Daily Champion (Lagos)
Ufomba Uzuegbu
2 November 2009
Civil servants under the aegis of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) have canvassed the establishment of regional railways in the country.
The group said the present situation where the law vests the power to build railways only in the Federal Government was stale and should be reviewed to accommodate regional railways.
It also advised the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to carefully handle the currency and banking reforms so as not to impair the nation's real sector and service companies through refusal of banks to grant legitimate loans and evaporation of international credit lines by overseas correspondent banks. It warned that no bank could function without legitimate credit.
ASCSN president, Comrade O.O Olaitan, who stated these during the association's recent National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Lagos described the rail system as a vital artery of development which the nation had neglected for a long period.
He said "with a working railway, passengers and goods can be moved easily at affordable prices across the nation. "The dilapidated roads of Nigeria made worse by an avalanche of tankers and trailers, will enjoy a much needed respite for proper rehabilitation.
Road accidents will reduce. Resuscitation of the rail service will equally offer wide range of employment to thousands of Nigerians skilled and unskilled. On equal note, the current drive to reposition our rail system should be propelled by some political will which is presently lacking."
On currency and banking reforms, Olaitan observed that the country, like other developing countries of the world, had been badly affected by the 'global economic meltdown through multiple channels like reduced trade flows, remittances, decline in crude oil and commodity prices, drop in foreign direct investments and exchange rate depreciation.
"Ours is compounded by official corruption, mismanagement, culture of impunity and waste. It is really worrisome that some bank chief executives were using depositors money to massage their insatiable greed including buying private jets for themselves.
There revelations are quite baffling in an economy where most citizens live below one dollar per day. "The association therefore welcomes reform (s) in our system that will reposition this country as one of the reference points in the world. And this union will continue to support the drive once it is within the confines of the constitution guided by due process and rule of law," he said.
On insecurity in the country, Olaitan called on the three tiers of government to devise ways and means of boosting employment opportunities.
He argued that crime rate and sectarian crisis would reduce drastically if employment generation was put in place so that able bodies youths would be fully engaged to make a living.
He said "in the last one year, the security situation in the country has become more worrisome and a source of concern for both the government and the citizenry. If it is not kidnapping, armed robbery, murder or assassination, it would be sectarian or communal violence where lives and property would be lost.
"I must also reiterate with renewed emphasis, that electricity supply is a key factor in any modern economy. I therefore urge the federal and state governments to take the issue of power supply very seriously because if electricity becomes stable, artisans and other small scale businesses will begin to thrive and many people will be actively engaged in economic activities.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Daily Champion. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
