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T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016
COMMENT
Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com
IS THE EUROPEAN UNION DYING? Brexit reinforces the right to self determination, argues Sonnie Ekwowusi
D
eath is inevitable. Persons, nations, multinationals, supra-nationals, international organisations and institutions are subject to mortality. They only exist for a time and then die. I think this is a convenient philosophical standpoint from which to reflect on the dramatic exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union and the resultant resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron last week. In his resignation speech, Cameron surprisingly alluded that one of his achievements as prime minster was the promotion of homosexualism in Britain. I find this allusion laughable. The upsurge in gay activities in United Kingdom under Cameron is not an achievement to be proud of. Cameron should be ashamed that he ran a gay government. Anyway I agree with Cameron that Brexit is a triumph of the popular will and participatory parliamentary democracy. Brexit reinforces the argument that the right to self-determination is an enduring ingredient of modern politics. You cannot force an unwilling people to stay in a contraption detrimental to their collective survival. But the question is: Is Brexit a prelude to the death of the European Union? In global politics, political events in one country could trigger off some events or may ignite series of effects in other countries. For example, Mikhail Gorbachev’s meeting with some world leaders on December 22, 1989 or thereabout acted as the catalyst that not only led to the sowing of the seeds of perestroika and grasnost but the dramatic crumbling of the Berlin Wall. The fall of the Berlin Wall, on the other hand, produced some democratising effects in Germany, Hungry, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Albania and other countries. In the same vein, Brexit is bound to act as catalyst that would compel the remaining European Union members to re-negotiate their membership of the union or even quit. As a member of the EU, the United Kingdom was the second largest force and elixir of life in EU. Now without the UK, the EU has not only become an orphan but faces the risks of internal revolts and disintegration. From the reactions of world leaders to Brexit, it is obvious that unless immediate changes and reforms are introduced in the EU, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Greece, Spain and other nations are likely to join France in conducting their respective referendums that may show them the way out. And if the EU breaks up, there will be independent thinking countries which will no longer be acting as a bloc. It will engender political disunity in Europe. America will be worse off. Although President Barack Obama has said that the UK outside the EU will be a great trading ally of the United States, it is obvious that a break-up of the EU will negatively work against the interests of United States. First, the US will lose its lobbying power. It is easier for US to win the lobby of EU than the lobby of independent thinking and single-minded
BREXIT IS BOUND TO ACT AS CATALYST THAT WOULD COMPEL THE REMAINING EUROPEAN UNION MEMBERS TO RE-NEGOTIATE THEIR MEMBERSHIP OF THE UNION OR EVEN QUIT
European countries. For example, the EU is under the easy manipulation of the US at the United Nations. But with the break-up of the EU the US will have to lobby each European country anytime it wants resolutions on military intervention, immigration issues, gay “rights” matters and so forth. The greatest lesson, for me, in the exit of the UK union is that despite all the fruits to be reaped from belonging to supranational organisations or unions such as the EU, most nations are now more interested in protecting their economic freedom and all that they hold dear in order to gain more strength and benefits. And in the event of a conflict between domestic projects and supranational projects, the latter prevails to the extent of the inconsistency. Britain might have fallen in love with the EU project but her love for the British project far supersedes and takes precedent over the EU project. Certainly Brexit is a big lesson to African countries trading off their economic liberty and sovereignty for a plate of porridge. Despite wresting political independence from their erstwhile colonial masters, the economic systems and political policies of many African countries infatuated with foreign aids are still tied to the apron strings of the World Bank and powerful European and multinational organisations. This is very unfortunate. In his book, “Emerging Africa,” former Central Bank’s Deputy Governor Dr. Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu brilliantly highlights how foreign aids have underdeveloped Africa and why foreign aids are not the panacea to Africa’s myriads of socio-economic and political problems. Moghalu wonders why African leaders have not woken up to the reality that the so-called billions of dollars doled out to many African countries by their so-called western development partners “have failed to produce any significant development leaps in Africa, and many aid-dependent African countries are poorer today than they were a half-century ago”. He regrets that foreign aids in Africa have many strings attached to them. “Much of the foreign aids, then, is about giving with the right hands and taking back with the left what is presumed to have been given”, he writes. According to Kwame Nkrumah Ghana, “The result of neo-colonialism is that foreign capital is used for the exploitation rather than for the development of the less developed parts of the world. Investment under neo-colonialism increases rather than decreases the gap between the rich and the poor countries of the world….” Therefore the Muhammadu Buhari government should not succumb to the allure of foreign aids that will put Nigeria in economic shackle. Brexit testifies that it pays for a country to untangle itself from any relationship capable of compromising its economic liberty and all that it holds dear.
