Thursday 29 March 2012

Electoral Integrity and sustainable development

Electoral Integrity; the road to development. By Olewuike Daniel

The quest for good governance and development dates back to both military regime, and present democratic government since 1999. We should note however that electoral integrity has been a major problem in Nigeria which vis a’ vis has led to truncating Nigeria’s quest to reap the fruits of good governance and sustainable development

Electoral Integrity is a difficult concept to define but an essential element of a democratic government system. Electoral Integrity is inherent to the principles of democracy. It contributes to the administration of free and fair elections, without which democracy would be compromised.

The need for electoral integrity cannot stand without the involvement of students(youths), electoral observers which includes independent observers, civil society coalitions and the media, given way to fair, transparent, and equitable election administration.

An election is the outcome of a complex process requiring the participation of a multituple of players. There are winners and losers in every election. The stakes are high, and the temptation is great to ensure victory through illegal or morally questionable means. Election results can be rigged to predetermine who will win or lose. An election can be disrupted, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the process. In all an election without integrity subverts the purpose of a democratic election, and cannot be considered fair and equitable.

Nigeria has gone through regimes Electoral umpires in this quest of maintaining electoral integrity and building good governance and integrity. Students and youth alike are not left out in ensuring that Nigeria attains this level, looking at the fact that they play a major role in ensuring that elections sanctity are not tempered with but the wish of the people are maintained.

It is important to note that good systems expose and combat electoral corruption, and ensure integrity. The priority of most electoral agencies is to create an electoral system that imposes checks and balances on the activities of election administrators. The legal framework sets out electoral integrity protection mechanisms and defines the institutional structure supporting it. Under the legal framework, the authority of each branch and each position within the election administration can be delegated and limited to ensure that checks are in place and abuse of the system is prevented.

.Given socio-political rivalries and the threat of electoral corruption, Electoral integrity cannot be taken for granted. Mechanisms for maintaining and implementing integrity need to be established within the very organizations that administer elections. These mechanisms must make it possible to monitor actions of the electoral administration; they must ensure oversight of the electoral process by other government sectors or agencies, civil society, and the media; and they must provide for enforcement of rules and regulations through administrative or legal means

Students and youths alike should note that any involvement in electoral malpractices reduces accountability, distorts representation, undermines democracy and good governance which in turn can subvert formal processes which ensures sustainable development in Nigeria. Good systems expose and combat electoral corruption, and ensure integrity. The priority of most electoral agencies is to create an electoral system that puts in place checks and balances on the activities of election administrators. The legal framework sets out integrity protection mechanisms and defines the institutional structure supporting integrity. Under this framework, the authority of each branch and each position within the election administration can be delegated and limited to ensure that checks are in place and abuse of the system is prevented.

Electoral integrity is particularly important; without effective enforcement, the best rules and regulations are merely good intentions. A legal framework and good procedures are essential in combating electoral corruption. It is necessary to establish enforcement mechanisms so that anyone breaching election legislation is stopped and prosecuted in a timely, professional and non-partisan manner. Effective law enforcement will help not only to maintain the integrity of the process but also to prevent future problems.

Above all the efforts and contribution of students to nurturing our country’s democracy over the years has played a major role on what we have today, but this however can be built on and harnessed to ensure that electoral integrity, good governance and development in the country is sustained with the aim of improving the well being of individuals living in the country Nigeria. we can set a pace for development in the country if we all join our hands to ensure that the electoral process leading to good governance is peaceful, free and fair.

Tuesday 27 March 2012

Greenfield Refinery Projects Suffer Setback , Articles | THISDAY LIVE

Monday 26 March 2012

PIB: Oil-producing communities seek retention of 10% equity

January 23, 2012 by Emmanuel Addeh

The Oil Producing Communities in the Niger Delta on Sunday called for the retention of the 10 per cent equity share for host communities in the Petroleum Industry bill.

The Grand Patron of the Oil Producing Communities of Nigeria, Dr. Wellington Okirika, who spoke in Warri, argued that it would be unfair on the oil bearing communities to remove the provision as being rumoured in some quarters.

