Nigeria is a great country but she is fast going down the wrong path. A poll of People of Nigerian origin living outside the shore of that country suggests that several crucial issues which should be part of the bid for re-election by President Goodluck Jonathan are actually not being fully addressed. The global media attention brought on Nigeria by the upcoming 2015 Presidential serves as a good opportunity to review some of these crucial issues:
Security – the Nigerian security apparatus is nothing to write home about. Life is worthless in Nigeria and someone can threaten to kill you and that is it. For a token of N2000 to any hungry guy, you are gone. Kidnappings are rife for ordinary citizens. Even worse for those visiting the country from abroad with fe family members. Such people have become targets of kidnappers who assume they have brought dollars from abroad, not knowing that it is not as in foreign countries as well. The inefficiency of the Nigerian police and corrupt law enforcement agents is an additional contributor to the security threat in present day Nigeria.
Unemployment – This is a canker worm which needs be tackled. Joblessness especially at the “educated level” can be a precursor to crimes. Government should pay attention to employment at all levels. Employment-driven education based on proper economic development planning should be emphasized. Coming out of a university and not finding a job after three years of active job hunt is not good enough.
Roads & Highways – A lot of Nigerian roads have remained death traps with pot-holes over the years. Ironically, our roads are the most flogged with the best sophisticated expensive cars you can think of in the world. More money should be invested in this area with the collaboration of the private sector. Maintenance culture of these roads would have to be imbibed. Give contracts to qualified contractors rather than party cronies who flag-off projects with funfair and disappear with project funds.
Power – For years, we have voted billions of dollars to NEPA to no avail. The privatization seems to be no panacea to the darkness looming everywhere. When there is gas, there will be no transmission lines; when there are transmission lines, there are no transformers. We are always putting the cart before the horse. If this power problem is solved, Nigerian development would be immeasurable.
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Power
