The Federal Government has tasked Nigerian workers and citizens on improve productivity, saying such push would improve living standards of the people across the country.

The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, gave the charge while speaking with newsmen on Sunday in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi..Mr Umahi noted that hunger could go, “if we improve production by engaging in agriculture and step up daily working hours”.

According to him, there is no way we can improve our standard of living, if we do not improve on our productivity and hours we put in. “We should be able to tell ourselves the basic truth,” Umahi said.

On the proposed nationwide protest, Umahi said that such move was not good for the country. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has done good for the people. Let me tell you, Nigerians planning to protest against this administration are not patriotic.

There is need to change the level and hour of productivity to improve the standard of living. By the way, what are the people protesting about? Without the coming of President Tinubu, we would have had a failed country.

“The job is easy  when you are not the one doing it. When people say there is hunger, tell us the solution to the hunger. It is not just to be talking. So we must engage ourselves into something extra, especially into farming.

“Even when I was in the private sector, I pushed for more hours of productivity.Everybody must have work to do. We should not as a people, be buying pepper. We should not be buying tomatoes. We should be able to get bags and fill them with manure and plant these things at the front of our houses.

“Improving standard of living is the responsibility of everybody. No matter how much the federal government injects into the system and palliatives, we must change our working hours. We must change our level of productivity, because if we have all the working tools and you do not deploy it, there will be no result.

“I support what the President is doing. The CNG buses, a lot of palliatives, trader monies, monies to the vulnerable families, agricultural inputs, giving out rice and fertilizers to our farmers, to indigent women and men.

“These are very important. But we must be committed and faithful to it. We must change the narratives. Government cannot do everything for us. We have to support  Mr President to change the course of things. This is my position. When people say they want to protest, they are just being mischievous,” Mr Umahi added.

NAN

FG to Nigerians: “Abort planned protest, We’ve Everything in Place to Alleviate Hardships.”

President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to abort their planned protests, saying everything is in place to alleviate hardships.

Speaking at a National Council of Traditional Rulers meeting in Abuja on Monday, 22nd July, 2024, Tinubu, represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, emphasised the need for patience and support during this critical period.

Tinubu criticised individuals capitalizing on the nation’s economic difficulties to incite protests.

He stressed that, rather than engaging in demonstrations, Nigerians should show patience and commitment to the success of the reforms.He urged citizens to reflect on past experiences where crisis and violence have jeopardized national unity.

He said, “We should learn from the experiences of countries like India and Sudan,” he said. “With over 200 million people, we cannot afford such discord.” The President highlighted the administration’s efforts to ease economic hardship, including the procurement of Compressed Natural Gas vehicles, the introduction of a student loan scheme, distribution of palliatives, and provision of agricultural inputs such as tractors and fertilizer.

He also affirmed the government’s commitment to addressing insecurity. Tinubu appealed to traditional rulers to promote peace and convey this message to the youth and their communities.

NAN