The Nation Newspaper

Tag: poverty

  • Choices of leaders drove Nigeria into poverty, says Obasanjo

    Choices of leaders drove Nigeria into poverty, says Obasanjo

    •Advocates stepping on toes to end poverty

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday blamed the choices of leaders for the biting poverty in the country.

    He spoke at the 7th convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja where he was awarded a PhD in Christian Theology.

    To get the country out of poverty, Obasanjo advocated for implementation of hard choices, including stepping on toes of friends and well-wishers.

    He said: “I have come out with the conviction that poverty is not our lot or the lot of any individual or group in Nigeria. It is the choice made consciously or unconsciously by our leaders.

    “The beginning of getting Nigeria out of poverty into wealth creation and employment generation is in our choice of leaders who understand what development means and what it entails and who are ready to do what needs to be done and make hard choices that need to be made.

    “This includes stepping on toes of friends and well- wishers who will not conform to the transformation or change agenda.”

    FabiyiAdekunle emerged the overall best graduating student while popular comedian, Chief Chika Okpala was awarded Master degree by the university.

    The former president noted that there is no age limit, no status barrier and social limit for functional education.

    He added that he rejected special favors to experience the process leading to the award of his PhD degree.

    “I wrote my examination in my study centre with other students to utilise the learner support service like any other student.

    “I went through the rigour and discipline of the graduate school like any post graduate student,” he noted.

    President Muhammadu Buhari said NOUN was established to eradicate the challenge of access to Nigerian universities.

    Buhari, who was represented by Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, said the institution had been able to absorb qualified university candidates who would have been denied admission into universities for lack of space.

     

  • ‘PDP created more poverty, unemployment in Ekiti’

    ‘PDP created more poverty, unemployment in Ekiti’

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Mr. Kola Alabi, has said the high rate of unemployment in the state is “unfortunate and unacceptable”.

    He promised to create jobs for the teeming youths with investment in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), solid minerals and agriculture, if elected APC candidate in its primary and governor in this year’s election.

    The APC chieftain said his Nine-Point Agenda was carefully put together to get Ekiti out of the woods and improve the people’s standard of living.

    He identified the components of the agenda as Education, Health, Job Creation, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Development, Land Reforms, Agriculture, Infrastructure and Transparency in Governance.

    According to him, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration created more poverty and threw many people into the labour market through its “harsh and anti-people policies”.

    Alabi spoke on Sunday evening at his home in Ikere-Ekiti while hosting his supporters from the 16 local government areas at a New Year get-together.

    The ICT entrepreneur said he would create a structure for job bureaux in every local government area to link job seekers with job opportunities.

    He promised to leverage ICT as an enabler for jobs and incentives for investors to develop a Technology City in Ekiti State.

    Alabi also pledged to offer tax incentives/refunds to organisations that create at least 100 new jobs every year.

    The APC chieftrain pledged to launch a Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme in partnership with commercial lenders to improve access to finance for SMEs.

    He expressed confidence in winning the APC ticket at the April primary and the July 14 governorship election to provide quality leadership.

     

  • Cardinal Arinze: poverty, rural neglect responsible for low devt

    Cardinal Arinze: poverty, rural neglect responsible for low devt

    Cardinal Francis Arinze has attributed the country’s underdevelopment to poverty and neglect of rural areas.

    He spoke yesterday at the ground breaking ceremony of the proposed Azione Verde University, Aqua Viva Hospital as well as a Catholic Church at Amaju, Amaigbo, Nwangele Local Government Area, Imo State.

    He advised leaders to channel their resources for the development of rural areas to alleviate poverty in the country.

    “One of the ways to address poverty in the country is for Nigerians to be willing to give assistance to their fellow Nigerians without expecting rewards.

    “Those who are more privileged than others must show real patriotism and kind gesture to their fellow Nigerians.

    “When this is done, the peace and unity everybody is clamouring for will naturally come,” he said.

