…President Tinubu Announces N25,000 Wage Award for Workers for the Next Six Months In an independence day broadcast showing compassion with Nigerians for the current hardships they’ve had to endure, President Bola Tinubu sought more understanding from the citizens while giving context to the circumstances that motivated his government’s policy direction. The President went ahead
…President Tinubu Announces N25,000 Wage Award for Workers for the Next Six Months
In an independence day broadcast showing compassion with Nigerians for the current hardships they’ve had to endure, President Bola Tinubu sought more understanding from the citizens while giving context to the circumstances that motivated his government’s policy direction.
The President went ahead to introduce a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation. “For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional Twenty-Five Thousand naira per month”, the President said in his 14 minutes broadcast to the nation in commemoration of Nigeria’s 63rd Independence Anniversary.
The President explained that states were considered in the government’s plan to mitigate the hardship caused by the petroleum subsidy removal stressing that “to ensure better grassroots development, we set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas. States have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices”.
President Tinubu who said he promised to reshape the economy on his inauguration said “I am attuned to the hardships that have come. I have a heart that feels and eyes that see. I wish to explain to you why we must endure this trying moment. Those who sought to perpetuate the fuel subsidy and broken foreign exchange policies are people who would build their family mansion in the middle of a swamp. I am different. I am not a man to erect our national home on a foundation of mud. To endure, our home must be constructed on safe and pleasant ground.
“Reform may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require. We now carry the costs of reaching a future Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few. A Nigeria where hunger, poverty and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever fading past”, he said.
He said making the economy more robust by lowering transport costs will be key adding that government has opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the nation. “These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares”, he stressed.
The President hailed the nation’s past heroes, founding fathers and mothers for their struggles for liberation which, according to him, brought about today’s modern Nigeria.
President Tinubu commended the judiciary, which he described as a pillar of democracy and fairness, just as he also thanked members of the dynamic civil society organizations and labour unions in the country for their dedication to Nigerian democracy.
Below is the Full Text Of The President’s Broadcast
Dear Compatriots,
It is my unique honour to address you on this day, the 63rd anniversary of our nation’s independence, both as the President of our dear country and, simply, as a fellow Nigerian.
2. On this solemn yet hopeful day, let us commend our founding fathers and mothers. Without them, there would be no modern Nigeria. From the fading embers of colonialism, their activism, dedication and leadership gave life to the belief in Nigeria as a sovereign and independent nation.
3. Let us, at this very moment, affirm that as Nigerians, we are all endowed with the sacred rights and individual gifts that God has bestowed on us as a nation and as human beings. No one is greater or lesser than the other. The triumphs that Nigeria has achieved shall define us. The travails we have endured shall strengthen us. And no other nation or power on this earth shall keep us from our rightful place and destiny. This nation belongs to you, dear people. Love and cherish it as your very own.
4. Nigeria is remarkable in its formation and essential character. We are a broad and dynamic blend of ethnic groups, religions, traditions and cultures. Yet, our bonds are intangible yet strong, invisible yet universal. We are joined by a common thirst for peace and progress, by the common dream of prosperity and harmony and by the unifying ideals of tolerance and justice.
5. Forging a nation based on the fair application of these noble principles to a diverse population has been a task of significant blessing but also serial challenge. Some people have said an independent Nigeria should never have come into existence. Some have said that our country would be torn apart. They are forever mistaken. Here, our nation stands and here we shall remain.
6. This year, we passed a significant milestone in our journey to a better Nigeria. By democratically electing a 7th consecutive civilian government, Nigeria has proven that commitment to democracy and the rule of law remains our guiding light.
7. At my inauguration, I made important promises about how I would govern this great nation. Among those promises, were pledges to reshape and modernize our economy and to secure the lives, liberty and property of the people.
8. I said that bold reforms were necessary to place our nation on the path of prosperity and growth. On that occasion, I announced the end of the fuel subsidy.
