Government

Putin’s Ukrainian War, Sanctions, and the Tragedy of the Russian People

Published

3 years ago

February 28, 2022

By John R. Bryson, Professor of Enterprise and Economic Geography at the University of Birmingham

Russia’s Ukrainian military campaign has many origins. One of these is Putin’s on-going failure to govern Russia to create better outcomes for those living and working in Russia. Another reflects the failure of all governments, including all European states, the US and China, to impose effective sanctions on Russia in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea in March 2014, and in response to the Salisbury 2018 Novichok poisoning.

Vladimir Putin is concerned that Russia is no longer treated as a superpower. His actions in Ukraine are one response to ensure that Russia is taken seriously, and the interests of the Russian people are no longer ignored. It is important to distinguish between Putin’s interests and the interests of the Russian people. These are two very different things.

Putin wants to ensure that he creates a legacy as the great leader of the Russian people who was solely responsible for ensuring that Russia reclaimed superpower status. For the Russian people the key issue is about everyday living conditions. There is an important point here in that Putin’s concern with Russia’s standing in international affairs deflects investment away from activities that would produce better outcomes for all Russian citizens.

It is essential that there is a coordinated response by all nations to Russia’s invasion of an independent nation. There must be an immediate cross-cutting response that impacts on the lives of all Russians. This will be a tragedy for the Russian people, but this is occurring at a time when Ukrainians are being slaughtered by the Russian military. This response needs to be extreme as it must represent a warning both to Russia, and other countries, over any actions that result in the illegal annexation of territory.

The current response is to impose sanctions on Russian banks and oligarchs. Russia has also been stripped of the honour of hosting the 2022 Champions League final. However, these sanctions are nowhere near the level needed to deter this type of illegal military action. The sanctions that are imposed must impact on every Russian citizen. The level and degree of impact required would be a tragedy for the Russian people. The question is what sanctions are available and what strategy should be adopted?

The strategy should be to develop a structured approach, but it is an approach that needs to be coordinated. Sanctions should include business, finance, educational, sporting, cultural, and travel activities.

It is not enough, for example, to shift the location of the Champions League final. No Russian citizen should be permitted to participate in any international sporting event. By this I mean ‘no Russian’. It is not acceptable to permit Russians to participate under an alternative arrangement. Thus, no Russian could participate at any Olympics, and this would include representing the Russian Olympic Committee. This exclusion would be permanent until Ukraine becomes a free and completely independent state. This would be a tragedy for all those Russians who have devoted their lives to training to compete in all types of sports. Nevertheless, it must be recognised that an illegal military action by a state has consequences for all citizens of that state. The same exclusion must also be imposed on all international activities in which Russian citizens participate including all cultural activities.

Money matters and foreign earnings are important for the Russian economy. Thus, effective sanctions are required that would disrupt and stop these flows. Countries must agree to reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas with immediate sanctions imposed on Russia’s energy sector. These sanctions must include all major Russian exports including wheat. It must be appreciated that such sanctions would impact directly on the Russian people, but they would also have extreme negative impacts on the global economy. This level of sanction would result in rapid energy and food price inflation, including energy shortages across Europe and elsewhere. Any attempt to reduce the impacts on the global economy would, however, ultimately encourage further conflict to occur either led by Russia or other countries.

For sanctions to be effective they must have a major negative impact on the everyday lives of all Russian citizens. There is a triple tragedy here. First, we need always to remember that innocent Ukrainians are being killed by the activities of Russian soldiers. Second, there is the tragedy of the Russian people as effective sanctions must disrupt their everyday lives. Third, there is the tragedy that will come from imposing sanctions on Russia including increased energy and food poverty in other counties. Nevertheless, without effective sanctions there will be other military annexations made by Russia and other countries.

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Government

Tinubu Wants Senate to Confirm Seven Ministerial Nominees

Published

8 hours ago

October 24, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

President Bola Tinubu has formally asked the Nigerian Senate to confirm the appointments of seven nominees for ministerial positions.

In a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary, Tinubu called on the red chamber to consider and approve the nominees for various ministerial roles.

The nominees are expected to face Senate screening during next week’s plenary session.

Akpabio referred the list to the Committee of the Whole for further legislative consideration.

Among the nominees are Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, slated for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and Muhammadu Dingyadi, named as the Minister for Labour and Employment.

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, former Ambassador to Spain and widow of the late Dim Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, was nominated for the position of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

Other appointees include Dr. Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade and Investment), Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Livestock Development), Yusuf Ata (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad (State Education).

Odumegwu-Ojukwu is not a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). She is a prominent figure in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Recall that the President sacked five of his ministers including Barr. Uju-Ken Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism; Prof Tahir Mamman SAN OON, Minister of Education; Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development.

The President also reassigned some of the existing members of his cabinet to different ministries.

The newly reassigned ministers are: Hon Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa, Barr. Bello Muhammad Goronyo and Hon. Abubakar Eshiokpekha Momo.

Others are Uba Maigari Ahmadu, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Sen. John Owan Enoh, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Ayodele Olawande, and Dr. Salako Iziaq Adekunle Adeboye.

