Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has called on the people of the state and the country at large not to support the call for the dismemberment of the country, saying that the future of the country is promising and very magnificent to imagine.
The Governor who made this known at the event commemorating the 60th-anniversary celebration of the country held at the arcade ground of the Governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said that the call for dismemberment of the country wasn’t necessary as the present administration of President Muhammad Buhari is sincere in it’s policies and programmes.
“Even if we need to tweak the structure of our Federal system to make it respond to the needs of our current realities and that of the federating units, we can ill-afford the dismemberment of our great nation. The indomitable Nigerian spirit in us will see us through. Let us release the eagle in us to fly above the storm. We have done it before at different times of our national trials, and we can do it again,” he said.
Abiodun who also added that the administration of President Muhammad Buhari is committed towards ensuring that the country does not go back into recession with its deliberate policies at ensuring the recovery of the economy, quoted the data from the National Bureau of Statistics which stated that the economy continued to grow despite the global pandemic ravaging all around.
The Governor who added that although the growth might be short of all expectations, said that the economy could have grown more if not for the unforeseen outbreak of Corona virus pandemic in the 1st Quarter of the year.
“We are on a steady growth, we could have continued to improve on this steady growth if not for the unforeseen outbreak of Corona virus pandemic in the 1st Quarter of this year, I implore all Nigerians to be more patient, be prayerful and show more understanding to the current economic and social reforms as being carried-out by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government.
“We now have a Federal Government with a leadership that is sincere in its policies and programmes. It is on record that since suffering a recession and a full year of negative growth in the recent past, Nigeria’s economy has recovered slowly but steadily. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that our economy continues to grow. Gross Domestic Products (GDP) grew by 2.55% in 2017, and overall Nigeria’s economy grew by 2.27% in 2019. This may be short of our expectations. But, we are on a steady growth,” he said.
Read NIGERIA AT 60: ARRESTING THE INEXORABLE DECLINE OF THE UNION by Bolaji Adeniji
Abiodun also used the occasion to reiterate his administrations resolve to continue to ensure that all projects spread across the states, including all the inherited projects from the immediate past administration are completed without any delay, added that his administration would take advantage of the Diamond anniversary of the country, not only to reappraise all of its policies and programmes, but also to improve on its approach and strategy towards ensuring the continued delivery of good governance to the people of the State.
The Governor who also said that despite the meagre resources at the Government’s disposal, his administration has resolved to continue to deploy all available resources across all sectors towards improving the lots of the people, adding that the meaningful contributions of the people would be needed to take the development of the state into higher pedestals as no government can claim to possess all the funds and other wherewithal of development.
” We are determined to complete all our projects, including the inherited ones that have positive impacts on the people, within the tenure of our administration, I assure the people of our dear State that our administration will remain focused on its commitment towards the continued socio-economic development of the State,” he said.
The state helmsman while urging the people of the state and the country at large to continue to focus more on things that unite the country, rather than things that divides the people, said that at 60, discussions shouldn’t be about how the country would become a world power, but on how to consolidate the country’s world status.
Abiodun also noted that the failure of past governments in taking necessary decisions had played a major part in where the country was today, added that it has become imperative to summon courage so as to build a better and more prosperous future for the country.
“We will have to make painful but necessary decisions, the failure of the past in taking these decisions is what led us to where we are today and the situation we find ourselves, It is therefore very imperative that we summon courage now, and pool our shared will to take these tough decisions for the good of the present generation and building a strong foundation on which on-coming generations can build,” he said.
The Governor while also using the occasion to appreciate all the state workers, especially the Labour Unions for their civil and mature approach of engagement, said that his administration would continue to improve the wellbeing, welfare and wellness of all of its workers.
