Mohammed Alhassan
The tragedy that followed the recruitment exercise organized by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on the March 15, 2014 in which 17 unfortunate job seekers including pregnant women is one case of mass murder caused by the present PDP government for which it will never be forgiven. And the fact that days and weeks after that morbid incident, no one, neither the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, nor the Comptroller- General of Immigration has been relieved of their positions and arrested for prosecution shows how deep corruption and cover- up has run riot under the present administration.
It is even very insulting and shows how little premium is placed on the life of ordinary Nigerians by the present administration when a meeting of the federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan while keeping silent on reprimand and punishment on the offending officials, announced three job slots for the family of each diseased person! Do we need to be told that the PDP government has gone rabidly morbid? Is the government saying that its modus operandi is that it only gives jobs or rewards those who in one way or the other have paid the supreme price? Nigerians should take judicious note of this evil practice by this government that is using every trick under the sun to try to hang on to power even when its principal was party to an understanding to leave office in 2015. It is like the harvest of death under this government will not end unless the people of Nigeria to vote out this morbid government.
It should be noted that no serious action or thought was devoted to the March 15, 2014 tragedy rather those in power carried on as if the tragedy was a minor issue which in a way is true because Boko Haram has killed more people at once or slit the throats of more sleeping Secondary School students and heavens did not fall. Nigerians should indeed be thankful that the NIS tragedy was limited to the Abuja National Stadium venue.
The ill- fated NIS recruitment sham also took place at stadia in Enugu, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Minna, Kaduna, etc. In Enugu, the stampede only recorded severely injured persons who were immediately offered employment by the Enugu state governor. While the governor should be commended for displaying the milk of human kindness, it is curious that employment only became available and possible in Enugu state for those who have become mortally injured, another case of morbidity ruling our society.
Most Nigerians would remember that one thing the present administration and its publicity experts pride about their transformation programme is that they have created about three million jobs, according to the chief economic guru of the government, Dr NgoziOkonjo-Iweala, who is also good at getting foreign economic rating agencies to give her government Grade A performance ratings even when poverty is growing among Nigerians and suffering is boldly written on many faces on our streets!
Many discerning Nigerians know that one thing this particular PDP government is god at, is reeling out false and misleading statistics that present it in good light and create the false impression that is doing a great deal to transform and position the nation’s economy for mention in the international arena. Pray, we may ask, which national economy can be a global player when majority of its people are still battling with basic necessities of life, unemployment and widespread graft and stealing by those in government? This present PDP government has out- done all previous ones voodooism and make- belief. Happily 2015 is close by and only a voodoo act that passes all understanding can help it retain power.
We ask, with the tragedy of March, 15, 2014, what has become of these childish and wasteful schemes. They have become SURE-DEATH and YOU-DIE!
If President Jonathan has not been too soft on corruption and incompetence, the NIS recruitment tragedy would not have happened. One remember that it is the same incompetent and lacklustre Minister of Interior that was behind the Money- for-Job scam that came to the fore last year. Had he been removed then, the lives of the unknown and helpless 17 innocent applicants who lost their lives at the Abuja stadium would have been spared. The Jonathan administration continues to shield an incompetent and corrupt individual because he is close to a President who needs votes to stay in power at any costs.
The above all point to one fact, the talks and claim of putting Nigerians to work by this administration has been one big fraud, a bogey that leaves those in need of it, gasping for breath.
Alhassan wrote from Maitama, Abuja