The affected ministries are: Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Minister of Education, Minister of State Works, Minister of Regional Development, Minister of State Regional Development, Minister of State Finance, Minister of State Trade and Investment [Industry], Minister of Women Affairs, Minister for Youth Development and Minister of State Health.

Tanko Sununu was moved as the Minister of State, Education to become the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

Alausa, who is the Minister of State for Health will become the Minister of Education.

Goronyo who is the Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation will become the Minister of State for Works.

Momoh, the Minister of Niger Delta Development will become the Minister of Regional Development.

Ahmadu, the Minister of State Steel Development will become the Minister of State, Regional Development.

Uzoka-Anite, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, will become the Minister of State for Finance.

Enoh, the Minister of Sports Development, will become the Minister of State Trade and Investment [Industry].

Sulaiman-Ibrahim, the Minister of State, Police Affairs will become the Minister of Women Affairs.

Olawande, the Minister of State for Youth Development, will become the Minister of Youth Development while Adeboye, Minister of State, Environment, will become the Minister of State, Health.

Government

23 Days to Ondo Governorship Election, PDP, APC Intensify Campaigns, Boast of Victory

Published

8 hours ago

October 24, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

The People’s Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress in Ondo State have been touring towns and villages in the state, canvassing for votes ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the state.

The major opposition and ruling political platforms made boast of clinching top in the forthcoming contest that is about 23 days away.

Shoring support for the candidate of the PDP, Agboola Ajayi, the governor of Oyo State and leader of the South-West zone of the party, Seyi Makinde, said that the victory of PDP will be a liberation for the people of the state.

Makinde, who led Ajayi’s campaign train to the Akoko Area of the state, averred that the PDP candidate would not disappoint his voters and other citizens of Ondo.

The campaign train moved to the towns and villages of Akoko North-West and Akoko North- East Local Government Areas of the state alongside leaders of the party in Oyo and Ondo States.

They also visited the palaces of the Olukare of Ikare, Akadiri Momoh, the Owa-Ale of Ikare Akoko, Adeleke Adegbite-Adedoyin and the Owa of Ogbagi, Victor Adetona.

Addressing the Obas at their various palaces, Makinde promised a cordial relationship with the traditional institution for growth, peace, security and wellness of the state.

Urging crowd at the venue to support PDP, Oyo Governor said their vote is for the liberation of Ondo, noting that Ajayi would ensure security and development.

The PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, in his remarks promised to carry along the traditional rulers in his administration.

Ajayi, however, appealed to the traditional rulers in the State to prevail on their subjects not to involve in violence or in any act capable of causing crisis before, during and after the gubernatorial election.

In a similar vein, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Ondo State governor, also boasted of victory, alluding that PDP is no longer in existence in the state.

Aiyedatiwa made this known during his campaign at Igbobini, Kiribo Igbotu, and other communities in the Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state, the home town and the Local Government of his main challenger, Agboola Ajayi.

The governor said all the gladiators in the PDP had defected to the ruling APC ahead of the poll.

According to him, the people’s support and loyalty to his administration have continued to make the ruling party wax stronger in the State, stressing that his second term has been sealed.

Addressing a crowd that trooped out to welcome him at Igbobini, the governor promised that his administration would continue to initiate more developmental projects across the State if re-elected.

Government

Rivers Indigenes Seek Tinubu’s Mediation in Wike, Fubara Face-off, Say Crisis Hampering Development

Published

8 hours ago

October 24, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

Some indigenes of Rivers State from the Ogoni ethnic group have asked President Bola Tinubu to urgently wade in and settle the feud between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, saying that the crisis was already affecting the economic growth of the state.

Operating under the aegis of the Ogonis in Diaspora Organisation, the group expressed surprise at Tinubu’s silence on the prolonged political impasse affecting Rivers State’s development, urging him to call Wike to order.

In an open letter to the President, the President of the Ogonis in Diaspora Organisation, Chief Ambrose Kii, noted that Tinubu’s perceived indifference was emboldening Wike to allegedly destabilize the state and undermine Governor Fubara’s administration for personal gain.

They expressed profound disappointment and concern over the President’s continued silence on the deepening political crisis rocking Rivers State, saying Tinubu’s inaction appeared to have been asking the former Rivers governor to relentlessly destabilize and exploit the state instruments.

According to them, the consequences of the President’s silence are dire, adding that Wike’s actions have undermined Governor Fubara’s authority, escalated violence and insecurity, disrupted economic activities, drove investors away, exacerbated unemployment and redundancy, and inflicted untold hardship on Rivers State citizens.

Kii further pointed out that Wike’s actions were in stark contrast to his predecessors, who allowed him to govern the state peacefully without interference.

Kii argued that Wike’s quest for control has brought Rivers State to its knees, telling Tinubu that his intervention is crucial as the entire citizens are already feeling the heat of their clash.

Recall that Rivers State has been experiencing political turmoil since Fubara and Wike’s godfather and son relationship turned sour.