President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the country will overcome its challenges of poverty, insecurity, and underdevelopment.
Tinubu said Nigeria has no business with poverty because of its enormous human capacity and natural resources.
The president made the assurance on Thursday while receiving a delegation from Rivers State at the State House, Abuja.
“We are not meant to be in a position to be poor. We will turn the tide! Somewhere, somehow, in this storm, there’s a quiet and peaceful place for us. We will locate it! We are not lazy people. We are richly endowed. We just need to be our brother’s keepers and good neighbours to one another.
Tinubu stated that he is not a president who will make excuses but will work hard to create wealth for all Nigerians with purpose, determination and dedication.
He also likened Nigeria’s current state to swimming against the tide of poverty, but he expressed confidence that the waves of progress would soon propel the country forward.
Tinubu added that the country will achieve the goals and dreams of its forefathers, stating that he is inspired by the nation of people he now leads.
The 62-member delegation, led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, included leaders from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State.
Notable figures like FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Onueze Okocha, were also part of the delegation.
The president also said he has heard the cries of prominent indigenes of Rivers State on infrastructure development in the state, and that he will follow up on the issue for prompt action.
He praised Minister Wike as both the FCT Minister and his adviser, noting Wike’s effective leadership and the big shoes he had left for the new governor to fill.
“The Honourable Minister, Wike, is not just the Minister of FCT, he is also my adviser and an admirer of mine. He has hit the ground running, and he should be encouraged by the state,” he stated.
President Tinubu noted that Rivers State, as one of his most trusted allies, would always have direct access to him in their collective pursuit of sustainable development.
Meanwhile, Governor Fubara expressed gratitude to the president for the positive impact of his administration in Rivers State.
Fubara noted that this was the first time the state had truly felt the federal government’s impact since the inception of democracy in 1999 and appreciated President Tinubu’s appointments of capable sons and daughters of Rivers State to significant positions within his administration.
He commended the president for securing $14 billion in investment approvals during the G-20 Summit, including projects like the expansion of Indorama Petrochemicals in Eleme, Rivers State.
Governor Fubara also added that the state had just allocated 209 hectares of land in support of the new investment.