SAN FRANCISCO, August 15, (THEWILL) – President Goodluck Jonathan has stressed the need for Nigerians to be diligent and hardworking, saying there are no short cuts to success.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja, President Jonathan who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the 13th National Productivity Day Celebrations and Conferment of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award, said, “No matter our calling, it is only through hard work, diligence and discipline that success can be achieved.”
Acknowledging that improved productivity needs motivation and favourable working conditions, President Jonathan emphasised that his administration was working assiduously to re-engineer attitudinal outlook, which would “emphasise the dignity of labour, integrity, honesty, discipline and hard work in the workplace.”
He added that “we are also resolved to effect new service reward system that will promote productivity, efficiency and excellence.”
In a statement by the spokesperson of the Vice President, Alhaji Umar Sani, President Jonathan said to achieve these, his administration was not only strengthening the National Productivity Centre, but was also addressing the infrastructure deficit through the development of a National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP), and had also inaugurated the Board of the Nigerian National Competitiveness Council (NNCC) to improve competitiveness.
Expressing satisfaction at the successes being made by the reforms the administration was carrying out and also observing that standard of living had direct correlation with productivity, the President maintained that government was vigorously diversifying the economy to drive wealth and job creation.
“Our agenda of transformation is productivity-oriented. Our vision and quest is to bequeath to future generations a better and greater Nigeria. It is by securing higher and better quality output for any given unit of input, that we can increase our national wealth and raise the living standards of our people,” the President said.
Jonathan called on the awardees not to rest on their oars, advising both individuals and organisations to emulate them by increasing their productivity.
Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, while thanking the President for personally signing the certificates, said the National Council on Productivity would soon be inaugurated as he implored individuals and organisations to key into the National Productivity Policy by increasing their productiveness.
Speaking on behalf of recipients of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award, Mr. George Uriesi expressed gratitude for the recognition, pledging that they would not fail the country. .
The 2011/2012 National Productivity Order of Merit Award, was conferred on 20 individuals and 10 organisations, in recognition of their contributions towards national development.
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