SHAWWAL 5, 1429 A.H.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 3 2008
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PPA commends Yar'adua's independence speech
The Progressive People's Alliance (PPA) has lauded President Umaru Yar'Adua's independence anniversary broadcast, and prayed for political will to execute the administration's plans.
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Chairman (South), Mr Olu Akerele, the party prayed that Yar'Adua would have the political will to execute his articulated programmes.
The PPA described as commendable Yar'Adua's plans on roads, railways, the Niger Delta and the transformation of the country into a strong, stable, democratic and progressive entity by 2020.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) ,reports that Yar'Adua, had in his speech earlier today, stated his administration's resolve to brace for the nation's development challenges.
He said his administration was committed to set the nation on a right path to becoming a properly grounded and stable democracy as well as one of the world's 20 largest economies by the year 2020.
The PPA, however, said the nation's problems had not been the conception of laudable programmes, but the execution of programmes to the benefit of the people.
''It is necessary for the president to follow up his pledge to turn Nigeria around by ensuring that the basic needs of the people are met,'' the party said.
It said that the basic needs of Nigerians at the moment include the provision of affordable food, all season motorable roads, steady public power supply and affordable houses to live in.
In another development, Mr Femi Falana, President, West African Bar Association (WABA), said in Ado-Ekiti that previous governments in the country had failed Nigerians.
Falana made the remark in Ado-Ekiti while speaking with newsmen on the independence anniversary.
He said that countries that attained independent after Nigeria had gone several miles ahead of the nation.
Lamenting on the present state of the nation's economy, he said that Nigeria 's woe was due to bad leadership, and advised Nigerians to look inward for solution to the nation's problems.
He said that governance had become worst and that it had become a habit for state governments to roll out drums ''to celebrate the provision of chairs and tables for primary school pupils.
''That is what governance had become in the country. Commissioners of Education now celebrates the provision of chairs and tables in schools which ordinarily is a right of any child.
''During our own time which, was when democracy was just fledging, we enjoyed all the benefits we are to enjoy; but today, students sit on bare floor to receive lectures,'' Falana said.
The human rights activist said countries like Singapore and Malayasia were able to manage their meagre resources accrued to them to develop their citizens.
He said that Nigerian leaders were busy squandering the huge resources at their possession.
''You can see what is happening to us in this country; our resources are huge, but leaders are our problem.
''Malayasia came to Nigeria in 1965 to have the palm seedlings. Today, it is not only the largest exporter of the product, but uses the palm product to produce other composite products,'' he said.
