THE LAW: CROSS RIVER STATE GOVERNOR TO BAN PRAYERS IN PUBLIC & PRIVATE SCHOOLS!

THE LAW: CROSS RIVER STATE GOVERNOR TO BAN PRAYERS IN PUBLIC & PRIVATE SCHOOLS!
Words hitting the streets and raiding the internet most recently is the news that His Excellency, Prof. Ben Ayade the Executive Governor of Cross River State has directed that public and private schools should not hold prayers either during morning assembly or at anytime and that teachers should be dressed in suit always.
While there is yet a gazette or any official document released by the state government to confirm this rumour it is however pertinent to consider the propriety of such action within the ambits of our laws and in doing so the drafters of our Grundnorm must be commended for doing a fairly good job in this regard. This is because Sections 15(3), 17(3)(b), 23 and 38(1),(2)&(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) have by combined effect sufficiently settled the matter. Let us now examine these provisions in seriatim:
15(3) For the purpose of promoting national integration, it shall be the duty of the state to:
(d) promote or encourage the formation of associations that cut across ethnic, linguistic, religious or other sectional barriers.

The import and purport of this provision is that both teachers and students/pupils have the right to form associations on religious basis and conduct their religious affairs in the school as extra curriculum activities in so far as it does not affect their job or studies as the case may be.
Thus, if the teachers and students or pupils are members of school fellowships or school religious associations the governor cannot by any means stop them from exercising this right. And the job of the state is to encourage this instead.
Let us now examine the next provision.
17(3). The state shall direct its policy towards ensuring that :
(b) conditions of work are just and humane, and that there are adequate facilities for leisure and for social, religious and cultural life.
In fact, it is not just a right on the part of the teachers and students/pupils to exercise their religious beliefs. It is the duty and obligation of the government to provide facilities for this and where the state government cannot it can not also stop them from helping themselves albeit legitimately. Facilities here would not just be an assembly hall or chapel but also laws and regulation (legislative facilities) to protect these rights.
Now, dress code may in some manner affect the culture of these staff and teachers since suit is western and one would expect the state government to encourage cultural or traditional wears among staff and students/pupils like private schools do.
It must however be point out that this latter provision is applicable to "Employees" not students/pupils because of the use of the phrase "condition of work". Now, it therefore becomes a matter of fact whether teachers praying with students every morning before they commence academic work falls within the ambits of "condition of work". It is submitted in the affirmative here because this is one of those activities that facilitate healthy "Teacher-Student/Pupil Rapport" which facilitates the class room work.
Let us now see section 23 of the constitution.
23:
"The national ethics shall be Discipline, Integrity, Dignity of Labour, Social Justice, Religious Tolerance, Self Reliance and Patriotism."
This sums it all. While discipline in terms of character and dress appearance is expected of the teachers their religious practices and that of the students/pupils must be moderated to accommodate and tolerate the nuances of others who are not part of their belief system.
Perhaps it is in this direction that the Academia Governor seeks to mould the state. This is because most times this religious practices are taken too far wittingly or unwittingly. In Cross River where the people are predominantly Christians it is assumed that every child in all the schools should comfortably pray in Christian mode without considerations for the minority muslim child who has hitherto been forced to pray like a Christian and there is probably no Islamic studies teacher for him or her to complete the curriculum. Even among the Christians there are sects like the Eckankar and Jehovah's Witnesses to mention a few whose doctrines do not practice praying the way others do and their religious right is being constantly truncated as if they do not matter. These category of religious worshippers would in all fairness not mind any law that proscribes public prayers which is also another breach of religious rights. Hence, need to strike a balance arises. In places like Lagos State Christian prayers are offered is some schools on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays while Tuesdays and Fridays are for Muslim prayers. During these days these students are forced to say the same prayers. Christian and muslim children will say the Christian prayers or muslim prayers together as the case may be. In the end both faithfuls are made to see their respective religion as one , equal, similar but alternate avenues to one God. Still this is against the will of these children and also ignores others whose faith does not practice public prayers.
The foregoing submissions are predicated on the last above mentioned provisions of the constitution which reads thus:
38:
"(1). Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
(2). No person attending any place of education shall be required to receive religious instruction or take part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance if such instruction, ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than his own or a religion not approved by his parent or guardian.
(3). No religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for pupils of that community or denomination in any place of education maintained wholly by that community or denomination."

