Tinubu’s administration: Our expectations

By Dr Moses George

With the appointment and swearing – in of ministers as members of the Federal Executive Council, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration is all set for the great task ahead. Amidst doubts, people’s expectations are high that promises which were made during electioneering campaigns would be fulfilled.

Through successive governments, Nigerians have endured all kinds of hardships. Patiently, they have waited in vain for promises that were made to be fulfilled. However, most never came to fruition. Who says that Nigerians are not resilient?

Once again, promises have been made during the past electioneering season and Nigerians are being asked to patiently wait for their fruition. President Tinubu has asked Nigerians to be patient even though the cost of living has risen to an astronomical level and far beyond the reach of the common man. The removal of fuel subsidy has worsened the situation.

The question on the lips of most Nigerians is; how far can this administration walk the talk, especially considering the very challenging circumstances the country is presently facing?

It would be recalled that President Buhari’s administration was ushered in with much expectations. Sadly, that administration never lived up to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

Lopsidedness, sectionalism, nepotism and cronyism marked key political appointments during the Buhari era. This imbalance further deepened the fragility of a polity that was struggling to survive. Has the appointment of ministers into Tinubu’s cabinet address this imbalance?

For Nigeria to move forward, the perennial security challenges that has held the country hostage must first be dealt with pronto; otherwise all efforts by this administration to salvage the country out of the woods would be fruitless. Security agencies must live up to their responsibilities even as government enhances their capacity in all shades and hues.

Tinubu’s plan to recruit thousands of personnel into the Nigeria’s police is a welcome development. However, government must be mindful of injecting more personnel into a thoroughly corrupt and ineffective policing system.

An overhaul of the system should be immediately initiated to reform, sanitize and enable the police to play its constitutional role more transparently and effectively.

While lack of accountability and corruption has haemorrhaged the treasury, public servants and institutions no longer focus on service delivery. This has greatly impeded socio – economic development and caused the enthronement of stagnation. This administration must muzzle the political will to overcome this culture.

While the administration’s effort to initiate reforms in several sectors is a welcome development, it must however ensure fidelity to implementation. Otherwise, this four year presidency would not make much difference.

Presently, over 200 million Nigerians are suffering as a result of multi-dimensional poverty on account of the failure of successive governments to properly manage the economy.

The removal of subsidy on petrol has worsened the situation. Now that the popular fuel subsidy has been removed, let the money realized from the initiative be urgently deplored to infrastructure, agriculture and social welfare programs. Let Nigerians begin to feel the positive impact of this government.

This administration must urgently put practical measures into place to arrest poverty. One way to achieve this is through job creation and the enthronement of a conducive atmosphere that’ll attract investors and promote small and medium scale entrepreneurship. There is no way that this can achieved in the absence of regular power supply and enabling policies.

Under this administration, Nigerians are looking forward to the birth of a new nation. A country that is free from mediocrity. A nation of brotherhood that is united against tribalism, corruption, nepotism, extremism and all evils. A peaceful and prosperous country. A country that all Nigerians would be proud of.

While it is true that the challenges before president Tinubu and his team are enormous, the president should also understand that he asked for the job. Therefore, he must deliver all his promises to the Nigerian people. All hands must be on deck to immediately ensure that inflation is reduced to a single digit.