    Arinze expressed optimism that the proposed university and the hospital would act as catalyst for speedy development and reduction of poverty in the state.

    The Apostolic Nuncio to Togo and Benin Republic, Archbishop Brain Udaigwe, said the university would impact on the lives of the underprivileged.

    “We believe its location in a village like this will give educational opportunities for people in the area.

    “Also, we hope it is going to provide a wider opportunity in order to touch lives directly,” he said.

    Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Orlu, Imo, Most Rev. Augustine Ukwuoma, commended the initiative of citing a university in a rural area.

    He said the gesture, including the proposed hospital, underscored the availability of healthcare services nearer the people, especially rural dwellers.

    He said effective healthcare service would reduce maternal mortality and commended the initiator of the project, Rev. Fr. Ifeanyi Duru, for using his charitable foundation to touch many lives, especially the less privilege.

     

     

     

     

  • Fayose, Mark, Olujimi call for holistic action in addressing poverty

    Fayose, Mark, Olujimi call for holistic action in addressing poverty

    There must be a holistic efforts from both the government and the elites in the country, if poverty is to be tackled, it was learnt Monday.

    The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, former Senate President, Senator David Mark and Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Senator Abiodun Olujimi made the call Monday at the launch of Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Senator Bode Ola’s book, titled: Why the Poor Are Still with Us in Abuja.

    Fayose who was represented by Ayodele Oladimeji noted that the issue of unemployment and stressed the key role of the country’s elites as well as the government in addressing the poverty challenges.

    The governor, who spoke through Hon. Ayodele Oladimeji blamed the menace on the increasing unemployment and underemployment rates.

    He said: “Today the major challenge is unemployment. After unemployment we equally have under employment. I spoke with two people in Ekiti state on Sunday the husband is teaching in Primary school and the wife is equally teaching in another nursery and primary school. Each of them earn 15000 per month. You can then imagine the condition of the children this couple will rear.”
    On the book, he said it captures the challenges confronting the poor masses of the country, while it went further to recommend solutions.

    Oladimeji who noted that he is also one of the poor people in the country therefore urged the elites to make use of the book for the benefit of the masses.

    He said. “The book is highlighting the challenges of the poor masses, what are their needs what can the elites do to assist them I believe that the principles would have put there to assist us as groups, individuals, establishment to see what you can do to really assist the poor”.

    In his remark, Senator Mark, noted that the book launch was timely as it seeks to identify the major causes of poverty and ways to eradicate them from the society.

    “I cannot think of a more important and timely topic for Nigeria, than issue of poverty and the large number of the poor In the society, ”he said.

    Earlier, Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Senator Abiodun Olujimi stressed the need to prioritize the welfare of its people.

    He decried the level of poverty in the country; stressing that the people are spiritually and socially poor.

    The senator stressed that “a country where its citizens die because they could not afford a malaria drug of N1000 is a poor country.”

    She also called for reorientation noting that the; “government needs to take charge and look after its own people.”

    In his remarks, the book’s author, Senator Bode Ola, stated that poverty was a major bane to prosperity.

    Quoting the World’s statistics on poverty, he said this should be a source of concern considering the present state of the country’s economy.

    He also blamed funds mismanagement and over dependence on oil for the menace.

    On the book, he said it was his passion and compassion for the poor that prompted his writing.

    “This book was borne My passion and compassion for the poor, it is said that poverty is a threat to prosperity. The rich cannot sleep because the poor are awake. With the present state of things in Nigeria it is a concern to everyone.

    “The world statistics on poverty is a source of concern, as a politician it is a concern. The book tried to answer three problems this includes what is poverty, why poverty is still with us, this involves mismanagement of resources and overdependence on crude oil, it is because of oil we neglected other areas.”

    He however suggested the establishment of University of Entrepreneurship education to where youths can learn the art of wealth creation through self-generated ideas as well as self-dependence.

