Ayu Tasks Professionals on National Development

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

National Chairman of  Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)  Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has charged Nigerian professionals on national development, saying it is incumbent upon them to create a society where the professions and professionals can thrive.

Ayu gave the charge at weekend in Abuja while speaking at the 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Professionals Association (OPA).

Represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Simon Imobo-Tswam,  Ayu regretted that despite the plethora of professionals running the nation’s affairs, the state of the nation has left much to be desired.

Ayu’s speech, entitled “The Task Before Nigerian Professionals,” reads in part: “Professionals are people with a profession. And a profession is what we do for a living as opposed to pastimes.It usually requires advanced training or  formal qualification.”

“It is professionals that make (or should make)  the difference in any system or society by virtue of their advanced training and expertise. In fact, the state of any society is the state of her professions and the quality of her professionals.”

The speech reads further: “When we look at Nigeria today, we see professionals everywhere, manning the critical sectors of her economy: our hospitals, schools, roads, economy, ports etc.

“Some of the professions are even chartered. So, those running Nigeria today are professional soldiers, professional bankers, chartered accountants, chartered engineers, professional teachers etc.

“Despite the above, buildings are collapsing, roads are not lasting, banks declare false profits, the university system has no stability, security is being compromised, prison-breaks are becoming commonplace, inflation is climbing….everyday, we hear of mind-blowing financial scandals in this ministry or in that agency.

“The question on the lips of concerned Nigerians is: ‘Where are the accountants, the  auditors, the soldiers, the engineers, the builders, who are all professionals?’

“What are the professionals among us doing? Can they do better? Do the professions need professionalizing?”

The PDP national chairman pointed out that the greatest responsibility of professionals is to make society better, but acknowledged that the Nigeria of 2022 was hostile to professionals.

He therefore, counselled that it was the patriotic duty of professionals to help in creating the ideal environment that enables them to thrive and make the greatest contributions to society.

He said with 2023 by the corner, Nigerian professionals have the duty to mobilize the people to perform their civic duties next February. 

“Our people need to vote massively and vote right. They must vote for development, for human dignity and their righ to life. These are things that the PDP represents,” he added.

The former senate president was later presented with an “Award of Excellence for the Advancement of Democracy in Nigeria.”