Group expresses worry over the state of the Nation

Group expresses worry over the state of the Nation

New Nigeria Network, a non-governmental and socio-economic group, has expressed deep concern over the despondency state of the nation, which has plagued the citizenry with insecurity, unemployment, kidnapping, banditry and many other things. The group made this outcry during its press conference held on March 30, 2022, at Sweet Sensation, Ikeja.

The concerned group, therefore, has called for immediate attention to the degenerating doldrums while putting forward its position on how to resolve the socio-political logjam bedevilling the country presently. They also argued that without eliminating these underlying causes, all militaristic declarations of bandits as terrorists amount to a sham.

Recall that a similar press conference with the theme “Degenerating Security Situation and the Way Forward” was held on January 13, 2022, where the same issues of insecurity were brought to the front burner. According to members of the New Nigeria Network, there is an urgent need to nip this ugly development in the bud permanently across all boards.

Concerned citizens expressed their displeasure over the negligence and triviality given to the incessant attacks and the non-empathic response from the government in stepping up security to forestall further attacks. This, they lamented, was after two trains were attacked at different intervals with about 947 passengers on board, along the Kaduna-Abuja axis.

Read also: NSCDC Dissolves Anti-Vandal Unit Nationwide, Assures Of Timely Reorganisation, End To Oil Theft

New Nigeria Network, as a patriotic group, therefore called for decisive government action to deal with poverty, unemployment, and hunger, which are the underlying causes of terrorism and banditry, while also canvassing for a steady fuel supply across the nation.

“We have also observed the steady return of harrowing fuel queues to our filing stations.”

Despite the lingering fuel scarcity crisis, there has been no decisive action by the government to tackle the situation. Despite the huge financial returns from the sale of crude oil, it is a monumental shame that Nigeria is the only country in the Oil Producing and Exploring Countries (OPEC) that has no functional refineries. We are quick to warn that the hopes of a singular private refinery such as the Dangote Petrochemical Refinery beg the question of the moment the attack on Dangote Petrochemical Refinery rebuffed by security operatives in Lagos reflects the “Catch 22” situation that such a singular expectation leads to. We call for the revival of all public refineries to meet domestic consumption.”

Worried by the intermittent academic calendar of Nigerian universities, they challenged the government and stakeholders in the educational sector, to revive the sector for the benefit of the future of the youths and the country at large. They charged the government to meet the demands of the various academic associations.

“We are equally perplexed about government’s indifference to the ongoing nationwide strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Despite all claims to the contrary, there is no seriousness on the part of the Nigerian government to meet the demands of the striking lecturers. We have also observed that the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have equally joined the nationwide strike action which has kept our ivory towers completely shut.

Read also: NSCDC Dissolves Anti-Vandal Unit Nationwide, Assures Of Timely Reorganisation, End To Oil Theft

We call on Nigeria students not to be cowed by the argument that the striking workers are responsible for their woes, and not the Nigerian government. We call for the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), instead of mobilising against striking workers, to mobilize against the anti-poor government that is responsible for the paralysis of the universities.

In expressing their solidarity, they seek for the release of arrested strike leaders and urged their demands to be met immediately.

“We express solidarity with the demands of rank and file police officers who are agitating for increased pay and better working conditions. Despite two years after the iconic #EndSARS mass protests, there is no fundamental improvement in terms of the living and working conditions of the rank and file of the Nigerian Police, which constitutes a core demand of the #EndSARS protests. 

We call for the release of INSPECTOR ADEBIMPE OLORUNDARE with A/P NO. 252426 attached to BOMBPOL BASE 14 JOS MINE, who is alleged to be one of the leaders of the aggrieved rank-and-file police officers. We call for the right of rank and file police officers to belong to a trade union of their choice as well as the right to strike action and peaceful assembly.

The agitated group vehemently objected to the planned  reopening of the Lekki Toll Gates and illegal extortion by the toll operators.

“We are aware of the planned resumption of tolling at the Ikoyi-Lekki Link Bridge by the Lekki Concession company and the Lagos State Government. According to a statement credited to the Lagos Commissioner for Information, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, the plan is for the Lekki concession company (LCC) to resume operations at the Ikoyi-Lekki Link Bridge on Friday, April l, 2022, while tolling itself resumes 14 days later, on April 15, 2022.

While Mr. Omotoso contended that Lagos State Government through a debt buy back agreement acquired the 75% percent of the holding of the Lekki Concession company, they queried the move by the government to re-embark on the dreadful mission that reminds Nigerian youths the painful exist of their brothers and sisters whose innocent blood were wasted on that the same location. 

They averred that the link bridge and, subsequently, at the Admiralty Toll Plaza, the popular Lekki Toll Gate It is not only tantamount to multiple taxation but also draws blood from the hemorrhaging Lagosians, who dally ply the routes, battered by growing and harsh inflation as well as devaluation of the Naira.

Read also: NSCDC Dissolves Anti-Vandal Unit Nationwide, Assures Of Timely Reorganisation, End To Oil Theft

“We beg to ask: the debt of 28 billion naira which Mr. Omotoso claimed Lekki Concession Company is owing both foreign and local debtors, on which road was it spent on? The narrow way that leads to heaven or the same Lekki-Epe Expressway? No fundamental improvement has been made on the 16km portion of the expressway concessioned to Lekki-Epe Expressway out of the 42km of the entire expressway in terms of culverts, drainages and the like.”

The group went further to add that they are against the resumption of the proposed tolling.

“We hereby give notice that we are opposed to the resumption of the tolling at the Ikoyi-Lekkl Link Bridge and subsequently at the Admiralty Toll Plaza or anywhere else(such as the Conservation Toll Plaza) on the Lekki-Epe Expressway as same is illegal given that the Concession Agreement between the Lekki Concession Company and Lagos State Government has expired added to the fact that it is repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience over the unmarked graves of the martyrs of the 20 October, 2020 Lekki Massacre.

We will commence Street-to-Street sensitisation of residents and motorists in the Lekki-Ajah axis of Lagos State from 15 April 2022 till 14′ April, 2022 to implore them to refuse to pay the Toll at the Toll Plazas. We call on all interested persons to join us.

To immortalize those murdered during the Endsars saga, the group demands for justices in their honour, which they reaffirmed will serve as a deterrents to others.

“We are of the view that the planned reopening is an insult to the memory of the martyrs and victims of the Lekki Massacre, which is drawing close to two years now. Most of the survivors of the Lekki Massacre, who still carry wounds and injuries of the attacks on their bodies are completely left to their fate.

They therefore appealed for ENDSARS MOVEMENT AND ELECTORAL ALTERNATIVE on the whole, as 2023 general elections approaches. They equally called and appealed to the youths to be cautious and vigilant.

“We call on the masses and youth to be vigilant against traditional ruling class politicians who are full of empty promises. We urged the participants of the ENDSARS mass protest to make sure to equip and empower themselves with their PVCs, prepared to express their franchise come the 2023 general election, to enable them to exercise their voting rights and the opportunity to elect into power a government that is truly of the people, for the people and by the people, who will be ready to represent their overall interest”.

Latest News

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

AngelCity-Creative-Company-Web-ad-349px-by-349px

Business