…PANDEF, others grumble, set 2020 agenda for Buhari

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, Niger Delta, Egufe Yafugborhi (Port Harcourt), Emmanuel Una (Calabar), Ike Uchechukwu (Calabar), Davies Iheamnachor (Port Harcourt) Chioma Onuegbu (Uyo) and Sunday Chancel (Warri)

PAN-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Christian leaders and South-South natives are dissatisfied with the Buhari administration over the way it tackled security and infrastructure, last year, urging it to change strategy in 2020.

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National Chairman of PANDEF and former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (ret.), who spoke to Sunday Vanguard in Uyo, did not, however, see President Muhammadu Buhari making a key modification with the provisions for the two sectors in the 2020 budget.

However, a former Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Chairman in Cross River, Mr. Goddie Akpama, disagreed, saying the Federal Government made giant strides in revamping the economy, fighting corruption and boosting security.

Nkanga said, “If I look at what they are discussing about security and what is in the budget, it may not go the way I would have wanted to see things this year. I am not hearing of any facility change, how they are buying guns and ships, what is voted in the budget can only take care of things like payment of salaries.

“If you do not have the equipment, what can you really do? I expect a structural change in the security set up, but if money is not made available, I do not think my expectations will come to pass”.

The PANDEF leader faulted Senator Ndume for saying that the reason the country could not change its Service Chiefs is because it is in a state war, stressing that he expects that fresh brains should be brought in to avoid doing damage to the country.

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Nkanga, who added that the present Service Chiefs have overstayed their tenure, said, “It bothers me because I do not even know what is happening to us. During the civil war, we moved personnel around; so for him to say that we cannot do that now because we are in a state of war, he does not know the damage that is being done.”

On his expectation on infrastructure, the PANDEF leader declared, “Nigeria is a country that is grossly short of infrastructure and, unfortunately, no country can develop without infrastructure. Look at Dubai, even when they were diversifying, they went into infrastructure. Everybody is going to Dubai today because they invested their money in the area of infrastructure.

“Today we are in a very peculiar situation because we lack infrastructure. We cannot even build roads. In terms of infrastructure, we have not done well. Go and see the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, it is an eyesore, horrible.

“Remember that if you have infrastructure in place, investors, private companies will come in, and they will employ people”.

He noted that the over 70 percent voted for recurrent expenditure and less than 30 percent for the capital expenditure, over the years, has contributed to the poor infrastructure development in the country.

According to him, with restructuring, each segment would be able to develop itself.

But he said that if the country did not change its orientation, things will continue to remain the way it is.

“Those against restructuring are people that want to reap where they did not sow and that is why our situation is where it is today. Allow people, segments to sit down and think how they can move forward. In my expectations, the way we are going, I do not see anything moving except the continuous decay”.

FG should fix roads in 2020 – Egbebo

Bishop of Bomadi Diocese of the Catholic Church, Most Rev. Hyacinth Egbebo, told Sunday Vanguard, “Security is one thing that is plaguing this country. Even moving on the road, you are not sure an armed robber will not emerge on the next turn of the road.

“So I think the way to really arrest the security menace in this country would be the provision of jobs. Those who are keeping our money in their pockets and in bank accounts overseas should think of coming to invest here so they can provide employment for the teeming youths.

“On infrastructure, Nigerians will be very happy if the Federal Government will do whatever it can to fix roads because our roads are death traps. We say all the prayers when we start to travel which we don’t do outside of this country.

“On healthcare, I expect that there should be attention for rural healthcare. For those of us living in riverine areas, it is not possible to access healthcare in a way that can prevent sudden death.

“If government can send boats to the creeks to give free healthcare to rural dwellers, which I think is possible, that will help save a lot of lives. Of course, every local government area should have efficient healthcare centre that people can rush their patients to when there is an emergency”.

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Similarly, Anglican Bishop of Cross River State, Archbishop Tunde Adeleye, expressed concern about the security situation and health infrastructure in Nigeria.

“What government should do is to improve the state of the Nigeria Police through welfare and also procure weapons that are functional. There is this complaint from the police of lack of weapons. They should also be given training that is in tandem with modern crime fighting”, Adeleye said.

“Kidnappings, armed robbery and communal conflicts need to be tackled head-on.

“Health facilities in the country are in complete decay; that is the reason even the President visits the United Kingdom at the slightest opportunity for medical check up.

“If the hospital in Aso Rock, for which millions are budgeted every year, is not able to take care of the health needs of the President, tell me what would be the state of our hospitals that the ordinary man visits.

“2020 is the beginning of another decade; let government invest in our health infrastructure to give meaning to our lives”.

