A prominent Investment Banker and Former Chief of Staff to the Abia State Governor, Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu has spoken about the ongoing strike by Resident Doctors in Nigeria. He tasked all parties to think about the best interests of the citizens of Nigeria inspite of the teething challenges they face. He commended the convening of a conciliatory meeting to resolve the imbroglio.
The Negotiation team from the Federal Government and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) are trying to work out a solution to the current faceoff. Chief Mascot noted that a lot needs to be done to upgrade the medical system but he said it is never too late to take a step in the right direction.
On the other hand, he stated that he is aware of the sacrifice that the Resident Doctors make in order to answer the call of duty. However, his belief that the common man needs not to bear the brunt of the impasse remains sacrosanct. Chief Mascot said that the machinery of the government must swing into action to ensure that this crisis is not prolonged.
In the light of this development, he said that – ‘’It is possible to bring back the pride that we once enjoyed as a nation. The mid-sixties and early seventies were replete with highly functional medical facilities. It is possible to reenact the good times with concerted effort’’.
In a similar vein, he touched on the Academic Staff Union of Universities strike. He tasked all the stakeholders to work out lasting solutions to address this perennial challenge in the education sector. Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu said that all these issues point to the need to begin to work out holistic solutions. He called on every leader to map out concrete systems and a framework that enables the core sectors of our society not to suffer any breakdown. He commended the resilience of Nigerians who have continued to thrive and weather the storm. The Nigerian spirit is something he believes can take us to a place of relevance once all the right structures are put in place.
He charged the youths not to give in to various vices despite the current lull in academic activities. He encouraged them to look for ways to improve their value and work to be part of those that will contribute to the growth of our dear nation.
He reiterated the fact that – ‘’One of the things that make us what we are is our ability to tap into the huge resources that abound in Nigeria. With a population that stands above 180 million, the refined manpower can help us compete with other leading economies in the world’’.
He continued by saying – ‘’Among the many challenges that we face as a nation, we must never give up on our dear country. It is possible to work assiduously to birth the nation of our dreams’’. He spoke about countries that have been able to achieve this such as Singapore, China, etc. Chief Mascot stated that he is a possibility thinker and knows that the future holds very bright prospects.
In his final remarks, he said education, issues surrounding health, security and other key components of what make up our society must be well funded. Also, he urged every stakeholder to stay committed to playing their role in order to equitably build the Nigeria of our dreams.
