President Bola Tinubu has highlighted that Nigerians are not alone in facing poverty, emphasizing that global challenges require concerted efforts to overcome.
In a statement released on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu acknowledged the existence of poverty and suffering in Nigeria but stressed the necessity of addressing these issues head-on. He emphasized the need to eliminate banditry and terrorism to enable farmers to return to their fields and increase food production.
Tinubu made these remarks in Lagos on Monday while receiving a delegation from the National Assembly, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, among others. The delegation visited to felicitate with him on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir.
The President underscored the importance of a change in the national value system for Nigeria to make progress. “Yes, there is poverty; there is suffering in the land. We are not the only people facing such, but we must face our challenges,” he said.
He pointed out that infrastructural improvements, such as better roads, are crucial for transporting food from farms to the population, thus reducing post-harvest losses. “If you do not have good roads to bring the food to the population, even if you grow the food and you are losing 60-70 percent to damages, you will pay the price,” Tinubu noted.
Tinubu also called for a mindset shift among Nigerians, urging them to move away from rent-seeking behaviors and become more productive. He highlighted the need to combat smuggling and other forms of economic sabotage, such as the theft of rail tracks and electric cables.
“We must embrace the campaign to change our value system. We must tell our people that the challenge we face is for all of us to change our mindset about our country,” he stressed.
The President praised the National Assembly’s leadership for their support, which he credited with enabling significant developments in his administration. “It is great pride for me to have the best of partners in the National Assembly. We have to drill down and be all-inclusive in our bid to satisfy our people,” he stated.
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, President Tinubu assured the nation of his unwavering determination to turn things around. “It is daunting, but we cannot run away from the fact that this country must survive the hardship,” he concluded.
