From Paul Ibeh, Enugu
There seems to be light of hope rising for the weak and unemployed in the country.
Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu has proposed the establishment of a welfare scheme saying that responding to the challenges of governance is one key duty of office holders in a democracy.
He was speaking at the 54th Independence Anniversary lecture of the University of Nigeria Nsukka. The event took place at the Enugu campus of the institution.
Speaking on the topic: “Key Governance Issues in Nigeria: My Perspectives”, Mr. Ekweremadu noted the nation must deal with challenges of effective leadership, reform of the electoral process, reform of party politics, insecurity, corruption, poverty and unemployment, and the revamping of public institutions.
Senator Ekweremadu noted that “a country that does not provide for its weak and unemployed can never know true peace, for the rich will never sleep when the poor is awake.”
He added that the “dominant public sentiment is that leaders show insufficient commitment to the citizens’ welfare and gravely under-appreciate the need to use powers to achieve public good and national interest”.
The senator insisted that “only an aggressive pursuit of citizens’ welfare can mute the uneasy feelings and agitations percolating in the society about leaders’ insensitivity to citizens’ welfare”.
He observed that the nation’s challenges were surmountable and that the President Goodluck Jonathan Administration was taking various right steps to lift the nation.
“There is legitimate optimism about the future of Nigeria, as problems that bothered us seem to be dissipating; hence nothing should alter our mindset, vitiate our commitment, enfeeble our resolve or distract our purpose. We must work together for to make Nigeria a better, more secure, and more prosperous nation”, he urged
