Labour Party’s NWC drops partisanship, lauds Tinubu
…Says APC doing what PDP failed to do
By Joel Oladele, Abuja
Barely two months after the inauguration of Senator Bola Tinubu as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party (LP) has applauded the President for his good governance style and mass-oriented programme.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr. Abayomi Arabambi in Abuja on Tuesday.
Arabambi described as commendable, the efforts made so far by Tinubu-led administration to rejig the economy and called on Nigerians to support his policies.
He noted that the President meant well for the country with the removal of fuel subsidy and as such, the NWC of LP is looking beyond party sentiment and has decided to lend support to the current administration.
“With election over and the art of governance calling all sides, especially those on the saddle of national leadership, to direct the affairs of the nation in a manner reflective of national inclusion. To this end, we salute the dogged move of the incumbent president and his team in this direction which is clearly a rejig to the economy in all facets.
“It is for us at the Labour party to go beyond the divide of partisanship and mere politics. That is why we are calling on all Nigerians today to join hands with President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to boost the economy with the economy-relating packages that he has outlined in his maiden broadcast.
“The speech touched on the fundamentals of nation building that have eluded us for decades while being governed by past administrations.
“In the forty one paragraph speech, fifteen of such paragraphs are not, in any way, at a loss to us in the National Working Committee of the Labour Party. Specifically, paragraphs 15 to 30 which addressed the concerns of all Nigerians who are bearing the brunt of the removal of the fuel subsidy, albeit temporarily and the unified exchange rate.”
Speaking further on the removal of fuel subsidy, Arabambi said though the citizens are groaning due to its ripple effects, he said the policy has succeeded against powerful elements taking advantage of it.
“The president has explained that the once beneficial policy of the subsidy regime has turned into monumental conduit for a few rich and powerful elements that are bent on holding the progress of the country down and the removal, though hurting to Nigerians are releasing funds which so far is according to the President “we have saved over a trillion Naira that would have been squandered on the unproductive fuel subsidy which only benefitted smugglers and fraudsters. That money will now be used more directly and more beneficially for you and your families.”
He applauded the move by the President to empower the manufacturing sector, noting that the initiative is too good to be fought by the Labour Party in the name of politics.
“To do this, the President left Nigerians with some symphonic puzzle, a little addition and multiplication which is progressive and align with the Labour Party welfare and vision for national policy.
“The President said the manufacturing sector would be further empowered to deliver goods and services to the country with expansive view and to this end, N75 billion would be deployed to that sector between now and March next year this is an eleven month timeline for implementation, assessment and results, from which a review would be done.
“More rewarding and labour friendly approach is the loan at a single digit interest rate of 9 per cent per annum. In spite of this, the policy extends repayment period to 60 months. Do the maths, it translates to about Five years!
“That is a labour and productive friendly policy and programme that the Labour party cannot fight because of mere politics but support as our own labour members in the public and private sector are direct beneficiaries of this well laid out plan,” he noted.
The LP’s Spokesperson added that Micro, small and medium enterprises is another sector that will be favoured by the Federal Government’s policy and described it as an economic booster with positive effects on the local economy at the grassroot.
“Another package targeted at production, services, was the Micro, small and medium enterprises where your husbands, wives, sisters, brothers are friends are playing would be energized with another N124 billion.
“This would encompass N50 billion for conditional grant to 1 million nano businesses between now and March 2024 besides the powering of 1,300 nano businesses in each of the 774 logical governments in Nigeria.
“It is important that we see the figure and the huge positive impact such an economic booster does to the very local economy at the grassroot.
“The 1,300 nano businesses have been targeted with N50,000 each translating to N65,000,000 (Sixty Five Million Naira) in each local government and N50,310,000,000 (Fifty billion, three hundred and ten million naira) into the grassroot economy as a booster for the growth of the economy.
“Nothing can be more enduring for the economy than supporting the people in a country that needs all the supportive welfare package to drive innovation and sustainable living. Please note that these measures are sustaining.
