The executive governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, says Nigeria is in dire need of competent managers of human and other resources to achieve sustainable national security and development.
Diri, who stated this Wednesday while presenting a keynote address at the South-South Zonal Management Summit organised by the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) in Yenagoa, pointed out that the level of insecurity currently plaguing the country was unprecedented.
The summit, with the theme, “Managing Security Challenges for National Integration in Nigeria: The South-South Paradox,” drew participants from all the states of the region.
Represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Diri said that apart from insurgency, kidnapping and other kinetic security challenges, the country was suffering what he identified as political, social, health and food insecurity.
According to him, the country is more divided than ever before because of unnecessary partisanship, tribalistic and unpatriotic management of both human and natural resources.
He said, “Insecurity comes in various forms. It is not only the kinetic insecurity our security agencies are dealing with such as armed robbery, insurgency, kidnapping and other criminal activities.
“We have insecurity facing our political system. In this country, we have a situation where most politicians no longer have values but only pursue their selfish interests. As far as their interest is protected or fortified, they can damn any consequences and even the interest of the people they are leading. That is why some of them can change like the chameleon and jump ship easily.
“Do we have enough social security? Again, the answer is no. Our moral system has been affected by both ‘coastal and gully erosion’. The love for a brother is no longer a sine qua non in Nigeria. No wonder, Nigeria is more divided than it used to be because those in charge have mortgaged our social security. And so, we are now tribal champions instead of being national champions.”
Also speaking, the President and council chairman of NIM (Chartered), Mrs Patience Anabor, observed that the current level of insecurity had caused collosal damage to the national economy.