Some aggrieved Nigerians have appealed to the Federal Government to “retrace its locus immediately, as lies, deceit, corruption, can’t improve citizens’ welfare.”

The respondents shared their minds, yesterday, when Vanguard sampled their views on some current happenings in the country.

For Nze Peter Chika Odoemena, life has virtually become worthless in Nigeria.

His words, “We have been grappling with the endless massacre of innocent souls for years, and we keep behaving as if nothing has happened.

“Only in this new year, we have been inundated with the ugly news of no fewer than 40 citizens murdered by terrorists in Nigeria market attack! This has again ignited fear, uncertainty and ultimately increased the number of displaced persons in Nigeria.

“Why should anybody be a refugee in his or her own country? Why must schools be forcefully closed because of the sordid activities of non-state actors?

“Why must insecurity persist when the government continues to tell us that it has the needed men and materials to tackle the terrorists?

“Lies, deceit, corruption, no matter how small, can’t improve citizens’ welfare. The Federal Government must constantly keep this fact in view.”

In his own reaction, Jonathan Chiedo Ikegwuruka lamented that “we have had a larger dose of politicking than governance in our dear country, Nigeria.”

Ikegwuruka said: “We are tired of figures being bandied by the government on the supposed welfare level of the citizenry. We are constantly told that things are now better, but are they telling the truth?

“How can we have food security if our farmers are afraid of going to their farms? How can anybody claim that we are better today, when roads to most rural communities are death traps?

“The collapse of public utilities continues to stare us in the face. We still beg to have a public power supply. Virtually every house now has a water borehole, and this is because the government no longer sees the provision of potable water to the people as a top priority.

“I’m not too sure if the government has done the impact assessment of these multiple water boreholes on our environment. Everybody has turned water engineers, and people drink whatever we get from the boreholes, not minding the health hazards.”

For Mrs. Stella Ogechi Omenka, “our country is truly facing serious challenges, and we must not shy away from this reality.

Her words: “What sort of grammar have we not heard about the nation’s economy? All previous governments told fanciful stories and made seemingly beautiful promises, but why are we still suffering?

“We were told blatant lies. We were deceived, possibly cajoled into doing or believing so many things. Corruption is still palpable. I equally don’t see any viable programmes for our teeming youths, widows and the hapless vulnerable persons in our communities. Is this the way to make progress?” (Vanguard)