 Thank you for staying with us you so watching the breakfast on plus see the Africa right now It's time to take global stories making headlines in our daily Newspapers and joining me to review this is Chris K. D. Wando is a member of the Chatterd Institute of arbitrators in the UK Good morning, Mr. Chris. Thank you for joining us Good morning, thanks for having me this morning Okay, welcome. We miss you last week. Well, yes, you're here today Thank you for gracing our screen anyways We're going to go straight into the papers and today we're starting with the daily trust the major headline on this one says protests in Lagos Oshun a door over hardship and the riders here at federal government labor meeting deadlocked IG puts officers on red alert once trouble makers begin food importation and now Tc tells the federal government and So I see a lot of this protest springing up. There was the other one in Mina About some weeks ago And people are coming out to protest over the hardship in Nigeria In fact yesterday, I went to a local market and people were just lamenting how, you know Everything is super expensive right now. People can barely feed people can barely afford, you know, the basic amenities People can there's no health care. There's no transportation. There is no power People are just lamenting on the situation of the country So there's the economy side and then there's even the social side as well But I want to get your thoughts on all of this the fact that this protests are happening in Lagos Lagos that you would have thought would be, you know, the calmest place But it's happening Lagos is happening in a those states is happening in Oshun It's happening in Ninja. I want to get your thoughts on all of this Besides today is the day that NLC said the world will start their strike or something like that As I meant every night and the right to protest is a fundamental Take away from anyone in fact that case has been settled by the Supreme Court So you don't need police permission. You don't need TSS permission You don't need anybody's permission to protest in as much as it is peaceful. That is the world So it's peaceful you have the right to protest and protest is a is a right enshrined In Oshun as I said, so if there are any policy of government, anything that I increase As I need the people I can pick up a placard and start walking around the hood of the streets of Lagos Raising my placard that I'm not satisfied with certain policies of government Why would I need the people that I know that must have been trained on my right And that is it you cannot beat each other You remember those days when your mother beat you and said, if I hear, if I hear I don't know. Yeah, if I don't say, baby, baby. They'll say, make sure, make sure. You know, you remember those days now. But we beat you. I say I see you to close your mouth with your hands. And because, you know, because the parents did to us when we were growing up, we were smutting. You know, smutting. So everywhere you come, you cannot do that. You cannot, people are suffering. They are telling them not to protest over her sheep. Why? You see people dying of hunger. Seven people died in Lagos, struggling to just collect a 10 kg or 1 kg of 10,000 mera rice from the customs. And that has been happening across the land. The last time I saw anything like this was in 1984. And it was in this, we used to call it the same food. That was the first time I had that same essential commodity. But there's not across the land. As Riley mentioned, you don't need to go to market. People didn't need to sell on your street. Well, I'm trying to price some. Yesterday I was told that one apple, one apple is not 500 mera. I couldn't believe it. I'm sure you must have heard of that. Oh yes, I got some over the weekend. Exactly. The noodles, the big part is about 18,000 mera egg. Who is the big one for the children? And young ladies, like my sister, who is the big one? Wow! Wow! That's all what I'm talking about. You're taking a shade of me this morning, okay? Let's go. This is the easiest meal to make. Actually, it becomes a problem. A bag of rice is hitting 85,000 mera per pack. I am talking of rice. If not of the condiments, the makings too. The meat, the fish, the tomatoes and all the rest. They are preparing soup. So we are saying people should go protest. No, people must protest. And that is only right there. Not allowing them to protest. We live to something more serious than that. And that to be right. And you have seen that there are some countries that governments have brought that. Just over the price of bread. Bread, just bread. Where are we going? So our government must be very careful. When Nigerians are sitting there, they are dying of hunger. So permit me to button here. Permit me to button here. The president is looking at giving 15 million Nigerians 25,000 mera every month for the next three months. That is about 75,000 mera. When I went to the market yesterday, bag of rice now goes for about 85,000 to 90,000 mera in fact. So do you think maybe this is them doing something that might just help? But 25,000 mera a month for the next three months that is less than the amount of a bag of rice. So what is that even supposed to do? Let me assume that is true. After three months, what happened? Is that the end of fountain? After three months. Then the second one is that we never let. We saw what happened in the ministry of Ministerial Affairs. We are still proving. I will not finish