Recession: Allow FG’s Efforts Yield Results, Group Tells Detractors

*defend CBN governor, Emefiele

Paul Obi in Abuja

As divergent opinions continue to trail the federal government’s approach and strategies towards ending the economic recession in the country, hundreds of protesters yesterday stormed Abuja calling on the people, who are sabotaging government’s efforts at addressing the current economic crisis in the country to desist from such unpatriotic act.

The protesters, under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups (COSG) further pleaded with the Niger Delta militants, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and other aggrieved groups in the country to sheath their swords and allow government to work.

The protesters were seen carrying placards with different inscriptions: “In unity we will overcome recession”, “Say no to agents of distabilisation’, ‘Naira will bounce back’, ‘Give change a chance’, ‘We stand with Buhari and Emefiele’, among others.

Speaking during the rally along Tafawa Balewa Road, Area 11, Abuja, the President of the coalition, Bassey Williams said: “It was so unfortunate that some faceless group with clandestine motive, were doing protest against the Nigerian government over current hard time.

He was of the view that that “people rushed to the media to castigate the Department of State Security (DSS) over the arrest of some Judges, when they were ignorant of the fact of the matters, adding that Nigerians were fully in support of the efforts of the PMB to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.

He said: “We are here today to demonstrate to Nigerians that we are fully in support of the economic think-tank of the President.

“We are passing the vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and other members of his team. We want to say that we are in support of what DSS has done so far. We cannot and would not encourage corruption, corruption must die.

“If there is corruption, Nigeria will not strive, our economic will go down, and that is why we are in full support of the President’s anti-corruption war. And we want to urge all Nigerians especially the media to support this fight against corruption, to support the government of President Buhari to take Nigeria out of the recession.

“We want to appeal to the Niger Delta militants to sheath their swords, we want to appeal to agitators of the Biafra Republic to sheath their swords and embrace peace and unity, in oneness we strive.”

Bassey also noted that people who had looted the treasury of the country and brought her to her kneel could not turn to be advocate of economic growth overnight, adding that calling for the removal of Emefiele is unjustifiable.

“It would be an insult on our collective intelligence if those responsible for the present state of our economy have suddenly turned advocates of rapid economic growth and development through the use of media propaganda and campaign of calumny against you government in a bid to discredit the good work of our economic team,” he said.