A former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking, Professor Joy Ezeilo, says the road to redemption in Nigeria is indeed a long one.
This is even as she insisted that the country’s redemption is a journey good-spirited Nigerians are committed to, adding that the people will refuse to give up on the hope for a more accountable public sector.
Ezeilo, also a former Dean Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Nsukka in Enugu State, made this known in a post on her X handle on Tuesday.
Her statement followed persistent fuel scarcity and arbitrary petroleum price hikes in the country and unfulfilled promises to put back local refineries to production.
She lamented that unfulfilled promises about local refineries and questions about accountability from public officials, who she said have not delivered on their responsibilities, have persisted.
She said, “It’s been over a month, and the narrative has shifted to the Port Harcourt refinery turnaround being 70 percent complete”.
According to her, “this lack of accountability in the public sector is not just frustrating, it’s deeply disappointing.”
The don said those responsible for delivering such projects with efficiency and transparency seem to operate without consequences, making false promises blatantly to Nigerians.
She said, “Persistent fuel scarcity and arbitrary petroleum price hikes continue, while the NNPC remains tight-lipped about the root causes. Unfulfilled promises about local refineries and questions about accountability from public officials who have not delivered on their responsibilities also remain.
“I tweeted on 15th March, “Re: The breaking news that the Port Harcourt Refinery will start production in two weeks, i.e. by 28th March 2024. If I were Mele Kyari, chief executive of NNPC, I would not talk about when refineries will start operations again. I will wait until they start, bring in the media, and show live that the refinery is now working, refining crude oil and trucks loading in Real Time. This will convince Nigerians with so much mistrust of government at all levels for good reasons- lack of good governance, continuing promises and inability to keep to promises made….”
“It’s been over a month, and the narrative has shifted to the PH refinery turnaround being 70 percent complete. This lack of accountability in the public sector is not just frustrating, it’s deeply disappointing. Those responsible for delivering such projects with efficiency and transparency seem to operate without consequences, making false promises blatantly to Nigerians.
“The road to redemption in Nigeria is indeed a long one, but it’s a journey we’re committed to. We refuse to give up on the hope for a more accountable public sector!”
Fuel scarcity: Road to redemption in Nigeria is difficult – Prof Ezeilo