The Secretary to the Nigerian Government, George Akume says the 2023 independence anniversary will be low-keyed.
The Secretary to Government made the declaration in Abuja on Wednesday, while speaking to State House Correspondents, after he met behind closed doors with Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“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 urged citizens to use the independence anniversary to reflect deeply on the unity of the country and the journey forward.
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 organized labour, the Secretary to the Government expressed optimism 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.
Dominica Nwabufo
