By Atolani Akanni.
The South-West Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had lauded the national broadcast of President Bola Tinubu, urging Nigerians to be patient with the President for a better future for the country.
The SDP South-West Zonal Secretary, Mr Femi Olaniyi, made this remark, while reacting to Tinubu’s national broadcast to Nigerians on current economic challenges on Monday night in Abuja.
Olaniyi, who is also the SDP Chairman in Lagos State, stated that some of the programmes by the President would certainly yield good results.
“This broadcast again shows that there is future for Nigerians if we can exercise a bit of patience with the President.
“We urge Nigerians to show understanding and allow him to stabilise all the structures and programmes which we believe are going to be of benefits to everybody and unborn children.
“Without over-stressing the palliatives, the measures the President is taking to stabilise the economy are in line and noteworthy.
“The results may not come as a miracle, we have to wait for it to yield effectively later,”he said.
Olaniyi urged the organised labour unions to show understanding with the President and avoid all destabilisation forms.
On the President’s ministerial nominees being screened by the Senate, Olaniyi expressed confidence in the nominees capacity and experience to deliver.
According to him, the likes of Stella Okotete, Betta Edu and others have distinguished themselves in their various field of endeavours.
“These people, we believe, have done very well and will liberate the country and pave ways for the youths,” Olaniyi said.
Tinubu’s nationwide was tagged: “After Darkness Comes the Glorious Dawn.”
The President used the broadcast to urge Nigerians to continue to bear with the decision on fuel subsidy removal and bridging the preferential exchange rate system.
He promised that the decisions were based on the long-term benefit to the national economy and socio-political well-being of citizens.
Tinubu called for the support of all Nigerians of goodwill in the fight against those that had benefited from the flawed economic policies of the past and were fighting back.
Reeling out palliative measures, the President said that the Federal Government had approved N200 billion as intervention for provision of stable food and agricultural inputs.
Tinubu said that his administration would also invest N50 billion each to cultivate 150,000 hectares of rice and maize, while N50 billion each would also be ear-marked to cultivate 100,000 hectares of wheat and cassava.
He said that the Federal Government was also collaborating with the other two-tiers of government toward ensuring that various palliatives initiated by the administration got down to the grassroots.
According to him, the Federal Government has also approved the Infrastructure Support Fund to enable states intervene and invest in critical areas and bring relief to many of the pain points as well as revamp decaying healthcare and educational infrastructure.
The President also announced the provision of buses to states and local government areas for mass transit at affordable rates.
‘’We have made provision to invest N100 billion between July 2023 and March 2024 to acquire 3,000 units of 20-seater CNG-fuelled buses.
President Tinubu also unveiled plans to provide a N75 billion credit facility between July and March 2024 to 75 enterprises to strengthen the manufacturing sector.
He added that his administration would energise MSMEs and the informal sector with N125 billion among other schemes, to engender sustainable economic growth.
On minimum wage for workers, Tinubu said that budget provision would be made immediately an agreement was reached with labour unions.