You fixated your eyes on personal, primitive accumulation of wealth, it is time to own up to the truth —NLC
“INSTEAD of building on the zeal and energy of Nigerian workers and people to redeem the image of the black race which was badly mauled by slave trade and colonization, our political leaders shifted their eyes from the dreams of a great country and became fixated with the delusion of personal conquests through primitive accumulation of wealth aided by a deliberate divide and rule politics. Till today, after many successive governments, our country is yet to recover from the tsunami of ethno-religious politics, values disorientation, and the weakening of unifying institutions.
“The symptoms of the break in our progress march stare us hard in the face. Our deterioration has come so fast and furious that we have inadvertently surrendered our will and space for development to very unreasonable, violent and destructive non-state actors who have not only become a law to themselves but are trying to impose their regime of lawlessness on all of us. Today, millions of Nigerians are almost accepting life as internally displaced persons as normal. Today, many Nigerians would rather die at home than incur humungous hospital bills for surviving family members while wasting to a slow but certain death in our dilapidated public health facilities.
“Unemployment especially among our teeming youths has risen to unprecedented levels and the youths are no longer willing to wait for jobs that are nowhere. The frustration and despondency of our youths is at the root of the numerous ills and crimes prevalent in different parts of the country. When we paused the march to human capital optimization, industrialization, food sufficiency, and egalitarianism, what were we expecting? Even the blind and the deaf now know that the chicken has come home to roost.
“It is time to own up to the truth of our self-inflicted pains and examine closely where we lost it as a nation. It is not too late to resume our paused march to greatness. We can still become that country that accords the pride of place to truth, productivity, hard work, excellence, integrity, patriotism, service and sacrifice. We can still create industries for our teeming youths to gain decent jobs. We can still provide the excellent infrastructure that inspires inclusive economic growth. We can still foster an atmosphere of rule of law, equity, social justice, peace, law and order as a sustainable cure for the deregulated crises of violence in many parts of Nigeria. We can still regain our humanity of love and care for workers and pensioners.”
Nigeria isn’t a toddler, do your constitutional duties —SSANU
“How could it be that our children are no longer safe in our schools because of incessant kidnapping and killings, yet those that it fall on their shoulders to take actions are busy politicking. How could it be that prices of food and other commodities are skyrocketing everyday in the country and citizens are going to bed without food, yet our leaders and political leaders have not shown any concern?
“It is therefore pertinent to state that the current difficult situations Nigeria/Nigerians are facing are evidently all man-made, therefore it is surmountable. The level of disconnect between the political class and the masses is quite disheartening. It is glaring that most members of the political class are only busy pursuing political power and forgotten the social contract which they signed with the citizens.
“This has become evident by the monstrous insecurity that is ravaging Nigeria. Free movement of people, goods and services have become almost impossible due to insecurity and the deplorable nature of our highways, yet the most trending topic, for our political leaders from the south to the north is 2023 elections.
“It is therefore time for governments at all levels to sit up and squarely face its constitutional responsibilities of protecting and providing basic needs of Nigerians. Those we elected and gave power to lead our country must find solutions to our problems and bring development to our communities. Politicians must re-invent themselves and be true countrymen who strive and work for the common good of the country and its citizens. Nigeria’s own case must not be different from what other developed countries are doing.
“It is time for government to jettison the old attitude of reneging on the fulfilment of agreements it entered into with unions in the labour sector for a change.
“Nigeria is now 61 years of age, meaning that she is no longer a toddler therefore, those who pilot its affairs must act matured as well. I call on government to forthwith be honest in dealing with labour unions for the sake of progress of our dear country.
“Labour unions want nothing but the common good of Nigerians, our demands are legitimate and within the ambit of the law. I wish to once again congratulate the President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari and our countrymen and women in power and request them to take decisive actions to curb and bring to an end the current insecurity in the country.”
Allow electronic transmission of 2023 elections —TUC
“The major trouble with Nigeria is that it has not been fortunate to have patriotic and dedicated leaders. Nigerians have not been given the opportunity to truly choose their own leaders as seen in the gang up against electronic transmission of election results.
“The gap between the haves and the have-nots are daily and deliberately being widened so they can have the people at their whims and caprices.
“Today, there is hunger in our land. The prices of food stuff have hit the roof. Farmers cannot go to farm because of the activities of kidnappers, bandits and Boko Haram. In most parts of the north, farmers even pay levies to bandits to enable them cultivate and harvest their crops. These extra costs are passed on to the consumers.
“Who are these bandits, Boko Haram, IPOB members? These are young people that have been neglected by the system. Some are even the deliberate creations of politicians because they use them as political thugs, ballot snatchers, etc. They arm them to rig elections but never retrieved the arms after elections, which is why there is proliferation of arms in the country. Oftentimes, the security operatives confess that these bandits have more sophisticated fire power than they do.
“At 61, we still do not have functional refineries. There are also issues of oil spillage, gas flaring and dearth of infrastructure. The oil producing states groan daily over government’s indifference to their plight. The global politics and economics are not helping our national development. The evolving global terms of trade appears to be gang up against Africa, making it look like a safely distant battleground instead of a destination for investment.”
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