UPDATES: ONGOING 4TH NIGERIA GOVERNORS FORUM RETREAT @PORTHARCOURT - 13.54 The hall is now empty. Governors and guests have gone for prayers and lunch. The next session, the third, will be the last one before a communique is drawn up. 13.53 Only seven Governors are remaining in the hall as Senator Saraki winds up the second session. The announcer starts to announce a short break for Jumat prayers and lunch but changes his mind mid-way. Ive just been told that the next session will begin immediately. Those going for the Jumat prayers will join us when they return, he says. The hall is virtually empty. 13.33 Governor Fashola says the community also has a role to play in attaining a robust healthcare system. For me, it is how to prevent people from being ill that is the most important aspect. The primary healthcare system will help but I think what will help more is the environment, provision of water, prevention of open defaecation and so on. Fashola also says that people must start having the number of children they can take care of. Governor Amaechi says governors must transcend mere construction of structures to building a system that is running. He adds that Rivers State has 140 primary health centres and the rural centres have 10 patients per day. The session has gone into a question and answer segment. 13.31 Governor Amosun details how his government has achieved zero maternal mortality. He says primary healthcare is the most important sector in Ogun State. We have two programmes: the Conditional Grant Scheme which makes sure that during pregnancy, all pregnant women are entitled to N1,000 during each of the six ante-natal visits. During childbirth, they receive N3,000 plus baby care products. After birth, they receive N1,000 in each four post natal visit. We also buy mobile phones for them. In all we budget N25,000 per pregnant woman. Amosun also says that NHIS cannot solve Nigerias health problem. 13.31 Saraki argues that the NHIS takes care of only the formal sector and advocates for more funding to the primary healthcare sector. If we can invest more money in primary healthcare, the money we will have invested in the secondary and tertiary healthcare will have reduced. Prof. Owolabi says that more investment needs to be made in the health sector. In 1964, the University College Hospital, Ibadan, was recognized as the 4th best institution in the whole of Commonwealth. 13.05 The first session has ended. The second session Overview of the Current State of the Health Sector at the Sub-National Level and Achieving and Sustaining Universal Primary Healthcare at the Subnational Level begins immediately. The session is chaired by Senator Bukola Saraki and presenters/discussants include Governors Amaechi, Fashola, and Amosun. As well as Professors Oyewole Owolabi, Professor Emeritus, Formerly of Ford Foundation; and Prof. Oyewale Tomori, Former Vice Chancellor, Redeemers University 13.01 Life After Office Orji Uzor Kalu says that as a governor for 8 years, his businesses all over the world suffered. He also enjoined leaders to think towards entrepreneurship and providing employment opportunities to people in companies where they have dominant shares. Also mind the type of people you want to succeed you. You all know my story. Beware of animals in human skin. Governor Oshiomhole says he wondered why a governor is so important to merit this level of conversation. Governor is an office and like every office there is a time to go. He says that his only fear after leaving office is being able to move around freely. Governor Nyako says he has prepared for life as a farmer and doesnt expect any benefits from the government when he leaves office. I dont intend to trouble myself with what benefits I will get after office. If they dont give me anything, I will not trouble myself. 12.58 In his reaction, Okorocha says he doesnt think about life after office. But I know it must come. For every sunrise there must be a sunset. I dont think its something we must belabour ourselves. Okorocha says that it is the fear of life after office that pushes some people to engage in primitive accumulation of wealth. Who you are before office is also very important. If we elect a criminal into office, he will simply become excellency criminal. When you serve the people well, the people will become your security. People often think that dramatization of poverty is humility. For me, the dramatization of poverty is stupidity. And poverty, by the way, is strategic. Be careful. Ive gone through it and I swore that my generation will never experience it. It is better to have AIDS than poverty. A president must not dramatize poverty. A president must have charisma... Let me stop here. 12.56 Ajimobi says that people govern better when they are prepared for it. It is not enough for a leader to visualize. You must have the courage to implement. The first person the king attacks is the kingmaker. Avoid always trying to influence or control your successor. When I leave office, I want to be a preacher. I want to be a consultant. I want to be able to tell people that there is God. My final word is avoid enjoying what you usually cannot afford and just know that life is transient. 12.55 Ajimobi is first to react to Prof. Jinadus presentation. He says hes already experienced what life after office was like. I have worked in the oil industry for about 30 years. Ive ran businesses that are very profitable. I had all my children when I was working in the oil industry. When Im in a lucrative position, all manner of people bring gifts. But the moment you leave that lucrative position, they will not even greet you. Ajimobi gave an example of when he became an MD and a chief engineer brought some documents for him to sign. Always review a document before you sign. When you go to commission the project and you are not satisfied. He would whisper in your ear - Oga, its part of that thing that you signed. 