Politics

Nigeria@63: We’ve no excuse not to be great — Akeredolu

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state on Friday, said Nigeria as a country of over 200 million people has no excuse not be great in terms of economic performance, calling on Nigerians to join hands in tackling myriads of challenges confronting the country.

Akeredolu who stated this during the Jumat Service to mark the nation’s 63rd independence anniversary at the Central Mosque, Akure, maintained that all the challenges confronting the country are surmountable.

The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for works and infrastructure, Raimi Aminu, called on Nigerians to cooperate with the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to solve all the problems and bring succour to entire citizenry.

According to him, the Tinubu-led administration was putting in place frantic efforts to deliverer the dividends of democracy to Nigerians and put smiles on faces of Nigerians and that the country becomes a place of pride.

“ The task before us is to build a viable and strong economy that would generate a prosperous, progressive and dignified country.

“ We can only attain this by more hard work,,enterprise, peace, creativity and defence of our country, ” he said.

Akeredolu noted that his administration had put in place some palliative measures to cushion effects of fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

He added that the state government had decided to give out farm inputs to farmers to boost food production in the state, saying that payment of registration and consultancy fees had been put on hold in all government hospitals in the state.

The governor promised that the state government would no spare efforts at improving the lots of people of the state, asking the citizens to eschew evil and defend the state.

Earlier, the Chief Imam of the state, Sheikh Abdulhakeem Yayi Akorede, asked the Tinubu-led government to fix the country’s economy and infrastructure to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians

Akorede said that it was pitiable that Nigerians were going through excruciating pains as a result of unbearable cost of living and decay infrastructure.

He expressed optimism in Tinubu’s agenda in putting an end to multifaceted problems of the country, describing the president as a listening person.

He urged those challenging the victory of the president in the election tribunal to withdraw their suits so that the government could face squarely the mandate of providing security and enabling environment for Nigerians to thrive.

Akorede also enjoined they state governor to reconcile in good term with his deputy, Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa, so that the state would progress.

He asked the governor to forgive his deputy for betterment of the state, adding that the governor’s absence had hindered many developments in the state.