proving. We saw how money was reckless. I am tired of talking about this issue of sharing and political whatever they are talking about. When they want to give people 15,000, want to give them 20,000. People are not documented. There is no register. I remember the days of COVID. I was in the United States during that period. What the United States of America did was that they give that $5,000 to every American it hits their account. You see your head check. Why? Because they have the data of every single American up to the child that is being born today. But in Nigeria, what data do you have? Do you know that many people are carrying Nigerian passports? As you said, most of the people that are using COVID are non-Nigerians. And you said that the phone must be linked to your phone. That means you are in Nigeria. How come so many people that are non-Nigerians are also using COVID? It is just money for the poor. Some people just want to share money. That is not the solution. It is like living what they say in the U.S. It is like living a headache. That down drop for them. Yes, no. You have a headache. No, no, it will not work. It will not work. Well, the 12 million people by 25, I was just trying to calculate $25,000 for 1 million people for 25 billion now times that by 12 15 million times that by 15 million and see the amount of money that could have been put into something that would be of general good to the people And then I want you to say this how many people are in Nigeria? We have over 200 million people. So how can you say you are all targeting 15 million? It was even the percentage of that. Someone came out to say was it commercial or somebody came out to say that the amount of people in Nigeria who have above 500,000 in their account is less than 1%. Less than 5%. That was only about 10 million people in Nigeria. So the rest of the 200 people are 90 or 200 million because we are more than 200. So the rest of the 200 million people do not have up to 500,000 and that's being generous because a lot of people don't have up to 300,000 in their bank account and then you are saying that 15 million. The poverty line is in place. Did I hear you say 300? This is 500,000. You are rich man. Just call my name. Just call my name Chris. 500,000 You are rich man. You are rich man. This is a serious case. If you don't have a policy that can be of general, because if you go to let's say an institution and the people are not being paid in a company for instance, the cleaners will suffer. The people themselves will suffer. But when there is money in the hands of everybody at the same time, you know everybody thinks this will flow. But there are 15 million that we will not even know. In the words of Yamgo. We will not see that 15 million. So we are moving to the point newspaper. 12 years after Tilibu adopts the Oro Sanye report Merges Agencies. The riders are Tilibu others SGF panel to implement changes in 12 weeks. Minister rules are job losses. MDP, HC, diaspora commission, two others move to ministry of PTAD abolished. This report was done in, was it 2010 or 2012 in the Jonathan era. There was a white paper that came out. We don't know how that implementation was done. It was not implemented. The Buhari administration also looked at the white paper, brought out their own white paper and we didn't see much. Now Tilibu has come and everybody is applauding him that he has the boldness to say at least some aspects of it should be implemented. But 12 weeks, that's what time they have to implement this to make sure all the relevant laws and everything is out of the way. And then in 12 weeks time these things are going to be done. What do you think about adopting this report finally? And the method and time frame that we have? Yes, I will tell you for free that there are two things that I personally would never call this implementation and I think I would never call it. You may see which are those of those things in the past. As it were, some of these issues were having to be dealt with done and dusted before it was the report of the National Conference that was held under his watch and so many recommendations were made. And who do you know that they don't have the will to be able to sign up on that report and send it to National Assembly for adoption that would have become by now most of the issue we are talking about Nigeria is blah blah blah or the interventions as well as the restructuring that would have been done then you would have taken about 70-70% of those policies that are taking these policies. We don't know where we are today. As those as he was you see that he didn't do that. He felt that probably he felt that he was coming in the second time. He didn't do it. He didn't get elected. The second one is the answer he was the one that set up the committee to look at implementation and look at possibilities of looking at MDAs, MDGs and the ministries and power centres as it were and see where we can be because when you look at ministries how many were about ministries and power centres and MDAs close to about 560 so we are going to be getting the same job and I ask myself what is the job of EFCC what is the job of what is the other one now I forgot to name them what is the job of ICPC what is the job of SFIU they are doing the same job why don't they bring them together but Chris just a moment Chris let me ask you simply how is this going to actually cut cost because nobody is losing their job so every the wage bill that was going into