By Onyekachi Eze
The President, International Youth Parliament, Hon Engr Promise Nwadigos, has charged Nigeria Government on transparency and accountability.
This was as the yearning for good governance gathers momentum with the nationwide protest which kicked off yesterday, August 1, 2024.
The protest with the hashtag, #EndBadGovernance according to its organizers nationwide we learnt was aimed at agitating against the hike in food, products and commodity prices.
However, concerned over the development, the IYP President, Nwadigos enjoined the Nigeria leaders to ensure due transparency and accountability always in office.
He added that if those were placed top as priority, there may not be any need for the ongoing peaceful protest.
He said the Nigeria Government is answerable to the needs and plights of the citizenry, especially the populated youths who are the real future leaders.
After a meeting with leaders of some of the protesting groups and other youth groups in Nigeria, yesterday, he appealed for a peaceful demonstration.
At the end of the exhaustive meeting, it was suggested that fixing the massive fraud in the IOCs, NNPCL, NUPRC(Upstream Petroleum Sector, fixing the nations refineries to working capacity, equipping security agencies in order to secure farmers to enable them go their farms and staying safely in their homes would go far.
Nwadigos also briefed that, “In moving forward, all FIRS taxes and electricity bills have to be restructured and made conducive for business growth, manufacturers, and production of local goods to avoid killing our local industries.
“Nigeria Government at all levels MUST begin payment of the approved 70,000 Naira minimum wage to workers, making sure it is enforced without further delays”.
The groups on their own complained that though the minimum wage has low purchasing power due to high inflation rate, they look forward to a better economy in a shortest time and that the government should in all honesty consider the plight of Nigerians by corporation and being accountable to the people.
“It is a societal choice about values. Government at all levels MUST begin full implementation of the Local Government Autonomy to allow grassroots development to all local areas whereby taking development to the people”.
The groups further stressed on an all-inclusive government where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should, as a matter of urgency, call for a round table meeting with all opposition parties to proofer solutions to all relevant collective national issues.
“Nigerians do not have any need to be on the streets protesting if the citizens’ interest is paramount. Nwadigos said. (president@iypglobal.org)