9. I am attuned to the hardships that have come. I have a heart that feels and eyes that see. I wish to explain to you why we must endure this trying moment. Those who sought to perpetuate the fuel subsidy and broken foreign exchange policies are people who would build their family mansion in the middle of a swamp. I am different. I am not a man to erect our national home on a foundation of mud. To endure, our home must be constructed on safe and pleasant ground.
10. Reform may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require. We now carry the costs of reaching a future Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few. A Nigeria where hunger, poverty and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever fading past.
11. There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today’s difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.
12. My government is doing all that it can to ease the load. I will now outline the path we are taking to relieve the stress on our families and households.
13. We have embarked on several public sector reforms to stabilize the economy, direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight inflation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.
14. Based on our talks with labour, business and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation. For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional Twenty-Five Thousand naira per month.
15.To ensure better grassroots development, we set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas. States have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices.
16. Making the economy more robust by lowering transport costs will be key. In this regard, we have opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the nation. These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares.
17. New CNG conversions kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy procurement process. We are also setting up training facilities and workshops across the nation to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs. This is a groundbreaking moment where, as a nation, we embrace more efficient means to power our economy. In making this change, we also make history.
18. I pledged a thorough housecleaning of the den of malfeasance the CBN had become. That housecleaning is well underway. A new leadership for the Central Bank has been constituted. Also, my special investigator will soon present his findings on past lapses and how to prevent similar reoccurrences. Henceforth, monetary policy shall be for the benefit of all and not the exclusive province of the powerful and wealthy.
19. Wise tax policy is essential to economic fairness and development. I have inaugurated a Committee on Tax Reforms to improve the efficiency of tax administration in the country and address fiscal policies that are unfair or hinder the business environment and slow our growth.
20.To boost employment and urban incomes, we are providing investment funding for enterprises with great potential. Similarly, we are increasing investment in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
21. Commencing this month, the social safety net is being extended through the expansion of cash transfer programs to an additional 15 million vulnerable households.
22. My administration shall always accord the highest priority to the safety of the people. Inter-Service collaboration and intelligence sharing have been enhanced. Our Service Chiefs have been tasked with the vital responsibility of rebuilding the capacities of our security services.
23. Here, I salute and commend our gallant security forces for keeping us safe and securing our territorial integrity. Many have paid the ultimate sacrifice. We remember them today and their families. We shall equip our forces with the ways and means needed to perform their urgent task on behalf of the people,
24. We shall continue to make key appointments in line with the provisions of the Constitution and with fairness toward all. Women, Youth and the physically challenged shall continue to be given due regard in these appointments.
25. May I take this opportunity to congratulate the National Assembly for its role in the quick take-off of this administration through the performance of its constitutional duties of confirmation and oversight.
26.I similarly congratulate the judiciary as a pillar of democracy and fairness.
27.I also thank members of our dynamic civil society organizations and labour unions for their dedication to Nigerian democracy. We may not always agree but I value your advice and recommendations. You are my brothers and sisters and you have my due respect.
28. Fellow compatriots, the journey ahead will not be navigated by fear or hatred. We can only achieve our better Nigeria through courage, compassion and commitment as one indivisible unit.
29. I promise that I shall remain committed and serve faithfully. I also invite all to join this enterprise to remake our beloved nation into its better self. We can do it. We must do it. We shall do it.!!!
30.I wish you all a happy 63rd Independence Anniversary.
31. Thank you for listening.
32. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Atiku, Akpabio, Obi Felicitate Nigerians
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his counterpart in the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi on Sunday felicitated with Nigerians on the country’s 63rd Independence Anniversary.
Alhaji Abubakar the 2023 PDP presidential candidate, spoke in a statement issued by his media aide, Mazi Paul Ibe said
“Sixty-three years ago, when this great country acquired independence, it was upon the promise of abundant prosperity and the principle of social justice.
“As a nation, we have continued to struggle to manifest the dreams of our founding fathers in upholding the promises of shared prosperity and social justice.
“We have encountered great moments when the flag of our dear country flew tall on the global stage through the industry of our sportsmen and women, the prolific distinction of our academia and the top-notch artistry of Nigerian talents in the global music scene.
