Expectations Of Nigerians In 2024

 

As 2024 rolls in,  the Pan Niger Delta Forum ( PANDEF) Dr. Ken Robinson

National Publicity Secretary who spoke on behalf of the group said that  the president should address the Security Challenges stating that 

"Whilst we note that certain gains have been made by the military and security agencies since the inception of the Tinubu administration, however, the Christmas Eve massacre of over 100 innocent villagers in Communities in Plateau State by marauders raises serious questions on the commitment of the nation's military and security agencies to the protection of lives and property of citizens. 

"We, therefore, urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize the improvement of the security situation in the country. The military and security agencies should be made to redouble efforts in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and related criminalities, across the country. The government should also endeavor to improve the general welfare of the military personnel to further motivate them to carry out their patriotic tasks and duties in service to the nation.

Also the Economy, the High Cost of Living and the Inflation,"Nigeria's annual inflation, reportedly, rose in November 2023 for the 11th straight month to the highest level in 18 years, worsening the cost of living crisis that followed the removal of subsidy in PMS by the government.

"President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should not undertake any measure that would worsen the hardship in the country. Rather, the government should come up with further initiatives to ameliorate  the suffering of Nigerians; stop the "free-fall" of the Naira, check the escalating debt burden, and mitigate the crippling inflation. 

"Mr. President should match words with action; she upholds his words and demonstrates that he is the President of all Nigerians in his appointments, policies, programs, and project distribution. To give a sense of belonging to all sections of the country. The pivotal importance of national cohesion, peace, and stability to national development cannot be overemphasized.

"We urge Mr. President, as a noted advocate of true Federalism, to also prioritize the Restructuring of the country, to enthrone True Federalism as was entrenched in the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions. Mr. President need not be apprised that the future of Nigeria, and indeed the nation's democracy would remain bleak without restructuring. And of course, better attention to the issues of the Niger Delta region, especially in addressing the  deplorable state of infrastructure in the region, roads, in particular.

INC:

According to the National Publicity Secretary of Ijaw National Congress Ezonebi Oyakemesgbegha, he said 

"Unfortunately we are still hoping on hope. They said renewed hope and nothing has really happened. It is over six months since the president came on board and unfortunately we started with fuel subsidy exactly the day he came on board. 

"From then, it has been suffering and crying not suffering and smiling now. This year we are hoping that particularly the exchange rate will come down. There will be more opportunities for the youths to be gainfully employed, the fuel pump price with Dangote refinery and the one of Port Harcourt, we are hoping that the fuel price will come back to 180 as it used to be and we are also hoping that the dollar which has been the determinant factor  here, the naira will gain its own position. We are hoping that naira can match with dollar.

"We just hope that things improve this year, the   suffering is just too much. Thee salaries for the civil servants cannot even take them home,it cannot even transport them back. So too much of expectation  from this present leadership.

"It's really sad that we are getting this record of 150 to 200 hundred persons being slaughtered in the same day,it's a sad one,it's so unfortunate that such things can happen in that  region. In developed countries, if one person dies,it means so much to the country, but this one hundreds of person die in the same day and the only thing we hear is condolence messages. 

"At best,the governor will go and visit the area and the next thing you'll hear is that they've sent relieve materials,it's a sad one. But the saddest of it is that we hear it's in Plateau, we hear it's in Sokoto, but it can happen anywhere. the Sokoto report that we have, we heard that it's a territorial capture, that people are taking over our country. 

"When we hear these kind of things,it's really alarming. It's something that we call on the Nigerian government to take more seriously. It's is just beyond ordinary criminality. They are re taking over our territory, and nobody is doing anything about it.It shows that we have serious porousness in our security network, it's not just about Fulani people or herdsmen killing.Those are the stories that we heard in then days, it's tied between the herdsmen and farmers, it is beyond that right now.

" It is about acquiring our territory. so, we call on our security agencies to be more serious and maybe there should be an overhaul of the entire security outfit. 

"It is not about just giving bread because if you continue this issue of sharing money for the poorest of the poor, that would not stand. How do you even identify the poorest of the poor.so what  should be done is to see how we can encourage SMEs, how to industrialize the system to give people meaningful employment.

" But say you just want to give people bread,if you eat bread today, will they not be hungry tomorrow? what can keep them and sustain them is what we are suppose to be looking for. Its not about sharing small small. It's not by saying that you're giving something to the poorest of the poor.

IYC:

The Ijaw Youth Council through its National Spokesman Bedford Derefa

"The Tinubu's administration in the last six months has been way below expectation. Now that he has removed fuel subsidy, the Nigerian states are suffering the pain of the removal  of fuel subsidy and all the promises that they made concerning fuel subsidy has not reflected in the life of anybody in the Niger Delta. 

"The  busses and boats that they promised is nowhere to be found. It is just a mirage. For us, the government does not have any sense of direction. Our currency is on a free flow, there is no agenda, no plan to better the economy, and they just keep blaming the past administration. That is how Nigeria as a government has always worked.

" After Goodluch Jonathan, they will  always blame the previous administration for laxity and  incompetence and for us as Niger  Delta people, our agenda is clear. Create an economical viable environment in the Niger Delta. Kudos to him, I hope the Port Harcourt refinery they said is near completion is actually the truth. If that's the truth, it is a welcome development. 

"But we are tired of hearing it will soon be complete or it will be complete, we've been hearing this over the years, and nothing serious has been done, so for us, let that refinery work , so that the price of crude will reduce drastically. The Dangote refinery that is even in Lagos,  they  say they are bringing  one million barrels, this is the third time they've said that.  We want to see that refinery  functional.

If those two refineries are functional, the price of fuel will reduce.

 Then also, in the matter of money, the CBN must creatively and consciuosly make the naira  viable in public space, let us reduce the level at which we use dollar in the country. There must be a deleberate policy to reduce the buying and selling power  in Nigeria should be in naira. I can imagine that our crude oil is the dollar rate that regulates the oil price. 

"An  economy that is dependent of another currency  cannot  thrive. The government must consciously make our naira viable and important both in Nigeria and in the international market. 

"If this year must be good they must create an innovative and productive agenda to ensure that Economic activities are boasted. Imagine naira to a dollar is over 1225 naira, that is abysmal. 

" A Government that does not have youthful infusion cannot move ahead. look at the economy all over the world. It is driven by youths, youths are the major drivers if an economy. So if the youths are not engaged,if they are not given consentions to create and innovate, how can the economy thrive? We cannot live in a dependent economy, the Niger Delta economy is dependent. It does not work that way.