ICPC and EFCC will still go there so how is it actually going to cut cost because another report in the Guardian said after bloated cabinet, Tilibu Okes or Rational Report, major of MDAs so we are still having a bloated cabinet that really takes the bulk of the money that we are talking about and then now we are applauding the major of our status or agencies that we still carry the same cost we still carry the same salary number of people and everything so how is it going to cut cost my brother first in force he was just students of these agencies heads will roll and I'll tell you that for free whether you like it or not I think that government is just trying to pay us to change that's why this issue is consigned heads will roll because most of those agencies are doing particularly nothing so we are going to make it effort then something must give Tilibu will yield the system let's also start to issue a party but for anybody who tells that nobody will be able to stop this people are going to lose their jobs because when you go to most of these ministries and power stations or even in Lagos most of the federal power stations people just sit and read notes they come to work at night but 11 o'clock they are left doing about their businesses so as I said I totally support this now the time that we set up also some committees made up of the SGF and the head of service and rest of them the country set up also and nothing came out of it I think it's time time for us to take it yes, you're talking about overcrowded government, I totally agree with you but we have to start somewhere we are dealing with the first status and agencies of government we also look at the overcrowded federal structure as it were executive the legislative and even the judiciary so but it's a gradual approach this as far as I'm concerned this issue is I don't even know what to say about it because if you take your time to read that the 800 page report it addresses most of this issue there are some agencies that have never heard of it my entire life and you are asking yourself what are these ones doing this big crop and this this one a cassava and this this one a miss and this what are we talking about so I totally agree with this if they can be able to make it we can give it 12 weeks but we can make this together I hope that this will not be mentioned in the bottlenecks that we know government policies and pronouncements that after one week now nothing will be heard about it let's I totally support that this should be fully implemented to the latter we are waiting alright let's stay on the Guardian there seems to be some noise from your fan or something now it has stopped so let's stay on the Guardian let's stay on the Guardian there's a small headline here that says constitution amendments rest prioritizes state police women in governance so the speaker of the House of Representatives talk about prioritizing some bills that had been put before now and some of them are creating more legislative seats for women gender bills, state police the autonomy of the local governments as well what do you think about the reps having to bring this to bear again and see how it goes yes that's not wrong in constitution amendments every constitution gets amended once in a while but even the constitution of the United States it's over 200 years they're still getting amended so there's nothing wrong in amended constitution so there are areas that that is their primary assignment their primary responsibility is making laws for the land but I'll tell you that it is not as easy as we thought making laws based on the 1999 constitution it is not I mean amended I mean amended the constitution it is not easy the process through which this amendment has to go through there you know that is a very very tough you remember the last assembly how much they tried to amend some sessions of the constitution but when it got to this because after the good house the good senate and house of representative must agree on what needs to be amended it has to be sent to 36,000 of assembly for their input for them to conquer at least you thought of those state houses of assembly must agree to that amendment if they don't then it will not get so after that they bring it back to the national assembly for good chambers to also now tidy each other so it is always very very difficult part of the problem that we had in the amendment of the local government bill or laws it was that most states especially state governors who are feeding fat on their locations of local government refuse for their state houses of assembly not to endorse that amendment and that is part of the problem we are having so anything that can be done I personally at the point that I said that the present constitution as we have we should totally do with it and get another constitution because this constitution was not by Nigeria although that picture of that constitution we Nigerians no it wasn't we Nigerians it was the military the military in 1999 led by that imposed this 1999 constitution on Nigerians so you cannot say that that is why we are not having the total benefit of it but if I go to a man in this middle all well and good but I still believe that most of the huddles are going to have especially is it going to be in the state where the governors will hold on to the state houses of assembly as if it is a department in their governor's office they determine who becomes the speaker of the house who will go to the house of assembly