By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The National Chairman of the 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 OnTiv Professionals Association (OPA), which held at the Nigeria Army Resource Centre, Asokoro.
Represented by Simon Imobo-Tswam, his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ayu regretted that despite the plethora of professionals running the nation’s affairs, the state of the nation has left much to be desired.
Dr 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.
“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 the greatest contributions to society.
He said with 2023 by the corner, Nigerian professionals, especially OnTiv Professionals Association (OPA), 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 right 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.”
Other dignitaries at the occasion were: former Comptroller-General of Prisons, Barr. Abraham Akpe; the President-General of Mzough-uTiv (MUT) Worldwide, CP Iorbee Ihyagh (Rtd); the Chairman of OnTiv Professionals Board of Trustees (BoT), Dr. Emmanuel Gemade; President, OnTiv Professionals Association (Nigeria), Chief Emmanuel Aza; former CBN director and Guest Speaker at the event, Dr. Moses Tule as well as the Chairman, AGM Planning Committee/Deputy Corps Marshal, Julius Asom (Rtd.).
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