….say FG doing laudable things but not known to citizens
By Gloria Ikibah
Member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Rep. Babajimi Benson has called on Nigerians to shy away from the planned Nationwide strike in the interest of the country.
Rep. Benson who made the plea on Wednesday while briefing journalists in Abuja, said the federal government is not adequately informing citizens about its activities, noting that there is a communication gap between the federal government and citizens.
He said: “I think the critical issue we have in Nigeria is a perspective issue. People see things differently.
”So, the problem we have now is a communication issue. You heard Professor Pate today. He came to address us, he came to address the youth.
“Now, Professor Pate alone being in government in Nigeria, sends a strong signal to the international community that Nigeria means business.
“And who brought Professor Pate to work in this government? It is the president. So, he’s somebody who has a huge reputation and doesn’t want anything to fail.
”He (Pate) told us about his healthcare revolution, what he has been able to do in one year. Now, Nigerians don’t know this.
“So, there is a communication gap, right? If everything the government does, every good deeds they do are communicated to the grassroots, we would not be in this problem we have”, Benson added.
On the planned nationwide protest against hunger slated for to start on Thursday, August 1, 2024, the lawmaker expressed concerns that it may turn violent.
Rep. Benson who is also the Chairman House Committee on Defence, said President Bola Tinubu has always expressed his support for peaceful protests but the planned demonstration may be hijacked like it happened in the past.
“I like peaceful protest, Dangote protested peacefully. Did he get the result? Yes,” he said.
“Tinubu was a chief protester at some point. But now, we have credible intelligence to show that some people would turn the good thing the youths want to do, which is constitutional, to something totally different. Some people want to riot and loot. We have seen that happen before,” he said.
“Even the president we are talking about, nobody has remembered that he has been a victim of riot.
“They burned down a TV station that had journalists like you in them. Anything could have happen those people. They even tried to burn down his Nation newspaper.
“We don’t want that to happen. Is the government doing excellently well? No. But we are building, ramping up.
“This kind of dialogue has forced government to have a rethink and look at things in a more credible and positive manner but the government is not speaking enough.
“They are doing laudable things but Nigerians do not know. So, there is communication gap. If they bridge that communication gap, Nigerians would be wiser”, he expressed worries.