The British All Party Parliamentary Group on Nigeria has expressed fear over the country’s capability to be among the top twenty world economies by 2020.
This was contained in a damning report made available to Daily Sun on Wednesday.
The report is based on the principal findings of an investigation by the group’s lawmakers who toured the country recently.
The report blamed the leadership of the country for the poverty pervading the country. Curiously, it also blamed some Nigeria’s international partners even as it stopped short of mentioning names.
It stressed the need to shift government accountability from oil revenue to the people just as it called for the implementation of electoral reforms and the commencement of voter registration without further delay.
It expressed fear over the success of 2011 general elections due to “corruption” and “mismanagement” – considered as twin factors corroding the fabrics of the nation’s socio-economic structure. Also, it called for “faster reform of the Nigeria Police Force with great training and better equipment.” For the rest of the news, check out the news update column
The British All Party Parliamentarian Group on Nigeria (BAPPGN) are telling us what we all know which we probably have failed to admit. If we have admitted that, then it may mean we have decided not to do anything about it. But come o, do we have to wait for an outsider to tell us that our house is on fire? Are we not feeling the heat?
Look at their list ills
1.Lack of accountability and tranparency -Abi we no know?
2.Human rights violation- full berekete
3.Non steady power supply- who no know?
4.Political manipulation- you may be one of the machinaries
5.Dependence on oil revenue.- old story
The verdict: All these anormaly were blamed on bad leadership. Abi we no know?
We all know about these. But tell me bros, who is transparent in Nigeria? In as much as the 'gbese' lies squarely on the doorstep of the federal, state and local government, I think the society that produced the occupant of such position will have some questions to answer.
There a saying that a mango tree cannot produce an apple. A rotten society cannot throw up righteous leaders over night.
A church leader for instance is shouting alleluia with his mind set on the size of the offertory collection.
A leader of a village student group is only interested in how he would embezzle the money he will generate during his tenure. In the universities where the cream of youths are trained for leadership, the student leaders are out to ammass wealth at the expense of the student organisation. A guy who served as the president of my faculty student body embezzled so much money and was not smart enough to conseal all his path. The student body moved for impeachment, but after a big wig of the faculty who is also may have compromised came and spoke to the students, everybody except one person backed down. The report of the probe panel which I was member of was shelved. Everyone walked like there was no problem because noone wanted the wahala of the faculty godfather. I refused to backdown but one man's vote cannot do anything. The university is a microcsym of the society and I am not surprised that the same episode plays out in the general polity. Anyone can do anything and get free as long as he or knows those that matter. How do we move forward when we have people who are above the law? Where are the brave men of our time who can stand up for justice and fair play? Have they all intimidated all of us?
This guys (BAPPGN) are crying about the already rigged 2011 election. Many of us are not away that the rigging has started. But they cannot rigg these election without our consent. We sell our mandate for a bag of salt of may be a token and pay for it all our lives. Which one is better? Some have actually adopted the 'I do not care' attitude but can it help? They say that it takes only the silence of the goodman for evil to flourish. Many of us complain when the corruption does not favour us only to look the other when they are given an appointment. That is why I said that the society is already sick. The orientation is about money. There is selfishness, greed and avarice that is why everyone is devising his own method to outwit the other. Those who cannot take up arm and rub the innocent in broad daylight.
Look at the civil servant who comes to work at 8am, leaves office at 9am for his personal business only to come back at 3:30pm and stay in office till 6pm to claim over time. Files that are passed to his office that requires a his attention will be there for over 2 months waiting for the owner of the file to come and bribe him to do his work. Is it not unfair? How will the system work? At the end of the month he is paid. Is he not a rubber ripping where he has not sowed?
The NEPA people give constant power when they about to share bill only to relapse after 3 days. They will then engage in indicriminate disconection of people's lines. In other to collect reconnection fees. In a certain South eastern state, i learnt that the regional manager would tell them that he needs like N4m from each state. This N4m is not the revenue going into company accoun., No it is the one that they will share. Sometimes they raise the amount. How do they do that? They give estimation bills to those who even have functional meters.
80% of the money so generated goes into private account of the GM while the remaining is sharwed for the boys. How can we have steady power supply when the operators only care about themselves. The NEPA staff most often do not live on their salaries. They live on bribe money. Unfortunately the public applaud them and people scramble to get employed in NEPA so that they will do the same. At a particular point in time, I wanted to object to the status quo but the ordinary Nigerian who would always take it as God's will and pray did not see any reason for that. I had no support and I backed out. So much money is generated by NEPA but non is used to maintain services. Is that how to live? Nigerians are existing not living.
No body can change Nigeria for us. Not even the international bodies can. We can only do that if want.
It is we that can demand accountability from our leaders.
It is we that can ensure credidle election
It we that will refuse to be bullied
It is we that will refuse to bribe or be bribed
It is we that will look for alternative source of income instead of waiting for God and govt. We have a brain that can do wonders but have refused to use it.
No other person can do this but we- You and I
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