Comrade Joe Ajaero, new NLC President
Nigeria@63: NLC blames corrupt, inept leadership for lack-lustre performance
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has blamed corrupt and inept leadership for the lack-lustre performance of the country.
President of the NLC, President Joe Ajaero in an independence message released on Saturday in Abuja, regretted that Nigeria which was once respected and admired as a giant lunging towards becoming one of the greatest economies in the world, was today struggling with the adverse results of “series of missteps, mismanagement, and missed opportunities.”
According to him, rather than progress sustainably, Nigeria has continued to decline to become the poverty capital of the world and an import-driven country unable to harness her God-given resources for the betterment of her citizens.
He said: “Our nation with all its flaws at conception possesses a great potential to be amongst the best economies of the world. It had the promise of a nation destined to be prosperous and continually developing. At independence, it began to demonstrate the signs that it was going to fulfil these expectations especially with all the giant strides being recorded in all the regions that made up the country. There was a healthy competition amongst the diverse regions for progress with pacesetting and record-breaking achievements all around the nation.
“When Nigeria gained independence on October 1st, 1960, the world watched in awe as a nation endowed with abundant human and natural resources took its place on the global stage. With a thriving agricultural sector, burgeoning industries, and a diverse and vibrant populace, Nigeria held immense promise. The spirit of unity and hope that characterized those early years was palpable, and it seemed that we were poised for greatness.
“The famous groundnut pyramids became the symbol of a prosperous north while the famous Cocoa House standing on the Cocoa output and the Western Television showed the readiness of the Western region to outpace others with the Eastern region demonstrating its prowess in Palm produce and its rich technological start-ups. It was indeed a nation poised for greatness as the sky beckons.
“Our Hospitals and Educational institutions were top notch as royalties thronged our shores for medical treatments while Asian and other African students found home in our citadels of learning. We had a nation that could feed, house and clothe her people; a nation whose citizens lived in prosperity and enjoyed a life that was comparable to that possible in all parts of the globe.
“Our currency which was originally the British Pound and was changed in 1973 to the Naira was stronger than the U$ Dollars but was at par with the British Pounds. Going abroad for studies or to live was not attractive and foreign nationals thronged our shores for greener pasture. Social infrastructure was efficiently maintained and the public utilities remained functional.
“As we celebrate Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary, it is important that we drew our attention to the fact that this nation was once a great nation filled with great hope inspired by great leaders until inept and corrupt leaders took over the helms of affairs and ran the country aground. The crisis of leadership is truly the crisis of our national development.
“The continued mismanagement of our resources has made it difficult for us a nation and as a people to make sustainable progress rather, we have continued to march backwards with every preceding year looking worse than the previous one.
“Regrettably, the decades that followed were marked by a series of missteps, mismanagement, and missed opportunities. The erosion of ethical governance, rampant corruption, and political instability became defining features of our nation. Instead of harnessing our potential for the collective good, our leaders often pursued personal interests, leaving the masses to grapple with the consequences.”
