As Muslims World over end the Ramadan fast for the year 1439 AH and celebrate Eid el Fitr today 15th June 2018, we congratulate and felicitate with the entire Muslims worldwide and all Nigerians for a successful and peaceful righteous and spiritual devotion to one of the five pillars of Islam.
It is hoped that the virtue and value of the fast will manifest in our individual, public and private life and affairs for a greater, productive, just and equitable nation.
Nigeria Professionals use this period to call on government and organized private sector to use indigenous recognized professionals to create, utilize and sustain enabling environment for production, delivery of services and infrastructural development.
As professionals, we remain part and parcel of the different segment of our nation and beyond and remain eager to avail our expertise in various professional fields.
While commending Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for signing on 2nd February 2018, the Presidential Executive Order ” for the Planning, Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigeria Content in Contracts in Science, Engineering and Technology” we observed that the Council for the Order is composed mainly of cabinet ministers and few other interests, including some private sector Associations, but with total nonrepresentation of government recognized relevant professional bodies or Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) or its member body.
We hope this will be addressed. APBN is the third tripod of organized private sector Associations, the others being NACCIMA and MAN. APBN contributed to the final document that led to the order.
In the same vein, we once more call on the Federal Government to again reconstitute the yet to be reconstituted statutory regulatory bodies, particularly in Health. The non reconstitution of these bodies negates the principle of shared responsibilities.
We also use this occasion to remind us that as the political activities in our country begin to heighten towards the 2019 general elections, APBN and professional, expect and with patriotism look forward to politics characterized by wisdom, issues based, peace, decent, rational actions, objectivity and civic conduct in all electoral processes for informed and rightful choices.
Thank you.
Dr Omede Idris (MPH, fnma,fnipr,fnimn) is President Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria APBN
