Africa News of Saturday, 13 January 2024

Source: mynigeria.com

'Nigerians have no reason to be poor' - Tinubu

Nigerian president, Ahmed Bola Tinubu Nigerian president, Ahmed Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has said that Nigerians do not have any reason to be poor.

Addressing Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who visited him at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, January 12, Tinubu asked them to design and implement policies that prioritise all Nigerians and to always consider the national interest above political affiliations.

He noted that one of the biggest challenges the nation faces was divisiveness, but that the governing party must work towards healing and unifying the country by ensuring a collective national vision, and channelling energy and resources into nation-building.

The Nigerian leader who pointed out that development policies would only find full relevance in people’s lives when there is inclusivity, ownership, and sustainability, added that Nigeria is too blessed with human, natural, and material resources to be struggling with a dearth of quality infrastructure, quality education, and world-class health facilities.

Tinubu was quoted saying; “We have no reason to be poor. Looking back on where we are coming from, where we have been, why we are facing infrastructural decay, a lack of quality and comprehensive education, as well as a lack of health facilities. We are not a cursed country, but blessed.

“You can convert people. You can appeal to people to come to your side. We have children of school age who are out of school. The way to promote education is to get all governors, including the opposition governors, involved in the school-feeding programme. Please, take it seriously.

“We should not measure the children as statistics. We should measure their return to classrooms as our achievement. We should see economic growth in terms of value and empowerment. We should set up a committee to look into the methods. I am ready to invest in school feeding.”