A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has spoken on the state of the nation and the way out of the present economic crisis among other issues including fuel crisis, adding that “It is sad that we have been having this problem for many decades. My father was the head of Red Cross in the East and Pat Utomi’s father was in the business of fuel stations. My girlfriend then, who later became my wife, actually had to go to Pat Utomi’s father in Ibuzo, now Delta State in order to get scarce fuel in 1974. That was in 1974, today as we speak, more than 50 years after, we are still in the same problem. What is wrong? That is the issue.”

Speaking on the 150-day duty-free import window for food items recently announced by the Federal Government to resolve the current food insecurity in Nigeria, he said “we have grain reserves but they are all empty. When you say importation, recall what happened with the cement issue. The government of Lagos State in collaboration with the Chagoury family divided the maritime approach of Nigeria into two, took one half called Eko Atlantic. Assuming there is a road that has 10 lanes, so that 10 cars can go at a time, traffic would be reduced. Somebody comes and says ‘this half, we will close and we will build houses.’

“I raised a point in the context that Nigeria is now an extremely unattractive maritime country because it has no lean approach but the channels are blocked. So, the 150 days appear as an emergency food lift. I do not think that will resolve the problem. The thing that will resolve the problem is in fact our resilience. We are at a brink where things would have been aflame by now but somehow, we have managed it.

“I think that is what will resolve it and not dependent on food imports. How many vessels will come here to feed 200 million people?At the end of the day, what will help is for the government to change its policies in respect of borrowing. Why are we borrowing when we have assets? If you borrow, is it going for development or for contracts?” he added.

And on why the issue of corruption in Nigeria remains unsolved, he said “I know a journalist from the Netherlands who opened my eyes to two issues. She said: ‘What is the bigger issue; incompetence or corruption?’They are both bad but incompetence is bigger than corruption. The percentage of corruption and its impact on the economy is far less than incompetence. Yes, corruption is a problem but what is the percentage in terms of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), when you look at corruption versus incompetence? Incompetence means you do not know it.

“What I see here is that incompetence is bigger than corruption. We can actually incorporate corruption and be developed though it is not a good idea. After all, corruption is everywhere in different degrees. I would rather have a competent corrupt government. I am left to think that the only reason why what is going on is happening is because of incompetence or lack of knowledge and they are all the same thing.

“If our government understands section 44 of the Constitution, why do they make International Oil Companies (IOCs) co-partners, when they are not co-partners? What is this incompetence that the government exhibits? It is bigger than corruption! Corruption is a problem but it is a minor problem compared to when you do not know what to do. So, you are lost. Anyone who comes and tells you something; you swallow it.

Incompetence is the biggest problem we have. How can a person ‘chop’ $2,000 breakfast and you have an agency that vets this process to make sure that the IOCs do not overload their invoices? Does it not see it? That may be corruption but I think it is incompetence because incompetence is the problem why gas keeps getting flared,” Agbakoba added. (Story adapted from Daily Sun)

• Olisa Agbakoba