This provisions personalise this religious right against any breach or threat of breach by any person or government and gives the one violated a cause of action in enforcement of his fundamental rights. This makes it a serious road where our noble Governor and erstwhile law maker is allegedly treading.
The law is clear and specific. Every person teacher or student/pupil is entitled to exercise their religious practices in public (schools, etc) or private (home, etc). The Governor's can only ask for regulation not proscription.
In regulation, the way and manner the prayers are done should accommodate, tolerate and recognise the rights of those with differing belief system. It should also not be mandatory. In this regard the parents or guardian will have to issue the relevant instruction. The fact that teachers stand in loco parentis is not enough to decide for a child without the parent or guardian consenting thereof.
Maybe forms indicating gender, nationality, state of origin, age, religion, physical disability, etc should also be made to include "belief exceptions" or "religious practices". The objective of this when enforced is to avoid forcing a child to pray in the way his religion or denomination does not or imposing the practice of another religion or denomination on a person who belongs to another religion or denomination. Extreme situations in this case would be when a teacher who attends Mountain of Fire and Miracle church would want to conduct deliverance in the name of disciplining a child for not shouting and being physical while he prays, or a Catholic Church teacher disciplining a pentecostal church child for speaking in tongues at the assembly hall or a Christ Embassy teacher punishing a child for not speaking in tongues of fire during prayers or Apostolic's teacher disciplining a child for not clapping thunders during praise and worship session  or a Church of Christ teacher prejudicing a child for clapping and singing during prayers. And other faiths and denominations with variant practices abound.
Be that as it may, it is conceded here that it would be unrealistic to attempt to arrange student/pupils according to their faiths or denominations during devotions in school. It is rather suggested that religious exercises be conducted with the greatest degree of civility. It is a matter of choice. Students/pupils should not be compelled to pray against their faith or denomination and if possible will.
Interestingly, the law even goes further to protect schools owned and/or run by religious communities or denomination to be run as they deem fit by their doctrines and/or faith without state interference except of course where it breaks a law. Consequently, the doctrine of "Volunteer Non Fit Injuria (A Volunteer Cannot Be Injured) will apply against a person who complains that his faith is being threatened by the curriculum in a school owned/run by a religious community or denomination. Even the constitution protects such school in this regard. The governor himself cannot trespass.
This is the most the government can do as anything contrary would be breaching people's rights and breaking the nation's laws. Incidentally, there is nothing even the state legislature can do about this because any such law they pass being inconsistent with these provisions of the constitution stands by virtue of Section 1(3) of the constitution null and void ab initio. The National Union of Teachers(NUT), Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) and Christian Lawyers' Association of Nigeria (CLASFON) should make this a critical aspect of their yearly sensitization programmes. Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) should add this to their activism. Parents should instruct their children to report any and every act of religious breaches whether on them or not to their parents who should in turn take active steps to address it. History has proven that just one tiny leak can sink a whole ship. Injustice anywhere breeds inhumanity everywhere.  
Now regarding the controversial issue of dress code for the teachers their terms and conditions of service as well as the Cross River State Civil Service Laws and Guidelines have settled that. It is a non issue.
N.B:
This work is inspired by the directive of the Governor of Cross River State to ban prayers in schools but the observations, submissions and recommendations are informed from general practices in states across Nigeria.

Okpo Ewa E.
Humanity Chambers,
Nigeria.
www.okpoewa.blogspot.com

UDOM VS UMANA JUDGMENT: RE-RUN OR RE-SIT?

