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Insecurity: Nigeria Needs Leaders To Coordinate All Hands -Obasanjo
As Nigeria confronts serious security challenges, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said there was the need for all hands to be on deck aside from having a leader who can provide the needed leadership to coordinate the efforts.
He spoke, yesterday, while responding to questions from newsmen after paying Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde a courtesy call in his office in Ibadan.
The former president, who was in the Governor’s Office to pay a belated condolence visit on the governor on the demise of his mother, while in the state to attend a book launch in honour of late political leader, Lamidi Adedibu, said the most important aspect of dealing with the challenges facing the country was leadership, adding that the myriads of challenges in the areas of security, economy and political instability were not really new, only that they have taken a dangerous dimension.
Obasanjo said, “There are many challenges in Nigeria today. There are challenges of security, economy, political stability, among others.
“These challenges are not really new, except that they have taken a different dimension.”
“But human challenges are meant to be solved or overcome by human beings which means that all hands should be on deck.
“I believe that the most important aspect of dealing with all the challenges we have is: one leadership, two, coming together, that is, all hands being on deck.
“We all have to come together. But then, there must be leadership to get everybody to work.”
When asked to comment on the increasing call for the sack of security chiefs as a means of tackling the insecurity issues in the country, Obasanjo noted that: “I did not appoint security chiefs, how can I ask that they be sacked?”
Requested to offer advice to the security chiefs and the President, the Obasanjo said, “If I have a fatherly advice for the security chiefs, I will not give them through the media.”
While speaking earlier during the courtesy call, Governor Seyi Makinde commended Obasanjo for his efforts at national development, highlighting his various steps to transform and improve the state, especially in the areas of agriculture, security, education and health.
Makinde said, “We want to welcome you to Ibadan. We have done quite a bit to follow your footstep because the major areas of focus for the government of Oyo State are in the areas of health, education, agriculture, physical infrastructure and security. And agriculture for us is the only way to take Oyo State from depending on federal allocation.
“And that is why we are fixing roads to rural areas. That is also why we are turning some of the farm settlements into farm estates. There is one very close to your farm along Eruwa to Igbo-Ora road. I am sure in another one year and a half, by God’s grace, when we are commissioning that farm estate, we will come back to you to join us to commission the farm estate.
“After I became the governor-elect, I came to Abeokuta to see you and we spoke a little bit about the Ikere-Gorge Dam. Your first coming as the Military Head of State, the dam was built.
“Unfortunately, from that point till now, we have not been able to realise the potential and objective of that money that was spent there. But the road from Iseyin to Ikere is now to be fixed under the Rural Access Intervention Programme. It is a world bank project.
“So, very soon, you will also see the full realization of value from that Dam. I make a promise to you that we will see to it,” Makinde vowed.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
