The National President of the Nigeria Union Journalists, Chief Chris Isiguzo, has advised the Federal Government to rise to the challenges by addressing critical areas that have been threatening the corporate existence of the nation.
The country has been overwhelmed by insecurity, unending ASUU strike, scarcity of Petroleum products, spiralling inflation and harrasment and intimidation of journalists.
Isiguzo spoke on Thursday on the state of the Nation at the national secretariat of the NUJ in Abuja.
“Taking a cursory look at developments within the country, it does not require beating the drums for any discerning and critical mind to know, understand and appreciate the need for an urgent appraisal to assist the country we so much cherish to stand stronger than its present wobbling feet.
“The NUJ as a critical stakeholder in the Nigeria project, feels seriously concerned of the need for the Federal Government to quickly move more than ever before in addressing some critical areas of governance such as insecurity, education, health and spiraling inflation.”
Other areas the president identified are scarcity of petroleum products, power, maintenance of law and order, electioneering, respect for rule of law, food security, arrest, harassment and intimidation of Journalists among others.
“We can only remain and call ourselves Nigerians only on the premise of the fact that there is a country known and addressed as Nigeria.”
In the area of insecurity he said, it is almost becoming unbelievable the geometric rate of attacks by terrorists/bandits in different locations.
“The unfortunate development is certainly unacceptable particularly with the proportion and dimension insecurity has assumed in the country to the extent that no one is sure of where is safe any longer.
“While terrorism and banditry are ravaging most parts of the North-east, North-west and some states in the North-central geo-political zones, (we are worried at the number of kidnap cases especially in Kaduna, Zamfara and Niger states), IPOB agitation and assumed criminality is sweeping across the South-east, (as at today, Imo and Anambra states have become notorious for disturbing trends in kidnapping and killings.
“The security agencies must rise to the occasion especially in Imo state where some arrests have been reportedly made with suspects making mind-boggling revelations.
“Some suspects are said to be in custody, since December last year and have even allegedly mentioned names of politicians as their sponsors. Such revelations should not just be ignored.
“All those fingered as masterminds of insecurity in the area must be brought to book irrespective of who they are.
“We are hopeful that the IGP would address these issues as a matter of utmost national importance.
“As for Anambra, efforts must be intensified in arresting the rising crime wave in the state.
Apart from the South East, other South-south and South-west parts of the country are not also spared of the activities of the dare devil bandits and kidnappers that kill at will thereby making nonsense of the premium value attached to human life. This cannot continue and must not be allowed to continue.
“Just last Tuesday night, the audacity of these criminal gangs was expressed in a daring raid on the Kuje Maximum Security Prison in Abuja.
“The Correctional Facility was breached for hours without any reinforcement being sent after the Soldiers and other guards were overpowered. According to Correctional Service Officials, over 600 Prisoners escaped, including all the Boko Haram members in detention.
“Before then, a Presidential convoy conveying an advance party of Officials for the Sallah visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Daura was attacked and it took the Presidential Guards much effort to repel the attackers. This is the frightening dimension of security challenges in the Country today.
In the area of health he said, following the devastating effect of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic which took the world by storm and caught Nigeria gasping for breath, it has become imperative for the provision of modern health care facilities and the upgrade of existing hospitals to bring them in line with the acceptable world standards.
“This will help in reducing medical tourism to the barest minimum and also save the country the needed foreign exchange while also putting a stop to avoidable embarrassments some of our top government officials suffer in the countries they go to seek medical interventions. “
He also expressed concern that Nigeria seems to be the only country without mechanisms in place for price control of goods and services.
“No wonder, prices of essential commodities are galloping on daily basis thus, making cost of living unbearable for the people especially the down trodden that are now unable to afford one meal per day.
“This calls for a serious and desirous review of the policies of some of the agencies of government that seem to be at variance with the good intention of the federal government.
“Simply put, agencies of government cannot continue to increase the cost of services without enabling laws to back such increases and expect cost of goods and other essentials to remain constant.
He called for for a Central harmonization and control mechanism committee or panel that should be empowered by the presidency to harmonise some of the policies of the different agencies of government with a view to avoiding the lack of sync in the policies of government.
The present inflation rate cannot be sustained and or coped with by the people that are already at their end wits.
“Closely related to this is the scarcity, time wasting and cost of petroleum products particularly the PMS, cooking gas and aviation fuel that are now out of reach in addition to the epileptic power supply being experienced in the Federal Capital city, the seat of power and other parts of the country.
“This is even against the backdrop of increased budgetary subsidy of petroleum products.
“The situation has led to many companies folding up business owing to high and prohibitive cost of production that cannot be measured or passed to the consumers. This critical area therefore needs to be quickly addressed for the good of the country.”
Isiguzor passionately appealed to the good conscience of President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency, national interest and for the sake of the future generations of Nigerians, personally wade into the matter to save the country from further embarrassment.
“The country can no longer afford to continue to watch its youths waste away at home with no end in sight for school resumption.
“We equally appeal to the leadership and members of ASUU to in the overall interest of the nation, accept some of the offers the federal government is proposing to allow for the resumption of academic activities in the Universities.”