Nigeria Inaugurates
New Advisory Council
Uche Aneke, Abuja
Members
of the newly named Presidential Advisory Council in Nigeria have
been asked to suggest practical options that would enable
government to improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
Acting President Goodluck Jonathan said on Thursday while
inaugurating the body in Abuja, that its assignment transcended
politics as it was purely constituted for service to the entire
nation.
He re-affirmed the commitment of the Nigerian government to
leave a legacy of good governance within the limited timeframe.
In his words: ’’We have gathered here …in the name of good
governance and there is no going back, although time is short,
like a determined athlete, we need no more than a hundred metres
to make our mark on the sands of good governance.’’
Task is beyond government
The acting president noted that the enormous task could not be
delivered all alone by the government and that had necessitated
the setting up of the council.
Dr. Jonathan assured the council members that their
recommendations and suggestions would not be treated with
levity.
Chairman of the council, Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, thanked
the acting president for the opportunity given to them to serve.
Agenda for action
He asked the acting president to swiftly move into action and
take decisive steps for progress and development of Nigeria.
’’Now that you have been invested with the authority, the nation
expects you to proceed quickly to effect the needed
transformation… this is the right time for you to act, now is
the time when you can act quickly and aggressively, now when
society can be trusted to be so generous as to credit you with
your successes and to excuse your errors,’’ Danjuma said.
Danjuma identified amnesty implementation, conduct of free and
fair elections, power supply and proactive stand in the fight
against corruption as areas of national interest that should be
given priority.
It is to be recalled that on March 1, Acting President Jonathan
constituted the council to, among others, provide alternative
inputs into policy formulation in the areas of power, economy,
security, infrastructure, social sector, electoral process and
anti-corruption.
With additional reports from NAN/Yinka