    Prof. Gbenga Ibileye of the Kogi state University who reviewed the 160 paged book said the book is packed full with both theoretical insights and actionable recommendations that if followed, will initiate genuine process of curing Nigeria of the toga of chronic poverty and usher her into the realm of prosperity, which will eventually eradicate or sufficiently alleviate poverty in the land.”

    He explained that the book which is divided into eight chapters captured poverty, the cause and the solutions.

     

  • How poverty inspired me – Gospel singer, Douglas

    How poverty inspired me – Gospel singer, Douglas

    Gospel singer, Douglas Danor, better known in music circles as 3D, has opened up on his encounter with poverty and how it pushed him to achieve greatness.

    Speaking at the maiden edition of ‘Worship Without Limits’ gospel music concert which recently held in Lagos, the convener, Douglas Danor, revealed that his experience with poverty pushed him into music after he lost his lucrative job as a banker.

    “’Worship without Limits’ berthed as a result of my experiences in life; I was a banker but at a time I was sacked and things became very rough for me and my family. It was in the midst of that roughness I wrote the songs I sing now. I also made some dangerous vows to God that if He brings me out of my precarious situation, I would use everything I have to serve him; so that’s what gave birth to this idea,” he noted.

    He added that the essence of the concert is to convince others that there is nothing beyond God.

    He said; “The essence of this idea is to get people to believe that if God can change my own story, he can change theirs also because I came out of a situation whereby I had to sell my wedding ring and other properties just to feed, pay my children’s school fees and take care of other things.”

  • Minimum wage: Folktales of wealth, reality of poverty

    SIR: The Muhammad Buhari administration has inaugurated a 30 man committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage that would be beneficial to the Nigerian worker. The president premised the review on the increase in the pump price of petroleum products since the existing wage structure had expired as pump price increased.

    Without a doubt, the economic reality of an individual’s purchasing power clearly necessitates income adjustment. As a matter of fact workers have been experiencing personal economic turmoil as a result of the economic depression, low purchasing power of the Nigerian currency as well as the inflationary trend.

    However, certain factors should be put into consideration by advocates of the N56,000 national minimum wage.

    Over the years, funding of wage bills especially by state governments have always been a national headache. Many states are unable to implement the last wage review of N18,000, while others who were able to pay ab initio, soon found it increasingly difficult to pay with the subsequent collapse of crude oil prices internationally.

    With the downturn in the financial fortune of Nigeria, how many states can afford N56,000 minimum wage?

    Inflation today is an average worker’s biggest problem. Inflation tends to render the income of workers impotent. Available statistics provided by the National Bureau of statistics and the Central Bank of Nigeria indicates that inflation in Nigeria is on an insignificant decline. The apex bank is promising an inflation rate of 10% in the nearest future. This is attainable, however, without a doubt, the economic reality does not suggest that inflation is on a decline as prices of goods and food items are still on the high.

    Prices in Nigeria react negatively to minimum wage adjustments and petroleum product pump price. Suffice it to say, as minimum wage increases or petrol pump price is increased, market women adjust prices upwards to enable them share in the national   cake thereby fueling inflation.

    Increasing our minimum wage will not solve the problem; it would rather aggravate the financial crisis within the economy. An increase in money wage will result in automatic decrease in real wage of the individual. Rather than increase the minimum wage rate, government should proactively think of ways to increase the consumer purchasing power by reducing inflation rate through more Investment in agriculture and its value chain line. Agriculture has the potential to enhance Nigeria’s income generating capacity, it has the capacity to reduce unemployment and drive down prices of food items and raw materials.

    With additional investment in agriculture, Nigeria will be able to meet its food and raw materials demand which will in turn frustrate “demand pull inflation “where too much money pursue few goods.

    Government should seriously consider encouraging the development of the real sector of the economy. The near death of the real sector has greatly affected our productive capacity which in turn creates unemployment and fuels importation and inflation.

