Your Devt Priorities for Second Half?
Nigeria faced lots of development challenges in the first half of this year, with negative reports on poverty, insecurity and unending killings from suspected herdsmen, beside emergency declarations on corruption, water and sanitation. To you, which of th
* The first development priority is for the government to alleviate poverty that has been ravaging Nigerians, with new friendly economic blueprint that will focus on the empowerment of citizens, through equal distribution of wealth, employment generation, social welfare packages e.t.c All these will increase the per capital income and purchasing power, payment of outstanding of salaries, which should also be paramount. There should be introduction of a new policy that will curtail the various security challenges, which Nigeria is currently facing. - Mr. Michael Adedotun Oke, Founder Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja
* I would like the Federal Government to grant financial aid for local government autonomy before 2019 elections for governance to be closer to people at the grassroots. - Mr. Feyisetan Akeeb Kareem, Coordinator, Human Rights Crusaders, Aniocha South, Delta State
* Poverty and insecurity should form priorities in the second half of the year. On poverty, government at all levels should ensure prudence in management of public funds, because poor distribution of wealth is the major cause of poverty. I have started noticing scarcity and high prices of food items as a result of insecurity around the middle-belt region. Government should focus more on these two challenges, because they are still aspects of SDGs. - Mr. Austine Nwanya, solid mineral consultant, Abuja Highest location:
* My development priorities for second half are peace and sufficient food for the citizens. How can development be achieved without peace? Government properties today are being vandalised daily due to poverty in the land, for a hungry man is an angry man. Let us develop the stomach first and then peace for the second half. - Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna State
* My SDGs development priorities for this dispensation’s second half of the year are mounting poverty, electricity general distribution, insecurity, herdsmen mysterious killings, emergency declaration on corruption etc. Arms possession and abuse must be specially checked for possible violence in identified dark spots. God bless Nigeria. - Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State
* My development priority is to stop killing all over the country. There are daily reports on unending killings, insecurity, abject poverty, hunger, unpaid pensioner benefits for over 12 years. Despite the budget vote and 2019 general election, which is around the corner, can Federal, States, and Local Governments salvage the plight of these senior citizens before their untimely death due to lack of money for medical, electricity bills, rent, school fees e.t.c?. - Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna State
* The first half of the year has been a nightmare to most Nigerians in almost all indices of human development. For the second part of the year to be meaningful, Government must tackle the worsening insecurity, address the mass poverty and above all, PMB must do all in his power to ensure national reconciliation. - Mr. Paul Jideofor, Dept. of Languages, FCT COE, Zuba, Abuja
* What Nigerians need at this moment is solution to the constant killings that are going on now around the country. It is becoming embarrassing to the nation and a threat to our democracy. Something has to be done because investors will not like to invest under this condition of insecurity. Let us not deceive ourselves; investors are not coming until we find solution to this ugly trend. Power sector is another problem; government needs to look into and find solution to it. - Mr. Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State
* Government priorities for 2nd half of 2018 should include ensuring top-quality card readers are available nationwide (for elections); making sure locally-produced rice is sold at half (or less) the price of the foreign brand; and spending Budget 2018’s capital vote judiciously so that everyone gets desired succour. - Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, B.A.R., Apo, Abuja
* In the second half, this administration must remain on her toes and prioritise improvement on genuine implementation of our laws on electricity distribution, arms proliferation and abuse, hunger and food security, smuggling, inflation and high cost of living, electoral fraud and violence, poverty, insecurity, killer herdsmen, emergency declarations on corruption, water and sanitation, in this order. These challenges are numerous but equally vital to the citizens and so deserve equal and urgent attention. - Mr. Apeji Onesi, Lagos State
* Comparing our government with the civilised ones, experience has shown education with high degree of proficiency in skill acquisition is very vital in nation building. So education is one, application of indigenisation policy in appointment, create conducive environment for business to thrive, regular supply of electricity and water. There should be good road and housing budget too. - Mrs. Ncharam Roseline .E. (JP) Owerri, Imo State
* The issue of insecurity ought to be addressed aggressively. There’s been this problem over the years but this issue of mercenaries sacking and occupying villages must be tackled by the government if the public perception is to have any hope of being salvaged. Nigerians would also want to see those arrested prosecuted speedily this time unlike the past where they are taken to Abuja and released. Infrastructure is always a constant particularly leading up to elections where a decent scorecard is expected. God bless Nigeria. - Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State
* Governments at all levels must simply tackle poverty, which affects majority of the citizens. An emergency declaration on poverty backed with regular power supply to boost the small-scale industries will go a long way to promote development in Nigeria in the second half of this year. Secondly, insecurity must be tackled urgently to allow safety and free movements of citizens across the country.
- Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State * It is sad that all over the third world countries’ pre-election year is always a troubled time and Nigeria is not an exception. Governments don’t do the needful talk less of improving or embarking on any new projects. To me, I would want this APC-led federal government to concentrate on rehabilitation of all the federal roads in the country for easy movement of people and goods which will reduce people’s suffering on the highway. Enugu to Port, a journey of about two and half hours now takes about five hours. This is what you see in all the federal roads. Once that is done, it will save lives on the highways and evacuation of agricultural products will be fast and easy. Secondly, I will call on the federal government to concentrate and improve on security situation in the country especially as we are going towards elections. In any elections year, there are always high rates of crime ranging from political killings to armed robbery. These two areas are where I want the government to give priorities.
- Mr. Nduanya Egbuna, Political Scientist, Enugu State