A father of four children, Obiora, is living with his family in the ghetto of Jikwoyi in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. Jikwoyi is one of Abuja’s plural inner city habitats. The one room apartment Obiora lives with his family has no water facility.
As a daily paid construction labourer, this father of four is not yet able to afford a better shelter for his family. Proper education of the primary school aged children is as hellish as their daily survival. His daily ordeal begins at 5am, and wife wash clothes for those who can afford to hire her service at Phase 1 Extension. Some days, she makes as low as N150 and her highest since last November is N500.
Like the Obiora family, most inner city dwellers depend meruwa, a commercial local water supplier for their source of domestic water, and occasionally, for drinking. There is a general lack of toilet in most houses/huts of the inner city.
Nearby bushes are good sources of discharging their abdominal toxins. Residents tend to be used to the situation. But, that does not seem to be good for the overall health of the capital city. Stench easily oozed out around the habitats of the inner city because open defecation is still in vogue.
A panoramic view of Jikwoyi Phase 1 and 2 tends to show that a major headache of the inner cities of Nigeria is poor quality of housing. Rural housing does not seem to be receiving attention it deserves from policy makers in spite of the fact that rural fringes of Africa’s most populous country harbour over 70% of its total rising population of 230 million people and occupy a strategic position in the socio-economic development of the country.
Unlike Apo, Asokoro, Gwarimpa, and Maitama areas those with deep pockets inhabit, there is generally a low quality of housing in the inner city of Jikwoyi. Structural component of most ‘houses’ in the area is generally a little above minimum quality requirements. Qualities of internal facilities are equally below minimum requirements.
Yet, in 1991, a national housing policy was promulgated for possible solutions to the housing wahala in Nigeria. Twenty years on, tens of millions of Nigerians are still homeless while others like those of Jikwoyi, are living in indecent houses. It seems the major challenges of the National Housing Policy are poor implementation, corruption, bureaucracy and political instability.
Perhaps, this could be one of the reasons Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is tasking Nigeria’s National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to unlock the mystery of failed or poorly implemented policies and projects in the country.
NIPSS is however, a policy formation centre for bureaucrats, private sector leaders, military officers, and medium-rank and senior civil servants, which was founded in 1979.
Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in statement in Abuja, said that the vice president stated this when he virtually inaugurated the Senior Executive Course 43 of NIPSS.
The theme of the Course 43 programme is “Getting Things Done: Strategies for the Implementation of Policies and Programmes in Nigeria.’’
“So, your task is already well cut out for you. Perhaps Course 43 will be able to unlock the mystery of failed or poorly implemented policies and projects, but more importantly, promote a practical, nitty-gritty guide to implementing projects and policies.
“This is a body of knowledge that is desperately needed today. This year’s theme goes to the heart of what is generally considered the bane of development in Nigeria; poor implementation.
“The proverbial gap between intention and results; between policy and stated outcomes; delivering on campaign promises or even just doing what the well-articulated policy papers say.
“For many serious-minded policymakers, the frustration is the same, yes we know all about think-tanks, what we need now are do-tanks.”
Osinbajo commended the commitment and contributions of NIPSS to critical national issues through policy briefs, policy advice and other strategic interventions.
He assured staff, participants and management of the Federal Government’s continued support to the institution especially in the upgrade of facilities.
“While Government will continue to do its best to support the National Institute, I should stress that budgetary provisions alone will always be limited given competing needs and responsibilities of government.
“It is therefore imperative for NIPSS to be even more pro-active and creative in seeking alternative sources of funding’’, he said.
Osinbajo commiserated with the management and staff of NIPSS on the demise of its Director-General, Prof. Habu Galadima.
He recalled the late Galadima’s work and dedication particularly to the growth of the institute, describing him as a passionate advocate for the transformation of the Institute.
Participants of Senior Executive Course 43 were drawn from the private sector, the public service, including paramilitary organisations and the armed forces.
Present at the event were Plateau State Governor, Mr Simon Lalong, representatives of the Service Chiefs, among others.