“Another N75 billion to be doled out into the economy to serve as a further booster to commerce, a desire we all have, this investments, from the federal government as a mark of confidence in the Nigerian people, her youth and various businesses. It engenders confidence between the people and the federal government. who have found partnership to jointly take Nigeria out
“The target to fund 100,000 MSMEs and start-ups with N75 billion, the scheme where each enterprise promoter will be able to get between N500,000 to N1million at 9 per cent interest per annum and a repayment period of 36 months is laudable beyond politics. It is humane, welfare-centered and Labour friendly policy that deserve a national applause,” Arabambi claimed.
He stated that the Federal Government’s measure is more enduring compared to the palliative measure being suggested by some public analysts which focused on transportation.
“What an enduring measure of palliative than the myopic measure where so called expert public analysts focused on transportation as if the pains of Nigerians being canvassed by these self-styled analysts who appeared on TV was told only to surmount transportation challenges.
“Gentlemen of the press, you all know that planning for 200 million Nigerians is an arduous task that requires meticulous planning which should be all encompassing and not only for workers who take public transport to and from work. You can see from the broadcast that Nigerians of all ages and all works of life are captured in the economic rebirth.
“The all-encompassing approach to national economic rebirth by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration draws envy from many quarters. But please, Let the economy breathe, let the people breathe, now the nonce: ‘Let the poor Breathe’ has been giving a tangible meaning with this laudable policy,” He said.
Arabambi also lauded Tinubu’s plans to bring about a reform in the agricultural sector.
“How else can a government address the vital need of the people in agricultural than the kind of investment the Asiwaju government has clearly planned out covering immediate and long term approaches: release of grains from the strategic reserve to control hike, particularly of food prices, provision of fertilizers and seedlings to farmers at all levels, this will activate the agricultural activities at a measure never seen before in the country.
“More, in this direction, is the incentives to the farmers, and using strong performance record to attract development finance institutions, commercial banks as well as micro finance banks to invest in agricultural activities to boost the production of farm products and explore other value chains that would in turn strengthen our economy at all levels.
“Among this plan is ‘to support cultivation of 500,000 hectares of farmland and all-year-round farming practice remains on course. To be specific, N200 billion out of the N500 billion approved by the National Assembly will be disbursed as follows:Our administration will invest N50 billion each to cultivate 150,000 hectares of rice and maize.
“N50 billion each will also be earmarked to cultivate 100,000 hectares of wheat and cassava.” That is the president’s laudable programme, should we as Labour Party, quarrel with that? The question is, does it address our desire for Nigerians who labour on daily basis. You can see it does provide leeway to combat poverty in the land,” He stated.
…Says APC doing what PDP failed to do
The Spokesperson said the country would have been better if the former administration of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had addressed certain issues affecting the citizens.
“What we want is good governance, if PDP had delivered it, we would not have been where we are struggling to today, however, it is not late to start a good programme for the people and we are very fortunate to be witnesses to this.
“We salute the courage of the government to face headlong the infrastructural challenge across the nation and partnering with all states government to work on the critical state and rural infrastructure that would boost agric product evacuation to the factories and markets, recall that the industrial and manufacturing funds would inspire factories of all kinds to boost produce value chain.
“Now on much centered self-styled myopic advocacy by tele-analysts, you can see that it is the least of the various intervention by the federal government where over 3,000 unit of 20-seater compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fuelled busses With N100 billion between now and March 2024 a clear time-line challenging the public to demand accountability. All this will be loaned at a single digit rate and four years period for repayment to spur interest and quick wins,” He noted.
On minimum wage, he reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to reviewing the workers’ salary. He quoted the President saying, “I want to tell our workers this: your salary review is coming. That is a Presidential declaration, public servants go to the bank with it.”
He further appreciated the President, especially for the manner with which he handled the Labour protest and promised an unalloyed support for his government.
“Furthermore we can not because of one container load economist who loses an election continuously engages ourselves in action that is capable of destroying our democracy
“Finally, we commend the human right government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose administration ensured that Labour protest/rally to express their displeasure on the momentary impact of fuel subsidy were protected all through the process even when they provoked the state by destroying the Gate of the National Assembly to gain entrance.
“We thank the Government for not falling for the provocation by being antagonistic to those who caused that damage to the protective asset at the national assembly gate which has not been in use for almost over six months or more.
“It is important to state that this protest has established a new norm in all legal protest, where there are no incidents untowards happen.
“We hereby request that this standard is maintained if there ever arises a need for labour protest as we move towards national prosperity,” Arabambi concluded.
