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Atiku bemoans economic decimation of workers

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Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has lamented what he called the persistent and frightening economic decimation of the Nigerian working class in the face of appalling inflation and declining living standards.

In his 2021 May Day solidarity message to the Nigerian workers, Atiku Abubakar notes that the conditions of the Nigerian workers are worrisome in our ever hostile economic environment, a situation that makes saving and survival almost impossible.

According to him, “even what we call basic food items are unaffordable and we are in a situation where the price of a bag of rice is nearly at par with the value of our minimum wage.”

The former Vice President added that the “increase in the national minimum wage has been matched or neutralised by astronomical inflation that is accelerating at a breathtaking rate almost daily. Even the locally produced foods are prohibitively expensive.”

“The Nigerian workers have never had it so bad. The impacts of the lockdown and worsening inflation have taken their heaviest toll on the working class. The situation is so bad that they are now living from hands to mouth”, Atiku further lamented.

The Wazirin Adamawa also explained that in the face of low morale and poor motivation, productivity will inevitably take a nose dive.

“This situation”, he said “will only create favourable conditions for corruption and aggravate depression and mental health problems among civil servants.”

“Let me be clear: these challenges of economic survival are not limited to the civil servants alone. They affect the working class at all levels, including artisans and other low income groups that are struggling desperately to put food on the table in the face of declining incomes and rising inflation,” the former Vice President added.

He suggested that in the face of widespread extreme poverty and declining incomes among the economically vulnerable Nigerians, political office holders should urgently review the costs of governance in order to bring them in line with our economic realities and the sorry conditions of average citizens.

“The extravagant lifestyles of elected officials while poverty is decimating the people is a demonstration of insensitivity. We can’t tell the ordinary people to make sacrifices while elected officials are reluctant to take the lead in making those sacrifices. Elected and appointed officials must at all levels cut down on their extravagant expenditures at the expense of the people,” Atiku said.

“Despite these challenges, however, let us not lose hope in our country. Nigeria is bigger than those who preside over our affairs. We have more common interests that unite us than things that divide us. Let us not allow anyone to use us as fighting tools while they are busy protecting their own interests,” the former Vice President advised Nigerians.

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Business & Economy

Mangal Cement Reiterates Commitment to Consistence Quality, Tightens Relationship with Stakeholders

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The General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Omowunmi Goriola Oduguwa Monday, July 14th, 2025 addresses Annual Stakeholders Forum, Abuja
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By AbdulRahman Obaje

Mangal Cement has reiterate its commitment to consistence quality while reinforcing its relationship with it stakeholders.

The General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Omowunmi Goriola Oduguwa made this known Monday, July 14th, 2025 during this year Annual Stakeholders Forum, Abuja.

Omowunmi said, “We are here today basically because of this title: ‘building stronger partnership, quality trading solution and value for money’. We are here; number one, to tighten the collaboration that we’ve been having with our stakeholders. We know that we’ve been having relationship with you by virtue of the fact that you are partner to our business, you are using our brand; that automatically has clarify the fact that we are in partnership”

”We don’t just want it to be like that, we want it to be tighter, so we want to strengthen that collaboration, we want it to be tighter. That is why we are here and that is why we have invited you to be part of this event.”

“And secondly. We are also here to reaffirm the consistency in quality and innovation. We want to assure you that our quality remain the way it has ever been since inception; since we started production. My colleague said this is first of its kind; I mean the stakeholder forum we are having. But obviously this is first of its kind in Abuja environment. And I want to also appreciate us for being part of this very first one.”, she continued.

Participants also expressed satisfaction with Mangal product. Obastar Block Industry Said the cement is very good. He said, “People should join in using it, we have been using it. The cement is good. We have been using other cements but since we have tried Mangal cement, we have not been disappointed.”

“The only place they need improvement is setting, outside that, the cement is very good.” he concluded.

Olayinka AbdulWahid, IBZA Blocks said, “Mangal cement is very good in terms of quality and durability.

The blocks that we produced with Mangal cement, the customer actually vouch for. I have some few friends that whenever they want to cast, they always request that make Mangal cement available.

So, in terms of quality, it is a very good quality/ the only challenge we have is the availability and most of the time the delivery is very very poor in which sometimes, some of us we are unable to wait. we have to look for alternative product.

But with this seminar we attend today, if we can have access to more of the vendor or more of the distributor, we can have alternative demand.

So, that is the only challenge, the availability.”

However, Omowunmi further revealed that Mangal Industries is not slowing down on innovation and quality assurance, asserting that this is the reason for the forum, so as “to reaffirm our commitment to quality and innovation as an organisation.”, she continued.

The forum saw notable personalities such as Engr. Yusuf Ibrahim, Industrial Training Fund, Silifa Shagaya, SON and others in attendance

High point of the event was the distribution of wheelbarrows and protective gears to all the participants of the stakeholder forum.

 

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Nigerian Economy Stabilising — CBN Governor, Cardoso

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CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso
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The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, has said the Nigerian economy has stability.
He disclosed this at the press briefing at the end of its 300th Monetary Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday.

According to him, investors’ confidence in the Nigerian economy has improved over the past eighteen months.

Responding to questions on how improved macroeconomic fundamentals of the Nigerian economy are impacting the lives of Nigerians, he said, “Investors do not go to where there is economic instability. They don’t go out to lose money but to make a profit. With that stability comes confidence and then investment and growth.

“What is now being recognised is that the Nigerian economy is not stable. The inflation numbers speak for themselves.”

Recall that the World Bank, in its latest Nigerian Development Update report, said the country is in good shape as it grew by 3.4 percent in 2024.

 

 

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 CBN Retains Nigeria’s Interest At 27.50%

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Yemi Cardoso,CBN Governor
Yemi Cardoso, CBN Governor
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The Central Bank of Nigeria Monetary Policy Committee has retained the country’s interest rate at 27.50 percent.

The governor of CBN, Olayemi Cardoso, disclosed this in a press briefing on Tuesday after the 300th MPC meeting in Abuja.

“The committee unanimously agreed to retain MPR at 27.50 percent,” he stated.

Cardoso also announced that the MPC member decided to retain the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 50 basis points for commercial bank and 16 percent for mortgage bank, the liquidity ratio (LR) at 30 percent, and the asymmetric corridor at +500/-100 basis points around the MPR; other monetary policy decisions were retained.

He justified MPC’s decision to pause the rate hike on the easing of Nigeria’s inflation rate to 23.7 percent in April.

it would be recalled that last week the National Bureau of Statistics consumer price index showed that country’s inflation dropped by 23.7 percent.

In February, the MPC retained the country’s interest rate at 27.50 percent as inflation cooled off.

 

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