What The Papers Say
The Mirror, Ghana
Africa's liberation
The 43rd session of the Organisation of African Unity is of immense significance to the continent. The history of the OAU Liberation Committee shows a good record of remarkable achievements in the form of hastening the independence of African countries which were under colonial rule.Meeting in Accra about eleven years ago, the plan of action that was drawn up for African liberation led to the crumbling of the Portuguese "Empire" and the winning of independence for countries like Angola, Mozambique and Guinea Bissau.
Today, with Namibia and South Africa remaining as the final bastion of domination, the OAU Liberation Committee should have a single focus - the dismantling of the racist and illegal machinery of apartheid.
One must suppose that having a single antagonist should not be a matter to cause too much anxiety. But the intransigent opponent, the racists, have armed themselves to the teeth waiting for the slightest provocation not only to further entrench their evil system but to strike at the Frontline states.
The latest overtures of Prime Minister Botha in paying "diplomatic" visits to some western European countries seems to have bolstered the racist leader's ego to be more obstinate towards granting independence to Namibia and majority rule in South Africa. He has even announced plans to visit some African countries.
In another light, Botha's moves show signs of the uneasiness that the pressure being mounted by the liberation movements and anti-apartheid solidarity from the world over are causing. It is against the backdrop of these developments that the Liberation Committee ought to tackle the issue of the granting of independence to Namibia with such seriousness that would help send apartheid down to its knees.
It must be the duty of every OAU member country to pay up its contribution to the liberation fund, for no matter how much we might urge the liberation movements to fight, they cannot fight with their bare hands.
But, above all, what is needed is the unity of purpose and the political will of all African people to strike hard at the enemy of the continent.
The Punch, Nigeria.
WAI: So far, only fair
War-Against-Indiscipline is now almost a year old in Nigeria. So far, the Buhari Administration has formally launched four phases of the crusade, namely - Queueing Ethic, Work Ethic, Nationalism and Patriotism as well as Corruption and Economic Sabotage. The advantage in this phase-by-phase approach is that it focuses attention on one facet of indiscipline at a time and then builds up the fight into a crescendo. That approach makes for more effective planning while at the same time affording the masses an opportunity of properly internalising the lessons of each phase, singly and cumulatively.Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and his military colleagues seized power on December 31, 1983 with the express purpose of tackling two broad problems bedevilling Nigeria (i) economic malaise and (ii) moral degeneration. They seemed to have realised, in their minds, that these two evils are so intricately interwoven that the battle against one Liberation Committee of the of them cannot be won unless the other is effectively curbed. And the two wars have been going on side-by-side ever since.
Thus far, one major lesson which Nigerians have learnt or ought to have learnt from Buhari & Co is that public office must not be seen as an avenue for ill-gotten booty. The mere fact that men (and women), who were lording it over us all a couple of years ago and were strutting all over the stage are now in humiliating detention or prison for abuse of office, should be an object lesson to future generations of politicians. In a practical manner, the Buhari Administration has enthroned that accountability which the 1979 Constitution promised so much about without delivering anything concrete.
Military governors have adopted varying measures to enthrone a healthy work ethic in their different public services. Some have resorted to gate locking, frog-marching and forfeiture of salaries of late comers. That these lapses continue is a ready indication that more has to be done still to make Nigerians develop a reflex action of punctuality. It is equally important to make a public servant realise the importance, not only of getting to work on time but also of being usefully engaged while in the office. Furthermore, regular payment of salaries cum allowances and the provision of basic infrastructures will go a long way towards boosting the morale of public servants and re-orientating them towards a business-like approach to governmental affairs.
The Buhari Administration has done a lot to ameliorate the economic position of Nigeria whose main revenue source and foreign exchange earner, crude oil, has been badly hit by world recession. The bitter pill of mass retrenchment was forced down the throat of the people both in the public and the private sectors. The strict rationing of import licences has adversely affected the industries which were forcibly weaned from import dependence to try backward integration. To make things worse, in the bid to enforce environmental discipline, the problems of the masses were compounded through the demolition of stalls and the prohibition of street trading. We are surely learning.
Events so far must have convinced the leading lights of the present administration and the chief propagators of WAI that the task before them is an arduous one. Old habits, they say, die hard. In Nigeria, old habits die harder. Despite the campaign against fraud and official corruption, some toll gate officials (including women) were still caught a few days ago embezzling expressway tolls. Armed robbers increase their ferocity with intensified police vigilance.
The PUNCH hopes that the Buhari Administration will continue to display consistency in its efforts to instil discipline into the Nigerian body politic and to improve the country's economic base. In doing this, the administration will be more successful if it makes HONESTY, JUSTICE and THOROUGHNESS its watchwords.
For instance, the issue of discriminatory fees in state colleges in favour of the indigenes detracts from the ideal of nationalism-cum-patriotism. Justice would not only be done but it would also be seen to be done if Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who led Nigeria into the current economic mess and unhealthy moral climate, is not allowed to enjoy house- arrest while pen-robbers of relatively smaller importance have been tried and jailed under Decree No. 3 of 1984.