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Chairman, Nigeria of Union of Journalists, Cross River Council, Victor Udu, said:”Let us face the truth, let us not be afraid to speak or shy away from the reality, there is retrogression in the land.

“Nothing is working, even the policies they have implemented, and the ones that recorded massive success were initiatives of the Jonathan administration.

“We are going backward by the day, we must not sit on the fence; we must lend our support for nation-building. The fight is yet to bring the desired change. A lot is yet to be done. I do not think success is anywhere near”.

FG should complete East-West Road – Uruah

Youth leader in Emohua local government area of Rivers State, Mr. ThankGod Uruah, on his part, told Sunday Vanguard: “In 2020, we want the Federal Government to speedily complete the East West Road, which has been delayed for so long.

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“The road links many Niger Delta states

“Some parts of the roads are now impassable.

“In the area of security, I want the federal and Rivers governments to declare a state of emergency. Our leaders must put heads together and save lives and property.

“We know that without security there would not be development and economic growth. In Rivers State, there is a local security outfit that has done so much to restore sanity in the troubled areas.

“The Federal Government in 2020 should give legal teeth to community policing to empower vigilante groups.

“On healthcare, government should make it a duty to renovate and equip our primary health centre because that is the first point of healthcare delivery.

“They should retrain our health practitioners and employ more. A lot of people are suffering in our communities because there are good health centres there. There are no doctors and those that have are dilapidated”.

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Leader of Egbema Voice of Freedom, EVF, Pastor Nicholas Evaristus, said: “In the coming years, not just 2020, Nigerians must first stop the attitude of shifting goal posts. When we set agenda, we shift date of excution, we have come of age as a nation and we must be responsible.

“Those days, if you are a single man, it is difficult for you to borrow money in a bank because they want responsible people that have family; Nigeria needs to show attributes of responsibility to its citizens in the areas of healthcare, security and infrastructure.

“In 2020, the only thing that will show we are now responsible is that we should be able to provide security, health and infrastructure, like the completion of the East-West Road, building of more hospitals and equipping them and improving the security architecture.

“Let the lives and property count in 2020. There is no nation that does not value lives that moves forward. Let the Nigeria state begin to defend its citizens and other nations will start to take us seriously.

“We are entering a new decade and Nigeria should draw better health, security and infrastructure plans for the next 30 years, so our leaders should use the New Year to draft set agenda that will guide development of the nation.

“Enough of this abroad travels for healthcare. The money our leaders spend on travels could actually put up good hospitals here”.

On security, corruption, economy, Buhari passed – Akpama

Meanwhile, Akpama, ex-governorship candidate and former Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Chairman in Cross River State, disagreed with other Niger Deltans who spoke with Sunday Vanguard, saying: “The Federal Government under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari has consistently stated that it will face three major issues.

“These are tackling corruption, fixing the economy and fighting insecurity. Since it took over in 2015, the government has actually taken several steps to achieving these.

“In its bid to tackle corruption, the government introduced the Whistle Blowing Policy in 2016.”

“The policy has since yielded several recoveries. These include N13.8 billion from tax evaders and N7.8 billion, $378 million, £27,800 in recoveries from public officials targeted by whistleblowers”.

On security, especially in the restive North-East, Akpama stated that the Buhari administration spearheaded the establishment of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) aimed at combating trans-border crime and Boko Haram insurgency, as well as the resumption of public secondary schools in Borno State on September 26, 2016, after two years of closure.

“”Others, according to a government document, are the resumption of Arik Air flights to Maiduguri in May 2017, three years after suspending operations to the city and the re-opening of Maiduguri-Gubio and Maiduguri-Monguno Roads in December 2016, after being closed for three years”, he said.

“Emirs of Askira and Uba, both in Borno State, returned home in May 2016, two years after fleeing their palaces on account of Boko Haram insurgency, while El-Kanemi Warriors Football Club returned to their home base in Maiduguri in April 2016, two years after relocating to Katsina because of insurgency

“Nigerian military reopened Maiduguri-Bama-Banki Road in March 2018, four years after it was seized by Boko Haram, while more than a million displaced persons have returned to their homes and communities across the North-East since 2015.

“Other achievements, according to the government, are that more than 13,000 Boko Haram hostages freed from Boko Haram captivity, including 106 of the Chibok girls abducted in April 2014, and 105 of the Dapchi girls abducted in February 2018.

“Others are the capture of Boko Haram’s operational and spiritual headquarters, ‘Camp Zero’, in Sambisa Forest, in December 2016 after which the Nigerian Army conducted its Small Arms Championship from March 26 to 31, 2017 to enable the armed forces dominate the area, and avoid regrouping by terrorists”.

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Akpama contended that the economic team put together by the Buhari administration has been doing their best to make sure the economy improves”.

Vanguard