By Peter Uzoho
Worried by the escalation of security challenges in the country, particularly the mindless killings and kidnappings in the north, the immediate-past Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, has said the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has miserably failed to live up to its solemn responsibilities.
The Professor of Haematology-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, stated this in a statement issued yesterday entitled: “Insecurity is a Symptom of Corruption and Bad Governance”, saying Nigerians are fed up with repeated excuses for the failure.
He said despite the bloodshed in the north, Buhari could not think it worthwhile to address the nation or visit the people in the affected areas, but that he was able to find time to speak to Nigerians on COVID-19 and even traveled to Mali to help them solve their problems.
Yusuf said: “The primary responsibility of any government is to protect the lives and properties of its citizens; in this regard, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has miserably failed to live up to its solemn responsibilities.
“Our people are sick and tired of repeated excuses and conspiracy theories as reasons for the failure. It is inexcusable that despite all the bloodshed in the region, the president has not thought it worth his while to address the nation or visit the people of the affected areas.
“But he made time to address the nation twice on COVID-19, flew out to Mali on July 23, 2020 to help them solve their problems, and addressed Nigerians in diaspora via video conference on July 7, 2020. This is why in my previous write-up, I said that the president seems distant, uncaring, and out of touch with the sufferings of his largest support base.”
He accused governors of the northern states of contributing to the rising insecurity in the region.
According to him, “insecurity in the region is directly related to corruption and gas governance by the governors who spend people’s money on bogus, wasteful projects instead of investing in the welfare of their people.”
On suggestions for the way forward, he advised President Buhari to always speak to Nigerians directly and not through his surrogates who minimise the sufferings of the people when they speak on his behalf.
Yusuf also recommended the mobilisation of the civilian population; involvement of all stakeholders; deployment of actionable intelligence which is crucial; flushing out of local collaborators; establishment of forest rangers; prioritisation of the rescue of kidnap victims; establishment of presidential task force on security; and ending negotiation with and payment of pensions to terrorists by governors.
