Give Governance Human Face, Women Tell Jonathan

Al-Mu’minaat( the believing women) Organisation, Lagos,  has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to reappraise governance and give it a human face, saying that the insensitivity of government to the plight of the masses is the cause of the insecurity in the land.

The organisation’s president, Hadjia Basirah Afunleyin, said while delivering her speech titled: “Self Appraisal: A Must For Societal Reformation,” during their 17th annual convention at the multi-purpose hall of the Lagos State Secretariat Central Mosque, Alausa, Ikeja, that endemic corruption and harsh government policies constitute a big problem and source of the shortage encountered by the people.

“There is, therefore, the need for a thorough overhaul of policies, laws and government institutions at all levels if we sincerely seek a solution to our national problems.

“To me, this is the major restructuring that Nigeria needs and not constitutional reform or true federalism. If and when these imbalances exist and we restructure the nation and review the constitution a million times, we would still be worse for it. But I pray Allah forbids.

“At a larger level of our national life, I am constrained to say that the time for self appraisal is now and not latter. The ominous signs are too many to ignore.

“Before this year, the major problem Nigeria had was human disaster otherwise known as leadership problem. Today, natural disaster has reared its ugly head. There was rampaging flooding in Taraba, Bauchi, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Ogun, Oyo and Lagos states recently. Though the intensity of havoc varies, all these, nonetheless, point to the end-time predicted by our Noble Prophet,” she said.

Hadjia Afunleyin added that the lessons in the lives of many failed nations and organisations informed the women’s annual convention through which they take stock of their actions and inactions and seek sincere repentance from Allah over their failures and a strong determination to correct and rededicate themselves.

—Jamiu Yisa