‘Govt Should Be Proactive’

ANGLICAN Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Revd Emmanuel Chukwuma, while perusing the events of year 2011, says it was one that left in Nigerians some sad memories, and did not give any reason for the citizenry to continue to identify with the country.

He laments the rising cost of living, which, according to him, has no bearing with the per-capita income, increasing corruption, failure of institutions of state, the wave of insecurity and terrorism, among others.

He notes that the rate of bombing in the past few months had taken more lives and property than when a nation is in war, stressing that 2011 should pass on as one the people would want to forget in a hurry.

Listing out his expectations for the new year, Chukwuma says the government should be proactive and restore in the citizenry a sense of belonging to compensate for the losses, pains and agonies they had to wade through in the just-concluded year.

According to him: “President Jonathan should wake up; Nigerians want action and not paperwork. He is becoming a ceremonial president and if he cannot live to his responsibilities, then the Church will pray him out.

“He should rise to challenges, implement to the fullest the budget and begin to address issues that tend to divide this country.”

Chukwuma regrets that poor and innocent Nigerians are being killed on daily basis, while those at the helm of affairs corner security operatives into private use. He emphasises that for the citizenry to feel belonged, there is need for equal protection for lowly Nigerians.

While observing that the federal government seems to have failed in the quest for stable power supply despite the hike in electricity tariff, he appeals to government to find ways of ensuring that the promise for stable power supply is realised.

He, however, implores the citizens for continued patriotism, insisting that the country would not have had almost 75 percent of this year’s budget on security if Nigerians had been faithful to their responsibilities.

Revd Chukwuma also calls attention of federal infrastructure in the Southeast, especially the roads, the proposed second Niger Bridge and the completion of the Akanu Ibiam international airport. He insists that the lukewarm attitude of the government to the infrastructure has always conveyed the feeling of marginalisation of the Ndigbo.

In what looks like a somersault, Chukwuma, who said he was among the people that opposed the removal of fuel subsidy, asks Nigerians to give the implementation a chance. He says his position is borne out of the claim by government that it might find it difficult to implementing the 2012 budget if subsidy does not go.

But he is quick to warn: “Nigerians will not fail to move against this government if after a year, the proceeds from the subsidy is not invested in such a way that it will impact positively on the people.”

 

IN the same vein, head, Enugu State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church, Nigeria, Revd Paul Emeka, says Nigerians will continue to remember the passing year with nostalgia.

For 2012, he asks the various state governments to engage in measures that will reduce the suffering of Nigerians. He also wants serious action in the educational sector to reduce the brain drain in the country.

He also requests the government to help the health sector, to avoid the people continuing to reel in poor quality health services and to restore confidence in the nation’s health sector and thus conserve resources that are spent for treatment abroad.

As he calls for the minimisation of industrial strike actions by workers of tertiary institutions like the health sector, education and public service; Revd Emeka solicits a pragmatic approach that will see to the end of agitation for a new minimum wage.

 

IMMEDIATE past National Chairman of the Justice Party, Chief Ralph Obioha, wants government to minimise crises in 2012, even as he suggests a phased scheme in the proposed removal of fuel subsidy.

Obioha says it will do more harm on the already impoverished Nigerians should government completely remove the subsidy, explaining that it will cause little pains if is done on quarterly basis.

“While we enter the year 2012, I want to believe that government has used the passing year to study reactions over the subsidy removal plan,” he said.

“Now, knowing that the issue is causing some friction, it is suggested that in 2012, we should make the removal a phased thing like on quarterly basis. This is because Nigerians are used to fuel subsidy and a blanket and immediate removal would affect them much.”

ON his expectations in the new year, a student, Chinwe Ikechukwu, wants the government to find ways of reducing corruption as well as prosecute those found to have enriched themselves illegally, to serve as deterrent to others.

She says from the way it had tackled corruption, the government has not only encouraged more people to get into it, but also shows that it is not interested in confronting the problem.

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‘Govt Should Be Proactive’