UNIFEMGA tasks FG to show serious commitment to corruption fighting
By Jeleel Olawale
Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA) has Sunday, called on Federal Government of Nigeria to as a matter of urgency show serious commitment in fighting corruption which has eaten deep into the fabric of the citizenry in the country by being accountable and transparent in the business of the government, saying those found culpable should be made to face the wrath of the law.
The association made the call at a Press Conference addressed by its National President, Engr. Mohammed Buari, held at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife (OAU), at the end of the 2024 National Reunion Conference with the theme; ‘’Equal Opportunities for Prosperity in Changing Nigeria’s Consumption-Based Economy to a Service and Production-Based Economy.”
Engr. Mohammed Buari, the National President of the association said, failure of leadership in Nigeria has caused the nation a lot of challenges.
“We have witnessed civil strife, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, corruption, economic comatose, political rascality and social disorder on the increase.”
He noted that series of security crises we are witnessing in the country is due largely to insensitivity on the part of our leaders, inadequate intelligence gathering on the part of the security agencies all of which constitute a great challenge to good governance and a threat to democracy and economic growth in the country.
Speaking on the roles played by the association, Mohammed said, the Association has given scholarships and grants to 118 OAU undergraduate and postgraduate students at a cost of N11.5 million as part of its welfare gesture to the students on campus, adding that the association has disbursed over N60 million to 1168 students of the Institution.
The association bemoans the continued marginalisation of South-West Muslims by denying them access to political offices, appointment to government establishments including university appointments using various weapons of oppression and intimidation.
“Since Nigeria is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic society, efforts should be geared towards upholding the letter and spirit of the principle of Federal Character without sacrificing merit in all governmental affairs and appointments,” he said.
“The Renewed Hope agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration is supposed to reset Nigeria’s economic advancement and ease the burden of hardship on the citizenry; but thus far, the selfish activities of saboteurs and insensitivity of our leaders made the last one year a tough one for everybody.
The effects of the removal of petrol subsidy and floating of the Naira on the prices of foodstuffs, goods and services almost paralysed the nation, hence, the need for the nation to think out of the box and come up with a service and production – based economy.
“All elected and appointed leaders should be responsive to the needs and aspirations of the citizenry and embrace good governance, fairness and justice to all as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria and make the fear of Allah their watchword, in order to forestall uprising in Nigeria.
“All the three tiers of government in Nigeria should ensure that the lives and property of all the citizens of the country are secured. This is important, as it is only when there is national security that development and economic growth can take place,” he declared.
Mohammed stressed that the private sector should as a matter of urgency partner with the government for the education of Nigerians especially to address all the Infrastructural deficit in our institutions of learning.
“Employment opportunities should be given to teeming unemployed Nigerian youths who are being used as instruments of violence by some selfish and unpatriotic individuals.
“We condemn in strong terms the terrorist acts in some parts of the country, mob actions, jungle and selective killings of innocent Nigerians, and we advise the Federal Government to avoid the present stereotype of pigeon-holing it as a religious issue. It is more of a political, ethnic and economic issue.”
The association recommends the Islamic concept of leadership which is rooted in the institutionalization of principles of integrity, honesty and competency rather than patronages.
It urged all Nigerian leaders as well as all Nigerians to live in peace and harmony, learn to tolerate one another, be fair to all and remember that injustice breeds uprising and violent acts.
The association also had its Annual General Meeting (AGM) where its activities in the past one year were reviewed, and appointed a new set of National Executive Council led by Alhaji Mohammed Buari following the expiration of the tenure of the former National Executive Council.
