Abuja: An interest group, Working People United (WPU), has described all the policies and programmes of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as necessary for the long-term growth and development of Nigeria. The Interim Leader of the group, Mr. Williams Akporeha, stated this during the official unveiling of the group in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Akporeha acknowledged that some of the policies and programmes have been challenging for citizens but emphasized that they are temporary and necessary. He stated that the president was on the right track and that the bold decisions taken by the administration, though currently difficult, aim to reposition the country’s economy.
“The policies being implemented today may be biting but they are temporary and necessary. If such decisions were not taken now, the country would face even bigger challenges in the future,” he said. Akporeha highlighted key policies of the administration, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, unification of foreign exchange rates, and tax reforms aimed at increasing government revenue.
Other initiatives mentioned were the student loan scheme, the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transportation initiative, and reforms in the electricity sector to allow greater participation by state governments. Akporeha expressed the group’s belief that these reforms under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda would place the country on the path of sustainable development.
He explained that the group was a grassroots movement established to mobilize Nigerians across different sectors to actively participate in shaping the country’s future and support leadership that prioritizes national development and economic stability. According to him, the movement represents the collective voice of workers, artisans, traders, farmers, professionals, transporters, and other hardworking Nigerians who form the backbone of the nation’s economy.
Akporeha stated that WPU would serve not only as a support group but also as an advocacy platform to engage the government constructively on policies affecting workers and citizens. He further mentioned that the movement would extend beyond issues of wages and welfare traditionally championed by labor unions to include policy advocacy and national development.
“This is a gathering of like minds. We believe our role should go beyond the issue of wages and bread-and-butter matters. Yes, it is a support group, but it will also act as an advocacy platform that will engage government and contribute ideas that will help in shaping policies,” he said. He added that the group believed that consistency in policy implementation was critical for national development and stressed that support for government policies should not necessarily be based on party affiliation but on conviction about what is best for the country.