Foreign

CITIZENS PROTEST IN SPAIN OVER HIGH COST OF LIVING

Published

3 years ago

March 19, 2022

csunews

Editor.

Protestors in their thousands demonstrated on streets across Spain Saturday over the increasing cost of food, light and fuel.

The situation got worst since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The far-right Vox party organised the rallies which were held in the major cities of Spain.

The aim according to reports is to tap into growing social discontent over the spiralling cost of living that has left many families struggling to pay their bills.

The protestors carried placards and waved Spanish flags while chanting angry slogans calling for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

“Sanchez, you’re rubbish, bring down our bills!” they shouted, between patriotic cries of “Long live Spain!” at a rally demanding government action to lower prices.“We have the worst possible government.. It’s not even a government, it’s a misery factory… which plunders and extorts workers through abusive taxes,” Vox leader Santiago Abascal told the rally to rousing cheers.“We will not leave the streets until this illegitimate government is expelled.”This government “is taking everything from us”, said Anabel, a 56-year-old demonstrator who didn’t give her surname.“They hike the light and gas prices and say it’s because of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, but that’s a lie. It was like this before,” she told AFP.“Light prices really affect (my family) because some of us work from home, and we can hardly put the heating on because the price of gas has almost doubled over the past six months.”

Many said government should be lowering taxes to help those struggling.“A country that raises prices in this way and doesn’t help its citizens by partially lowering taxes, is abandoning its people,” said Francisco, 53, unemployed and didn’t give his family name.“We have to force the government to act — or remove them, for Spain’s sake.”Last year, energy prices soared by 72 percent in Spain, one of the highest increases within the European Union, and costs have surged even higher since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a crisis that comes hot on the heels of the pandemic.On Monday, Spanish lorry drivers declared an open-ended strike over fuel prices which soon mushroomed into multiple roadblocks and protests, triggering supply chain problems.Rising prices have also prompted the UGT and the CCOO, Spain’s two biggest unions, to call a national strike on March 23.The government has pledged to take steps to reduce cost of energy and fuel, but will only lay out its plans on March 29.Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is currently on a European tour to lobby for a common EU response to soaring energy prices.

Madrid has for months urged its European partners to change the mechanism which couples electricity prices to the gas market, but its pleas have so far fallen on deaf ears, despite support from Paris.

culled from Channels TV

Foreign

APOSTLE CHIBUZO CHINYERE LEADS INVESTORS TO MEET GOVERNOR OTTI, NAMES INVESTMENT TARGET AREAS IN ABIA STATE.

Published

3 months ago

November 7, 2024

csunews

The General Overseer of Omega Power Ministry (OPM) and Traditional Ruler of Ohanko Ndoki Community, Ukwa East LGA, Apostle Chibuzo Chinyere led a team of investors to discuss areas and targets of investment in Abia State to support the Governor Otti led government.

Speaking to the press after a close door business meeting with Governor Alex Otti, Apostle Chibuzo Chinyere said that he had to travel to different countries to seek investment and investors who would support the achievements of the Governor so far.

He disclosed that his team of investors are investing in various areas such as; infrastructure, housing, and building airport in Abia State among others.

He said the Governor was excited and gave them positive response during their discussions. Apostle Chinyere who further appreciated the achievements of Governor Otti so far described him as God sent to Abians.

“We give God glory today. We are in Government House to meet with His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti. I thank God for his life, I thank God for bringing such a person to come and rescue Abia State and that is what motivated me to move around to see how I would attract investors into the State.

“Because of the love I have for my State, that is why I said, let me go around, get investors and investments.

They came from different countries like Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and by the grace of God , they’ve come and it was a positive meeting”. “They want to invest in infrastructure, housing and they want to invest in building airport in Abia State.

The Governor was excited and has given us a positive answer.

“The Governor of Abia State is God sent. It is God that sent him (Otti) to come and deliver us from Egypt. So, Abia has been delivered from Egypt. We are very close to the promise land,” he said.

Also speaking, Dr. Sunny Offeghe who accompanied Apostle Chinyere to meet with the Governor said that they came with foreign investors to bring investment into the State, revealing that one of the major visions of Apostle Chinyere is to attract foreign direct investors into the State.

“On the day His Royal Majesty (Apostle Chinyere) was coronated, one of his major visions for his community and the State is to attract foreign direct investments into Abia State and he has traveled around the globe in pursuit of that vision.

“So, today, he officially presented some of the results of his travels to His Excellency and I think that one of his primary goal is to ensure that Abia State is advanced in capital volume in foreign direct investment.”

He said that some of the proposed areas of investments include renewable energy, airport development, housing, infrastructure among others and said that the discussions with the Governor was amazing and fruitful.

“You will agree with me that the National Bureau of Statistics’ result for last year was that Abia State was able to attract just 85 million Dollars in terms of foreign direct investment into the State.

“So, they’ve done well but I think with what he (Gov. Otti) has done so far, the next result that will come out in 2025 will be very impressive.” Dr. Offeghe assured.

He described Governor Otti as a man with vision and said that everyone needed to align with the Governor’s vision.