NIIA Boss Urges Support For Jonathan
AN Islamic group, Nasrul Lahi L Fatih Society (NASFAT), has expressed solidarity with protesters against fuel subsidy removal but cautioned against "misuse of the protest by miscreants and some unruly activists to perpetrate coercion, thuggery, extortion and other crimes against innocent fellow citizens."
Meanwhile, the Director General of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof. Bola Akinterinwa has urged Nigerians to give President Goodluck Jonathan a chance to put his good intention into practice.
In a statement by its National President, Alhaji Sheriff Yusuf, NASFAT said it "believes the crust of the struggle should not be narrowed on just petrol price increase, but on the more critical issue of non-judicious use of the wealth of this country by governments at all levels. We call on the Federal Government to lead the way in winning back the trust of the people (which appears to be grossly eroded at the moment) in the competence and credibility of government to manage the collective wealth of the people. "The resources of the country belongs to the people and the government is placed in trust to apply the resources for the collective benefit of the greatest number of the populace."
The group noted that "at the moment, it is clear that the trust of the people is being openly and flagrantly abused through ostentatious lifestyles of elected public officers; through mindless self gratification by the same public officers who award obscene quantum of personal benefits and perks of office to themselves; through institutionalization of mediocrity and parochialism which in turn promote unproductive proliferation of agencies and personnel in government, lack of transparency and accountability by government officials, endemic corruption through inflated contracts and other avenues of siphoning government resources illegally."
According to NASFAT, the government at the center must rise at this time to wage serious, resolute and relentless war against these ills that have eroded trust, which is the most important gesture it requires from the people to be able to serve them well. "Elected public officers must in addition openly demonstrate faith in the system they sought the mandate to serve by patronizing only Nigerian schools (for their children), Nigerian hospitals (for their healthcare), Nigerian airlines (for their trips), Nigerian recreation spots (for their holidays) and other made-in-Nigeria goods and services in preference to imported ones.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Guardian yesterday, Akinterinwa recalled that when there was fuel subsidy, there was so much insecurity in the land. "
The Guardian