By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
A notable organisation, Community Advocacy for Peace and Strategic Leadership Initiative (CAPSL-Initiative) has urged state governments to deliver on the existing social contract they have with the masses, with a view to dousing tensions and agitations that have the potential of threatening public peace and safety.
CAPSL-Initiative gave the charge in a statement signed by its chairman, Akwuobi Emeka Francis, and Secretary, Pius Pamela and released to the press on Monday, August 12, 2024.
The organization said human capital development will remain largely elusive until Nigerians begin to demand accountability from their respective state governments.
It said investigation has so far revealed a steady increase in revenues from the federation account allocation committee (FAAC) to the 36 states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to the group, a reduction on the cost of governance by governors, and other elected/public office holders will free resources, which will subsequently be deployed to critical areas of needs such as employment generation, infrastructural development, credit opportunities, among other basic amenities of life.
“A situation where governors, and other elective and political office holders display opulence amid biting hunger and excruciating economic realities, provokes the poor, many of whom need as low as N100, 000 to establish themselves.
“We have it on good authority that allocations to states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been on the increase for months now, without corresponding improvements in the lives of the ordinary citizens.
“It is worthy of note that the recent protests that happened in parts of the country, might have been averted had many of the states been sensitive to the basic needs of their peoples.
“We daresay that there is a nexus between insecurity and absence of opportunities needed to better the lots of the ordinary Nigerians, whose demands are as basic as pipe borne water, cottage industries, access to education and health, feeder roads for farmers to convey their produce to markets, among others.
“It is a no-brainer to state that where development exists, there will be no need for rural-urban migration, which has continued to put strains on infrastructure in cities.
“For God’s sake, why are our state governments not revamping moribund technical colleges, which have the capacity of turning out millions of technicians/artisans?
“It is heartrending that many promising young men and women have dropped out of school, owing to their inability to pay tuition fees, which have continued to rise above the capacity of the ordinary Nigerian parent.
“How many states have functional scholarship boards, which are saddled with the mandate to offer education aid to deserving indigenes?
“While the federal government has its core responsibilities in the areas of foreign policy, defence/security, and others, we hasten to note that states must brace up to the socio-economic development of their people.
“We, therefore, conclude by admonishing Nigerians to demand accountability, transparent application of public funds by their governments, as well as officials.
“Nigerian youths are resilient in spirit, and dogged in character; all they need are the necessary incentives to activate and propel their skills.”
