Mr Kazeem Adebanjo, the Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu Branch in Lagos State, said on Tuesday that lawyers would continue to engage the government on issues that affect the populace.
He said with or without strike, the responsibility of keeping the government and its officials on their toes would be sustained to promote democracy.
Adebanjo said: “As far as we are concerned, we will continue to engage the government on issues because what we are agitating for goes beyond the issue of fuel pricing.
It has to do with transparency in government, doing things right, the issue of security as it pertains to the Boko Haram sect, and other issues in the polity.
The National Assembly should also be alive to its responsibilities to ensure good governance,” Adebanjo said.
In a separate interview, a banker, Mr Azeem Abiodun, urged the government not to renege on its promise to provide the necessary palliatives to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.
For Mr Aderemi Akinola, a script writer, the voice of the people should be heard on national issues for the deepening of the country’s democracy.
“Subsidy removal will be good for Nigerians’ welfare, but the way and manner it was done is what we frowned at. The voice of the people must be heard, particularly on national issues.
“Democracy is the rule of the majority; so we must practice it the way it should be,” he said.
On his part, the Chairman, Ikorodu Development Association, Alhaji Lamidi Gbadamosi, called for better communication between the government and the people on policies and programmes.
On the lessons to be learnt from the recent fuel subsidy strike, he said effective communication and dialogue should be employed by the government in addressing restiveness among the people.
“Nobody is against the subsidy removal, but the timing and lack of effective communication may have brought about the strike.
“The government and Nigerians must have leant some useful lessons,” Gbadamosi said.