President Muhammadu Buhari has been Nigeria’s President and Commander-in-Chief since May 29, 2015, and will continue for another four years beginning May 29, 2019, after been sworn-in. Nigeria is seriously sick, and urgently requires emergency surgery to cure the country of its ailment, which has worsened its socio-economic and political situation. The suffering of the masses has increased badly, though President Buhari cannot be accused of been the cause, but he cannot extricate himself and his party, All Progressives Congress, APC, from being part of it either by action or inaction since they have occupied power at the centre in the last four years. They run the policy that determines the socio-political and economic status of Nigeria. Nigeria has the potential to have climbed the development top ladder but to the disappointment of many, Nigeria has wobbled and still wobbling because of the wicked, inept, corrupt and irresponsible leadership we have had since we began this civil journey in 1999.
At the country’s independence in 1960, we were celebrated and marked as a political and economic force in the African continent. 58 years of our Independence, Nigeria has failed woefully in developing its potentials, because of the crass mismanagement by its leaders. There has been retrogression, stunted infrastructural development, moribund economy and social assault and abuse by people entrusted to take Nigeria to an enviable height. They rather milk the country for their selfish gains, leaving the country and its mass population to descend to the level of ‘wretched of the earth.’ Nigeria’s poverty and the number of poor people are increasing on a higher rate, same with unemployment, it has elongated over the years hence pushing the younger ones to all manner of crime for existence.
Nigeria’s health stand is and remains a shame to this date. The hospitals lack facilities to function with hence, the high rate of children, women and men who die at the hospitals for lack of adequate care. Most wealthy Nigerians and, that include, Mr. President, travels out of the country for medical treatments thereby abandoning investing in our health sector for its restoration. In the last four years, there is nothing concrete this government has done to support the development of the health sector. The capital flight associated with health issues is huge because of the poor standard here. Nigerian government must realize that they have been voted into power to provide services that ameliorate poverty and disease. It is then offensive and unfair for the government to neglect the health sector that can restore normal life to the sick and dying.
There are no roads in Nigeria, Federal, State or Local Government. Nigerian roads are death traps. The rains will soon begin to pour down and the pains of moving in and around by Nigerians especially transporters will manifest. The Apapa-Mile 2-Badagry road; Umuahia-Aba-Port Harcourt road; Umuahia-Okigwe-Enugu expressway; Aba –Owerri road; Onitsha-Awka-Enugu road; Enugu-Obollo Afor-Nsukka road; Aba-Ikot Ekpene road; Benin-Asaba Bypass; Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi road; Abuja-Obajana-Ondo road; Ibadan-Ogbomoso-Ilorin highway; Abuja-Nyanya-Mararaba-Keffi express, all these and many others are in terrible shape. Nigerians do not have business crying for lack of good roads if our leaders recognize the importance of roads and are sincere. Roads are very crucial in building and running any successful economy, without good functioning roads the economy remains in shambles. The government of President Buhari must then invest immensely in building and maintaining our roads. The last four years was more of propaganda and deceit from the Ministry of Works and that was unfortunate.
The electricity industry is still a sad story that Nigerians are sick and tired of. There appears to be no serious work in the last four years to steady electricity. Most homes and businesses in Nigeria rely on generator sets to function. If countries like Ghana, Senegal, Sierra-Leone, can steady power supply and build good roads in their countries, why can’t Nigeria, the giant of Africa? Several billions of dollar/naira had gone into providing Nigerians steady power since 1999 yet, we daily groan in darkness. In fact, the power stability has turned into campaign promise for all political parties during elections yet, they provide no solution when they get to office. Many analysts have advised the government to take power supply seriously as it is the leading light in arresting the nosedived economy, growing unemployment and widening poverty in the country. The government must decide to ban the importation of generator sets, stop all government offices and officials, institutions except hospitals from using generators, and assemble world class Nigerian scientist, technologist, and electrical engineers with a matching order to end this perennial darkness within a year. Provide them with every support at making sure they succeed and they will succeed once the Federal Government shows the political will.
The security of lives and property has been neglected by this government; several innocent souls are being killed, maimed, our women raped without corresponding action from the security agencies to stop the carnage. It is the total responsibility of any government in power to protect lives and property of its citizens, arrest, prosecute, and punish the perpetrators of heinous crimes. The country cannot be ruled by bandits and gangsters, there must be a decisive mechanism to battle these criminal elements that have brought Nigeria to its knees. The government cannot fold its arms and watch helplessly while hundreds of its citizens are mauled down weekly. The various security bodies must be adequately mobilized by the Commander-in-Chief to the battle ground, well supported by the Federal Government and citizens to chase these marauders that are unleashing mayhem on Nigerians out of existence.
*** Uzodinma Nwaogbe is Head, Democracy Watch. +234708.438.1845