12.10 A member of the panel, Professor Adele Jinadu, said that the problems leaders face after exiting government is an uncharted territory in academic circles. Prof. Jinadu said that based on interactions with governors, after office they still face serious economic, psychological, political, social, and other challenges. He attributed the challenges partly to the countrys political climate in which political power is used to acquire economic power. Under psychological/personal challenges, Prof. Jinadu outlines issues such as the temptation of viewing office as being a job and not a vocation, reconciling the role of the governor as the servant of the people, upholding the dignity of the office of the governor, enjoying the ideals of the perks of office without abusing them, and avoiding snares by opponents. In his guide book to the governors, Prof. Jinadu also called for the separation of the office of the governor from the person and also a balancing of office with family life. 10.59 Prof. Sawyer says that preparation for life after office begins at the time of swearing in. When appointed or elected, it is important to see public service as a privilege. He says that public service is an assignment and not an entitlement, and as an assignment, it is time bound. We must be mindful that others are to follow us. And most often, we will have had a predecessor. We have a responsibility to build on the good things of our predecessor... There is a tendency to condemn our predecessor. It does not enhance development and brings an adversarial relationship between incumbent and predecessor. 10.52 The first session Transitioning Out - Life after Office: Perspective and Challenges is chaired by Professor Sawyer. Presenters and panellists include Ajimobi, Okorocha, Adele Jinadu, and Managing Director of Daily Telegraph who represented Orji Uzor Kalu. Prof. Sawyer thanked the governors for giving him an opportunity to share his experiences with them. Africans owe an enormous debt to Mbeki, former South African president, for his extraordinary leadership in promotion of good governance. Since his retirement, he has been just as busy. We also owe gratitude to Obasanjo and Mbeki who in 2003 brought the leadership of my country to an end by persuading Taylor to step down and leave. Prof. Sawyer also said that the quality of life after office is shaped by the quality of service while in office. 10.41 The 4th Nigeria Governors Forum retreat began with a rendition of the National Anthem. Fayemi of Ekiti State said the opening prayers. Amaechi began his welcome remarks by requesting a minute silence for the late Emir of Kano, and Nyako said a short prayer for the repose of his soul. Amaechi said that todays retreat is held at a critical juncture in our national life. It is imperative that we do some stock takings as we prepare to bow out in 2015, said Amaechi. The announcer asked everyone apart from the member of the Forum and resource persons to leave the hall. But Amaechi intervened and asked everyone to stay. Let us reflect on the crack on the body of the Nigeria Governors Forum. The time to bring everybody back is now, he added. 10.21 The state governors seated in for the retreat include those of Rivers, Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Adamawa, Sokoto , Kano, Ogun, and Imo states. Senator Bukola Saraki arrived a while ago. 09.55 The three northern governors in the venue stood up to have a few minutes chat with one another behind the three other governors before rejoining their colleagues. The governors security officers have been asked to move to a hall behind the venue. Invited guests have taken up all the available seats in the hall. The programme will start shortly, according to the announcer. 09.49 More governors have arrived. Murtala Nyako of Adamawa; Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo; and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State. Its been an APC affair so far. 09.35 The retreat is yet to officially commence. But the Governors have started arriving. Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State are the first to arrive. Mr. Fayemi went round to hug and exchange banters with some of the guests before taking his seat while Mr. Kwankwaso marched straight to his chair. 22 seats have been set up for the Governors. The reason for that is not yet clear. 08.59 Three state governors have been sighted around the venue, including Rotimi Amaechi, the host Governor. The others are Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Kano State Governor, and Rochas Okorocha, Imo State Governor. Unlike the previous retreat in Lagos which turned out to be an APC Governors affair, todays retreat is expected to feature some PDP Governors in key roles. Jonah Jang, the Plateau State Governor and Chairman of a faction of the Governors Forum is expected to be a discussant in one of the sessions. Sessions will also feature other PDP Governors as presenters and discussants. The PDP Governors were also scheduled to take part in discussions at the Lagos retreat but they failed to turn up.
Posted on: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 13:06:54 +0000
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