I visited Cuba two weeks ago & it was very interesting to see a different system of government. An opportunity to reassess the usual capitalist, market-driven ideology that is forced down your throat as the ONLY way, and the Socialist shouts of REVOLUTION/ Egalitarianism! Thread. First of all, the info brochure from the UK travel agent claimed that “Everyone in Cuba earns the same salary, regardless of the job they do. About $20 per month.” I asked the Cubans and they were LIVID with anger. It is completely untrue and they saw it as deliberate falsehood! Everybody earns according to
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RE: WORKS MINISTRY EXECUTED NO CAPITAL PROJECT IN 2017
I’d like to comment on the fact that the Federal Ministry of Works did not execute any Capital projects in 2017. As always, my comments will be from a technical, rather than political, angle. First, some basics. The way it should run is that the annual budget runs from January to December every year. Quite often, it doesn’t get passed until the May or June of its year of operation (5 or 6 months late). Naturally, this makes nonsense of any plans it should fund. Whose fault is it that the budget is late? We like to blame the
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Making Public Service Reform a Reality in Nigeria
Preamble I want to start by paying tribute to the Africa Research Institute for giving me the great honour of delivering its 10th Anniversary lecture. My invitation to deliver this lecture and the courtesies I have been shown since my arrival from Abuja yesterday is totally in keeping with ARI’s approach of giving Africans the platform to tell the story of Africa in their own voices, with first-hand knowledge, insight, dignity and respect. In the last 10 years, ARI has encouraged debate that has often gone against the grain, and ventilated research that has challenged accepted wisdom about Africa in
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Strong Organisations in Weak States
A typical Public Sector Performance in Dysfunctional Environments DISSERTATION to obtain the degree of Doctor at the Maastricht University, on the authority of the Rector Magnificus Prof.dr. G.P.M.F. Mols in accordance with the decision of the Board of Deans, to be defended in public on Wednesday 20 June, 2012, at 16:00 hrs. by Joe Abah To download the full Thesis, Follow the link below; ABAH_Joe
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In Nigeria, Governance Champions Can Transform Resource Wealth into Development Result
By Joe Abah Article Topics: governance economic-growth stability Nigeria is well known for its glaring inequalities, particularly the disparity between the impoverished northern states and its oil-rich south. This disparity covers more than just wealth and economic growth, as large segments of the country’s 185 million people want for simple stability and basic public services. But just as Nigeria’s economy is powered by more than oil, so the country’s inequities stem from more than just the so-called “resource curse.” While Nigeria’s oil industry is the largest in Africa, in 2016 it represented only 8.4 percent of the country’s overall gross domestic product (GDP). Non-oil
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When Neutrality Helps the Victim
“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” – Elie Wiesel The above statement by Elie Wiesel is the favourite quote of those that insist that everyone in Nigeria must be politically partisan. It is often used to denigrate those that refuse to be drawn into the current political milieu in Nigeria, and to paint them as unconscionable, irresponsible and unpatriotic. This unfair labelling is the action of oppressors and tormentors. The politics that we practice in Nigeria is not based on ideology, principles or manifestos. Manifestos are
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The other side of GPAC²: Entering government in Nigeria | | UNU-MERIT’s BLOGUNU-MERIT’s BLOG
Fellows on our part-time PhD programme (GPAC2) work for governments and international bodies around the world. Their day jobs land them at the centre of events in geopolitical hotspots, meaning they are often better informed than even the best connected journalists. In this new series, we speak with alumni and fellows about historic events, hot topics and how their PhD research helped them in their careers. This time we asked PhD alumnus Joe Abah about his new role in the Nigerian Government. 1. In your dissertation you studied good functioning institutions in weaker states, with the case study of Nigeria. You graduated
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Why Most States in Nigeria Cannot Pay Workers Salaries
This morning, I want to talk about why I think some states don’t pay workers salaries. As always, my intention is to explain, not to justify. It is immoral and wrong not to pay ANYBODY that has done agreed work, both in public and private life: civil servants or domestic staff. Many states are public service states. In some, the main economic activities in the state revolve around the public service. The only good jobs available are public service jobs. Public servants are the elite. Everybody’s ambition is to join the public service. It’s prestigious. The public servants are, if
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State of the Nigerian Polity: The Way Forward
Dr. Joe Abah is a seasoned Nigerian administrator and erstwhile Director-General of the Bureau of Public Sector Reforms, a critical parastatal in the federal civil service of Nigeria. For four years of his service (2013-2017), he led the transformation process for the Nigerian public sector and has left a legacy of excellence and innovation in the BPSR. He retired this year. On Decmber 24, 2017, Dr. Joe Abah shared his wealth of experience and insight into governance and administration on Twitter via his handle @DrJoeAbah to address the current state of the Nigerian polity and chart a pathway for progress. Related Link: https://twitter.com/DrJoeAbah/status/944835329378476033 Background Dr. Abah begins by pointing
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Whither Nigeria? Who is Afraid of the Question?
Whither Nigeria? Who is afraid of the question? A question is often a request for information, which can be provided by way of an answer. However, questions are not always asked solely for the purpose of obtaining an answer. Questions can be asked for a variety of reasons: to open a dialogue, demonstrate knowledge, show interest in a topic, steer another person’s thought in a particular direction, invite confirmation of a preconception, trigger debate, obtain an answer, or even commence a joke. Some people advise against asking a question when what is expected is not an answer. So when we
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