UDOM VS UMANA: RE-RUN OR RE-SIT?
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the Akwa Ibom state Governorship Elections in April this year and as typical of our politics the All Progressives' Party (APC) and it's candidate Obong Umana Okon Umana dragged the returned to the Electoral Tribunal challenging the declared victory. Of course other parties also dragged the alleged winner to court but had their suits dismissed on grounds of incompetence.
Since, the sui generis nature of electoral proceedings and jurisprudence in this country calls for some sui generis practices the APC wasted no time in briefing a brobdingnagian in electoral matters Wole Olanipekun SAN and a team of legal wizards alike to champion their case while the PDP settled for "shokoto" practice by briefing one of the brightest sons of Akwa Ibom State, Paul Usoro SAN, to lead the defence. Another smart move too. After all, who else is most suitable to defend the mandate of a people if not one of their own?
The proceedings at the Akwa Ibom State Governorship Electoral Tribunal will arguably go down in our political history and electoral jurisprudence as one the most richly dramatic and very peculiar precedence. This is so ranging from the transfer of the location of the tribunal from the state capital to the federal capital on grounds of security threats albeit legal; The harlequinade of shambolic presentation of dramatic and poorly doctored witnesses as well as the tragedy of tendering spavined evidences to mention a few. These were altogether a legendary excitement to the unlearned and learned alike needless to mention the court room brawls involving fusillades of motions and applications to buy or kill time or attention. Thank God for the statutory life span of electoral matters the proceeding finally came to end on Wednesday 21st October 2015 which incidentally was the very day the PDP candidate first declared his intention to run for Governor of the state last year. It was either a "De javu" in confirmation of his declaration or a nemesis in nullity of his aspiration. Even people who are not from Akwa Ibom and have never visited the state stood on their toes for the judgement which was read for over 5 hours beginning with dismissal of motions mostly in favour of the petitioner to the review of the evidence of both sides and finally the judgment stating inter alia that :
1. The petitioners were unable to demonstrate that card reader alone can be relied upon for accreditation throughout the state. In the wisdom of the Tribunal use of card reader cannot be used contrary to the express provision of the law as conferred on INEC.
2. That INEC press release cannot override section 41 of the Electoral Act on accreditation. Hence, the card reader was not contemplated by section 49 of the Act on accreditation.
Then the big one, Tribunal held that it was satisfied that election held in some of the polling units in the state. It further held that the election in these units substantially complied with the provisions of the law and therefore resolved that the 1st respondent scored the highest number of valid votes cast thereof while it was also satisfied from the evidence tendered by the petitioner that there were discrepancies in most polling units in some Local Governments during the governorship election held on April 11 and therefore asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct re-run elections in those Local Governments - WX in number which include:
Eket, Etim Ekpo, Etinan, Ibeno, Ibesikpo, Ibiono Ibom, Ikono, Ikot Abasi, Ini, Itu, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubiom, Onna, Oruk Anam, Udung Uko, Uruan and Uyo.
The reality rising from this is that:
INEC had declared Mr. Udom Emmanuel winner with 996,071 votes from 31 Local Governments while Umana Umana had only 89,865 votes from these same Local Governments but the judgment now recognises Udom still as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State with 495,204 votes from 13 Local Governments while Umana Umana remains his runner up with 37,572 votes from same votes bank.
So the two are now to battle for the governorship in 18 LGs of 561,604 accredited voters. The import and purport of this is that the petitioner must garner at least 520,000 votes out of the 561,604 accredited voters provided they all turn up for the election. Meanwhile other factors to consider is the stronghold syndrome.
Experts in analysing the stronghold syndrome seem to agree that the PDP still possesses ostensible advantage in about 10 LGs namely Eket, Etim Ekpo, Ibeno, Ibiono, Ikono, Ikot Abasi, Ini, Nsit Ubiom, Onna and Oruk anam.
The APC on the other hand seem to have the most supporters in about 5 LGs namely Nsit Atai, Nsit Ubium, Udung Uko, Uruan and Uyo while 3 LGs are considered a fairly neutral ground where the two parties seem to have equal strength of gladiators namely Etinan, Ibesikpo and Itu.
Worthy also of note is the fact that while the candidates will be battling to fulfil the 25 percent votes of the votes cast in two-thirds Local Government in the state being (24) the PDP already has the whole 3 senators, 9 federal Legislators of the 10 Federal Constituencies and all 18 Lawmakers in the state constituencies involved. This goes without saying that the Governor will actually conduct his own Re-run for himself. Now, even if the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner of the state and Commissioner of Police is changed and all the law enforcement agencies and Civil Societies are deployed to the state it is still unimaginable that "Deacon Udom will actually roast yam for UOU."