    Infrastructure capable of aiding the development of the real sector should be invested in. Such infrastructures include power and good road network, these will enhance production value-chain and boost our productive capacity.

    The Nigerian worker’s need is beyond N56,000 minimum wage. What Nigerians need is an increase in his real wage rate via increased purchasing power of his earnings and decreased inflation rate. Increased minimum wage without increased household purchasing power will amount to a waste of scares resources.

     

    • Olalekan Odewale,

    Lonelake2001@yahoo.com

  • Nigeria leading the world in extreme poverty?

    Nigeria leading the world in extreme poverty?

    I woke up two days ago and accessed my emails as usual, and was confronted by a story emailed to me by a young friend, a story concerning our country, Nigeria. The story was so shocking that I immediately went into a serious act of prayer for Nigeria. The story says that “According to the World Poverty Clock…Nigeria will by February 2018 (be) the country with the most people in extreme poverty (in the world). Currently, 82 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty, which is 42.4 percent of Nigeria’s population”.

    The story explains that the World Poverty Clock was created by the World Data Lab to track poverty estimates in about 99.7 percent of the countries in the world, using data obtained from the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, United Nations, and the governments of the countries themselves. Using all these data, the Poverty Clock estimates the rate at which poverty is being reduced globally, and also how many more people are becoming extremely poor in the countries of the world.

    The story further explains that living in extreme poverty is defined by the World Bank as living with under $1.90 per day. “People living in extreme poverty are unable to meet their minimal needs for survival”. To reverse the trend towards more and more extreme poverty, and to be able to eliminate extreme poverty completely by 2030 (as the United Nations hopes for all countries), Nigeria needs to have 11.9 people rising above extreme poverty every minute right now. But instead, Nigeria presently has 6.8 people falling into extreme poverty every minute.

    Various factors are, according to the story, responsible for this constant growth of extreme poverty in Nigeria. One major factor is rapid population growth. “Nigeria’s population is growing faster than its economy. Between 1990 and 2013, Nigeria’s population increased by 81 percent. By 2050, going by the speed of its present population growth rate, Nigeria will be the third most populous country in the world. By passing the 400 million mark, it will be taking over from the U.S.A. (as the world’s third largest country) and be only behind China and India”. Another factor is the decline in Nigeria’s oil revenues in recent times, oil being the main pillar of the Nigerian economy. The decline led to a recession recently, and after the recession passed, the economy has been growing only slowly.

    Yet another factor is Nigeria’s deeply unfair wealth distribution. More of Nigeria’s wealth is concentrated in the hands of the elite – politicians, public office holders, civil servants, crony capitalists, and various kinds of rogue millionaires. Most of this concentration of wealth in the hands of only a minority of Nigerians has been attained through a culture of rampant corruption.

    The outcomes of all these failings are the lack of basic social amenities for the vast majority of Nigerians, poor and worsening infrastructures, serious difficulties in doing business in Nigeria, high and rising levels of unemployment, and massive hopelessness.

    As a result, concludes the story, “Nigeria’s rising extreme poverty numbers isn’t unexpected. Instead, it’s a direct result of years of negligent and ineffective government policies… dependence on oil for years and an inability to generate non-oil revenue. Even now, Nigeria’s 2018 record budget is running on a deficit and will be funded by much borrowing with government debts also on the rise. The solution to this problem would be the formation of a credible policy aimed at eradicating poverty. The clock is ticking”.

    What all these mean is that the Buhari presidency is pushing or pulling our country towards something truly frightening. What this will be if he continues unchanged, only God knows at this point. But President Buhari does not have to continue unchanged. There are many other options that he can choose now to guide our country away from the present perpetual decline into extreme poverty. In the interest of our country, and in the interest of the nearly 200 million of us Nigerians, he must stop, look around, and consider other options.

