FG seeks all-party cooperation to uplift Nigerians

THE Federal Government wants all political parties to work together to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

The government has therefore extended a hand of partnership to political leaders across party lines to facilitate the quick delivery of quality services for improvement in the lives of Nigerians.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo stated this on Monday at the opening of a two-day induction programme for returning and newly elected governors organised by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He noted the challenges confronting the country has to face in the years to come especially in the areas of human capacity development including education, healthcare and jobs for the youths are monumental and historic.

Osinbajo said: “I have the President’s mandate to say that the Federal government stands ready to embark on this historic all-party cooperation to better the lives of all our citizens.”

According to him, be able to achieve significant progress both the states and the federal government must see themselves as one in delivering services to the people.

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He however assured that government is able and prepared to address the numerous challenges facing the country.

The Vice President added: “To do so, all the States of this Federation and the Federal government must see ourselves as one. Our people in every State want the same things and suffer the same deprivations, they really don’t care who puts food on the table, just put the food on the table.”

He noted that the issue of insecurity, including opportunistic attacks by Boko Haram in the North East part of the country, and farmers/herders clashes remain top on the agenda of the present government.

Osinbajo said that the unfortunate security problems have overstretched relevant law enforcement agencies considerably.

“Security remains top of our agenda. The law and order challenges in parts of the country, with the opportunistic attacks of Boko Haram in the North East and incidents of attacks by Fulani herders, and similar incidents now occurring in parts of the Northwest have stretched the capacity of our law enforcement agencies considerably,” he said.

He assured that the federal government is committed to recruiting more men and women into all security agencies in order to improve their capabilities to maintain law and order.

Osonbajo further said: “At our discussions at the NEC we have recommended more effective collaboration with State governments, a major plank in that collaboration is community policing.

“This involves more practical collaboration between the citizens, civic groups, traditional institutions and the Police. As Mr President has said, maintaining security is the first order of business for us as chief security officers at the Federal and State levels. We must work together and seek even more creative ways of making our country completely safe for its citizens. I must commend the excellent support that Governors have been giving the Police and armed forces posted to your States.”

He reminded the governors that they belong to an elite club who are privileged and fortunate to have been elected by the people to serve, adding that such privilege also comes with huge responsibility and sacrifice on their part.

The Vice President stated: “We, elected executive officials, belong to an elite club in this nation. Of over 200 million people, the nation elects 36 governors and 36 deputies, one president and one vice president making 74 Nigerians in all. 74 men and women out of 200 million people. We are so specially privileged and so enormously fortunate that our people chose us among so many other millions to lead them.

“This tremendous privilege which leadership thrusts upon us also comes with grave responsibilities. Those responsibilities are multiplied by the fact that most of our people are extremely poor. Large numbers are unable to afford good healthcare and malnutrition remains a major problem. Children in many of our States run the risk of being permanently mentally stunted because they are malnourished.

“Illiteracy is still significantly high and the number of out of school children is an embarrassment. Yet in all these, our population continues to grow at over 3 per cent per annum. We will by current projections move from 200 million to 400 million people in the next three decades. And then we will become the third most populous nation in the world.

“Most of that population will be young people under 25 looking for jobs. Every one of these people except a few living in Abuja will live in the States, your States, where you govern. They will seek schools in your States, health services in your States, food in your States and jobs in your states.”