Happy Independent Day Celebration to fellow Nigerians.Gentle men of the press, without wasting much of our time, I welcome
you all to the “NIGERIA PRAISE 2013”. We appreciate all participants
that contributed to this Unity Praise 2013 edition; our God need to be
praise all time for the sake of Nigeria. Believe me, we are faced with
many challenges as a nation, but thank God for the Nigerian Masses for
fighting the military to a standstill, hence we have Democracy in
Nigeria today. The Nigerian Masses have been so patient for almost 14
years, the dividend of Democracy still elude us.
We thought, Democracy will bring Human Right and Good Governance; We
thought the rule of law and enforcement of fundamental human right
procedure and rules will be obeyed; We thought, we will have a decent
and corrupt-free Nigeria; We thought, our dream of better Nigeria will
be. All these thoughts are like a mirage!
Based on our analysis, the nation would be better served by a
part-time legislature, a part time legislature would attract credible,
competent and professional Nigerians ready to contribute to nation
building through the National Assembly.
The sacred truth is that since the past 14 years, the nation has been
sustaining the current fulltime NASS at a very prohibitive cost, with
little justification in terms of legislative output to promote good
governance; as well as result-oriented oversight functions. Reports
indicated that each senator draws N45 million as constituency
allowances every quarter (N180 million per annum); while that of each
House of Representatives member is N27 million (N108 million yearly),
in addition to their heavily consolidated salaries, sundry allowances
and other perquisites of office, the perks of committee sittings and
foreign travels.
For over two decades, current expenditure takes the lion’s share of
annual budgets (almost 75 percent), with capital votes for the
provision of infrastructure always in limbo. Ours is a country where,
according to the World Bank’s Nigeria Economic Report (NER) 2012, 70
percent of the adult population is poor and the minimum national wage
is N18, 000, with a majority of the populace living miserably without
the most basic of infrastructure and social amenities. This is
unacceptable. It is on this basis and in line with our consistent
argument that the cost of governance be trimmed; that we support the
part-time legislature option, where elected lawmakers will only be
entitled to sitting honorariums. The nation adopted it in the First
Republic. After the 1976 local government reforms, the Local
Government Councils across the country were also served by part-time
chairmen and councilors under a zero party system.
Part-time legislature would not only help in cutting down the cost of
governance, it would also make politics less attractive to people who
are only interested in stealing public funds.
The do or die approach of politicians during elections would be
drastically reduced if we can establish part-time legislature, so that
the legislators would only earn their pay when they truly work.
“Most of the problems we are facing today in this country can be
traced to the fact that political offices are too attractive. Our
lawmakers earn about the highest in the world when more than half of
Nigerians live in absolute poverty. It should not be so.”
As a way out, therefore, it will be imperative for the nation to
design robust rules of engagement that can attract the right people
for the job. Head or tail, however, law making on part time basis will
make politics less attractive to gold diggers whose only interest is
self enrichment. Nigerians need mature and selfless people in the
legislative arm of government, not careerist politicians who are
nothing but vampires feeding fat on the nation. The country is really
in dire need of a new culture of service in the public sector. Only
dedicated and public spirited candidates are good enough for the
nation’s legislature.
We need legislators who work as doctors, lawyers, farmers and social
workers in their communities, who would take two weeks off and go to
Abuja to make laws that would benefit the people of their communities
because they know where it pinches; not legislators that would leave
their states and settle down in Abuja; they are cut off from
happenings in their constituencies.
Nigerians are under pressure because of bad governance. The power
sector has paralyzed our economy because of corruption. No electricity
as we all depends on generator. Education system has failed as private
schools have come to the rescue. Our roads are bad, no water for
ordinary Nigerians to drink. Nigerians are dyeing of hunger everyday.
The economic imbroglio is so high that the rich are getting richer,
while the poor are getting poorer. The worst of it all; is the threat
of National security: BOKO HARAM. We are not safe, we live with fear.
We do not know when the next bomb will explode.
Obasanjo led government loaded 16Billion dollars on Electricity,
Yar’adua loaded 5Billion dollars and President Goodluck loaded
6Billion dollars on Electricity; after this our independent day
celebration, our collective assets as a nation seized and shared,
power probe panel report thrown away and no one is in jail. Nothing
will make me surprise if I wake up one day and found that my country
has been sold to other country. Our legislatures are not up to the
task as they are not always report back to their various
constituencies.
My fellow Nigerians, as our country Nigeria celebrate her 53rd years
of independence; we are urging our youths to shun crime and violence
by embracing peace in any position that we might find ourselves. Let
us come together and be united to speak in one voice toward our agenda
of New Nigeria that will bring good governance to our land.
Nigeria must become a haven of great Nation. It is a collective task
for all of us.
Please, feel free to join the crusade for a better Nigeria. Remember
the phrase: “Nigeria na my country, I must dey do better for am” we
must take proactive steps to promote Human Rights in our communities.
I salute your patience and courage. Great Nigerian People!!
The blood of the past hero will rescue us and support this struggle
for New Nigeria Agenda…
Once again I say Thank You.
God bless Nigeria!
God bless you ALL.
Together we CAN!
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