President Bola Tinubu has admonished 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.
He made the call when he received members of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, saying that development policies would only find full relevance in people’s lives when there is inclusivity, ownership, and sustainability.
A statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), noted that President Tinubu told the governors 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 channeling energy and resources into nation-building.
“You can convert people. You can appeal to people to come to your side,’’ he stated.
According to the President, 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.
He said the entire financial system of the country would be re-engineered for inclusivity, effectiveness, and efficiency.
“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,’’ the President said.
President Tinubu tasked the governors to come up with a framework that will make the implementation of the school-feeding programme more comprehensive and successful across all states of the federation, taking into consideration the peculiarities of each locality, but working towards having all children in school.
He added: “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.”
The President said the school-feeding programme would encourage more investments in agriculture, particularly in livestock farming and dairy, adding that the former Kano State Governor and APC Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, had already worked on a proposal that would be shared for input and implementation. President Tinubu equally congratulated the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, for restoring irrigation systems that provide water for year-long cultivation of crops.
On security, the President said the deployment of forest guards was being considered, with better training, modern technological gadgets and weapons to strengthen security, and that the solid mineral and marine economic sectors will also be secured by special police.
“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 reserves,’’ the President told the governors.
The Governor of Imo State and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodinma, thanked the President for involving governors in the design and implementation of policies, as well as for intervening with financial support in the states.
“We will continue to support you as your able ambassadors, willing ambassadors, and capable ambassadors,’’ Governor Uzodinma said.
Speaking to correspondents after the meeting, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, called on the opposition and citizens of the state to join him in his effort at governance following the Supreme Court affirmation of his election victory.
He has also affirmed that he has regained control of the politics of the state after being jolted by the surprise performance of the Labour Party (LP) in the last presidential election.
Sanwoolu said: “Really, it’s to ask everybody to join us, irrespective of whatever party it is, and to see that indeed the train in Lagos is moving. Yes, we have a real physical train, but the train of governance is moving. And what we have assured is that we will do it quicker, faster and bolder.
“We’ve promised to pretty much use every energy that we have to ensure that the economic commercial nerve center of the country remains, you know that reckoning not just by word of mouth, but by action; by the benefit that the citizens see in all human capital index in education, health infrastructure; in ensuring that foreign direct investment, tourism insecurity, everything that makes Lagos a resilient city that it can stand with other cities globally is what we’re about.”
Continuing, the Lagos governor added: “So, it’s not an APC victory. It’s not a Babajide Sanwoolu victory, it’s a Lagos call to action for all of us to work for the citizens to meet a lot of Lagosians, and to make meaningful development for our people. At the end of the day, people want to see good roads, people want to see security everywhere in the state.
“People want to see hospitals and schools being built. That’s what people want and that’s what we’ve preached and that’s what we’re going to do.”
On the control of the politics of Lagos State, the governor said: “We have Lagos. Politics, or election period is always a different kettle of fish and part of the things that pushes decisions making. The moment it’s all over, you see the convergence. There are people in other parties that right from the very next day, they’ve extended their hands of fellowship to me to say that we’re all together in this, let’s do it together and let’s work together because at the end of the day, why are you in government?
“It’s because you have the energy to say to people, you want to make life better for your citizens.”
In his remark, the Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, said that the Supreme Court judgement which affirmed his election victory has placed more burden on him.
However, he vowed to live up to the expectations and keep giving the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
According to him, his administration has already started a number of projects, adding that 16 roads have been commissioned.
On what to expect from the administration, the governor said: “I know it is a victory not just for me and as a person but for the great people of Benue state. The victory is sweet and it places more burdens on our output, both the input and output.
“That is the expectation and the expectation being that even the courts re-affirmed the mandate the people gave me and I’m quite happy on that. Again, it simply implies that we have to get out there and do some more, let them feel the impact of what they are inspecting.
“When they give you the mandate. It is an inspection then what you put out there for them, becomes their expectation and I know it’s very tall, very, very tall and we’ve already started a number of projects.
“We commissioned 16 roads. Quite a number done out of the 16 as I’m speaking here now. The remaining work is still on them. We’re hoping that in the next month or two all the 16 roads shall have been completed.
“The earthmoving machinery is already in place for the underpass and the overpass, and then to go straight into the rural roads development. So these are the projects that we intend to do.
“Work is already ongoing as I’m speaking here on the renovation of the 40 year old State Secretariat which has never been touched before it was quite in a dilapidated state. So we’re going to reinvent it.
“We’re working on reforming our civil service. Work has actually begun and we also have an institute specifically for that. On Wednesday, the state exco gave an approval for the Institute to be established just to train and retrain civil service. I feel it’s a milestone that we understand fully while in civil service, there is an expectation of you.
“And I’m happy there is an approval and work has already begun on that. So plus all those that I have mentioned there are many more expectations from the folks.
“We appreciate the support they continue to give. We’re going to live up to the expectations and then we keep giving them the dividends of democracy.”
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