President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday vowed
to move 100 million Nigerians out of poverty over the next 10 years.
to move 100 million Nigerians out of poverty over the next 10 years.
The president made the statement while giving
an inaugural Democracy Day speech in Abuja.
an inaugural Democracy Day speech in Abuja.
Buhari
said: “With leadership and a sense of purpose, we can lift 100 million
Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.”
said: “With leadership and a sense of purpose, we can lift 100 million
Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.”
The Buhari-administration had moved the
democracy day celebration from May 29th to June 12 following
agitations over the years that the day be recognised to commemorate the
struggle of late politician and business mogul Moshood Abiola, who was acclaimed
the winner of the 1993 Presidential Election that was annulled.
democracy day celebration from May 29th to June 12 following
agitations over the years that the day be recognised to commemorate the
struggle of late politician and business mogul Moshood Abiola, who was acclaimed
the winner of the 1993 Presidential Election that was annulled.
The president promised that his Administration was
laying the foundation and taking bold steps in transforming the country to liberate
citizens from the shackles of poverty.
laying the foundation and taking bold steps in transforming the country to liberate
citizens from the shackles of poverty.
Buhari said that efforts would be made to build the
economies of the rural areas and ensure a purposeful integration with the
national economy.
economies of the rural areas and ensure a purposeful integration with the
national economy.
He said: “First, we will take steps to integrate rural
economies to the national economic “grid” by extending access to small-scale
credits and inputs to rural farmers, credit to rural micro-businesses and
opening up many critical feeder roads.
economies to the national economic “grid” by extending access to small-scale
credits and inputs to rural farmers, credit to rural micro-businesses and
opening up many critical feeder roads.
“Secondly, for small-scale enterprises in towns and
cities, we shall expand facilities currently available so that we continue to
encourage and support domestic production of basic goods and reduce our
reliance of imported goods as I will outline later.
cities, we shall expand facilities currently available so that we continue to
encourage and support domestic production of basic goods and reduce our
reliance of imported goods as I will outline later.
“For the next four years, we will remain committed to
improving the lives of people by consolidating efforts to address these key
issues as well as emerging challenges of climate change, resettling displaced
communities and dealing decisively with the new flashes of insecurity across
the country, and the impacts on food scarcity and regional stability.”
improving the lives of people by consolidating efforts to address these key
issues as well as emerging challenges of climate change, resettling displaced
communities and dealing decisively with the new flashes of insecurity across
the country, and the impacts on food scarcity and regional stability.”
He added that incentives would be given for investments
that are specifically made in rural communities, while materials would be
locally sourced.
that are specifically made in rural communities, while materials would be
locally sourced.
Remarkably, the president renamed the
National Stadium, Abuaj, after the late Moshood Abiola amidst promises to run
an administration that would benefit all Nigerians.
National Stadium, Abuaj, after the late Moshood Abiola amidst promises to run
an administration that would benefit all Nigerians.
