Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has made it clear that President Muhammadu Buhari is all out to give poverty a knock-out from Nigeria, with reference to the N500 billion Social Investment programmes.
He said that such programme is a means to energize the economy and deal with issues of poverty in the country.
Osinbajo, who spoke as he received a delegation of the Muslim Lawyers Association (MLA) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that the social investment programmes would train people, create jobs, feed school children from homegrown farming and grant soft loans to traders, artisans and market women.
“All these are ways and means of energizing the economy and deal with some of the harshest problems like poverty.
“We are here at this time because that is the will of God to deliver the goods and do the right things for this country. It is very interesting the situation we find ourselves, but there is great hope.”
The Vice President said that both the president and himself are committed to a new united Nigeria, populated by a ‘New Tribe’ that would be united across otherwise divisive lines be it ethnic or religious.
He added that Nigerians must fight corruption which is responsible for the current situation of things in the country, stressing that if it is not challenged, corruption would worsen the situation.
Osinbajo said that as a people: “we should never be divided on religion and ethnicity; everyone is free to practice their own faith. When we come together as a people we must advance the interest of our nation.”
Earlier, the President of the MLA, Dr. Kamal Alhaji Daud praised both the president and the vice president. He pledged the association’s support in the fight against corruption even as he prayed for wisdom and strength for the Buhari presidency.
The group had held a lecture entitled Service Above Self, in honour of the Vice President. [myad]
