DG VON commends Buhari’s pro-people governance

Chief Osita Okechukwu, the Director-General, Voice of Nigeria and a stalwart of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s pro-people style of governance.

Okechukwu told our reporter in Enugu on Monday, that the president’s Independence anniversary address was a grand statement.

He said it was to reiterate APC’s commitment toward repositioning the country for socio-political and economic growth.

The DG noted that the President, in the last two years, had concentrated in ensuring that workers and pensioners in the country were well catered for at every level of governance.

Okechukwu also said that the President had evolved a bottom-up approach to governance, describing it as people-centered and welfarist in nature.

He said that it was heartwarming that Mr President had assured Nigerians of much better and progressive days ahead as his administration entered the second half in office.

“Mr President, within the last two years, released additional support of N1.64 trillion to states and local governments as part of measures to stabilise the polity.

“This was used in paying salaries owed workers for over 12 months and accrued unpaid pensions for many years.

“Mr President could have used the said money to build over 1,000 kilometres of asphalted roads which would be highly visible to all.

“But he decided to use it to uplift the plight of workers at rural areas, who owe school fees, house rent, electricity and food stuff bills.

“This shows a fatherly heart; people-centered thinking and programme of President Buhari meant to touch the lives and livelihood of millions of Nigerian workers and families, notwithstanding the level of government,’’ he said.

He also commended the Federal Government’s N500 billion Special Intervention Programmes.

Okechukwu said the programmes via Home-Grown School Feeding; N-Power; Conditional Cash Transfer; Family Homes Fund; Social Housing Scheme and providing loans to traders and artisans were designed to up-lift poor Nigerians from poverty.

He, however, called on state governments and generality of Nigerians to take advantage of the current Federal Government-led revolution in agriculture to be empowered and engaged.

“Agriculture is making the anticipated impact in the economy and lives of those that had shown interest in the Federal Government’s agricultural programmes.

“I will like all states in the country, especially the states within the South-East, to use the agro-allied opportunities and loan schemes judiciously to create jobs for the youth and check unemployment in the zone.’’