Democracy: Statesman tasks leaders on people-oriented projects, human capacity development
An Elder Statesman, Chief Hycienth Ngwu, has tasked political office holders and leaders on people-oriented projects and human capacity development to ensure democratic dividends get to the grassroots.
Ngwu, who is a well-known community leader in South-East, said this to newsmen on Friday in Enugu while assessing 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule in the country.
According to him, physical infrastructural development is good; but a holistic human capital development tailored on the needs of the people meant to alleviate them from poverty, lack and diseases remain ultimate.
“The survival and future of Nigeria’s democracy depends on our collective willingness to protect democratic values and strengthen institutions meant to serve the people and ensure equity.
“Nigerians must hold leaders accountable and ensure that government truly serves the interests of the people through well-packaged human capital development projects and programmes.
“Human capital development encompasses high per capita income, security, food security and other basic necessities of life for Nigerians beyond the usual road infrastructure seen daily.
“There is a need for resource allocation, reallocation and harmonisation to check social imbalance and exclusion, which has widened poverty, increased violence and crime in the society,” he said.
The statesman urged government at all levels to restrategise and provide more security in schools and farming areas/communities nationwide to checkmate growing insecurity in the country.
He also called on Nigerians to develop ideologically-driven political parties; adding that robust and well-defined internal party democracy is largely absent in most political parties.
Ngwu noted that most political parties had increasingly become personal enterprises controlled by powerful individuals rather than institutions owned by members.
“In all, I must appreciate the Almighty and commend Nigerians for their resilience from the struggle with the military to handing over power to civil rule, with the current 27 years of uninterrupted democratic experience.
“I reaffirm my faith and that of most Nigerians in democracy and urge all to remain steadfast on the democratic path in order to make our dear country more prosperous and better,” he added.