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How Nigeria can move forward— Media Watch

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Muhammadu Buhari

As the Nation begins New Fiscal Year tomorrow 1st January, 2022, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria has called on Federal Government to prioritise fixing of Power generation and distribution throughout the Country, vigorous revamping of Agriculture for food sufficiency  and provision of employment for the Youths of the Country in the New Year; in-order to save the Nation from economic doom.

According to the Group, Power fixing and Agricultural revolution could provide sufficient jobs if properly tackled.

It also tasked Governments at all Levels (i.e. Federal, States and Local Governments)  to stop what it described as current drift in governance as the mechanism provided in the Nation’s Constitution to prevent political and economic crises need be implemented promptly in the New Year.

According to the Group, Constitution Amendments, Electoral Laws Amendments and holistic pursuance of war against corruption are the antidotes to the current socio-economic and political problems facing Nigeria today.

In a Press Statement issued by the Group shortly after its Meeting and signed by its National Coordinator Alh. Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Group cautioned the Federal Government on the planned increase of pump-price of petrol and electricity tariff in the New Year; pointing out that any increase in fuel-price and electricity cost would aggravate the untold hardship on Nigerians and could precipitate crisis that the Nation would find it difficult to control. The Group described that decision as ”ill-advised’ and could not be carried along with current insecurity problems of killing, maiming of innocent people, kidnapping for ransom and all sorts of banditry attacks we are facing now in the Country.

On Governance, the Group stated bluntly that the Nation’s Constitution was overdue for amendment, adding that the delay in that exercise was due to the fact that those in the helms of affairs enjoyed the System as ‘it gives them humongous financial benefits as against the welfare of the masses that they should serve’.

The Group therefore called on President Muhamnadu Buhari not to allow the Cobstitution to be amended without the Executive input. The Executive Proposals on Constitution Anendments the Group should include among others:

(i)  Banning Nigerians being tried by any  Court of Law or any Tribunal for criminal and corruption charges from contesting elections until they are cleared

(ii)  Scrapping of States Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) from the Constitution and approving INEC as the Body that should conduct LG Elections throughout the Country

(iii) Cancellation of retirement packages for State Governors and their Deputies from the Nigerian Constitution.

The Group stated that these are just few of the necessary amendments urgently required to stabilise our political system, adding that without these amendments, the political and economic problems facing the Nation would not only continue but would get worsened and lives of innocent citizens would be in danger.

MMWG also called for drastic reduction in salaries and allowances of all Public Functionaries in the Executive and Legislatures both at Federal and States Levels in keeping with current economic  realities.

The Association described the unemployment situation in the Country as worrisome and called for implementation of a National Development Plan to reverse the trend,

On insecurity it commended the Buhari Administration on its efforts in reducing insecurity so far, however, it challenged the Federal, States and Local Governments to synergies on combat of drug-abuse, drug-addiction and drug-peddling as the latest media and security reports linked the crimes of insecurity to drug consumption by irresponsible youths. With the latest report, we need not tackle insecurity at peripheral level but from the roots, the Group maintained.

The Nation need educational planning and execution that emphasise greatly vocational skills that makes beneficiaries job creators and not job seekers. This responsibility is that of the 3-tiers of Government, MMWG stated.

The Group concluded by maintaining that unless its submission on ‘WAY FORWARD FOR NIGERIA’ are urgently considered and implemented in  2022 Fiscal Year, it would be difficult for any governmental activities to succeed.

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG) is a Non-Governmental Organization of Muslim Professionals in various fields of human endeavour who are concerned about the use of Media for responsible Media Practice and National Development.

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