    First, one very important option is that Nigeria must liberate the inherent energies of each section of Nigeria, empower each section, and thereby allow for many centres of potent development initiatives. In short, let many centres across our country have the capability to make serious contributions to development and socio-economic growth. This is one major reason why many leading Nigerians have been demanding the restructuring of our federation. Removing much of the powers and resources which the federal government controls now, and vesting them in strong federating units, will create the situation whereby resource development and wealth production will no longer be given to one large and ponderous federal centre, but will be given to a number of competing centres. What this means is that every section of Nigeria will be able develop its own homeland in its own way and make its own kind of contribution to the overall progress and prosperity of Nigeria. That means, we need to restructure our federation rationally. The capricious structure given gradually to the Nigerian federation since the 1960s, the massing of all power and resource control and development in the hands of the federal government, and the use of 36 states that are essentially impotent, dependent on federal fund allocations, and grossly expensive, has not worked and it can never work. It is a path to the economic and, ultimately, political death of Nigeria. And it needs to be changed expeditiously.

    Secondly, Nigeria must begin to invest heavily in our youths in all corners of our country.  I mean in quality education, in modern job skills training, in entrepreneurial skills training, in job ethics and business ethics training, in leadership development programmes, in business support programmes, etc. All of these should be a mandated agenda in all our states, and should be strongly shielded from infestation with partisan political germs and viruses. The objective must be that our men and women will soon rank among the world’s best modern workers, best managers, best chief executives of companies, most prolific inventors and business starters, most professional and dignified civil servants, etc.

    Thirdly, we must definitively crack the naughty problem of our infrastructures. In particular, we must zero in on electricity, and make partial, haphazard and spasmodic supply of electricity a thing of the past in all parts of our country. This will serve as an incentive to draw countless Nigerians out to scramble for, and push, a modern economic and industrial culture in our country. Centralization of electricity supply has failed our country; we need to diversify in various ways.

    Fourthly, we must create various incentive policies to encourage investment – investments by Nigerians and by foreigners, in all facets of our economy (industrial, commercial, service, agricultural, research and development, tourism, social services, real estate, etc). We must devise ways and means to attract Nigerians scattered all over the world to be part of this investment movement. And we must establish various incentives to encourage businesses in Nigeria to pursue an aggressive export orientation – to produce high quality products that can easily penetrate the most sophisticated markets in the world, and to evolve superior and efficient export management practices.

    Fifthly, we must de-emphasize politics as a means of livelihood among our ambitious citizens. We must drastically reduce the emoluments and perquisites earned in politics and public offices, shut down the unrestricted and uncontrolled access of public officials to public money, revive the public service rules and regulations that guided the handling of public money during the 1950s (rules and regulations that were destroyed by the military regimes in 1966-99), and institute enforceable limitations and controls over political and electoral expenses.

    All these will deal a heavy blow at public corruption in our country – in addition to whatever other methods the Buhari presidency may choose to use to fight corruption. To crush public corruption effectively and abidingly, we need to reform or change the pubic structures, institutions and practices that uphold public corruption in our country. Merely striking at the manifestations and culprits of public corruption at the top cannot really eliminate corruption. If it subdues corruption to some extent now, it cannot ensure that corruption will not return.

    We do not deserve to live in poverty. Our country is naturally rich in resources, and our people are ambitious, creative and pushful. The poor organization of our country, and the consequent inefficient and wasteful management of our country’s assets, and the greed and corruption that these generate among the elite of our country, are the things wrecking our country. We can change all these.

  • How to tackle poverty, by Ambode

    How to tackle poverty, by Ambode

    •12,935 graduate from skills acquisition centres

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday listed entrepreneurship and job creation as pivotal ways to tackle poverty in the country.

    The governor spoke at the graduation of 12,935 students from the various skills acquisition centres across the state.

    The event was held at the LTV Blue Roof in Ikeja.

    The large scale entrepreneurship and massive jobs were the twin battlefronts through which government could aggressively deal with poverty, he said.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Rotimi Ogunleye, Ambode said: “It is only those that have skills that will get jobs and only those that are educated can acquire skills. We are not only creating skill and healthy graduands, we are also producing self-employed individuals, who will be employers of labour in not too distance future.”

