Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary on 1st October, 2023 came amid mixed feelings for all Nigerians, since President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy shortly after his oath of office in his nationwide address on 29th May, 2023.
For this year’s celebration, the federal government’s choice of low-key celebration is commendable. The modesty is a natural way by which it had proved itself to be feeling the pains that Nigerians are going through daily since the removal of the cankerworm that had drained the commonwealth of our supposed great country for years after independence.
As a new national government with a promised of “renewed hope”, clutching the trigger on its very first official assignment on the devil’s pipeline, does to millions of its population, what the live bullets do to the living. Alas! It is no fun fare. This failure of several years of past administrations when petroleum resources cost fortunes in global market is the first milestone achieved by the present federal government.
However, there is no thanks to the federal government that things went sour for several households. The new economic measure took away the purchasing power of these households with cost of every commodity skyrocketed to triple amount of their initial prices. Suddenly, the Nigerian labour congress (NLC) and trade union congress (TUC) became agitative, having found that their members are at the defensive side of the wing. The are intense that the employment of all workers today either in the public and private sectors has become underemployment for more than half of this productive segment of the huge population.
The reality calls for amelioration and genuine negotiation by all parties concerned to live and let live. The federal government after a while announced a grant of one hundred and thirty-six billion naira to the thirty-six states of the federation and the FCT Abuja to enable this level of governments to cushion the harsh economic effects that gripped all residents in all ramifications brought by the extraordinary increase in the pump prices of petrol, diesel and gas as alpha products. That was a step only in search of a genuine way to mitigate the crisis at hand.
Democracy as a form of government has some sterling qualities and the greatest principle is for government to ensure “the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people.” With this binding, governance is a charismatic service to the people by charismatic leaders who must abide by this principle always to avoid conflict of interest that may arises from series of whims and caprices. According to Niccolo Machiavelli, his maxim of “The end justify the means” best explained the consequential effects of government policies on a nation and her people when its policies become issues for a review. With this postulation tailored to any policy and its criticism, it is obvious to quickly feel the pulse of the citizenry to effectively borrow wisdom to implement good governance.
Since the rolled out of palliative in some state and by the federal government, of spectacular notice was the official broadcast of President Bola Tinubu to Nigerians on the Nation’s 63rd Anniversary in Abuja. His address on labour matters effectively met the plights of majority of Nigerians when he announced additional thirty-five thousand naira increment for all workers to enhance the minimum wage for the next six months interval.
Also, the immediate removal of the value added tax (VAT) on diesel in the same time frame would be felt positively by all Nigerians across the country. Since May 29th this year, the most difficult task of most Nigerians is feeding which bears outrageous prices followed by the cost of transportation. Part of the bonus for Nigerians includes reduction in transport fares with introduction of buses that use compressed natural gas (CNG), bringing additional fifteen millions vulnerable households into the social safety net, provision of investment funding for enterprises with great potential including the small, micro and medium enterprises.
Special tribute to the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, Right Honourable (Dr.) Tajudeen Abass for his pre-independence speech on Saturday, 30th September 2023. The speech as shown virtually online had received massive applause for doing justice to how to reset the clock of the country on the journey of the “renewed hope” mantra with his specific mentioned of giving the Nigerian workers a living wage as antidote to cure corruption in the system.
President Bola Tinubu has again begun to reset the clock in a manner espoused by the Rt. Hon. Abass with reward for the suffering that Nigerians passed through due to the removal of the fuel subsidy that placed the federal government of the yesteryears under hegemony. Nigerians can now feel the sense of liberation. With this feat, more are likely to come the way of Nigerians to fully fulfil the thrust of the present Administration. Doing this, Nigeria is just a little miles away to reclaim its pride on the continent of Africa.
Reuben Hopo, brand strategist and reputation manager sent in this piece through [email protected]
The post Nigeria’s 63rd Independence: President Bola Tinubu Rewards Nigerians -By Reuben Hopp first appeared on Opinion Nigeria.
