For Nigerians, the New Year is a sign of God’s favour having been counted worthy of witnessing another year. In a period like this, it is a time to set the agenda for the government and to equally speak about their hopes in the New Year. Nigerians expect better things in the New Year from their leaders.
As Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, Nigerians are hopeful for a prosperous and stable future. There is no gainsaying the fact that the leaders of the three tiers of government need do things that would make the citizens have confidence in their government; Nigerians have almost lost confidence in government of the day ; efforts must be made to regain the peoples trust and confidence.
The year, 2023 was full of the good, the bad and the ugly. In the first three months of the year, the Naira re-design policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) led to a chronic shortage of cash that disrupted economic activities and the livelihoods of many people. Also, the removal of the petrol subsidies tripled the pump price, forcing public transportation providers such as buses, tricycles, and motorcycles to raise fares. Nigerians have gone into 2024 leaving behind them some high talking points in 2023, ranging from the untold hardship experienced after the naira redesign by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the most hard-fought presidential election in history that produced President Bola Tinubu. The year saw the removal of fuel subsidy, and a surge in the exodus of Nigerians to the developed nations popularly known as Japa.
This year, 2024 Nigerians aspire for sustained economic growth and development. They hope that this year Nigeria will witness a more diversified economy, reducing its heavy dependence on oil exports. They also anticipate increased investments in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, technology, and renewable energy, which could create employment opportunities and enhance prosperity across various industries.
2023 went down, and despite its hardship, we have survived it. However, in 2024, better infrastructure and functional transportation remains our priorities. In addition, we expect access to improved power supply, clean water, and upgraded telecommunications infrastructure.
An enhanced infrastructure would facilitate trade, improve living standards, and attract more domestic and foreign investments. We also aspire for a more transparent and accountable government, to rebuild our confidence in government. We hope that this year the country will make significant strides in combating corruption, ensuring good governance, and strengthening democratic institutions.
We expect a fair and efficient justice system that upholds the rule of law, and hope to see the elimination of nepotism and favoritism in public offices.
Nigerians anticipate comprehensive economic reforms to address challenges in food prices; more job creation and inflation control should be the top priorities of all tiers of government.
Nigerians anticipate comprehensive economic reforms to address challenges in food prices. The daily increasing prices of goods make it look as if nobody is in charge of our economy. This year we expect more job creation and inflation control. The driver of Nigeria’s economy is petrol. Nigerians seek strategies to mitigate the high cost of petroleum, hoping for transparent pricing mechanisms.
Recent incidents, like the security issues in Plateau state where close to 100 lives were cut short a day to Christmas, underscore the urgent need for enhanced measures to ensure the safety of lives and property. Specifically, we call for strengthened security and conflict resolution initiatives. We anticipate a commitment from our government to address insecurity by reinforcing law enforcement, bolstering intelligence capabilities, and actively engaging communities to establish a safer environment for citizens.
This year we anticipate the Nigerian government placing a high priority on implementing comprehensive economic measures, such as responsible budgeting and effective monetary strategies, to effectively curb inflation, thereby creating an environment conducive to investment and economic stability.
We expect the Nigerian government to address the ongoing exodus that is widely called japa, by adopting a multifaceted approach, encompassing the creation of domestic opportunities, enhancement of infrastructure, and ensuring accessibility to vital social services, including quality healthcare.
We expect the Nigerian government to be more responsive to the suffering of Nigerians, urging economic decisions geared towards alleviation rather than exacerbation of hardships particularly amongst the low-income earners.
In essence, a comprehensive and coordinated effort across these fronts is paramount for Nigeria’s progress in the year 2024. This encompasses economic reforms, social development initiatives, and security measures that collectively contribute to the well-being and prosperity of the nation.
The government should reduce the costs of governance. Also, the government must put a stop to open corruption and extortion by law enforcement agencies. It is becoming increasingly unbearable, lest the citizens react viciously.
The key to unlocking grassroots development lies in scrutinizing and carefully selecting states and local leaders. Electing officials who not only advocate for community needs but actively fight for and implement projects is paramount. It is time for Nigerians to recognise the importance of local government elections and the impact these leaders can have on shaping the destiny of their communities.
This year, we will like to see more visibility given to local leaders in the political discussion. The fact that they are ignored even in the media with no focus on their work is why many get away with doing nothing. The media has a responsibility to make leaders accountable. This can also help shed light on their personalities and abilities, for people to know who they want to elect before elections.
Another key focus is the diversity of local government councils. More women should be trusted with governance and this will help drive the growth of the country. Local government work is directly connected to the people, so people should elect leaders who want to make things better for their communities. Start by finding local women leaders. We should start developing key women for the next local government elections. Let state governments put a stop to appointment of thugs and warlords as local government executives, who have no yearnings or aspirations for the development of their communities.
We will love to see formulation and implementation of policies that open up the country for opportunities for youths. We must begin to create an environment that allows the youth and new entrants to the labour market utilise their skills in a way that rewards them and make them contribute substantially to the nation’s economy; and stop turning the youths to political thugs. This includes reviewing our trade policies and agreements with other countries such that it promotes the export of goods and services in a seamless manner.
It will also be great to see attendant improvement in the power sector. There is a huge correlation between a nation’s development and access to electricity. We can achieve cheap wins by encouraging decentralised power systems and microgrids. Innovation thrives where quality electricity is abundant. It should be treated as a basic human right.
We reiterate that the security challenges confronting our country are pathetic and worrisome which ultimately have adverse effects on the image. The government should make it a top priority to address this menace called insecurity. This would give the people the confidence to do business in any part of the country and also encourage foreign investors to invest in the Nigerian economy. This year, we expect to see a nation that pays attention to its citizens’ safety and security. We also hope that our security agencies will be better equipped to serve Nigerians.
– Abdul Aji, a journalist, writes from Lokoja.
