The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday called for the urgent arrest and prosecution of those who borrowed from the nation’s banks without repayment.
President of the congress, comrade Ayuba Wabba who spoke at lecture in honour of the General Secretary of NLC, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson who recently clocked 70th, said it is unfortunate that despite the enemous resources in the country, many people go to bed hungry.
He said rather than government talking about borrowing money to finance the budget, they should go after about 350 Nigerians that borrowed about N5.8 trillion without paying back.
According to him, Nigerian workers would continue to demand for the right policies that will ensure progress and development in the country.
“The system has become less accommodating for the interest and rights of the citizens. If not, how can 350 Nigerians out of almost 200 million people be allowed borrow N5.8trillion from our banks which they could not pay. Infact, that money is enough to fund both recurrent budget of 2017 and 2018.
“There is no situation that should warrant this. It is hard earned money of the people that was used to salvage those banks, yet that money is in the hand of only 350 people and yet we are lamenting that there is no money and yet this money cannot be recovered from them.
“We must work together and not allow these few swallow what belong to all of us. We will continue to challenge and be on the streets. But importantly, we must realize where the challenges lies. Therefore, I urge government to do everything possible to recover that money because Nigerians will not sympathize with any person who has borrowed that money and still living in their comfort zone.
“They should be arrested and that money should be recovered because it is our common wealth. We cannot continue to subsidize for the rich. There is no reason why we should go borrowing money when that money is there lying fallow”.
On the killings going on in the country, comrade Wabba lamented that no Nation can develop under such an insecured atmosphere, calling on government at all levels to step up their games by guarantee the security of lives and properties of the citizens.
“The provision of security and the regulation of the economy is central to the development of Africa as a continent and Nigeria in particular. We cannot achieve more if there is conflict everywhere in Africa. Today, there is hardly any country in Africa where you don’t have conflict and these conflicts are man made.
“In most cases, our politicians supply the arms and also instigate those conflicts so that there will be divide and rule so that people will not concentrate on challenging issues of development. Therefore, if we must develop as Africa and as Nigeria, it is very central that we must look at the issue of peace because peace is a panacea for development.
“That is why the constitution so provide that the primary purpose of governance anywhere is peace, welfare and wellbeing of the people. That means that the starting foundation for us to develop our country is security”.
He said the theme of the public lecture which is “social justice and positive development in our society” is . something that is at the heart of the struggles by the congress, adding that What is happening in our country today is clearly not an act of God, but an act of human beings.
According to him, the underdevelopment in Africa, particularly in Nigeria ” cannot be the act of God because God has so richly blessed us. In all facet of human life, be it natural or human, we are blessed. The population we have is an asset and not a liability. You can see what China is doing with their population and so, we have every reason to continue to give thanks for the enormous resources that our country has been endowed with.
“But the central issue is actually the issue of leadership and policy option. Other groups and other countries have continued to manipulate our policies. We can fashion out policies that can change our situation”.
