20 million Nigerians may lose jobs to COVID-19, says Senate President

TNT Newsline June 8, 2020 118

Senate President Lawan

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said that if  COVID-19 pandemic persists, 20 million Nigerians could lose their jobs.

Lawan also said that international politics is frustrating Nigeria’s efforts to acquire sophisticated weapons for the Armed Forces to fight insecurity.

Addressing journalists in Abuja at the weekend ahead of the first anniversary of the Ninth Senate, Lawan said whenever Nigerian government made requests to buy security equipment from some foreign countries, it would take longer time than expected before they were granted.

 He said: ‘’To some extent, we’re suffering from international politics. I know that in our efforts to try to buy spare parts for their jets, maybe write to a certain foreign government and it’ll take six to nine months; while another country will write to the same government and maybe get it in one or two months.

 “So, something is not right, but that’s to say that it’s now one of our challenges that we’ll continue to engage with countries that we feel don’t understand what we’re doing here.’’

Describing Nigeria’s security system as overstretched, he said more resources were needed to tackle the acute insecurity.

 “The resources available to security office are inadequate. Government is doing a lot to get more resources in terms of equipments and machinery,” he said.

 He stressed the need for mutual respect and cooperation between the executive and the legislature, saying gap between them “that’ll not be resolved or narrowed easily has created so much loss to the country. It’s our challenge.”

He said both arms of government had constituted a special joint committee to look at executive bills that might cause friction between them.

On the criticisms trailing the recent loans approved by the legislature for the executive, Lawan said the borrowings were approved to ensure that works on critical infrastructure, which the federal government has no money to finance, continue without delay.

He said, ‘’We have a shortfall of almost $14.2bn funding gap for 2020 budget and with COVID-19 came so many negative things that visited adverse outcomes on our people.

“We didn’t make hay while the sun shone. We didn’t diversify the economy or invest in the real sectors of the economy.

‘‘Now, we’ve come to a point where we have to address the infrastructural gap that we have but the resources are so low.

“Crude oil at one point was selling for 10, 11 dollars per barrel when this pandemic started around March.

“We’ve very significant projects that we need to put in place, like the second Niger bridge, Mambila hydropower, East West road, Lagos – Kano rail line etc, but we don’t have the money.

“If you don’t have the resources and still need these projects, would you, because you want to run away from taking loan, say let me abandon all these projects.

“For us in the National Assembly, we are conscious of the fact that this economy, as affected by the pandemic, if it persists you could lose over 20 million jobs in this country.

“The economy will go into serious recession. So you need to have the resources to invest so that the economy doesn’t go into recession and ensure that people don’t lose their jobs.

“So, we feel we should grant the request, but we needed to scrutinize everything – the conditions, the projects – which we did. We approved the loans to ensure that our infrastructural development continues.’’  (Daily Trust)

118 thoughts on “20 million Nigerians may lose jobs to COVID-19, says Senate President”

  80. бриллкс
    brillx официальный сайт
    В 2023 году Brillx предлагает совершенно новые уровни азарта. Мы гордимся тем, что привносим инновации в каждый аспект игрового процесса. Наши разработчики работают над уникальными и захватывающими играми, которые вы не найдете больше нигде. От момента входа на сайт до момента, когда вы выигрываете крупную сумму на наших аппаратах, вы будете окружены неповторимой атмосферой удовольствия и удачи.Добро пожаловать в захватывающий мир азарта и возможностей на официальном сайте казино Brillx в 2023 году! Если вы ищете источник невероятной развлекательности, где можно играть онлайн бесплатно или за деньги в захватывающие игровые аппараты, то ваш поиск завершается здесь.

    Reply

  82. Altogether! Conclusion information portals in the UK can be unendurable, but there are many resources available to cure you think the best identical for the sake of you. As I mentioned in advance, conducting an online search representing https://www.home-truths.co.uk/pag/what-is-the-height-of-lawrence-jones-the-fox-news.html “UK newsflash websites” or “British intelligence portals” is a enormous starting point. Not but purposefulness this grant you a encyclopaedic list of hearsay websites, but it will also afford you with a better savvy comprehension or of the current hearsay prospect in the UK.
    In the good old days you have a file of embryonic account portals, it’s critical to estimate each anyone to determine which richest suits your preferences. As an benchmark, BBC Intelligence is known quest of its ambition reporting of report stories, while The Custodian is known pro its in-depth breakdown of partisan and group issues. The Self-governing is known for its investigative journalism, while The Times is known in the interest of its business and finance coverage. By way of arrangement these differences, you can select the information portal that caters to your interests and provides you with the newsflash you call for to read.
    Additionally, it’s usefulness looking at neighbourhood pub expos‚ portals representing explicit regions within the UK. These portals produce coverage of events and news stories that are fitting to the область, which can be firstly utilitarian if you’re looking to charge of up with events in your neighbourhood pub community. In place of event, shire news portals in London contain the Evening Standard and the Londonist, while Manchester Evening Scuttlebutt and Liverpool Reflection are in demand in the North West.
    Comprehensive, there are tons bulletin portals accessible in the UK, and it’s high-level to do your digging to see the one that suits your needs. By means of evaluating the unalike news programme portals based on their coverage, style, and editorial standpoint, you can choose the a person that provides you with the most related and captivating despatch stories. Decorous fortunes with your search, and I ambition this bumf helps you reveal the just right news portal since you!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News You may have missed

Retirement homes by Africans abroad makes no sense

editor September 22, 2024 0

How TB Joshua’s widow, others struggle to keep massive crowds of late founders’ mega churches

editor September 22, 2024 0

How Osun banker allegedly defrauded two of N25 million, gave birth after bail

editor September 22, 2024 0

Edo election: PDP supporters protest, accuse Oshiomhole, others of figure manipulation

editor September 22, 2024 0

#EdoDecides2024: APC members protest Governor Obaseki’s presence at INEC collation centre

editor September 22, 2024 0