigned vice president Mohammad Mokhber to assume interim duties after the death of president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash a day earlier.

“In accordance with Article 131 of the constitution, Mokhber is in charge of leading the executive branch,” said Khamenei in a statement, adding that Mokhber will be required to work with the heads of legislative and judicial branches to prepare for presidential elections “within a maximum period of 50 days”.

Recall that President Raisi was confirmed dead on Monday after his helicopter crashed in a mountainous region of the country.

Raisi was travelling with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian who also died in the accident.

Rescue teams had been scouring the area since Sunday afternoon after a helicopter carrying Raisi, the foreign minister and other officials had gone missing.

Early Monday, relief workers located the missing helicopter, with state TV saying the president had died.

“The servant of Iranian nation, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi has achieved the highest level of martyrdom whilst serving the people,” state television said Monday, with Mehr news agency also saying he was dead.

State television broadcast photos of Raisi, with the voice of a man reciting the Koran playing in the background.

Iran’s vice president for executive affairs Mohsen Mansouri posted on X a Koranic verse used to express condolences.

Meanwhile, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has announced a five days of mourning for President Raisi.

“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province.

Headline

UK Threatens To Deport Physically-challenged Nigerian After 38 Years

Published

18 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The United Kingdom has threatened to deport a physically-challenged Nigerian man, Anthony Olubunmi George, over an alleged forged entry stamp in his passport.

George who has lived in the UK for 38 years, after he left Nigeria at the age of 24 in 1986, according to the Guardian UK.

The 61-year-old Nigerian has no criminal convictions and made several applications for leave to remain in the UK, which the Home Office has rejected, most recently on 7 May.

George’s case became the second African facing a huge disappointment with the UK Home Office after spending several years in Britain.

Vanguard reported last week that a 74-year-old Ghanaian Nelson Shardey, who has resided in the UK since 1977, was refused indefinite leave to remain despite being in the country for most of his adult life.

As the case of the Nigerian, he has never left the UK and has no criminal convictions, with the reports of having two strokes, which left him with problems with speech and mobility in 2019.

When George arrived, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister and Rishi Sunak is the ninth to hold office since George has lived in the UK.

He has endured many periods of homelessness and disclosed he has lost count of the number of friends who have given him shelter over the years, adding that he no longer has any close family in Nigeria.

The Guardian UK said in 2005, his previous solicitors submitted a forged entry stamp in his passport and have subsequently been reported to the police and the legal regulatory bodies.

George told the Guardian he knew nothing about the passport stamp until many years later. His current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, cited his poor previous legal representation as the reason for George’s problems.

In his most recent refusal, Home Office officials said: “Unfortunately this is not something that is considered an exceptional circumstance.”

Kandiah has lodged an appeal against the latest refusal.

A previous Home Office rejection of his case states: “It’s open to your family and friends to visit you in Nigeria.”

George said, “I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on – too many to count. I don’t have my life, living the way I’m living now. My health problems since I had my stroke are my biggest worry. All I’m asking for is some kindness from the Home Office.”