The Federal Government of Nigeria, has been called upon to live up to their charge by ensuring that Nigerian Universities reopen within two weeks from now.
A renowned Professor of Political Science, Professor Obiekwe Nwanolue stated this in Awka, appealing the Federal Government to grant the requests of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), including the implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement, as education in Nigeria is rapidly dieing in a geometric regression.
Commenting on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the University don, who lectures at the Department of Political Science, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, advised against any move to privatize NNPC as that would highly increase the hardship faced by the masses, beckoning on the Federal Government to maintain all the existing refineries in Nigeria, asserting that it is most unfortunate that Nigeria claims to be the giant of Africa, yet, none of her refineries is functional.
Professor Nwanolue called on the Federal Government to deprivatize the Power Sector as leaving it in the hands of Private individuals other than the Government, creates room for unregulated and high tarrif for the masses.
He further asked Federal Government to lower tariff on imported goods and charge the Nigerian Ports Authority to tamper justice with mercy in their exorbitant charges on imported items and to ensure maximum security of goods and services, therein.
The Federal Government is also advised to have a rethink in its plan to ban commercial motorcycles (Ọkada) in the country, especially without providing an alternative means of livelihood for them riders.
This ploy seems to be targeted at a certain group and will increase unemployment and criminalities in the country, adding that motorcycles are not the brain behind unbearable terrorist activities in Nigeria. The Federal Government knows what to do and had not done it to have insecurity reduced to the barest minimum.
In related development, Professor Nwanolue urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to strengthen the operations of the Bureau De Change in the present-day nation’s economic development as their functioning in the economy of the country, makes foreign currencies accessible to the public and creates more employment opportunities for the masses.
He asked the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele to embark on policies that would encourage digital economic development, as obtained in most advanced countries, enjoining him to encourage and promote FOREX trading, cryptocurrency and do everything possible to ensure that Nigeria’s Naira gains value, locally and internationally.
Also calling upon the MBA Capital and Trade Investment, to refund the moneys of their investors, as so many of them are battling with hardship, as a result of the failure of MBA TO LEAVE UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
On the state of Public Hospitals in Nigeria, the erudite Scholar lamented that the deplorable nature of the hospitals are better imagined than described and urged Governments at all levels, to declare state of emergency on public hospitals in Nigeria, so as to alleviate the sufferings of the masses.
He charged some medical Doctors to operate with conscience, beckoning on Government to provide strong security in the country as the killing of innocent persons, especially christians, has assumed alarming dimension.
On Politics, Professor Nwanolue charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), under the watch of Professor Mamud Yakubu, to ensure free and fair elections in 2023, advising against a repeat of the happenstances of 2019 electoral magic, maintaining that the masses have encountered series of economic hardship under the present Government.
