Reduce cabinet size, declare state of emergency on insecurity, food crisis, columnists tell Tinubu
By Jeffrey Agbo
The League of Nigeria Columnists has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address Nigeria’s challenges to prevent what it described as collapse of the Nigerian state.
A statement on Saturday signed by the league’s National President; Tola Adeniyi; National Vice President, Yakubu Mohammed; and National Secretary, Professor Antony Kila, said “drastic measures” should be taken by the president to restore the citizens’ confidence in both himself and his administration.
The league said it is aware that almost all the nations of the world are going through various degrees of economic challenges, political turmoil, destabilising insecurity and loss of faith in their leaders.
However, it said it is also aware that the leaderships of the same nations under stress and strife are doing their utmost to combat the challenges faced, by seeking solutions and carrying their citizens along.
The columnists said President Tinubu must “urgently jettison the policy of political patronage over people’s welfare and come to terms with reality on ground.”
They noted that this is not the time to indulge in political trivialities and economic frivolities.
The league called on Tinubu to consider some steps to stem the tide of imminent collapse of the polity.
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“He should declare State of Emergency on Insecurity of Life and Property, Food Insecurity and Cost of Governance. People must be free to travel, safe in their homes and secure on their farms,” the statement said.
“He should reduce the size of his bloated Cabinet by abolishing the office of the so-called Minister of State or Junior Minister.
“It is the need to satisfy the provision of one minister per state in the Constitution that would allow him to retain 36 Ministers plus a Minister for the Capital Territory. And no Minister should have more than 4 Aides. And that should be it.
“He should also remove himself as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.
“Constituency Allowance for Senators and Members of the House of Representatives should be scrapped immediately. Our National Assembly Members were not elected to become contractors. This should apply to state Assemblies as well.
“No effort should be spared in ensuring that the country is secure and safe from the stranglehold of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and blood-sucking ritualists. It is doable with a strong political will.
“The President and his advisers should know or ought to know that no policy can succeed if a leader, anywhere in the world, is not trusted or does not enjoy the confidence of the citizens.
“They should also know that no amount of palliatives or economic theories can save the Naira or reduce inflation if the country cannot improve on her production/productivity capacity.
“If electricity, insecurity and policy summersaults continue to drive away multinationals, hamper our skilled artisans from performing optimally, and drive away farmers nationwide, the value of Naira will continue its free-fall.
“If our President can close his eyes and allow his conscience and his vow to the voters to guide him, there is still hope for the country to breathe again. A stitch in time saves nine.”