A former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has said the year 2016 inspires hope of real change for the better in Nigeria’s national circumstances.
Mr. Anyaoku made the remark in a signed statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
The elder statesman expressed hope that the pervading insecurity in Nigeria would be brought under control.
He also expressed hope that corruption which had remained the greatest bane to national development would be effectively tackled.
“The infrastructural deficit in power supply, transportation including roads, education and health will receive attention.
“Youth unemployment together with the widespread poverty of the masses will be productively addressed”, the statement quoted Mr. Anyaoku as saying.
He described 2015 as a year of historic events which began with insecurity and devastation in the North-Eastern part of the country.
He said the outgoing year also witnessed growing threat of destructive violence to the national electoral process with potential unacceptable consequences for the integrity of the nation.
“But thanks to the initiative by some elder-statesmen led to signing of the Abuja Accord of violence-free campaigns by the 14 presidential candidates and their political parties.
“The elections were peaceful which enabled the country to progress its evolving democracy by having for the first time a peaceful change of government from a ruling to an opposition party”, he said.
Mr. Anyoku said the challenge facing the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is to work with all the regions of the country for the realisation of these hopes.
He added that the challenge also calls for collaborative response from all the citizens.
(NAN)
