BUSINESS AS USUAL?

BUSINESS AS USUSAL?

Sometime last week the online edition of the punch news daily reported that the umpire of Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, was on a foreign tour of a number of countries! While over there, Professor Jega is to carry out first hand inspection of the facilities of a number of foreign firms bidding to produce election materials like the ballot papers needed for the successful conduct of the 2011 polls in Nigeria. The report adds that local firms will also be considered in the bidding process and a choice will be made after due consideration of factors such as the capability of the firm, cost, quality as well as security.
As I digested the contents of that report, I shook my head in disbelief and sorrow, but I am quickly reminded that the country in question is Nigeria, where it seems normalcy is eternally confined to the dustbin!
You will wonder why INEC would even consider bids from foreign firms! The last time I checked, there is the government agency called the National Security Printing and Minting Company of Nigeria (I believe the name speaks for itself). I believe that it handles the printing of our national currency; the naira and it should have been handed the task of printing these election materials without a fore thought! It makes economic sense, poses less of a security risk and should be a source of national pride that these election materials be produced here in Nigeria! If Nigeria is to achieve her desire of becoming the twentieth largest economy in the world by the year 2020, it will only happen, when we take calculated, steady and incremental steps toward achieving self sufficiency, especially when opportunities like these present themselves! Until we effect these changes in our national mind-set, it may continue to be business as usual!