CISLAC Suggests New Reforms to Elected Officers
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) wishes to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election for a second term as President of Nigeria and all elected Members of the National Assembly that emerged winners in the elections.
While we urge the administration to urgently embark on appropriate policy reforms that will guarantee electoral transparency and all-inclusive development to enable smooth electoral processes in the future, we encourage aggrieved political parties to remain law abiding and channel their concerns through legal process and shun violent protests.
SECURITY REFORM
We are concerned by the rise of insecurity in the country in the run up to the elections. We therefore call on the re-elected government to carry out adequate security reforms by ensuring that our security architecture is strengthened and adequately supported to respond to the conflicts between herdsmen and farmers, insurgency, criminality, kidnapping, rural banditry and loss of lives and properties, and guarantee Human Rights is protected and promoted in Nigeria.
FISCAL REGIME REFORMS
We observed an urgent need for the Government to take proactive steps to reform the nation’s economic activities, starting from the oil and gas sector through the targeted Petroleum Industry Reform as well as transparency and sanity in the tax administrative processes through constructive framework to enhance tax justice regime in both formal and informal sectors.
SOCIAL SECTOR REFORMS
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We are not unaware of the continued dilapidation of the health sector, which urgently needs revitalization and revamping as it scores low in the management of disease outbreaks and surveillance, emergency handling and recruitment of medical expertise. We urge the government to meet up with the 2001 Abuja Declaration to scale up budgetary allocations on health care.
While calling on the government to adequately fund the educational sector to enhance the quality of education and make it affordable for Nigerians, we also demand proactive dialogues with relevant stakeholders to resolve the ongoing crisis in the tertiary healthcare system.
ANTI-CORRUPTION
We call on the Government to strengthen Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs) by providing adequate resources to run these agencies, as well as complying with international anti-corruption frameworks in the fight against corruption. We call for a revisit of accountability around defence and security budget including security vote at all levels.
EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND JUDICIAL RELATIONSHIP
We call on the government to take appropriate steps of in enhancing cordial working relations among the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary arms for effective governance and development.
UNITY OF THE COUNTRY
We call on the President to walk his talk of ensuring that all Nigerians see themselves as one through running an inclusive government as expressed in his acceptance speech. Any act that should construe or create a perception of his government as having ethnic, religious or regional colouration should be avoided as he is the President of all Nigerians.
CIVIC SPACE
CISLAC calls on the government to provide the enabling environment for Civil Society Organisations and the media to operate freely, while upholding democracy and good governance.
In conclusion, CISLAC remains committed to monitoring and supporting the government at all levels to ensure accountable and transparent governance.
Signed:
Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)
Executive Director, CISLAC
