The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has censured the ostentatious lifestyle of the federal government.
It was reported that the Chief Executive Officer, Gold and Co., United Kingdom, Amjad Ali, told, The Independent (a United Kingdom newspaper) that his firm was fulfilling an order from the Nigerian government for 53 gold-plated iPhone 5S mobile handsets as part of the memorabilia for Nigeria’s 53rd Independence anniversary on October 1, 2013.
Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran described the action of the FG as an height of insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian masses.
He said, “This government is just proving day by day that it is the worse that Nigerians will ever experience. That is a demonstration of insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian masses and a misplaced priority. How can a government that claim it would collapse if ASUU’s demands are acceded to muster enough resources to procure such phones? It is very unfortunate that Jonathan is proving to the masses on whose back he rose to power that he actually does not give a damn about what anyone thinks.
This is a country that a preponderance of its population is living below poverty line; this is a country where children under age 5 still die in droves of preventable causes; ours is a country where maternal death rate is still alarming; this is a country where everybody who goes out is not sure if he would return safely; this is a country that has become leprous in the eyes of the world because of its inability to fight corruption bedevilling its economy. Independence celebration should be a period of sober reflection. Whatever must be done should show sobriety where we would cast our mind back to where we started, how far we have gone, the losses we have made.
Purchasing such items is telling Nigerians that our leaders are indifferent to the suffering of the masses. With this kind of ostentatious choice, the federal government is blocking the ray of hope that the Nigerians have that we may have respite after the independence celebration.”
The human rights crusader however urged the FG to reorder its priority to make life meaningful for the Nigerian masses.
Abimbola Adegoke
Media Officer, CACOL
12 September, 2013
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