As the country celebrates another Democracy Day, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that the federal government has not done enough to alleviate the poverty and suffering of Nigerians.
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the NLC’s National Executive Council meeting yesterday in Abuja and signed by its national president, Abdulwaheed Omar.
Omar said, “Although, the economy is said to have recorded a growth rate of about 7 per cent, it has created few or no jobs, leading to an all-time high unemployment records. Whereas official figures put unemployment rate at 24 per cent, there are indicators to believe that the actual estimate could be as high as 60 per cent or higher. Nearly all of our employable youths remain unemployed, constituting a veritable army of the hungry, disillusioned and angry with great potential for undermining the peace and security of the nation.”
“Critical infrastructure continue to decay just as power generation continues to dip. Government’s promises in the power sector, especially in power generation and distribution have been observed in the breach. Non-budgetary provision for power supply has worsened the power situation, in spite of unjustifiable high tariffs.”
The NLC president also decried the rising communal and sectarian violence across the country, saying that the development contributes in no small way to undermining the national productive industrial and agricultural capacity.
According to him, last year’s floods and potential for more floods this year have probable effect of undermining food security.
According to Omar, government still has a great role to play in reversing this trend. It cannot afford the luxury of leaving the economy to market forces, as no reasonable government does that, he said. There must be an affirmative declaration by government to create jobs, he added.
The communiqué reads in part: “Similarly, government is invited to intervene in critical industries (by way of intervention funds and policy) to sustain and create jobs.
“Government should ensure there is adequate power supply to meet national needs through the design and execution of a seamless transition in its power reform programme.”
Speaking on the insecurity in the country, he said: “Rising security challenges continues to threaten the sovereignty, unity and productive capacity of the country. Congress is concerned not only by the extent of the waste of human lives but by the audacity and viciousness of the perpetrators.
“Whereas, poverty, disease, illiteracy and indoctrination cannot be divorced from these serial acts of violence, the immediate trigger are the injustices inherent in our electoral process, distribution of wealth, corruption, unemployment, impunity and bad governance.”
The labour union however re-affirmed its belief in the in-alienability, inviolability and sovereignty of Nigeria.
The NLC president also said in spite of the law on the new minimum wage, the signed agreements with state governments and the passage of time, some state governments have not fully implemented the minimum wage law.
He added that, in most states, teachers and local government workers are the victims. “Congress considers this not only an affront to the law but an assault on workers and accordingly condemns this selective implementation of the law. Congress will mobilise workers in the affected states to compel governments to pay. Meanwhile, it gives its unalloyed support to the proposed action on the matter by members of the National Union of Teachers,” he said
On the controversies trailing the election in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the NLC president said it is regrettable that the governors under the NGF cannot organise themselves in a simple democratic process.
He said: “Congress therefore refuses to believe that governors who are themselves beneficiaries of supposedly credible elections cannot organise a simple election among themselves, a class of 36. This presupposes that something fundamentally must have gone wrong somewhere. Whatever it is, the governors and their fellow travellers in power should quickly fix it. As critical custodians of the people’s mandate and grand beneficiaries of our democracy, there are certain things governors must not be seen to be doing.
“We at the Congress irrevocably stand for certain values which we will not compromise for anything. We are opposed to impunity at all levels and the undermining of national security and unity. We have respect for process and its outcome. We stand for justice.
“In the light of the foregoing, we call on our governors to: create value around as well as restore dignity to their office; get back to work instead of unnecessarily overheating the polity; not put in jeopardy our hard-earned democracy; respect the process and outcome of their election.”
May 29: No alternative to democracy - Mark
In a related development, president of the Senate David Mark yesterday took stock of the democratic journey so far and submitted that there is no alternative to democracy as a system of government.
In a goodwill message to Nigerians to mark this year’s Democracy Day, Mark noted that, irrespective of some shortcomings, Nigerians have by choice and design accepted the democratic culture.
The Senate president was of the opinion that Nigeria as a nation had overcome the teething problem of democracy and was ready to move on.
Mark said: “We had the initial birth pain of this democratic arrangement. Fourteen years after, I can submit that we have matured; we are consolidating and moving on.
“Differences of political affiliation or religion notwithstanding, no Nigerian can deny the fact that democracy is now the way of life.”
Mark assured that the Senate and indeed the National Assembly will continue to lay a solid democratic framework for the executive to deliver the dividends of democracy to the citizenry.
“We shall continue to cooperate with the executive arm of government without compromising on our independence.
“We are mindful of the fact that we must maintain mutual cooperation for effective delivery of dividends of democracy. We shall do our part honestly, fairly and with the fear of God.”
He maintained that the National Assembly would not compromise its constitutional mandate on oversight function and legislation to make life much better for the ordinary man.
Constitution Amendment will deepen democracy – Ekweremadu
Also, deputy Senate president Ike Ekweremadu has assured that the constitution amendment exercise would help deepen the nation’s democracy and strengthen her federalism.
This was even as he congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan on his successful attainment of two years in office.
In a goodwill message to Nigerians on the occasion of the 2013 Democracy Day, Ekweremadu, who described Nigeria’s 14 years of uninterrupted democracy as “challenging but historic and rewarding”, noted that democracy was not an event but a process that would continue to mature over time through collective efforts and determination of the citizens.
IGP deploys aerial patrol in FCT, other states
Meanwhile, as part of measures to forestall any breakdown of law and order during today’s Democracy Day celebration, the inspector-general of police, Mohammed Abubakar, has directed the assistant inspector general of police in charge of air wing to provide air patrol in the nation’s capital and other states.
Abubakar gave the directive yesterday in a statement signed by the force spokesman, CSP Frank Mba, where he also directed all zonal AIGs and state command commissioners of police to ensure an effective and efficient deployment of all operational manpower and tools at the disposal during the celebration.
The IGP who commended Nigerians for marking “its 14th year of unbroken democracy” further directed the AIG, border patrol, to ensure that the nation’s borders are effectively manned to prevent any cross-border crime.
“To ensure a secure, peaceful and hitch-free nationwide anniversary celebration, the IGP has directed all zonal AIGs and state command commissioners of police to ensure an effective and efficient deployment of all operational manpower and tools at the disposal of their respective commands.”
There’s light at the end of the tunnel for our nation – Olubolade
As the nation celebrates Democracy Day and the second anniversary of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan today, Nigerians have been charged to see the light at the end of the tunnel, especially as it concerns the security situation in the country.
Minister of police affairs Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade said the nation has passed through a very dark tunnel in the past few years as a result of the activities of undesirable elements bent on destroying the laudable dreams of the nation’s founders by unleashing terror and other violent activities on a once-peaceful and united nation.
In a statement signed by the assistant director, press and public relations, Mr James Odaudu, the minister assures the nation of the preparedness of the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to continue to discharge their duties to the nation in spite of recent drawbacks, especially recent loss of some officers while on active service which he describes as a price the Force has continued to pay over time in protecting lives and property.
He also commends President Jonathan on his boldness and display of a high sense of responsibility and responsiveness with the recent declaration of state of emergency in the volatile areas of the country, which has proved decisive and successful as the affected areas have been mainly secured by the security forces.
According to Olubolade, the least expected of Nigerians is to give unqualified support to the president in his determined effort to secure the nation and provide good leadership. He also charges the citizens to encourage the police and other security agencies by providing information on the activities of people of doubtful character living amongst them.
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