Another twist to this is that even if APC pulls the most votes cast the possibility of meeting the required per centile is even more unrealistic which will in effect call for another rerun this time to be presided by the Speaker as Acting Governor but how real can this be?
Be that as it may, all these are the many reasons why APC should appeal the judgement but interestingly it is the PDP that seem to be making the move to appeal because another court case adds more time to the Dakkada Deacon to gain more grounds and get closer to his people.
For us in the street, one thing is sure. Wherever they go and whatever they do they surely will return to us. Maybe those of us who did extraordinary delivery in our LGs so well that they are not included in the rerun should be employed as consultants for the rerun.
Yours sincerely Ewa Okpo Esq. of Eweme Ward 1, Okobo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State submits.
For More See: INK NEWSPAPER.

CLAP FOR PRESIDENT BUHARI: ZAKARI BIU IS FREE!!!

CLAP FOR PRESIDENT BUHARI: ZAKARI BIU IS FREE!

 I still remember how some south-south cronies posted tantrums at me on my facebook wall 3 years ago for my criticisms of the appointment of Alh. Zakari Biu as commissioner of police - Anti terrorism by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ). Then some of my northern friends labeled me insensitive for reasons being that the man had lost his son in the Boko Haram October 1st bomb blast. But my concerns were simple. This Borno born cop had been dismissed by President Olusegun Obasanjo but about ten years later he was secretly reinstated when his boss Hafis Ringim became IGP and was unduly promoted twice within two years and made commissioner of police anti-terrorism. The contention then was that his loss would even put him in better position to fight the sects zealously. A question that nobody cared to answer being another simple concern of mine was that - what was his son doing there? Did he die as a suicide bomber or victim?

My position then was predicated on what I knew about Mr. Biu. Under the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha Zakari was terror personified. As head of the regime’s Presidential Task Force on Terrorism, he is reported to have terrorized journalists and human rights activists whom he labeled terrorists. Journalists on the stables of The News, TSM and Tell were the worse hit. The publisher of the now rested TSM, Chris Anyanwu, (who became senator) narrated how Biu physically assaulted her and practically got her eyes permanently impaired. Founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) Dr. Frederick Fasehun, can never forget Biu, whom he told the Oputa Panel set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo how the embattled cop assaulted him. Senator Babafemi Ojudu, who was Managing Editor of The News, said Biu put a gun to his head, threatening to blast his brain. He was also linked with the disappearance and brutal death of a journalist known as Bagauda Kaltho whom he claimed died in the process of trying to detonate a bomb in Durbar Hotel Kaduna in January 1996. Contradicting himself, He claimed a copy of Wole Soyinka’s book, The Man Died, was found at the scene where Kaltho was supposedly consumed by a bomb he was trying to detonate. Yet the book was not defaced by the explosion which killed Kaltho! His remains were never released to his family. However, James Danbaba, a colleague of Biu,  said Kaltho was “summarily executed on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police, because  Kaltho was said to have seen  IGP Ibrahim  Coomasie suddenly collapse and was foaming in the mouth.” Yes, the Coomasie who testified during the presidential campaign to being Buhari's class mate.

Danbaba added: “ The journalist was ordered to be arrested and executed because of a disclosure that he (Coomasie) is suffering from epilepsy which may jeopardize the IGP’s well preserved and seriously guarded position and ultimately lead to his untimely retirement from the police force.” In January 2012, Daily Post described Mr. Zakari Biu as"... an officer who represented the most grotesque face of the Nigeria Police. He saw the force as a repressive organ of an unaccountable power. And with the official bigotry that not only sustained him to the heights of the force, anything that looked like ethnocidal project excited him.” His other victims include President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Wole Soyinka, etc.

But, my criticasters were silenced when barely a month after his appointment as CP Anti-terrorism a principal terrorism suspect - one Kabiru Sokoto who was linked to the Xmas day bomb blast in Madalla escaped from custody under his watch. Alas, surely these fellows tried to defend his negligent complicity until I again confronted them with more facts. Sokoto was arrested under a secret sting operation led by the DSS in collaboration with JTF, Mobile Squad and a team of police investigators summing to about 50 operatives. After the suspect was handed over to Biu he ordered the suspect to be taken under the company of two armed police men for house search only for the men to be ambushed and Sokoto escaped in Abaji while those police officers are no where to be found till date.

