AS the Year 2025 kicks off today, it is necessary to restate the purpose of governance as a social institution. Governance is a means of organizing a state in accordance with certain agreed principles. A state, any state, is supposed to guarantee the peace and security of its people. In particular, the government is supposed to be a Ministry of Happiness, not a superstructure erected on the people?s pain. As the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a man whose governmental vision is acknowledged by many till date as providing the surest road map for Nigeria?s development, conceived it, governance is supposed to guarantee Life More Abundant for the people. In other words, it is supposed to creatively channel the energies of the people and create not a Utopia, but an environment in whichh people will be well pleased to dwell; an environment where things continually get better, not worse.

As the history of progressive states shows, such a vision is not only desirable but also attainable. Regardless of the failures of the past and even the present, much progress can be made if the Nigerian nation is restructured and leaders realize the purpose that public office is supposed to serve. The restructuring we are talking about is not mere tinkering with state institutions and security architecture; it also includes a change of approach by the political leadership. That is why, today, we choose not to condemn but to appeal to Nigeria?s political class to rise up to the responsibilities of its office and make life meaningful for the populace. At the moment, we find no reason to believe that it is serving that purpose. As a report by this newspaper showed, the outgone year, 2024, was an extremely intolerable one for the vast majority of Nigerians who lived from hand to mouth. Citizens who hitherto were able to make ends meet found it extremely difficult to survive as they had been pushed into deep levels of poverty. As the report showed, the prices of goods and services went ?beyond the reach of the proverbial common man? while many citizens were no longer able to afford the minimum comfort expected for them to lead a normal life.

Of course, there were silver linings. For one thing, the power distribution network has been liberalized, while the government has also welcomed the idea of state police and taken steps to actualize it. Again, two of the country?s moribund refineries, namely the old Port Harcourt Refinery and the Warri Refinery, came alive again, while a private refinery, the Dangote Refinery, began the production of petrol in a move said to have the potentiality to curb Nigeria?s dependence on oil imports. And, what is more, there is reason to believe that the two other refineries, one in Kaduna and the other in Port Harcourt, will similarly resume operations after decades of lull. That is applaudable.

Sadly, the story is still rather unsavory even here. For one thing, the presence of refineries has not translated to significantly reduced fuel price, which would have had a salutary effect on the prices of other goods and services in the country. If anything, inflation has rendered even the new minimum wage that some states in the country are yet to roll out prostrate. It is no wonder, then, that in spite of, say, the combined real estate and construction sectors contributing an impressive N11 trillion to the country?s GDP, high costs of building material heightened homelessness among Nigerians in 2024. Due to inflated costs of building materials, more Nigerians became homeless even as real estate developers struggled with their projects while some abandoned construction activities. The general inflation also eroded consumers? purchasing power and weakened demand for affordable homes.

A close study of the situation would show that most of the issues that Nigerians complained about in 2024, apart from insecurity, basically emanated from the subsidy removal and naira floatation policies of the Federal Government. The policy led to severe shocks in the polity and although President Bola Tinubu has maintained that they are irreversible, there can be no harm in tweaking the policies in such a way as to lessen the pain that Nigerians feel across board. For one thing, the exchange rate is high: the 2025 budget is based on a projected N1500/dollar. It is a no-brainer that if the naira is to become stronger, there must be increased production of goods for exports. Yet, it is a fact that the country?s manufacturing sector is virtually in the doldrums, with many factories being forced to close shop due to the high cost of production and consistently bad market performance. This has to be addressed. If anything, the government has to ensure a significant reduction in the pump price of fuel, which would bring down the cost of goods and services and enable Nigerians to live better lives.

As the New Year kicks off, we urge Nigeria?s political leadership to jettison its accustomed lethargy and corruption and justify its existence. At the moment, there is very little cause for cheer. Insecurity remains widespread and poverty is extremely high. Governments, from the federal to the state and local government levels, must address the extremely harsh living conditions of Nigerians. Because security is crucial to actualising developmental goals, the government must expedite action on state police while taking steps to return the country to a competitive and productive federal structure where the states can be engines of development rather than mere revenue collection centres. Instead of an obsession with grandiose projects, the political leadership should prioritise manageable schemes with precise delivery timelines. It should also take steps to weld the country together by running a more inclusive and result-driven government.

We wish Nigerians a Happy New Year. May the year be one of comfort and cheer for all. (Nigerian Tribune)

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