Looking beyond oil and the issues of management

’Looking beyond oil’’ was the theme for this year Nigerian institute of journalism bi-annual conference that was held in Asaba, the Delta state capital. Looking Beyond oil as it seems, look very articulate to come by, but indeed, the intrigue, permutations, conjectures and sabotage  in  oil sectors  are of more concern than the word may seem, even though very ‘’apt’’ as described by the representative of the president Ayim pius Ayim. The level of manage-mental capability alone is another priority that should be

involved in every segments of our societal doings whether in the oil sector or beyond it, even if it will transcend beyond oil activity and move to another phase in searching for more income through other God given potentials .

 Our inability to succeed in being prudent and firm in managing our oil resources will also be adopted either through psychological or natural implications in which ever way it is applied on every other sectors we may choose to beam our search light on towards, where indeed are the much complicating adventure and intrigues in that sector would still be in another toga of perpetually having an old wine in a brand  new bottle.

Listening to Governor Eweta uguaghan who happened to be the chief host, when giving  his own account of how the government has been able to improve on its revenue generation, where in particularly, he spoke on government approaches and methodical applicability in ensuring compliance in other to succeed more about improving their revenue development, one wonders if that can be in actual sense, a leeway in succeeding through this beyond oil clamour which the theme is set to achieve. 

But then, succor came and dissolved the much heated thoughts on my mind when he said also, that the government has been able to strengthen its resource base and also develop infrastructure through the improvement of its economy. The more pertinent point here left unmentioned is how this oil could have been left out of  these whole challenges of Mis-management and free from all syndrome where the oligarchy still find means in maneuvering their ways of sabotaging our oil? 

This advent of circumstances with which we found our self’s in, was what drew the attention of our law makers when deliberating on what could be the way forward in charting our cause ahead. In their proceeding and deliberations, Hon. Tsam sokwa, was quoted to have said’’ that those who are in-charge of the alleged oil theft are the elites, what they do is that they co ‘opt the youth, collaborate with them and steal our oil’’. Indeed, the importance of ensuring an egalitarian society must start with those who already are in one position or the other, holding leadership responsibility with the aspiration of shaping our society in meeting our resolve for sustainable development and not other wise. For instance, if in our resolve to look beyond oil and still can not come by with other salient challenges that brought back our ploy to progress, our quest for looking beyond oil would still be in mirage. 

My emphases here, is certainly not in terms of being negative about the idea behind those thoughts of looking beyond oil, given its enormous opportunity which the nation stands to gain. But the aspect of managemental ability that we lack unfortunately, which if successfully adopted can bring back Nigeria to its lost glory it has attained in the past on economic competitiveness’’ which could have stand it tall against the reasons that resonate these change in our perception and resolve. 

Going beyond that, the aspect of our rig platform and heavy equipment's are some of which are in dire negligence by the authority involved that has unfortunately culminated into one out of many iron cast corrupt cases and tragedy which has in the past, not seen as being very vital in ensuring its transparency by those agents who are saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that all it processes are complied with’’ rather disappointingly, are more agile in what they stand to gain from those importers, living the interest of the government and the great people of this great country with which they swore to protect to their own peril. The governments vision on accelerated development of internally generated revenue  through tariff and value added tax has since being suffering more set back in the past as a result of this development, in  the process of bringing these rig-platforms and heavy equipment into the county.

 This equipment from all indication, revealed has been hiding on false declaration and by implication, so many tariffs are slashed illegally and the government is at the receiving end. Where then can we achieve more in revenue sustenance, if we must look beyond oil in this kind of developments? Should we be in doubt, certainly, time will determine it. In some instance, some of this equipment comes into the country without following the due procedure of ensuring that what is declared in it was in actual sense, was what should be obtained instead. 

Not withstanding the foregoing, however, checks also reveals that some of these company owning this rig-platforms and heavy equipment's also succeed in hiding under temporary importation policy, a development which under normal circumstance negates the policy thrust that guides this development of given out those incentives as an added advantage to those operating the rig- platform and equipment's a soft landing to bring those gadgets into the country to ascertain its quality before allowing it pay the demanded fool tariff into the coffers of the government.

 That simply means the operators can negotiate with the owners in their respective  location to bring in those platform devoid of any hindrance for the operators to ascertain the quality of what they intend to buy.  Unfortunately, it has been abused. 

This alone if not checked and braced and laced with appropriate measures, our hope may be dashed and the inspiration of looking beyond oil could no longer make sense. But if another means with which government is moving towards has in it, revenue generation with the ‘’ principle of management ability’’ and also, having the mind of fostering even development then our aspiration of looking beyond oil can then remain imminent and prosperous. 

One thing must be put straight. If by anything to go by, management of such loop-holes can sure give added revenue value into the coffers of government with a clear cut vision of dwelling further into beaming search light into other government departments that will indeed enhance more on revenue improvements with strategic planning anchored on the exhaustive alternative measures which is currently a predicament without any recourse to block it, ‘In what turned to be another means of adding voice to hope, was when the representative of the president gave his own views, as to why  the much concentration on oil revenue and reasons for their resolve in embracing alternative means of looking beyond oil  with a strong hope that it should stay. 

The phrased used to module up the theme’’ was the word ‘’very apt’’, and this indeed was coming at a time when Nigeria as a country needed to change by diversifying its economy where pathetically, it has being wallowing in sabotage, oil theft, building illegal indigenous refinery without due approval from the appropriate authority and a collapse in the dispense of leadership quality needed, ‘Citing many African countries that are already discovering crude oil within their sub-regions. He said the value for crude oil was fast dropping and that it was a signal that oil will no longer worthy in term of its huge demands and value.  

He also allayed more anxiety when he quoted the united state president as saying that Americans are now looking beyond oil. Perhaps according to him, if America and Europe are out of those buying our crude oil the remaining are minor consumers except for republic of china. Unfortunately, ‘’he said this development portends danger, saying the earlier we realize this, the golden for us’’.The question in the eyes of many is where are the modalities that would be adopted for us not to find our self in the same travails befalling us in the oil sector? 

Given other areas that is indeed calling for government attention to beam its search light on? Expectedly in his speech, there was no technically outlined methodology in revamping other means of generating revenue from what he has said… The singular reasons for not achieving the desired result in the management of our crude oil resources cannot be far fetch from this development and moving in these direction towards another means, explains that we are still going to be wallowing in what put us in those present predicaments except alternative solution mechanism is set aside to achieve a desired goals expected.