BY EBEN ENASCO KINGSLEY, BENIN
The President of the Edo State Welders’ Association, Comrade Isaac Okunbor-Oguns has yesterday reaffirmed their support for The State Government during a thank-you visit at the Government House in Benin City.
Speaking during the visit, Comrade OKunbor-Oguns emphasized that the association was in Government House to appreciate the Governor for the support he gave the union in 2012 which led to the expansion of their businesses
According to him, He said: “Have you ever seen any Governor or Head of State that recognized any welder, it’s only our Comrade Governor.” The Governor provided tools for workers, something they’ve agitated for over the years saying “we have our PVCs to vote for or against any government.
“In Nigeria today the two major parties, APC and PDP are under watch based on their campaign slogans of continuity and change.
“We enjoin Nigerians to view continuity from these perspectives: one. Electricity blackout to continue? Corruption to continue? Insecurity to continue? The devaluation of our currency, Naira, to continue? Decaying infrastructure to continue? Those canvassing for change want change from blackout to light. To change, the country from being the most corrupt country in the world. To change the country from the present level of insecurity to a more secured environment where we can sleep with our two eyes opened. To change the current level of our naira to be equivalent to other currencies in the world”,
“We call on Nigerians to study these analyses carefully and choose this day, the party to vote for. For us welders, we have collectively chosen the party of change,” he echoed.
Responding, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said that in spite of the media hype from the PDP Federal Government about revolution in the agriculture sector, he was surprised to read in the newspapers that the country still imports rice.
The Governor said he is happy that the Welders understand the issues on the front burner for the next elections, saying, “You have your PVCs, use it to vote for change, to vote for light, to vote for security, to vote for anti-corruption. I ask you to have faith in our country and I am happy that in spite of the frustration, you are on course and the energy you demonstrate shows you are determined to move the nation forward and ensure Nigeria makes it”, he said.
The Governor who praised the welders for judiciously utilizing Government’s support to them in 2012 pledged an additional N50 million support for them to help boost their trade.
He said: “Consistent with our commitment to support our people regardless of your place of birth or so called origin, once you are here, you are Edo; we don’t care where you happen to have been born, we care where you reside. To further encourage you to expand your business, we have decided to again support you this year as we have done in previous years by providing you with N50million.
Oshiomhole said, “Once you have shown the capacity to manage a small capital, government needs to give incentives to keep on expanding. So to ensure that this support goes to your capital and you don’t mistakenly use it for any other thing, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry will sit with your leaders, and identify how best to procure the equipment you need and a small working capital to expand your business.
“I believe that giving you small money to expand your business to grow is more helpful to Nigeria than leaving people idle, spending the money to buy hilux to chase criminals because if people are working, they will not go to commit crime.”
According to him, “whatever support we have given you is informed by my own background. The way to keep our country going is to connect with the real people and the needs of our real people are still very basic. No Nigerian says Government should bring food to his table. What Nigerians say as in your case is give us light so that we can weld. If there is no light and we have to buy diesel, let the diesel be available, not the one that is adulterated and will destroy your generators.”
