National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has called on President Bola Tinubu to speed up the implementation of the minimum wage which was passed by the National Assembly and which the President had already assented to.
The Bishop gave the advice at a Press Conference after the PFN National Advisory Council/ National Executive Council meeting held at its headquarters in Lagos.
Bishop Oke said it had become imperative for the government to roll out the system that would drive the implementation in the face of hike in prices of items which has gone out of control and made life very uncomfortable for the masses.
The cleric however appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience and give the government more time to take necessary actions to fix the nation.
He said, “We are part of the grassroots. We know the suffering the common man is going through right now in Nigeria. We feel the pain but the pain will not last long. Nigeria will break forth. A new Nigeria will be reborn. Please, let us wait, hope, and pray a bit longer.
“It is good to express our feelings, but please, let it not be in a violent manner. It is true that prices of items have skyrocketed. It is a global problem. The only thing in Nigeria is that wage has remained stagnant. It is not commensurate with the surge in prices. It is a huge problem but it will be resolved”, he said.
Addressing other areas of the economy, he explained further, ” we appeal to everyone concerned to let the intervention by Dangote Refinery work since it will impact positively on our economy and the lifestyle of the people”.
He also called on the government to turn Nigeria into a producing and not a consumer State, advising the government to activate all moribund companies like Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mills and others to create jobs for the Nigerian Youths and stimulate the economy.
“Nigerian Youths are not lazy but government needs to create a conducive environment to make them thrive and be productive. After all, they shine in all spheres of life and endeavor outside this country.
“For example, if the Federal Government creates a system whereby cottage industries can be established in each of the 774 local government areas, that can employ 500 to 100 people, this number will be taken off the employment lists. They will also be able to add their quota to the development of the nation “.
He expressed sadness at the continuous devaluation of the naira saying, “Currency devaluation devalues peoples’ lives and this is not right. I cannot imagine that in my lifetime, N1,000 plus will ever be equivalent to $1. I have lived in a time when Dollar was equal to almost N2 and the Pound was at par with the Naira. Government must do something about it”.
Speaking in the same vein, the Deputy National President; Archbishop John Praise said everything falls on the shoulders of the leadership, so the Nigerian government should sit up.
He said,” In Rwanda, the President has been voted in for the fourth time because the people are happy with him. Everybody can see appreciable improvement in the lifestyle of the people”.
In his comment, the National Secretary, Dr Cosmas Ilechukwu begged the government to bridge the gap between the humongous take-home pay of Political office holders and ordinary Nigerians
He said, ” tell the government to halt the circle that has been set in motion wherein the peoples’ lives are being devalued and impoverished. Nigeria has all what it takes to be a great nation, with the masses living in affluence if the nation’s resources are properly managed”.
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