state as it were even though they go to the senate they are mostly determined by the governors they want to have a picture except for one or two that have so much strong value or have so much strength within their constitution but the governor determines so an ability to amend this will also depend on the governors which is not what is supposed to be the national assembly as it is it is supposed to be independent of the executive team and it is supposed to be independent of the judicial but what we have here is that certain people they will try to rule themselves over under both you saw the debate that has been raised about the parliamentary system have you had anything about it again? we have been given 24 months by Benjamin Kalu deputy speaker of the house of representatives he said you will take 24 months and the constitution the new constitution will be ready I don't know when he made that statement I don't know how much engagement they will have with the people who really are going to be we the people that will have input into that constitution I don't know how comfortable you are but we have been given 24 months do you think it is tenable? do you think we can realize that ambition of having a new constitution a little is possible if you want the police to do it that is me in my language there is something that is called impossible I don't believe anything is impossible the possibility is you are pleading to admit yourself in order to achieve certain goals so if they believe that they can be able to do it in 24 months or when I go it can be very fatal as I told you it is not as easy as you think there are processes that have to be passed and the constitution has laid down rules on how it can be amended its own that constitution has laid down on how it can be interpreted that part of that is that despite whatever the national assembly it goes with your national assembly whatever recommendations they have they still have to take it to 36 states of the federation they must make their own input and they must approve and it must be too third you know what third of 36 is so it is not that let me ask you one simple question how is it that since 1996 the exit of the military we have not been able to preach one single state I agree that all the states were created in 1990 were the military maybe you have not taken that into consideration from 1960 to date all the states that have been created by the military because the executive I came and I said I am creating nine states I came and I am creating six states and that is what they take it to the federal and the state but I have been named one single civilian government that has been created a state never because the process of creating is so cumbersome that it is almost impossible for any civilian government and that has been an issue okay well alright well we just I am hopeful that I am really passionate about women and having a seat for women at the table this is not a feminism calm down but I am hoping that all of this gender builds the autonomy for the local government because we have seen cases whereby people say the state governors are the ones ruling the affairs of even the local government and when we even talk about the state police you have heard things of people saying the state governors might just abuse power so I am hoping that it can create a constitution whereby it is favorable to everyone so not just some sex of people who have their own political ambition it is for the masses it is for Nigerians it is for everyone let me come in for women I am also gender sensitive I have two lovely guests I am not a joke with my girls so when it comes to when it comes to issues sometimes it is very passionate they want to ask yourself the 33% affirmation action how well has it been implemented I think we should start from there there was this affirmation action by women that in the national cabinet we have 33% at the state level how many women are commissioners how many women are independent counsel I think that is where it is and most of you already said the women should not be given power they should go for it we have a situation where women wanted to contest as president how many of you women voted for them Sarah Jubril was a classical example she wanted to become whatever she only got one vote there were women how many women voted I always believe and I say this in the sense of the problem of women and women themselves women themselves come together and we are able to see when you look at the voting numbers women constitute a very very high almost about 50% about 49% even more than men that even men determine who becomes president because they are able to make sure they vote for their own so I don't just sit down and just get the women to be ropa stamp and ropa fair the prime minister of UK was a woman the vice president was a woman I agree I agree most times it's on paper but then we are not putting in the work we are not seeing the actions at least we have women crush ones I am hoping that I am hoping that we start to see the changes in the actions I am hoping that we start to see the changes in the actions but this is what we want to thank you thank you for coming in and having a great conversation as usual thank you thank you thank you thank you all right thank you so much we have been speaking to Chris Cain de Wander he is a member of the Chatted Institutes of Abritrators we will go on a short break when we return we will be taking our first hot topic please stay with us