THE SUNDAY address to the nation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “is a game-changing presidential narrative” that offers an opportunity for all-inclusive pan-Nigerian dialogue for good governance in Nigeria.
The Director General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Comrade Issa Aremu, made this observation in Ilorin on Sunday.
Aremu said while periodic crises are defining features of nation-building, “what is of relevance are the lessons learnt by the government and the citizens” to move the nation forward at every crisis point.
According to him, the president has made it known in his address that he “heard loud and clear, understand the pain and frustration that drive the protests,” with a firm commitment to addressing the concerns of our citizens.
Aremu therefore advised that good statesmanship on the part of the listening president must be complimented with constructive citizenship through social dialogue for good governance.
“I have no doubt that the protesting compatriots also heard the president calling for conversation; let them seize the window and table all issues to promote good governance,” Comrade Aremu said and urged both the government and citizens “not to miss another opportunity to forge an alliance for repositioning Nigeria for food security, mass job creation and poverty eradication.”
The Director General noted that the list of government interventions as contained in the president’s address such as students loan scheme, improved minimum wage, CNG transport system and improved public revenue shows that there is already a movement towards good governance.
While condemning the loss of lives and violent attacks on public assets in some states, Comrade Aremu called for “deepening of democratic process not its subversion,” adding that given the antics of some misguided youths calling for return of ‘discredited military dictatorship’, it was time for “mass literacy campaign on the imperatives of democracy for good governance.”
