* Temporal pains necessary for better Nigeria – Ganduje
* Power sector undergoing full-scale diagnosis, Minister affirms
Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said that the full benefits of the Federal Government’s efforts to lessen the economic hardship Nigerians were experiencing might not be felt right away.
Gbajabiamila, however, expressed the belief that other policies, like the N25,000 interim pay increae for workers nationally for the nexr six months and the buses powered by compressed natural gas, would offer immediate help in addressing the welfare and transportation concerns of citizens.
Fielding questions from State House Correspondents at the end of the brief ceremony to mark the country’s 63rd independence anniversary in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“He (President Bola Tinubu) is a man who feels with his heart and sees the pain. And so, all these measures that he’s putting in place, measures that we may not be able to reap the benefits immediately. But in the short term, we will see some of the benefits,” Gbajabiamila told State House Correspondents after the 63rd Independence Anniversary Parade held at the forecourt of the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Citing the President’s nationwide broadcast, Gbajabiamila likened the economic malaise to “necessary” pangs before childbirth.
He said the pains would be forgotten when citizens began to enjoy the proceeds of the Tinubu-led reforms.
“Right now, we’re going through pains, necessary pains, I must say, almost like childbirth. Women go through necessary pains when they carry a nine-month pregnancy.
“But at the end of the day, the joy that awaits you after nine months is unquantifiable. And that’s exactly the way I want us to see it as Nigerians.
“The government has put so many things in place; you heard the President’s broadcast today. It was an encouraging one. It was empathic; the President made it very clear that he is a man with a heart,” he opined.
Gbajabiamila argued that Nigeria’s challenges are not peculiar to the country, adding that the nation was thriving through the collective resilience of its people.
“Undoubtedly, in any country, there’ll be challenges, and we’re part of that community of nations. So, we have our challenges. But we are very resilient people,” he noted.
Citing the Independence Day anniversary, Gbajabiamila said, “We saw what was on display today. We showcased the unity of Nigeria, from the cultural groups to the military parade and the people who sang for us.
“We saw Igbos, Hausas and Yorubas amongst the military parade, all coming together as one. And it’s that spirit I want to encourage Nigerians to continue to imbibe.”
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, on his part said the pains were necessary to build a solid foundation for the country’s future, albeit temporary.
“What we are seeing now is a temporary transition pain. But we believe that is the only way that we can lay a solid foundation for the socioeconomic development of this country.
“Of course, the removal of subsidy has brought some hardship. But you know, if we continue with subsidies, there is no doubt that this country will come to a standstill.
“But these pains are temporary pains because when you get a dislocation, and you want the dislocation to be rectified, there is no doubt that you have to suffer some pains,” Ganduje theorised.
The Minister of Power, Adelabu Adebayo, also speaking, urged Nigerians to “exercise some level of patience and understanding” with the government even as his ministry works to break the jinx of the age-old challenge of unstable power supply in the country.
“I’m using this opportunity of the anniversary to appeal to Nigerians to exercise some level of patience and understanding.
“We can feel their pains; they have suffered for too long…I’m promising that for my part, from the Federal Ministry of Power, we’re committed to ensuring that Nigerians are saved from the years of energy poverty they have suffered,” Adebayo affirmed.
However, the Minister was reluctant to state a timeline to fulfil his promise, explaining that “it will be premature of me, after five weeks in office, to come out and make some commitment, which is not backed by any fact.”
He assured Nigerians that the Ministry of Power is concluding its overall diagnosis of the challenges in the sector.
The analysis would answer questions such as “What are the causes? How do we move forward? What are the workable solutions? Not just any solution, realistic solutions that can actually give back to Nigerians dividends of democracy within the shortest possible time,” Adebayo disclosed.
Sunday’s ceremony was Tinubu’s first as President.
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