Business
Assets Sale: NLC Accuses FG Of Bowing To IMF
The Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) has accused the federal government of seeking to implement the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) recommended policy and condition on the sale of national assets.
In a statement signed by the NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba on Wednesday ands made available to The Tidesport said that the step being taken by the federal government was part of the policy and conditions given to the government by the IMF when its president visited Nigeria recently.
Wabba said that the IMF came with the idea to devalue the naira, remove subsidy and sell some strategic assets, stressing that the same conditions were given to the country in 1984 and that eventually led to the policy and implementation of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP).
He said that IMF recommended policy and conditions have never worked in any African country and therefore cannot work now in Nigeria.
The congress President said that many countries today have been doing well in managing their wealth without necessarily implementing recommended IMF policies, stressing that the difference is in the attitude of the leaders.
The NLC boss said that the congress would mobilise a team of lawyers to challenge the call for the sale of the strategic assets.
He reminded the country’s leaders that adopting and accepting IMF policies would drag the country back to the era of the SAP and plunge the country into a bigger economic crisis.
Business
Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.