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Democracy Day: Stakeholders Lament Insecurity Of Lives, Property
As governments at all levels mark 15 years of uninterrupted democratic practice in Nigeria today, stakeholders from all walks of life have expressed divergent views on the successes, failures and prospects of democracy and good governance in the country.
The stakeholders, who spoke to our correspondents in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, x-rayed the nation’s democratic experiment since May 29, 1999, its achievements thus far, the challenges bedevilling the country, and the lessons learnt from the avalanche of issues that have negatively affected Nigeria’s march towards greatness.
They also made suggestions on the way going forward through policies that would guarantee hope, peace and sustainable development while at the same time securing the lives and property of citizens.
Chairman, Ahoada West Local Government Area, Barrister Awori Miller said, “the Federal Government has failed Nigerians in many ways, especially in the area of security of lives of the citizens, and combating poverty in the land. Presently, I can say that there is no security in Nigeria. The country’s leadership has also failed in terms of providing employment for the citizens.
“The Federal Government has to be sincere in its policies to revamp the faltering state of infrastructure development in all sectors of the economy. The National Conference that is expected to shape the future of the country is a mere jamboree, because I don’t expect anything meaningful from the look of things.
“The survival of Nigeria needs a deliberate and concerted efforts to address critical issues of national concern, such as job creation, security, minority rights, among others.”
For Patrick Court, a teacher: “There is not much to celebrate as the country is in a state of dilemma, and requires the intervention of God to save the people from extermination. It is unfortunate that Nigerians can no longer find peace at every part of the country, and that puts a question mark on our democracy and nationhood.
“We can only celebrate when we live life unmolested, and pursue our livelihoods in any part of the country without fear of harassment, intimidation or even being killed under violent circumstances. We need to pray for the peace, security and survival of this country.”
A commercial motorist, Akanimo Udosen said, “I am not very happy with the way things are going in this country. Things are very difficult for the ordinary people, who have increasingly become vulnerable. They are mostly the victims of terrorist attacks. “The government should do something to protect the lives of ordinary citizens.
“In the area of transportation, the Federal Government has tried with the reconstruction of the railway system. I think the government should try and complete the rail project to help the ordinary people who cannot afford expensive transport system.”
Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Elizabeth Bob-Manuel said, “I think the government has made some impact in the development of the health sector but there are still lots that need to be done. The government has to muster the political will to make the system more functional than the way things are now.
“For instance, there should be provision of basic facilities for effective medical services in Nigeria to discourage over-dependence in foreign medical services. There should also be a multisectoral approach towards the developemnt of the health sector as the government cannot do everything alone. I am however, optimistic that things will improve remarkably in the future, if there is a determined will to fix the system, devoid of politics.”
Chairman, New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Hon Princewill Enyie picked holes with the administration at all levels for what he described as government of exclusion. “Those in charge of governance should bring all the stakeholders in governance together. Any governance that cannot do that can’t be regarded as a government,” he said.
“Unity government is only professed but not put into actual practice, and until the attitude is changed towards uniting the people at all levels of governance, we cannot be speaking in one voice,” he mainatined.
“Our democracy has sufferred in the hands of leaders who lack the will to govern the people. Look at the delay in the conduct of local governemnt elections. This is one of the inconsistencies in policies that has characterised our democracy, and made progress towards perfection difficult.”
Vice Chancellor, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof Rosemund Dienye Green-Osahogulu, while assessing the contributions of the youth to the nation’s democracy, said there are areas the youth have performed enviably well, adding that many of their negative activities have also brought shame to the nation. She said there is no way Nigeria’s democracy can be unbiasedly assessed without taking into cognisance the role of the youth in national development, peace and stability.
She scored the youth high in the areas of sports, as according to her, many of them have represented the country well, bringing honours and laurels. They have also made the country proud in the area of entertainment such as music and movies.
“But in the education sector, they have not bequeathed themselves enough. Some of them still engage people to write JAMB and class examinations, especially at tertiary level. They involve in cultism, militancy, kidnapping, robbery, and other social vices. They have lost their sense of respect for elders, their social values and attitudinal orietations have not been encouraging. These are some of the challenges that our democracy has faced in the last 15 years.
For Senior Lecturer, IAUE, Dr Green Iheanacho: “Our leaders appear not to have a full grasp of the how presidential system of government in a democracy should work. This is why we tend to pander more towards parliamentary or unitary system of government. In the present dispensation, you see more of an overbearing legislature and controversial judiciary. It appears they do not have a clear undertsnading of the system of government they are running.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.