    He said it was heart-warming that as against a total of 5,951 trainees graduated in 2016, “we are giving each of today’s 12,935 graduands an opportunity we did not have. We were trained to study and look for jobs. But we recognised today how much the world has changed and we are determined to prepare you for the future by training you to create jobs for yourselves and others rather than wait for jobs to be created.”

    The governor said Lagos State was in the forefront of job creation through the Ministry of wealth creation and had set up Employment Trust Fund to promote entrepreneurial activities that would be powered by youths.

    Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) Mrs Lola Akande, said the graduands were trained in Hairdressing and Cosmetology, Catering and Hotel Management, Computer Training, Textile Designing/Hats making/ Beads stringing, Barbing, Printing Technology, Shoe Making and Leatherworks, Furniture and Woodwork, Welding, Block Laying, Adult Literacy, among others.

    “To further enhance their success as business owners, our Trainees undergo Entrepreneurial training and Industrial Attachments in well established companies and organisations across the state.

    “To the 12,935 trainees graduating in various skills today, let me encourage you to consider yourselves as people with great ideas and competencies which make the sky only your beginning. The onus is therefore on you to go forth with a determination to contribute to the economic and industrial advancement of the country,” she said.

  • How to lead Nigerians out of poverty, by Tinubu

    How to lead Nigerians out of poverty, by Tinubu

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday gave a pass mark to the Muhammadu Buhari Administration in a mid-term assessment of the Federal Government.

    He reviewed the three-point focus of the administration – the anti-graft battle, security and re-ordering the economy – saying in spite of strident criticisms, the government had done well to make the country more prosperous now than it was two years ago.

    But he gave his perspective on how things could be better done.

    Tinubu spoke during the public presentation of a book “Making steady, sustainable progress for Nigeria’s peace and prosperity” at the old Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja.

    He was the special guest of honour  at the event.

    The 360-page book, a  scorecard on President Buhari’s administration, was put together by the Presidential Media Team of Special Adviser Media Femi Adesina, Senior Special Assistants Garba Shehu and Laolu Akande.

    The book was reviewed by APC chieftain and eminent journalist Prince Tony Momoh.

    Apart from President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, ministers, party leaders, led by National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and others attended the ceremony.

    President Buhari said those who steal will be made to face the law. He promised to bring back the remaining Chibok girls and  rededicate himself to working for all Nigerians after their prayer ensured his full recovery from illness that took him abroad for more than 100 days.

    Tinubu said Nigeria must urgently move towards true federalism.

    He said: “Here, permit me to offer a few observations on how we might proceed. There will be those who might distort what I say here as evidence of ‘space’ between President Buhari and me. Their evidence will be false and their news about this will be fake. Mischief never dies. Fortunately, nor does the truth.

    “What I proffer today is done in the spirit of utmost respect and affinity by one who wants the best for this government and for Nigeria. I say these things to encourage the government to achieve the greatness the times demand and of which this government is capable.

    “The battlefront upon which this nation’s fate shall be decided is the economy. On this, almost all else shall hang. In addition to talking about this book which describes our immediate past and present, I want to briefly mention another document:  The 2018 budget.

    “This budget moves us farther in the right direction. It is a bolder, more creative one than this government’s earlier editions.

    “It shows this government has embraced its progressive identity despite the chorus of opposition.  Also that it more clearly realises the depths of the economic and financial challenges before us.

    “One of the important aspects of this budget is the capital expenditure for needed infrastructure. This investment means the government fully recognises our economy must grow but that it cannot expand beyond the parameters of the infrastructural grid that serves it.

    “With this book and with the budget we come to the place where past intersects with the present to interact with the future. The place where what we do or don’t do will dictate the Nigeria of tomorrow.

