MARGARET CHIDERA
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has revealed plans to hold this year’s Independence Day anniversary on a low key
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, disclosed this to the State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa after meeting with the Vice President, Ibrahim Shettima behind closed doors.
Without revealing what prompted the decision, he, however, called on Nigerians to use the independence anniversary as a time for reflection on the unity of the country and the journey forward for the nation.
“Independence Day is a very historic event for any country, and we in Nigeria are no exception. We are fully prepared for this year’s celebration, but for obvious reasons, it is going to be low-keyed.
“This year’s celebration is going to be low-keyed. There will be no room for a fantastic jamboree at the Eagle Square and other locations,” he said.
Akume admonished Nigerians to use the independence anniversary as a means of reflecting deeply on the unity of the country and the journey ahead.
He assured citizens that better days lie ahead for the country, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
“It is a time for reflection for us as a people and the journey forward for the nation, which is being led appropriately by the captain of the ship, President Bola Tinubu. We are wishing Nigerians the best of luck, and we want to assure them that better days are coming and pretty soon too,” he added.
Commenting on the proposed strike by organised labour, the Secretary to the Government said he was optimistic that issues concerning the strike would be addressed amicably.
He, therefore, called on organised labour to be patient as the government finds a solution to their demands.
“The Labour leaders are very patriotic Nigerians and we want to believe correctly that nobody would want to have a strike at this time of our history because it is not in the interest of the workers and it is not in the interest of anybody.
“This government is very determined to raise the standard of living of the Nigerian workers and to create prosperity for all and that is not something that can be done overnight. So it will be inappropriate to begin to judge the government on the basis of the few months that it has spent in office,” Akume stated.