TRANSITIONING TO STABILITY
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The Rivers State Government is entering into new development partnerships for the good of the people, writes Simeon Nwakaudu
ollowing Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’s first year remarkable performance, the governor has started working towards a more glorious second year in office with the strategic development of critical infrastructure and partnerships that will further galvanise the economy of the state for the good of the people. As a pragmatic leader, the governor has gone back to the field monitoring and evaluating the progress of work at different project sites across the state ensuring that the people get value for the money invested in these projects. This technique which led to the successes recorded in the governor’s first year will yield better results in the second year. On Friday, June 24, 2016, Governor Wike accompanied by top government officials at the state and local government levels visited two key projects. He inspected ongoing reconstruction of the Igwuruta-Chokocho road which cuts across Ikwerre and Etche Local Government Areas. This road which connects the food basket local government area to the rest of the state is a federal road that leads to Imo State. The road was abandoned, and the
people of Etche Local Government Area cut off from the rest of Rivers State and the economy of the area degraded in the process. As at June 24, 2016, Governor Wike has completed the first phase of the project. The last stretch is being concluded. Same day, the governor monitored and evaluated preliminary evaluation works at the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park under construction. This project which is the first of its kind in the country is expected to engender growth in the economy of the state and provide recreation of thousands of Rivers people and Nigerians from all walks of life. Governor Wike stated that the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park will transform the economy of the state as it will be a major revenue earner when completed. He added that the park will attract tourists from within and outside the country. The governor noted that holiday makers from the state who hitherto travelled out of the country for their vacations will after the completion of the ultra-modern facility, patronise it. On Saturday, June 25, 2016, the governor was again on the field to inspect the pace of work at project sites. On this day, he criss-crossed Port Harcourt City,
Gokana, Khana, Obio /Akpor, Eleme and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of the state. While he was impressed by the quality of work at the dualisation of the Woji-Akpajo road, the governor was unimpressed with the pace of work on the Saakpenwa-Bori road leading to the heartland of the Ogoni ethnic nationality and the performance of the contractor handling the reconstruction of the Professor Tam David -West Boulevard also known as the Obiri-Ikwere road. Unhappy with the performance of the contractors, the governor threatened to revoke the two road contracts and recover state funds. It is believed that the governor’s proactive action will quicken the pace of work on the roads as he has met with the contractors, the works commissioner and the state acting director of procurement to reiterate his warning. In line with his desire to partner with relevant stakeholders to further build the economy of the state, the governor in the last two weeks entered into partnership with the Nigeria Medical Association, the United Nations Children Fund, (UNICEF) the Nigerian Institute of Architects, PABOD Breweries and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Workers to deliver benefits to the people of the state in different strategic sectors. As his meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association, Rivers State chapter, the governor and the medical professionals agreed to collaborate towards reviving secondary healthcare facilities across the state. Similarly, the governor reached a consensus with the UNICEF to work towards the reduction of newborn and maternal mortality to the barest minimum in the state. Recreating Port Harcourt as a beautiful city where all manner of businesses will thrive in a peaceful atmosphere formed the crux of the relationship that Governor Wike fostered with the Nigeria Institute of Architects led by its National President, Mr. Tonye Oliver Braide. His meeting with the NUPENG President, Comrade Igwe Aches and his executives centred on the development of a tankers village/tank farm at Eleme Local Government Area where the state government will collaborate with the union to generate mass employment and empower the people.The partnership between the Rivers State Government and Pabod Breweries also centred on job creation.