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“It’s Time To Negotiate,” Governor Akeredolu Calls For Urgent Restructuring
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has called for urgent restructuring of the country to reflect the diversity and address the various misunderstandings and high rate of criminality in the polity.
The Governor made the call on Friday in a statewide broadcast in commemoration of the 2021 Independence Day Celebration.
Governor Akeredolu, who said the current system adopted in the county does not encourage ingenuity, noted that it is time for all patriots to unite and speak with one voice .
He maintained that the current system in the country does not take into account the diverse status of the people, adding that the country faces serious challenges bordering on redefinition.
“It has become imperative that the current structure be tinkered with in a fundamental way. It is no longer sustainable,”Governor Akeredolu said.
While noting that the country must not shy away from the reality of her diversity, the Governor said the unique diversity which should ordinarily be a source of strength is gradually becoming the country’s albatross.
He said: “Our country is blessed abundantly. There is hardly any part of this vastly endowed space that should not be self-sustaining. This land should not be a place where hunger, poverty and a general sense of lack predominate.
“We must be bold enough to interrogate why these challenges appear perennial. We must not shy away from the reality of our diversity which should, ordinarily, be a source of strength but is gradually becoming an albatross.
“We must inquire for the reasons why those who regarded themselves as brothers and sisters no longer feel comfortable seeing or accommodating one another. We must be willing to confront whatever system which has reduced the once self-reliant sub-national entities to perpetual dependencies practically.
“The states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria appear independent nominally at present. Serious attempts must be made to return our country to the path of progress trodden by the founding fathers. Conscious efforts must be made by both the political and communal leadership in all the parts of the country to reorientate the people to embrace the pristine values which held lofty promises for advancement.
“Consequently, I am of the firm view that this occasion affords us yet another opportunity to reflect deeply, on the current difficulties and proffer frank suggestions which will assist in addressing our fundamental challenges of nationhood.
“Our people must strive under a system which recognize their God-given talents and promotes unique initiatives. All federating units must be less dependent on the Federal Government for basic survival.” He said.
Governor Akeredolu, who commended the Federal Government for the current victories recorded in the war against insurgents and terrorists in the Northern region, also acknowledged the great strides taken in abridging the infrastructural deficits in the country.
“We must, however, admonish on the immediate necessity to restructure the polity in a manner that will engender progress and amity. There is no other way to solve the current socio-economic problems facing the country.
“The security challenges bedeviling the country will become a thing of the past if proper devolution of powers is undertaken. The over centralization of the security architecture is a major impediment.
“Having a police command structure in a country of over 200 million is not sustainable. The attempts by some states to complement the efforts of the security agencies are at best tokenistic. Let each State be in charge of internal security in its locality.
“As a corollary to this submission, each region must be encouraged to take charge of the resources in its area. A system which permits strangers to take over the mineral resources in a place without any recourse to local authorities encourages dispossession and promotes misery and want. Development of any given space must be about the people,”Governor Akeredolu noted.
He called on the legislators at the National Assembly to look critically into the 1999 Constitution as amended with a view to expunging and amending relevant provisions of the document which militate against the march towards nationhood.
Arakunrin Akeredolu also called on Citizens to rededicate themselves to the ideals which assisted other nations to establish abiding systems.
The Governor said: “We must restructure the country to reflect our diversity. We must pursue policies which support rebirth. We must interrogate, continually, an arrangement which ensures that a country richly like ours endowed continues to wallow in abject poverty and want.
“We must make the country work for posterity. It is time to renegotiate, restructure and reinvent Nigeria for the good of all.”
He congratulated the people of the State for witnessing this year Independence anniversary, saying it is his hope that the next one year will record remarkable progress for the benefit of the people.
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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