    ”We are inching out of recession but growth must increase. It is time to lead our people to a place where poverty and hunger become infrequent and where prosperity and hope are the daily fare of the common man,” he said

    The former Lagos State Governor added: “There are three key ideas I would like to table before you today. First, we are among the world’s most populous nations and potentially one of its most powerful. No populous nation has ever attained prosperity without first establishing a robust industrial capacity.

    “In one form or another, England, America, Japan and China implemented policies to protect key industries, promote employment and encourage exports.

    “These nations represent the past, present and immediate future of national economic achievement.

    “If Nigeria is to be a leader in the next phase of global economic history, we must learn from these prior successes. The common thread between these nations was the objective of buffering strategic industries in ways that allow for the expansion and growth of the overall economy.”

    On true federalism, Tinubu said: “We also must move toward true federalism by the balance of power and responsibility between the Federal Government and the states. In so doing, we attain the correct balance between our collective purpose on one hand and our separate grassroots realities on the other.”

    According to him, the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan won a gold medal in corruption.

    He said so much money grew feet and ran faster than Jamaican runner, Usani Bolt, under Jonathan’s administration.

    The money that should have been spent on development, Tinubu noted, was squandered in ways that could cause the devil to blush.

    He noted that gone were the times when a minister could pilfer billions of dollars as easy as plucking a piece of candy from the table.

    Tinubu said: “The prior government used the public treasury as a private hedge fund or a charity that limited its giving only to themselves. So much money grew feet and ran away faster than Usain Bolt ever could. That which could have been spent on national development was squandered in ways that would cause the devil to blush.

    ”One minister and her rogues’ gallery picked the pocket of this nation for billions of dollars. While poor at governance, these people could give a master thief lessons in the sleight of hand.  In governance, they earned a red card but in corruption, they won the gold medal.

    ”It was not that our institutions had become infected by corruption. Corruption had become institutionalised.

    “President Buhari has set an axe to the root of this dangerous tree.  I would be lying if I said the war against large-scale corruption has been won.

    ”It has not.  It will take time and countless swings of the axe to fall such a deeply-rooted tree. But try we must. This is what the President is doing.

    ”We have much to do to combat this disease.  Not only must we track down the takers. In the long term, we must review the salaries of public servants and create universal credits for our people to reduce temptation.

    ”We must also take greater care by placing people of character, competence and goodness into key positions. When they fail, they must be removed without remorse or favour.

    ”Through no fault of its own, this administration had to grapple with a rapid fall in oil prices. That fall brought recession and collapsed our exchange rate regime. More fundamentally, it showed that the very economic model upon which this nation operated was outmoded and flawed. Unfortunately, the past administration did nothing to re-calibrate the economy.

    ”With fewer resources at hand, this government is compelled to do more. It must respond to immediate needs in a way that leads to long-term economic reform.

    Tinubu insisted that President Buhari is truly the right man to lead the country at this time.

    He said: “We are many things as a people. Among them is that we can be a clamorous nation. Noise abounds. Voices rise. Critics moan. The angry and the desperate even question whether this nation should exist, whether it is an experience or experiment that has failed.

    ”Mr. President, the noise can be loud, almost deafening at times. Yet, ultimately, both noise and clamour shall fade, for progress.

    ”Before this government came into being, Boko Haram wreaked havoc on a daily basis. Spreading its evil arm across great expanses of our national territory, Boko Haram invaded towns and villages, erasing the peace and normalcy of the people to replace it with wanton brutality, hatred and death.

    ”They hoisted their dreadful flag where only the green and white of Nigeria should have been.

    ”Today, that evil flag is not planted over an inch of our precious land. This violent scourge recedes into the darkened shadows of inhumanity from whence it came. People once under its horrid dominion now breathe the air of freedom and safety.

    ”Boko Haram has not been completely defeated. But there is no question, that it has been decimated and made shorter and weaker. They shall never constitute the threat they once were.

