- Safiu Kehinde
The 2023 Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for deployment of resources to critical economic sectors following Nigeria’s achievement of its revenue target.
Obi made the call in reaction to President Bola Tinubu’s announcement of N20.59 trillion non-oil revenue increase.
NPO Reported that the President had yesterday revealed that the N20.59 trillion was mobilised in eight months, marking the highest collection in recent history.
Tinubu added that the Federal Government has ceased borrowing from local banks since early 2025, underscoring improved fiscal discipline.
While acknowledging the development, Obi in a post on his X handle on Thursday maintained that achieving revenue target without impacting lives means nothing.
He urged government to show sensitivity and compassion to the plight of the suffering masses by deploying resources to critical areas that will aid job creation.
“Achieving revenue targets means nothing if it does not impact the lives of the people.
“Having met our revenue target for the year ahead of schedule, we should show sensitivity and compassion to the suffering masses by deploying resources to critical areas that will help to create jobs to alleviate the people’s hardships.” He said.
Obi identified the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) as a critical economic player that requires funding.
He also called for the settlement of retirees’ gratuities and pensions.
“For instance, critical economic players and their associated institutions are undergoing a serious dearth of funds, and their effect is showing in areas they support, like SMEs.
“Some of them are even protesting as they cannot meet their banks’ and staff needs.
“Why are retired public servants, including service men and women who have risked their lives for the nation, still protesting over unpaid gratuities and pensions?
“It is shameful that those who built this nation with their sweat, those who defended it with their lives, and those who have fulfilled their contractual obligations are reduced to begging for what is rightfully theirs, even after the government boasts of excess revenue.
“Those who serve and build the nation are left with unpaid entitlements in their difficult years, and those who have genuinely fulfilled their contractual obligations, most of whom are SMES with one form of debt or the other are still unpaid.
“Our nation must not continue to throw its citizens into debt and despair. It is time for our government to act responsibly and with integrity.” Obi added.