Guardian

EDO citizens’ priority demands for the New Year is for government to tackle unemployment, frontally attack corruption, stabilise power supply and make healthcare seamless for the people.

They also cautioned the National Assembly and other interest groups to let equity prevail in the determination of the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Speaking to The Guardian, the first executive governor of Edo State, John Oyegun said government should be serious this year; “Talk less, let the government get serious; we’ve had time to think and talk seriously, now let us get serious and work the talk. Enough of speeches, we’ve had enough talks and lectures.”

Oyegun cautioned governors and National Assembly members of Northern extraction over their vow to kill the PIB, saying that there were already enough security challenges facing the country, especially from the North.

“This nation has enough challenges facing it and people should not create a situation where what they are doing may become the last straw on the back of the already overburdened camel.

“It is clear that there is need for a special attention to be given to the oil producing communities and for them to be given an interest in the survival of the oil industry. Proposals in those lines have been long overdue and they should not interpret them as anti-North demands.”

To a community leader in Igarra, Akoko-Edo local government council, Folorunsho Dania, 2012 was a year that was bedeviled with crisis, ranging from security to economic challenges, but he expressed hope that the country would do better in the New Year.      “As a country, we had a very worrisome year, the country was crisis-ridden; bombs here and there, Boko Haram insurgence and plane crashes. But on the other hand, we still have every course to thank God because the country is still one.

“We must make 2013 a year of rehabilitation for Nigeria, I expect that people who had been fighting will come together as brothers and sisters, because our collective interest is important to us as a nation. I see the economy improving to the benefit of our teeming youths so that they can be gainfully employed.”

Former Director General of the Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS) Professor Omo Omoruyi said the country did not do well in 2012, but that he expected the President to give needed leadership in the New Year.

“The country is not doing well, politically it is not stable, and the future looks so bleak. I believe very strongly in Nkrumah’s dictum, which says, ‘seek ye first political freedom and all others shall follow…’ He was actually referring to King Solomon’s request from God. He didn’t ask for economic wellbeing, he didn’t ask for wealth, he didn’t ask for naked power, or naked force; Solomon asked for wisdom to rule over many tribes of Israel. What Nkrumah meant is, seek ye first justice, wisdom, political order, then all other things shall follow, but what do we have today, we don’t have wisdom, no political justice and we are just a naked force, brute force, stealing, armed robbery, corruption, you name it. This is what is killing this country. We are not seeking justice at all, we are not seeking wisdom; they are talking about trillions and billions and I asked, what happened to all that money between Otedola (Femi) and Farouk Lawan? Then you ask, what happened to all the issues we were reading in the headlines? They all died like that or buried? What happened to all those governors; nothing. When I met this young man, Nuhu Ribadu in the aircraft, I was sick, but he led me through many documents in the aircraft, I was able to read. I wish Gen. Mohammadu Buhari and Gen. Tunde Idiagbon’s anti-corruption crusade had been allowed to reign, it should have been allowed to clean the system. That administration, though draconian would have been allowed to clean this society of corrupt practices. It is too much, you don’t even know where to begin; and very soon this government will be doing its third year; fourth year is an election year. We need more achievements.”

Omoruyi said the federal and state governments should show sincerity to the people, that they want growth for the Nigeria, with healthcare topping the priority.

“I may be selfish on this. You can see how Obama commits himself to Obamacare, let us have Jonathancare to which some of us can benefit. We need employment; we need leadership on all fronts. Governors are not governors; nobody is leading them, they are not leading anybody. Local government leadership is in shambles, so society is leaderless at all levels and it is the President who can give it and he is not giving it.”

The national president, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Osahon Enabulele, said government should address the issue of corruption and impunity. He said government should work towards stable power, healthcare, telecommunication, roads and security as priority areas. He said with these in place, Nigeria would be on a stable path to development.

“Government should address the challenge of corruption because it remains the most disturbing issue that must be tamed. They should show that they are committed to fighting it and check the level of impunity by most public and civil servants.”

He said the issue of power must be tackled because according to him, it is critical to many other sectors of the economy.

On health, Enabulele said; “politicians should patronise public health facilities and make them work, instead of flying abroad at every slight situation. There should be more security, because that is what would bring direct foreign investment into the country. No businessman would take his money to where security is not guaranteed.”