Uche Amunike
In his bid to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years, President Buhari has inaugurated the National Steering Committee,(NSC) of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS),Tuesday in Abuja.
He affirmed that the NPRGS has already made a proposal for the establishment of a private equity fund, the Nigeria Investment and Growth Fund, (NIG-fund).
The fund, he said will aid resource mobilization drive and also manage the resources in a sustainable manner.
Hear him: ‘I am happy to note that the process of designing this inclusive poverty reduction strategy recognized and addressed past mistakes as well as laying the foundation for a sustainable poverty reduction through the wide range consultations held at all levels of government, development partners, the private sector as well as the civil society’.
Buhari added that the underlying causes of poverty would be addressed by the NPRGS while stating the major challenge as finding how to translate his government’s good intention into positive impact of the average Nigerian.
He posited that since India could lift 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, he believed that Nigeria could lift 100 million people out of poverty in 10 years.
Members of the committee are, Mustafa, Chief-of-Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari; Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State (South West). Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, (South South); Aminu Tambuwal, Governor of Sokoto State, (North West); Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno,(North East); Abdullahi Sule, Governor of Nassarawa ,(North Central); Dave Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State, (South East) and Ministers.
In attendance where, Vice President, Osinbajo, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, seven governors and top government officials.
Still on appointments president Buhari has deployed the former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai(rtd) to the Benin Republic as an Ambassador to Nigeria while the immediate Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin was also deployed to the Republic of Cameroon as Ambassador-Designate of Nigeria.
This was announced by Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama,Tuesday while presenting letters of credence to the newly appointed ex-service Chiefs.
A statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Officer, Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa, says: ‘The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Geoffrey Onyeama today 22 June 2021, presented Letters of Credence to the Ambassador-Designate of Nigeria to the Republic of Cameroon, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (Retired) and the Ambassador-Designate of Nigeria to the Republic of Benin, Lt.Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (Retired), former Navy Chief, Ibok-Efe Ekwe Ibas and former Chief of Air staff, Sadique Abubakar. Their appointment came nine days after they were replaced, having headed the country’s security agencies for over 5 years.
While many critics rated the former service Chiefs low in the state of security in Nigeria, Buhari said they had overwhelming achievements in their efforts at bringing enduring peace to our dear country.
Recall that President Buhari, upon the retirement of the Service Chiefs appointed them as non-career Ambassadors.
