The Peace Action Transformation (PACT) recently said it will toe the line of peace in addressing the socio-political and economic crisis facing Nigeria.
The group said Nigeria is in a critical state today and facing real, present, and existential threats to her peace, prosperity, and progress, as there are signs and manifestations of outright degeneration and decay across the country.
All physical, social and institutional structures, and infrastructures have almost fully collapsed resulting in collective hopelessness and general loss of confidence both in the apparatus of the state and the state itself, they say.
Pointing out a few challenges overwhelming the entire citizenry, PACT said food is a critical necessity for human survival, but it is unfortunate that governments at all levels only pay lip service to this essential sector of the economy.
“Apart from the major disruptions caused by insecurity, ‘Nigerians can go hungry or starve to death is the body language of all governments across the country. Health and medical services are complete no-go-areas in Nigeria as leaders and their families, including the president and other top public functionaries, are content to go abroad for medical attention due to the complete collapse of medical facilities,” the group said.
The group’s National Coordinator, Oloye Adegboyega Adeniji, stated that education is also comatose both academically and structurally; commerce and trade are becoming moribund as businesses are folding up at an unprecedented rate; adding that inflation has also gone haywire and the financial sector has got out of control.
Read also: Nigeria must address insecurity, naira depreciation to tackle rising prices – FSDH
According to him, while the masses are still trying to grapple with the increasing difficulty of daily life, tariffs on energy and power have kept skyrocketing beyond the reach and belief of the people. For him, the cost of electricity has ridiculously gone overboard at the whims of the power operators.
Therefore, to halt the continued slide, PACT was borne out of the creative and critical inspiration that the society collectively needs to take a more active interest in building, sustaining, and improving the peace of the society because, without peace, there can be no development.
Adeniji said the group will look into the menace of insecurity and instability in Nigeria and other challenges facing the society, locate the causes, assess the consequences both local and international, on man and humanity, and establish the dangerous global dimension to it.
“We believe that together, we shall fix this country in record time and we shall not relent until this is achieved by God’s grace,” he said at the group’s maiden press conference.
PACT aims to “fix” the country through three simple cardinal programmes of action meant to drive the transformational agenda: visitations, consultations, and engagements; nationwide mass rallies for peace and unity (with hopes that president Buhari would participate); development programs for peace, prosperity, and progress.
“By this singular action, we would demonstrate clearly that we are part of the irrepressible humanity and rekindle in us all, the spirit of our collective humanity that even death cannot overcome.
“We, therefore, use this opportunity to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to please rise up to the current occasion and save the country from a needless catastrophe by addressing the issues raised in this address,” Adeniji said.
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