“The talents and doggedness of young Nigerians who have refused to give up on the country are the inspiration for a greater future that we celebrate today,” he said adding: “The energy of the Nigerian youth is a formidable force in the consternation of manpower and skills that power the global economy. “
The former Vice President said that across the globe and in various fields of human endeavour, Nigerians had proven to have the competence to rival any of their peers from any part of the world. “That success – the gallantry of our youth – is the primal element of what we celebrate today as a nation.
“The challenge before us all is in ensuring that the political leadership in the country that we call home should be worthy of our pride as a people and not of telling embarrassment.
“Our democracy has triumphed so far due to the fidelity of our conviction that a democracy, when properly nurtured, should bring out the best in us and of us.
“As Nigerians, we are all not unfamiliar with the hardships in the economy, security, and other vital aspects of our society,” he said.
“While I enjoin us all to submit our strengths in faith to the Almighty God, we must be prepared to do our best to pull the country back from this point of uncertainty to a place of common safety.”
In his own message, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, urged Nigerians not to despair over the agonizing situation in the country after 63 years of nationhood, but to remain resolute and hopeful that a new Nigeria is still possible.
Mr Obi said in a statement by his media office that the situation in the country might be critical, but certainly not hopeless. He said the real reason Nigerians have remained visibly mired in poor governance and poverty after 63 years is that successive administrations through policy actions and inactions have attempted to suppress conscientious people so as to remain in power.
Mr Obi drew an analogy between a nation’s life and the parameters of modern technology; if the input is garbage in then the output will be garbage out, he said. “When you Google a subject, the response you get will be based on the questions you input. Every nation invariably determines its own fate and destiny; and gets a leadership they deserve. Nigeria cannot be an exception. If we subscribe to rogue leadership, then we must face the attending consequences.
“At 63 years, what type of questions are Nigerians asking of their leaders and what type of answer are we expecting? If at 63 years we cannot conduct an election to allow the will of the people to prevail, what type of country do we expect?
“Every year on October 1st since 1960 we try to review our life as a nation but on looking back can we say that where we are is where we are supposed to be despite our vast human and natural resources? The answer is no.”
Despite current realities , Mr Obi is hopeful that a New Nigeria is possible but insists that the burden of responsibility is on Nigerians to take back their country from those he said are engaged in state capture.
While wishing Nigerians a happy independence anniversary, Mr Obi prayed for God’s continued mercy and grace on the nation.
On his part, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, congratulated Nigerians on the 63rd independence anniversary of the country.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, Mr Akpabio said in spite of the challenges the nation is facing, there is hope for a better tomorrow.
“In spite of challenges, there were many landmarks in the nation’s 63 years to give a sense of optimism for a better tomorrow.
“Each country has its unique path with unique challenges it must pass through,” he said.
He said that the fabrics of national cohesion were increasingly being braced by the unique Nigerian struggles.
Mr Akpabio said that he was confident that Nigeria was on the correct pathway to rediscovery.
“As we reminiscence on our 63 years as a country, it is tempting to allow present economic and security considerations becloud the triumphs of our nationhood.
“I dare say that in several fields of endeavour, the world has reckoned and continues to reckon with Nigeria in business, politics, sports and the arts.
“Indeed, I must today salute Nigerian music and showbiz stars who have almost through sheer grit and grace taken the world stage with a number of individual accomplishments.
“It is against this background that I call on Nigerians everywhere not to give up hope in the nation,” he said.
Mr Akpabio added: “I make this pledge on the occasion of our nation’s Independence Anniversary that the National Assembly under my leadership will continue to provide legislations and other parliamentary initiatives to push forward the Nigeria of our dreams.
“What I ask of every citizen is to do their part in the collaboration between government and the populace in making tomorrow a better Nigeria for all.
“I congratulate the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, GFCR on being the unique Nigerian with the unique opportunity of turning Nigeria towards the country of our dreams.
“On behalf of my colleagues in the National Assembly, I pledge to assist him within the limits of constitutional provisions in this drive.
“My congratulations also go to all my colleagues in the National Assembly and Nigerians as a whole on this unique anniversary.”
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