Former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, has underscored the critical need for the government to prioritise housing for Nigerian workers.
During an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Okechukwu, aligning with labour concerns about hardships and declining standards of living, cautioned against injecting more cash into the economy, stating, “Labour is acting like they are coming from the moon,” and warning of potential repercussions on purchasing power parity.
He advocated for additional measures to address housing deficits, emphasising, “There is a missing point, which is the national housing point,” and citing constitutional provisions and international conventions recognising shelter as a fundamental human right.
Highlighting the need for nuanced policy approaches tailored to local contexts, Okechukwu stressed the importance of considering demographics and regional disparities in economic conditions, stating, “The mistake of Nigeria is that we do not consider the demographics and the differential of the conditions from one state to the other.”
While acknowledging the hardships faced by workers, Okechukwu urged comprehensive government investments in sectors like agriculture and infrastructure, asserting, “Government is not insensitive to the plight of the people,” and calling for a balanced approach to address the root causes of economic challenges.
He concluded by emphasising the importance of addressing housing needs as a fundamental aspect of improving the livelihoods of Nigerian workers, urging concerted efforts from both the government and stakeholders to implement effective policies and programmes to alleviate housing challenges across the country.
NNEOMA UDENSI
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