Again, our harlequinade of a president - GEJ and his warped “Ahithophels” swung into their usual fire service scrambles by re-sacking Biu.

So now, how come this same Biu is being exonerated? And why is it three years after his sack? Who is calling the favours and who is calling the shots? After all, the Police Service Commission answers directly to the president only and it is disturbing how Biu's exoneration should be their priority so early in an administration that so earnestly seeks to make right a whole world of wrongs in a nation with one of the most spavined police force in the universe.

How come some people are losing their jobs despite their patriotic service and loyalty to the nation while some are regaining their honour despite their treasonable disservice albeit rebuttable? Prof. Wole Soyinka had warned when Biu was just appointed CP that he "could be likened to Charles Taylor of Liberia. He is brute and has no concern for humanity. For his past history, he should not be trusted with any national responsibility as he is capable of causing terrorism, which could destroy the image of Nigeria." It is here of a corollary difficulty to see how his performance afterwards would make a lollapalooza of him.

Apropos, it is hoped that with this exoneration comes not another elevation. His honourable retirement is enough misfortune to our nationhood. I will never support any travesty of any portion of chapter four of the Nigeria constitution when it comes to human welfare even if it is to be meted on my enemy but then let the gander swim in the same pool as the goose! We cannot justiciably point fingers at some people as thieves and embrace others for deaths that have their finger prints all over! One would think that with the way insurgency and insecurity was the bane of the change movement alongside corruption that those linked with it would not be treated with kid gloves as the former president was so excoriated. One would surmise that the zeal in the alleged anti-corruption crusade would extend in proportional aggression to the fight against terrorism.

In all of these, I sincerely hope the former IGP, Mr. Ibrahim Coomasie did not call in a favour from his classmate and "kinsman" now His Excellency for his former boy and enforcer...

Okpo Ewa. Esq.

LLB, BL, DRS, C.Th.

Humanity Chambers.

Nigeria.

See also THE INK NEWSPAPER.

