PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has charges state governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to design and implement policies that prioritise all Nigerians and to always consider the national interest above political affiliations or self-interest.
Tinubu said development policies would only find full relevance in people’s lives when there is inclusivity, ownership and sustainability, urging them to avoid divisiveness by working towards healing and unifying the country through collective national vision.
Speaking at a meeting with members of the governors, under the aegis of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), at the State House, Abuja on Friday, January 12, the President noted Nigeria has no business with dearth of quality education and world-class health facilities with its blessed human, natural and material resources, assuring that the country’s entire financial system would be re-engineered for inclusivity, effectiveness and efficiency for optimal capacity.
He stated: “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.”
He tasked the governors to come up with a framework that would make the implementation of the school feeding programme more comprehensive and successful across all states of the federation, as well as take into consideration, the peculiarities of each locality towards having all children in school.
“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.
“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,” he said.
Tinubu explained that the now suspended school feeding programme would encourage more investments in agriculture, particularly in livestock farming and dairy, noting that the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, had already worked on a proposal that would be shared for input and implementation.
The President congratulated Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum for restoring irrigation systems that provide water for year-long cultivation of crops.
He disclosed that the deployment of forest guards was being considered, with better training, modern technological gadgets and weapons to strengthen security, even as he said solid mineral and marine economic sectors would also be secured by special Police.
Tinubu stated: “We have a big marine economy, and I do not see why we should not have the marine Police. We will have the same in solid minerals to keep the scavengers away.
“I am ready to invest in security. We will buy our own minerals and keep them in reserves, especially gold, which will be effective in our foreign exchange reserve.”
In his response, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, thanked the President for involving governors in the design and implementation of polices and for intervening with financial support in the states.
“We will continue to support you as your able, willing and capable ambassadors,” the governor assured on behalf of his colleagues.
