Driven by a Passion to Salvage Nigeria

Driven by a Passion to Salvage Nigeria

By Udora Orizu

Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu is a Political Economist, lawyer, and professor in International Business and Public Policy at the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Professor Moghalu was born in Lagos in 1963. Nnewi, the famous commercial town in Anambra State, is his hometown. He obtained a master’s degree in 1992 at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He later obtained a PhD in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science at the University of London.

He led implementation of reforms to Nigeria’s failing banking sector when he served as Deputy Governor of financial system stability and the Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), from 2009 to 2014.

In February 2018, Moghalu declared his interest to run for the Presidency of Nigeria. He chose to run on the platform of the Young Progressives Party (YPP). On September 8, he emerged the Presidential Candidate of YPP. On January 25 2019, the leadership of the Alliance for New Nigeria, (ANN) and Young Progressives Party, (YPP) merged to form a new coalition known as ‘The Force’, which they said was to help salvage Nigeria from those they said have held her hostage for far too long.

Economy

The Economy of Nigeria has been in the doldrums for nearly two decades. Successive regimes have attempted to put it back on sound footing through a mixture of policy measures, but the economy has failed to respond adequately and appropriately. The economic objectives envisaged by the party will strive to achieve a self-reliant economy that will depend on the strength of the nation’s resources and on the efforts of our peoples.

Consequently, the following shall be the key thrusts of party’s policies and action: Poverty alleviation, self-sufficiency in food production, full and gainful employment for all citizens, diversification of the economy in order to reduce reliance on oil, improvement of and efficiency in tax collection systems, reduction of the gap between the rich and the poor, thereby creating the middle class that will strengthen democracy, promotion of innovation and technological development and industrialization. The policy of privatization of the Nigerian economy shall be encouraged and expanded.

Agriculture

YPP principal programme shall be the development of agriculture and our objectives shall be aimed at, self-sufficiency in food production throughout the year, making agriculture as a major source of industrial raw materials and foreign exchange earner. YPP government shall facilitate the access to cheaper and better agricultural inputs, including farm tools, chemicals, fertilizers, improved livestock breeds. Encourage plantation agriculture, especially in the area of arable and economic tree crop production. Stimulate the massive production of farm animals particularly poultry birds, cattle and others. Embark on massive irrigation schemes by emphasizing small-scale dams to provide irrigation water as well as other agricultural research institutions. Facilitate the access of farmers to agricultural loans. Revitalise and modernize the farm settlement system to increase agricultural productivity, check rural urban migration and make farming attractive as profitable and prestigious occupation to farmers, young school leavers and bring more land under cultivation and irrigation.

Rights

The YPP recognises that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the fundamental human rights of every Nigerian citizen. Right to life, right to dignity of human persons, right to eradicate corrupt practices, right to personal liberty, right to fair hearing, right to private and family life, right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and right to freedom of expression and the press, right to peaceful assembly and association, right to freedom of movement, right to medical consultation, right to freedom from discrimination, right to primary education and right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in the federation.

Our government will respect these rights and however ensure Nigerians enjoys and exercise these rights within limits imposed by the laws of Nigeria. The party’s strategy is to ensure that every Nigerian does not only enjoy his or her fundamental rights, it shall also ensure that he or she does so without undue government interference. Simplify the processes of seeking redress in the event of the violation of any of the rights. Support the human rights organizations in Nigeria to enable them complement the efforts of the government in promoting human rights awareness and education and in the checking human rights abuses and encourage and assist the Human Rights Organization in the country in conducting their affairs in a responsible and mature manner.

Education

Education is an important social instrument for national unity amongst the diverse peoples of Nigeria. The party in government shall, ensure that the educational system is improved upon, develop an educational framework T-bar is Nigerian oriented but of world standard.

YPP in government shall pursue the promotion of pre-primary education by encouraging the establishment of private nursery schools in such a way that every Nigerian child shall have the opportunity to start education at the nursery level; provision of free and compulsory primary education, free, compulsory and qualitative senior secondary education. We will ensure the expansion of unity schools system as models and as instrument of fostering national unity. There will be greater involvement of private individuals and agencies in the delivery of education services, subject to government regulation. The YPP government will ensure the establishment of adult and continuing education centre to promote mass literacy among Nigerians. Provide technical educational institutions with well-equipped workshop and adequate and well-trained teachers. There shall be encouragement of the establishment of private universities, polytechnics and colleges of education subject to government regulation and adequate funding of university education.

The YPP shall raise the social and economic status of educational personnel through improved conditions of services. Aggressive training of teaching personnel and enforcement of the requirement that the National Certificate in Education shall be the minimum qualification for primary school teachers.

Health

Our government shall present a comprehensive health care policy for the country, the essential aim of which shall be, health care for all citizens. YPP government shall ensure that all Nigerians, particularly children 0-5 years and the aged shall have access to free medical services. Provide free immunization to all children. Progressively establish primary health centres, equipped with pharmacies, within the reach of every Nigerian, particularly the rural dwellers. Progressively provide General hospitals in all local governments headquarters and specialist hospitals in all state capitals. Equip and expand the teaching hospitals in the country. Embark on mass training of paramedical personnel to meet the needs of our rural populace. Provide incentives for medical practitioners and other medical personnel with particular emphasis in those located in remote areas. Stimulate local production of Medical drugs and other supplies. Regulate private hospitals, medical clinics and pharmacies to protect Nigerians against exploitations and make and enforce stringent laws against the manufacturing and sale of fake drugs, promote a healthy physical environment by intensifying the present periodic environment sanitation exercises.

Internal Security and Defence

The YPP government shall ensure promotion of policies aimed at guaranteeing security of lives and safety of property. Ensuring discipline, probity and accountability among security agents. Improving police-community relations and provision of humane prison system.

Our government shall endeavour to stem the wave of violent crimes in Nigeria by: equipping the Nigeria Police Force with modern equipment, promoting the establishment of state police, providing more relevant professional training opportunities to the force, at local and international training institutions, motivating the police force with enhanced conditions and environment of service. The government shall pursue a deliberate policy of penlightenment and educating programme about the actual roles of the police and their relationship with the civil society. Providing enlightenment programme for the public on how to complement the work of members of the police force. We will reorganize the prison system to ensure decongestion of prisons and improved accommodation for inmates and the provision of more positive rehabilitation programmes.

Our party’s objectives on defence shall be on national security in all it’s ramifications, creation and maintenance of armed forces capable not only of discharging the afore-stated responsibility, but also using them to support our foreign policy objectives and recruitment into the Armed forces to reflect the federal character.

The party shall ensure a high standard of professionalism through constant training. Provide sufficient funds that will enable the defence industries corporation produce various types of weapons for defence, deterrence and retaliation. We shall engage in community programs that will foster total belief in Nigerians, and consequently promoting total security consciousness by all Nigerians. Pursue a deliberate policy of self reliance, the policy of local production of arms, military equipment and command, control and communication system that will enhance the combat readiness of our armed forces, boost their morale and enhance capability.

QUOTE:

The party’s strategy is to ensure that every Nigerian does not only enjoy his or her fundamental right, it shall also ensure that he or she does so without undue government interference and simplify the processes of seeking redress in the event of the violation of any of the rights

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