Participate in Active Politics to Tackle Challenges Facing Nigeria, Professionals Told

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The Association of Professional Body of Nigeria (APBN) has urged members to be actively involved in addressing the contemporary challenges in the country by demanding accountability from public and political office holders.

It also charged members to partake in the politics of governance at all levels in order to collaborate effectively with government in policy strategies.

These positions were contained in a communique issued yesterday at the end of a two-day “2024 Presidential Retreat Warri” with the theme “Contemporary Challenges In Nigeria: The Response of Professionals,” which was organised by APBN.

The presidents and delegates of 17 professional bodies from different parts of the country attended the retreat that was held in Warri, Delta State.

In the communique that was signed by Mr. Manason Rubaino and Mrs. Adefolake Adeniyi, the President and Secretary General of the SPBN respectively, also called on professional bodies to showcase their local content by engaging and encouraging the youth to follow their footsteps, especially at the primary and post-primary levels of education.

It urged the federal government to strengthen the independency of the judicial system by ensuring parity and equity as well as reviewed moribund laws and regulations to enable stronger institutions.

APBN also called for enabling the regulatory professional bodies and law enforcement agencies to propose laws and regulations that were enforceable under constitutional provisions.

It suggested the re-orientation and re-branding of the importance of patriotism, discrimination and dichotomy in the public service and elective positions as well as reintroduction of history and moral instruction at all levels of educational curriculum in both formal and informal education.

The group called for total disregard for sycophancy and ensuring that public sanctions are applied on erring public officers, individuals, professionals and government appointees to serve as deterrent to would-be violators.

The association also resolved that Nigeria should adopt community policing instead of state policing as well as the use of technology in tackling the seemingly intractable insecurity challenges in the country. 

It also stressed the need for government to follow due process in procurement and contract awards at all levels of government adding that quacks should be exposed and prosecuted by professional bodies with the backing of APBN and established laws of the federation.