Okirika, who is the first Chairman of the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, maintained that those who drafted the bill had the intention of correcting most of the wrongs that had been done to the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta.

The PIB seeks to address the need for Nigeria to have more indigenous participation in the oil industry in the country.

It would also encourage all regulatory authorities, operators, contractors, sub-contractors and other entities involved in any transaction in the Nigerian oil and gas industry to consider the Nigerian content as an important element of their overall project execution.

He lauded the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan in calling for the quick passage of the bill, while expressing confidence that the Special Task Force under the chairmanship of Senator Udo Udoma would do a good job.

Okirika, who is also the Bolowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, expressed sadness that the sixth National Assembly failed to pass the bill into law because of the heavy politicking that accompanied it.

He said, “The oil producing communities of Nigeria were saddened when the sixth National Assembly failed to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill due to politicking. There is more than one version of the PIB in circulation currently as confirmed by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, during her Inauguration of the Special Task Force on PIB.”

Reps urge SEC to stop comments on bribe allegation

March 22, 2012 by Agency Reporter

The House of Representatives on Thursday called on the Securities and Exchange Commission to stop issuing public statements on allegations by its Director-General, Ms. Arunma Oteh, that a member of the House, Mr. Hemrna Hembe, asked her for a bribe.
Spokesperson of the House, Zakari Mohammed, told newsmen at a press conference in Abuja that it had become necessary for SEC to allow the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate the matter within 21 days and report back to the leadership.
He also promised that the proceedings of the committee would be broadcast live on television.
“It is necessary that all parties involved in the matter to give the committee the benefit of doubts and wait for its report.
“The committee has 21 days to work on the matter and I can assure you that there will be fair hearing for all the parties involved,” Mohammed said.
Oteh had last Thursday accused Hembe, who is the former chairman of the House of Representatives Commitee on Capital Markets and Other Financial Institutions, of demanding N44 million bribe from the commission to facilitate the public hearing into the downturn in the capital market.

Passage of PIB ’ll boost capital market activities –Onyema

January 25, 2012 by Udeme Ekwere

Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema
| credits: File copy

Quick passage of the revised Petroleum Information Bill is expected to attract more investments, thus boosting activities in the Nigerian capital market.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent on Tuesday.

He noted that a speedy passage of the bill would ensure that the Nigerian economy became more open to the outside world, thus improving activities in the economy and the Nigerian capital market.

Onyema also explained that the NSE supported the ongoing plans by the Federal Government to deregulate the downstream oil sector, adding that it would open up the capital market.

He said, “We at the Exchange believe that the passage of the revised PIB would go a long way toward improving activities in the capital market, because a lot of opportunities would be opened up and more investments would find their way into our capital market.

“The deregulation of the downstream oil sector would also help to create more companies, which would encourage the listing of companies especially some of them in the oil and gas sector, which we have been trying to attract into the market for some time now.”

He added that listing of such firms would contribute towards increased growth in the market as it would raise the depth of the market, thus attracting more foreign investments into the equities market.

The Managing Director, Lambeth Trust and Investment Limited, Mr. David Adonri, had told our correspondent that the deregulation process would work in favour of the equities market, which had especially suffered huge losses last year.

According to him, with the opening up of the energy industry (which is expected to come as a result of the deregulation process), the market will benefit in terms of investment inflows, especially from foreign investors, who are usually in support of full privatisation.

He said, “With the deregulation process, it is expected that, in due course, government will fully privatise its enterprises, thus opening the entire energy industry to competition. The arising enabling environment will lead to investment inflow that will generate more productive employment

“Excessive borrowing by the Government at any cost is the main factor responsible for crowding out funds from the equities market and the real sector of the economy. This has caused the equities market to under-perform, thus denying the productive sector the type of critical capital required to generate productive employment and create wealth for the economy.”

He added that consequently, this policy was expected to reduce propensity for government to borrow, thus facilitating decline in interest rates. He said this would lead to the competitiveness of equities as a viable investment outlet.