Immediate past Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba has felicitated Nigerians on the occasion of the country’s 63rd Independence anniversary.
In a goodwill message, Agba called on Nigerians to pray for peace, unity, and development of the nation.
He urged the federal government, under the able leadership of President Bola Tinubu and the organized labour, not to foreclose further negotiations on their demands, regardless of the directive by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to their members to begin a nationwide indefinite strike on October 3, 2023.
Agba called on both parties to review their respective positions, reach a reasonable understanding, and meet each other at a middle ground, in the overall interest of the national economy.
According to him: “As we celebrate our 63rd Independence anniversary as a nation, it is advised that we reflect on our journey to nationhood and the series of problems that have over the years militated against national economic prosperity.
“While I commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his audacity in announcing the policy of fuel subsidy removal as a significant pathway to saving the humongous sums of money that were hitherto spent on subsiding the indulgence of the rich in our society, the administration should take the opportunity of the negotiations with organized labour to make public the specific programmes and projects that the money saved would freely fund in the forms of palliatives.
“The Organised Labour that I know would show understanding because they would not want the national economy to be hurt by its proposed indefinite strike. This is not the time to shut down the national economy. Rather, this is the time to rally support for President Bola Tinubu to conclusively deal with the elephant in the room-fuel subsidy- which he had removed.
Agba took the opportunity to advise against moves by the opposition to collaborate with the organized labour in a politically motivated bid to shut down the economy with the aim of possibly bringing down the government.
He said this was the time to rise above partisan fray and join hands to prevail on both the federal government and the organized labour not to give up on further dialogue.
Agba expressed confidence in the patriotism of both parties to avert the looming strike even in the eleventh hour and urged Nigerians to intercede to God for divine intervention that will bring about a peaceful resolution of the needless face-off.
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