The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen on Tuesday congratulated President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima on the one year in office.
The Speaker said Tinubu has, in the last year, demonstrated courageous leadership and taken bold decisions in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
Acknowledging that the President met a lot of challenges in various sectors of the Nigerian society, including insecurity, economic downturn, national disunity, among others, Speaker Abbas expressed delight that the Tinubu administration has been making significant strides in steadying the ship of the state through impactful reforms, policies, programmes and initiatives.
“The President demonstrated his readiness for leadership on the first day in office by stopping the corruption-infested fuel subsidy, which had become a drain to the country. The subsidy regime was already throwing Nigeria into bankruptcy. Though that decision has expectedly caused some pains, it is a necessary economic policy that is key to our economic recovery and growth.
“The fuel subsidy removal and merger of the exchange rates showed his strong political will to prevent the administration from being taken hostage by the bureaucracy. He has equally rolled out some programmes and initiatives to alleviate the pains associated with the subsidy removal, including grants, education loans, distribution of food items fertiliser, and cash transfers,” the Speaker said.
Speaker Abbas added that President Tinubu is repositioning the National Social Investment Fund (NSIP) to deliver maximum value to the intended beneficiaries. To this end, he has established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative to provide cheaper alternatives to petrol and diesel for transporters and consumers.
The administration has also embarked on major policies and actions to attract long-term local and foreign investments to Nigeria ostensibly to create new jobs and ensure increased productivity for local consumption and export, the Speaker added.
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Also of note is the relaunching of the Human Capital Development programme, which aims to produce a significant number of healthy, educated, and productive Nigerians for a globally competitive nation through targeted interventions in health, education and labour sectors.
He said the President embarked on several investment drives across the world, which have been successful in securing about $20bn with the potential for more.
Describing Tinubu as “a listening president who is open to criticism,” Speaker Abbas lauded the president’s decision to “engage workers in determining a living wage for Nigerian workers and taking measures to curb corruption in public institutions.”
With President Tinubu, the Speaker added, Nigeria is on the path towards achieving economic recovery, growth, and prosperity
Speaker Abbas lauded the President for maintaining a harmonious relationship with the National Assembly, saying it has been paying off for the Nigerian citizens.
“The National Assembly, since inauguration on June 13, 2023 has been supporting the policies of government with necessary legislative actions to ensure desired results. The 10th House Legislative Agenda was deliberately designed to be in tandem with the eight priority areas of the Executive arm.
“The mutual understanding between the two arns of government is to promote good governance and ensure a peaceful nation. As representatives of the Nigerian people, we will continue to give the President the necessary support to succeed.”
On his part, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu has felicitated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima on the occasion of their first anniversary in office.
It will be recalled that both were sworn-in on May 29, 2023 having won the February 25 presidential election.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Levinus Nwabughiogu on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, Kalu said that the Tinubu All Progressive Congress, APC, led administration has indeed, renewed the hope of Nigerians by laying a new foundation for a better future.
He commended President Tinubu for his strides on infrastructural development and the current efforts aimed at enthroning good governance at the grassroots by granting full autonomy to the local government areas across the country.
Kalu also commended the President for his commitment to security, recalling his position on the idea of state policing which he said will effectively tackle the rising wave of insecurity nationwide.
The deputy speaker also applauded the President’s support for Peace in South East Project (PISE-P), an initiative that craves a non kinetic approach to solving the sociological issues in the South East region, saying it is an assurance of his avowed resolve for a united Nigeria.
Kalu said that the President has pulled the country back from economic precipice and steered it in the right direction.
Acknowledging however that the country may not be where it should be, the Deputy Speaker, appealed to Nigerians to be patient and hopeful in the renewed hope agenda of the President, adding that he would not fail the people.
“His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has provided leadership. He has shown the way out of the current economic woes. From what I am privileged to know, we can only say that the President is determined and truly committed to changing our narrative as a country. I appeal to Nigerians to be patient with the administration. However, the President needs our support. He needs our prayers to succeed,” he said.
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