…Current pains will produce better Nigeria –Osinbajo

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, said the current administration is doing everything necessary to make lives better for Nigerians even as he assured that the country will come out of the current challenges better than it had ever been.

The acting president, who also restated that the Buhari’s administration was committed to the wellbeing of its people, said government has been judiciously managing its lean resources to ensure it keeps up with its responsibilities as the country was operating “at less than 60 per cent of revenues as at 2015 till today.”

Osinbajo stated this while addressing leaders of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), who led protests to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, to register their displeasure over the current hardships faced by Nigerians.

Acting President Osinbajo also said the Buhari government was still consulting with different groups to get inputs into its economic recovery and growth plan to get the country off the biting economic crisis, even as he added that government will soon be meeting with labour union and other critical groups.

“There is so much we can do with the Nigerian economy, we are going to be consulting with the labour union and civil societies on our economic recovery and growth plan, which we intend to launch this month.

“There is supposed to be a consultation on it so that we can take a look at the issues that are important, especially to labour and civil societies and we can incorporate them into the plan,” he said.

He however lamented that Nigerians were not throwing their full weight behind the anti corruption programme of the current administration, adding that it was wrong to see the current war against corruption as “witch hunting or selective.”

The event at the Presidential Villa saw members of the organized labour handing over an 18-point agenda, which captures several demands, including recommendations that public office holders forfeit assets they refused to declare.

The group comprising the TUC and NLC, as well as members of some civil society organizations in Abuja, led by Bobboi Kaigama and Ayuba Wabba, had gone to the Presidential Villa, to protest against the policies of President Muhamnadu Buhar’s administration.

But Osinbajo informed the Labour leaders that over 22 states were owing salaries for up to six or eight months as at the time Buhari’s administrative took over and had to offer bail out three times at a time it was losing 60 per cent revenue on account of restiveness in the Niger Delta.

The acting president however lauded the labour leaders for taking up the campaign on behalf of Nigerians to the Villa, saying a democratically elected government must constantly report to the people and is accountable to them, hence the reason he was receiving unions, assuring that government will take action on the many demands raised.

According to him, Nigerians must endure the pains of a biting recession, if the country would be better as there is no gain without pain.

According to him “every time you fight corruption the way we are trying to fight corruption, there is a major fight back, because corruption in this country is wealthy, powerful, influential and it is in every aspect of our lives.

It is in practically all institutions, including religious institutions.”

“The social media campaign of bring back corruption is an orchestrated one. Nobody that is suffering can say bring back corruption. He encouraged Nigerians to speak up against corrupt officials and those trying to derail the course of justice.

On their demand that due process be followed, Osinbajo said the country need an honest leader and had that in Buhari.

“If the leadership of this country is not honest there is no way this country can survive. “We will continue to go round the circle. Things might be difficult today, but I am completely sure if we stay the course this country will not only get out of recession but always go to the path of sustainable development.

If we don’t fight corruption, all we are doing is a waste.” The Acting President commended them for taking their anti-corruption campaign to the Villa on behalf of the Nigerian people.

Earlier, the NLC President in his remark, said labour unions and their allies decided to visit the Presidential Villa as part of their protest on national action for good governance and the fight against corruption.

He said the workers were concerned about good governance and systemic corruption. They tendered an 18-point agenda to the Acting President as Wabba said workers will like to see a nation where public office holders forfeit assets they refused to declare.

He said workers would like to see the anti-corruption war permeating down to all levels of government. He also frowned at situation where state governments are owing workers’ salaries, saying, “all these must stop.”