    ”This is no accident. It is the result of the policies and commitment of President Buhari, his government and the men and women of our armed forces who place their lives on the line in silent heroism to protect this nation and its people.

    ”Had the previous government remained in place, Boko Haram would have surely eaten more territory and devoured more people. This nation might have indeed been divided and cut asunder, not by choice but by the knife of terrorism,” he added

    President Buhari said: “During the year it was my great pleasure to secure the release of 102 Chibok school girls. We are doing our best quietly and effectively as possible to get the rest released.

    ”We are working day and night with our international partners to release the remaining girls as soon as possible, women and children.

    ”We are all aware now that if you steal public funds and you are caught, you will face the law.

    ”Internationally, Nigeria is now a respected nation. I can’t keep up with invitations to visit other countries much less for other countries’ leaders that want to visit us. A number of world leaders are expressing the desire to visit nigeria virtually monthly.

    ”Our creditworthiness is sound; our first Eurobond offer was oversubscribed four times.” he stated

    Thanking Nigerians for their prayers, he said: “I can only repay you by resolving to work by putting every ounce of my energy to protect your interest.

    ”We have gone through our difficult times due to worldwide economic recession . We are coming out of recession and government efforts are targeted at easing economic hardship.

    ”With more jobs, social security platforms for vulnerable families, and unemployed and infrastructural progress.

    “I would at the same time like to assure all Nigerians of my commitment to improve security, fight corruption and restructure the economy.

    “On the herdsmen/farmers clashes, kidnapping and armed robberies within the confines of our limited resources, we are giving top priority to security.”

    Noting that Nigeria’s major problem is corruption, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the government had been investing in the various sectors of the economy in the past two years.

    Minister of Information Lai Mohammed listed the achievements of the government in the last two years. The SGF said Nigeria had undergone considerable improvement since the coming of the Buhari administration.

    He said that the publication was not just a book but a guide of the Presidents campaign promises.

    According to him, the book is an outcome of public private partnership. It is to be distributed free of charge.

  • Poverty – The rusty clog on the wheel of progress!

    Poverty – The rusty clog on the wheel of progress!

    Poverty is the rusty clog that makes the wheel of progress grind slowly or come to a complete halt, especially in a country like ours where there is a wide gap between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless.

    Closing this gap seems so impossible because our society seemingly despises the weak, poor and vulnerable, and adores the rich, strong and powerful.

    Our society which crucifies the poor in overt and blatant manners, but venerate the rich regardless of the enormity of crime(s) committed.

    Nowadays, people really do not care about the source or process in which humongous and overnight wealth is acquired; the pitiable mantra seems to be the end justifies the means.

    Therefore, people engage and indulge in several unscrupulous and unethical means to acquire the mazuma.

    The rich continue to get richer and rule over the poor.

    Don’t you think it’s funny how they send their children to Ivy League schools and place them in political and economic positions where we in turn serve father, mother, and children….even grandchildren?

    You might argue that success is not dependent on the status or how expensive the school you attend is; however, the fact still remains that those “expensive” schools give their students more exposure and richer networks of people than the common schools.

    Even with a first class degree, the child of the common man still has to work extra-hard to secure even the basest of employments.

    Being poor is really and truly a disease; once you are poor you will perpetually live in dis-EASE, and you might be denied your fundamental human rights.

    Like the saying goes – Money won’t make you happy, but everyone wants to find out for themselves.

    Everybody desires to be rich, famous and respected because it seems to be the major currency of valuable exchange in our society today.

    Therefore, the poor ones who are looked down upon become restless, they then start striving for that “high-end” life style.

    No doubt man has changed, and his craving for money knows no end.

    However, that craving is not that of determination, probably it once was, but has now degenerated to desperation, no wonder we now have young teenager getting involved in rituals, or Yahoo plus…just anything to get rich.

    Therefore, it would be safe for the writer to say that the same poverty that prevented man from moving forward, is also the source of man’s desperation.