Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has risen in stout defence of the economic policies being pursued by the administration of President Bola Tinubu with a call on Nigerians to bear with the President in his bid to take the country to a higher pedestal.
The governor gave this plea on Wednesday while paying a courtesy visit to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in her office at the State House, Abuja.
Commenting on the ongoing reforms by the President, Sanwo-Olu said taking the country to a level where every Nigerian can be comfortable requires hard decisions and systematic efforts by the government, as well as a lot of patience on the part of the citizens.
According to him: “We have to continue to encourage and support him, and encourage our citizens as well that we see a bright light down the tunnel. Not doing anything is not an option. So, in the course of doing things differently, there will be belt up here, there will be tightening there, but at the end of the day we believe the result that comes out of those reforms will improve the quality of life and make things a lot better for our citizens and the economy will continue to grow in the direction that we are all appreciative of”.
The governor applauded Mrs Tinubu for her intervention in empowering to women and other vulnerable groups in the society through her Initiative, Renewed Hope Initiative.
He stressed that the importance of interventions of the Initiative in the education sector where a National Scholarship Programme was recently flagged off in Abuja with 43 beneficiaries from across the nation, women ICT Training and other empowerment programs in agriculture and social investment.
Sanwo-Olu noted that these efforts will complement similar policy objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, as well as serve to reassure Nigerians.
Said he: “We have to encourage her on the Renewed Hope Initiative which we have all heard about, which she is championing with other First Ladies and of course the wife of the Vice President, because it complements what Mr President is doing. I think she is really great with her focus on schools and to be able to provide succour for the people that are vulnerable.”
Also on Wednesday, the First Lady paid tributes to individuals who lost their lives in the bombing of the United Nations Building in Abuja which occurred on August 26, 2011.
She was speaking at the wreath laying ceremony in honor of the victims of the incident.
Mrs Tinubu called for a world where terrorism, along with its severe impact on the society, is effectively combatted.
To achieve this, the First Lady said the global community must channel more energy towards fostering peace, promoting dialogue and combating the forces of hatred and division.
Speaking while paying tribute, she said the world must not only draw strength from the sacrifice of those serving the cause of peace, but must also recommit to the values of unity, understanding and cooperation that the UN represents.
Her words: “On this solemn occasion, we remember and honor the lives that were lost. I pay tribute to the dedicated individuals who were serving the cause of peace and development within the walls of UN building.
“Today we stand united in our resolve and determination to create a world where the principles of peace, justice and cooperation that the United Nations stands for are not merely ideals, but reality for all”.
The First Lady was joined by the Undersecretary General of UN, Office of Counterterrorism, Valdimir Voronkov in performing the wreath laying ceremony.
Voronkov also harped on the need to build solidarity and provide support to victims of terrorism across the world as terrorism continues to threaten peace and security, leaving in its wake hundreds of thousands of victims and survivors.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria knows the consequences of terrorism within and around its borders all too well. Indeed, parts of Africa have experienced the highest impact of terrorism for many years.
“The United Nations itself is not immune from terrorism. Two weeks ago, we marked the 20th anniversary of the devastating attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, on 19 August 2003”.
The solemn and brief ceremony was witnessed by heads of some of the United Nations Agencies in Nigeria.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
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