The national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to introduce economic stimulus packages to put a stop to austerity in the country, while stressing that Nigerians are tired of fasting.
“Your own employment rate is 33 percent and you ask us to keep on fasting. The one we are fasting spiritually is voluntary. We have been fasting for so many years. I hope the National Assembly, I hope the president himself will not pay attention to austerity. It is only the state that must constrain itself and balance budget.”
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Tinubu made the remarks at the 12th Bola Tinubu Colloquium held in commemoration of his 69th birthday in Kano on Monday.
Speaking at the event with the theme, ‘Our Common Bond, Our Common Wealth: The Imperative of National Cohesion for Growth and Prosperity,’ the former governor of Lagos said the United States had released a stimulus package of $1.9tn to its citizens and more was on the way, adding that such was the way to go.
“This is the time to put stimulus expenditure in place, this is no more time for austerity. This is no more time to constrain the economy, it is time to create opportunities,” he said.
He cited example of the recent stimulus package by the US government while taking a dig at Nigeria’s increasing unemployment rate under the present administration.
“Your own employment rate is 33 percent and you ask us to keep on fasting. The one we are fasting spiritually is voluntary. We have been fasting for so many years. I hope the National Assembly, I hope the president himself will not pay attention to austerity. It is only the state that must constrain itself and balance budget.”
He added that it was only the federal government that had the sovereign power and must use it to improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
Tinubu also called on the government to employ more youths into the security sector.
“We are under-policed and are competing with armed robbers and bandits to recruit from the youths who are unemployed.
“Don’t call them illiterates, anybody that can handle guns is capable of handling tractors in the farm. We can create the jobs.”
He also identified with the youths, saying: “Surprisingly, when you see the social media today, you see the minds of our youths. They are angry, but we appeal to them that we will listen to them.”