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By Bimbola Oyesola
Against the backdrop of the President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address to the nation, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) yesterday, charged the Federal Government to be more definitive in its pronouncements and expedite action on all announced palliatives.
Speaking in Lagos, the Director-General of NECA stated that “while we commend the President’s commitment to fix the economy and alleviate the suffering of Nigerians and organised businesses, more definitive, broader interventions with timelines for implementation will also be very important. The President’s address was full of intent, without definitive timelines for implementation of the laudable plans.”
Taking a look at the President’s address and the announced palliatives, the NECA Director General, said while the announced N25,000 wage adjustment for a section of the public servants; provision of CNG buses and further increase of the social safety nets investments to cover another 15 million households are commendable, the wage award doesn’t take into cognizance the fact that all Nigerians, including organised businesses are affected by the fuel subsidy removal and also need some measure of support.
He said, “Having mentioned the procurement of the CNG buses in his August address to the nation, we had expected a more definitive and time-bound pronouncement on when the buses will be procured and put to use.
“It is important that the procurement should be accelerated to aid the populace and reduce transportation pressures.”
He reasoned that wider consultation and private sector engagement cannot be over-emphasized.
According to Oyerinde, while the government continues to roll out its plans to ameliorate the challenges on the populace, more definite efforts with realistic time-lines should be made to revive the economy and the organised private sector being the engine of national development.
He stated, “It is not enough for the Federal Government to dole out money in the name of palliatives to state governments, a more innovative, effective and trackable distribution and monitoring mechanisms should also be put in place to measure the impact and efficiency of the implemented schemes.”
