Nigerians under the umbrella of concerned citizens have listed Seven things they want the government to look into beyond the #EndSARS protests which have been on for some days across the country.
The petitioners noted that this moment is the culmination of decades of dissatisfaction over the decay and corruption in Nigeria adding that it is unhealthy haste to fashion a unit termed “SWAT” to be a misrepresentation of the 5for5 demand.
According to the citizens, the protest is beyond #EndSARS, #EndSWAT, #EndPoliceBrutality but a demand for a systemic overhaul of governance and institutional reforms as the barest minimum.
They described themselves as clear-eyed youths and professionals in their respective fields who are tired of the way and manner the country has been run aground by successive administrations.
Top on the list of their demands is an immediate Institutional reform across all federal government institutions, agencies and parastatals especially focused on national security. The focus will be on improved welfare and terms of service for the police, military and all law enforcement agencies.
They want the government to provide body-worn cameras for operation, refurbished housing, health, academic, and pre- and post-retirement life insurance policy for the rank-and-file personnel.
Second, on the list of their demands is an urgent budgetary framework with 50% capital expenditure and 50% recurrent expenditure in all appropriation bill as they also demand a drastic reduction in the cost of governance adding that the national assembly, be first by streamlined into a unicameral legislative and be further stripped down to become a part-time job.
Thirdly, they said a more robust and engaged constitution designed and approved by all Nigerians will serve the nation noting that there had been several constitutional reviews where youths were absent. They demand an urgent referendum within 90 days to begin the line-by-line review, reconstruction and upgrade of the extant constitution to be more functional for a 21st Century nation.
Fourth on the list of their demand is that a state of emergency should be declared in the education sector and demand increase in the budgetary allocation to the educational sector by 50% and to double again within the next 24 months.
Their fifth demand is that a state of emergency should be declared in the health sector and demand increase in the budgetary allocation to health sector by 50%.
Sixth on the list of their demands is that a state of emergency should be declared in the ministry of Youths and Sports, Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of National Planning. They argued that the Not-Too-Young to run bill should be expanded to include–50% inclusion of youth under 40 in every cabinet in government.
The seventh demand is code of conduct reforms for all elected public office holders to have themselves and their children use public schools and public hospitals only, immediate removal of immunity clause from public office holders and immediate resignation of every public officer found guilty of any forms of crimes and corruption.