PRESIENT BUHARI AND THE NEW RICE POLITICS IN NIGERIA

PRESIENT BUHARI AND THE NEW RICE POLITICS IN NIGERIA

It is barely a month since I protested the role discrepancy of President Muhammadu Buhari in appointing a retired soldier as Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service and the first symptoms of such policy malaise has already arrived as the CG - Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has ordered the immediate removal of rice from import restriction list and the re-introduction of import duty payment at land borders. This was made known to the general public by the Public Relations Officer of customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday 7th of October 2015 in Abuja. He revealed that the restriction was only applied at land border stations before now and that the customs boss had lifted restriction on rice at border stations.
According to Adeniyi all rice imports through land borders by rice traders would attract the prevailing import duty of 10 per cent with 60 per cent levy while rice millers (preferential levy) with valid quota allocation would also attract duty rate of 10 per cent with 20 per cent levy on rice importation.
He said: “Over the years, importation has been restricted to the seaports because border authorities have found it difficult to effectively monitor and control importation of rice. When the decision to ban it (rice) was taken it was not an effective measure because smuggling of the product thrives with people using different means of conveyance including small trucks, bicycles and even animals – putting them on donkeys and some actually carry it on their heads.
“These new measures will be for customs to reorganise their anti-smuggling operations in the border areas and ensure that all those importers through the borders bring their rice through approved routes and pay their extant duty.”
But, this rationale is in all fairness and modesty untenable because the NCS does not need to lift ban on anything to close ranks on the smuggling of such thing. This is analogous to attempting to lift ban of gun running or drug pushing in order to close ranks on the dealers. In fact, the decision itself is in effect an attempt by the customs to legitimize the smuggling of rice into Nigeria. 
The second though most important problem with this action of the CG is that it is Ultra Vires the powers of the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCS has appallingly over reached its statutory mandate as an enforcement agency in taking such a policy decision. The customs do not have the power to do that, it is a matter of national policy and customs do not make national policy, it is an implementation agency. But, the Soldier Man CG is apparently ignorant of this. 
Thirdly, is what could conveniently qualify as economic sabotage being that the success of Col. Hameed Alli (rtd) with this decision would destroy Nigeria’s rice value chain attained by the previous administration. Thus, instead of working hard for Nigeria to become self sufficient in rice production this policy would do well in achieving a diametrically antithesis of it for us. One would recall that the restriction policy on rice importation during the past administration had also placed different rate of levy on rice imports to the effect that 30 per cent levy was placed on rice millers (preferential levy) and 70 per cent for rice importers. The essence of the different rates of levy vis â vis the entire restriction policy was ultimately to encourage local production which in effect moderated the price of rice in markets across the nation. This explains why the past administration had the most stable and most consumer friendly market price of rice in the history of rice consumption in Nigeria. 
Accordingly, experts and statesmen have before now always stressed the need for the government to provide an environment that is conducive to efforts to improve rice production in the country. Dr Samuel Agboire, as the Head of the Research Support Services Department of NCRI, while underscoring the need for all stake holders to play their roles effectively to enable the country’s farmers to utilize the numerous research findings by his institution observed earlier this year that ``For example, if the government comes up with a policy that favours importation, farmers would be discouraged because imported produce may be cheaper than the locally produced ones."
Interestingly, while the lift of ban on rice importation is detrimental to rice production in Nigeria the upward taxation review would on the other hand defy the second part of his hypothesis by actually increasing the cost of rice in the market which is detrimental to the common citizenry.  
It is in this light that the National Rice Millers Association of Nigeria, NRMAN, through their Chairman, Mohammed Abubakar challenged and criticized the CG's action on Thursday 8th of October 2015 in Abuja while addressing NAN. Mohammed Abubakar who is the Chief Executive Officer of Umza Rice stated categorically on behalf of the association that the Nigeria Customs Service, erred in its decision to lift the ban on importation of rice through the land borders. "This will completely kill the rice value chain and everything concerning rice production will stop; customs does not have the right to make such decision.
“This ban was placed six years ago and everybody knows that, so it does not have any reason to say rice should be brought in through the land borders.
“Anyone who gives such directive has smuggling intentions,” he said.
Mr. Abubakar still addressing NAN said the association would do everything possible to make customs to see patriotic reason and rescind the decision.
However, since the executive arm of the Federation is yet to pick steam it is only the National Assembly that can call the CG to order pronto. But then, if obvious issues like the appropriateness and otherwise of questionable nominees for ministerial positions can be clogged with irrational partisanship one begins to wonder how the common man would find his way to the chambers to save his everyday meal.
Be that as it may, If the CG is scared that rice smugglers are winning the war against him and our economy all he ought to have done would have been to present an elaborate situation report and recommendations to the Government to solve the problem while he doubles effort to tighten our border security because if our borders are porous to rice smugglers then it would not be termed non sequitur to posit that it is equally porous to many other things as well.
Hence, it is my humble suggestion the Federal Government should review the trade liberalization scheme and close the borders to smuggled goods to aid efforts to improve the production of local rice in the country.
Beyond this, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, then CBN Governor, had urged the government to invest funds, which were set aside for rice importation annually, in massive rice production and so did his successor Emefiele. 
More so, Nigeria's policy on rice production has been an ongoing project that has been improving by the year right from the President Olusegun Obasanjo's regime through Late President Umaru Yar'aua's and leaped quantumly in the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. The handing over notes from President Jonathan to President Muhammadu Buhari could not have "treasonably" omitted this. Maybe this alone shows how our economy is being undermined by the absence and late appointment of ministers because this is one policy that various Ministers of Agriculture in recent past have pursued zealously. In fact, it was the target of the Federal Government to achieve a total and final ban of rice importation by the end of 2015 following the many capital resources actively invested into the sector through dry season rice farming, transportation subsidies, provision of fertilizers and improvement and multiplication of varieties to mention a few for the ultimate purpose of self sufficiency in rice production. And just this August, Gov. Tambuwal being the immediate past Speaker of the Lower legislative chamber urged Nigerian government to end rice import waiver, harness and streamline all its policies aimed at boosting local rice production and stemming rice importation. 
With all of these many important and ordinary voices promoting local production and import restrictions of rice versus the seeming cluelessly Ultra Vires action of the Soldier Man led Nigeria Customs Service appointed by the septuagenarian Soldier Man President one begins to wonder if this government albeit wittingly or otherwise is taking us forward or backward.

Okpo Ewa E
Lawyer, Arbitrator & Literati.
Humanity Chambers,
Nigeria.