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By Doris Obinna
Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has urged the federal government to promote rules of engagement in constructive dialogue with the representatives of the people to benchmark the attainment of meaningful reforms for the Nigerian people.
According to them, establishing wide-based consultations that would reposition the youths such that their voices or desires are accommodated in the change agenda and government at all levels must consciously cut unnecessary expenses.
PSN in a statement signed by its President, Prof Cyril Usifoh emphasised the need for design acceptable templates that will pave the way for emancipation, representation and participation in leadership governance in Nigeria through constitutional reform as well as amendments.
“We must pave the way for a collective bargaining template for agitators and other patriots to negotiate with the Government at the highest level. There must be conscious efforts to discourage the activities of political influencers. This becomes important in the quest to balance an ardent need for stability and public safety.
“A need also arises to begin to draw lines in political activism because the Nigerian political leadership epitomises polyandry. All the major political parties are married to the same unproductive political system. Nigerians, especially the more vulnerable who live below the poverty level should begin to resist the tendency to be used for selfish political gains against national interest.”
PSN further stated that it finds it necessary to dabble into the debates which have escalated in the last few days with regards to the need or otherwise to end hardship in Nigeria.
“In apocalyptic terms, Nigerians have been subjected to the extremes of deprivations and sufferings albeit in unprecedented dimensions in the last few months. It has been argued by some schools of thought that Nigeria cannot be an exemption because this hardship appears to be a global phenomenon.
“Much as the global tantrum appears patronising, the reality about Nigeria remains that we are paying for defective planning of over 60 years of nationhood which has manifested in hardship like never before within the short life of this incumbent administration.
“We reason without ventilating invectives that even when the current administration has called for more sacrifices from the citizenry, a clarion call which the downtrodden appears to have heeded but the leaders at the executive and legislative arms have not responded directly with proportionate measures by sacrificing.
“Insensitivity and high-handedness characterise the attitude of the leadership with National Assembly (NASS) members improving on the impunity of their predecessors with state-of-the-art SUVs which cost an average of N200 million while also not disguising their posh and luxurious living to the chagrin of a poverty-stricken followership.
“Governors and chief executive officers (CEOs) of MDAs all still enjoy humongous security voters which have only imposed more insecurity on the very people who ought to be secured. In the face of the abundance of mischief in high places, the calls for protests are justifiable especially because conventional propriety in a democracy allows the people to exercise liberties provided for in the constitution.”
It noted with serious concern the rights of Nigerians to protest peacefully but “we hasten to acknowledge the rights of those who do not want to protest to be allowed to also embark on their daily tasks peacefully.
“The paradigm shifts we canvass therefore must be hinged on respectful dialogue because monologues are characterised by deafness and muteness which will serve no purpose ultimately. The PSN submits that while we shall not negate the youth-led protests and movements for change we must also counsel on the need to redirect energy for impactful change in Nigeria.
“Leaders must provide generational inspiration by shunning the geriatric cycle of redundancy we tend to embrace. Nigerian leaders must choose forensic righteousness and a moral perpendicularity to reverse our drift into the wilderness of retrogression.”
