…. urges collaboration to fight corruption, eliminate poverty.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed concern over the alarming rate of poverty in the country and called on the governors to collaborate with the Federal Government to tackle the menace .
Tinubu who made the call on Wednesday while hosting members of the Nigerian Governors Forum ( NGF) at the State House, Abuja said that the removal of subsidy was a bold effort to reduce crushing poverty in the country.
The president said that the level of poverty is unacceptable and pointed out that he and the governors have a duty to reduce it despite political affiliations.
“We can see the effects of poverty on the faces of our people. Poverty is not hereditary, it is from the society. Our position is to eliminate poverty. Set aside partisan politics, we are here to deliberate about Nigeria and nation-building,” he said in a statement issued by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director, Information.
“We are a family occupying one house, and sleeping in different rooms. If we see it that way and push forward, we will get our people out of poverty. A determined mind is a fertile ground for delivering on results,” he added.
Tinubu said though they differ in culture and politics,,yet, the unity and stability rest upon them.
“Present in this room is our diversity in culture and politics, but we are one nation. The unity and stability of the country rest upon us.
“We are in a democracy and we have to nurture the democracy. It is a hard-earned system and not easy to manage. If anyone thinks it is easy, look at other nations who are over a hundred years in democracy.
“We have managed ourselves very well to have a democracy. We have campaigned and arrived at our present destination. We must work for our people,” President Tinubu told the governors, while assuring them that he would maintain an open-door policy.
President Tinubu said that in the face of abject poverty and the need to reduce it to the barest minimum, his administration had to take the giant step to tackle the remote cause to lift the country out of danger.
“What do we do in the face of crushing poverty? What do we do with our development goals? We took the bull by the horns by removing the elephant in the room, before the nation sinks.
“We need synergy to fight other vices like corruption. We are trying to get smugglers out of the way. How do we work together to galvanize the economy, and put resources in place. We must think and perform.
“After removing subsidy, there must be savings accruing to the Federation Account,” he said.
“How do we address the unacceptable level of poverty? How much are we investing in education, which is the only tool against poverty? I am ready to collaborate with you.”
On the issue of insecurity, the president told the governors that all efforts should be put in place to tackle the security situation
On their part, the governors, led by the Chairman of the NGF who took turns to speak, expressed happiness with the president’s subsidy-removal decision, all-inclusive leadership and statesmanship and assured him of support
The meeting, which was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima and new Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, had 22 governors and two deputy governors from Edo and Niger States, in attendance.
