President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, promised to re-invest savings from the now-discontinued petrol subsidy to raise budgetary allocations in the healthcare and education sectors.
According to him, paying more attention to these vital areas would facilitate investments and industrialization, which would support his goal of building a successful and stable national economy.
“I assure you that there will be substantial development in education for your children, priority on industrialisation; healthcare will receive more allocation and attention. We will train more health workers,” said Tinubu at the second-term inauguration ceremony of the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, in Owerri, the state capital.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed this in a statement he signed on Monday titled, ‘Education and healthcare will receive more attention, President Tinubu assures Nigerians.’
Tinubu’s assurances come over one month after he appealed to Nigerian health workers practising abroad to “sacrifice their time to come back home and serve their people.”He promised massive investments and an increased allocation of funds to the sector in the 2024 budget.
On December 12, 2023, Tinubu unveiled Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative. He declared that beginning in 2024, there would be a full renovation of the country’s physical infrastructure, equipment, and front-line health professionals. Tinubu also identified health as a basic human right.
The President reassured Nigerians that he is tackling the issues brought on by his crucial changes, claiming he is sensitive to the worries of the people.
“In the past 40 years, a few people were cornering our commonwealth and calling it subsidy, but I call it wasteful.
“Right now, we are all bearing and sharing that pain. But things are looking up. Things will get better for the good of all Nigerians. With me, there is hope,” he said.
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Tinubu commended Uzodinma for his stewardship in Imo State, describing him as the “real hope” of the state.
“It is a great honour for me to be here in Imo State. And to congratulate the people of Imo for being discerning and determined to vote into a second term, a unique individual who resonates with a progressive agenda, Senator Hope Uzodinma,” he said.
The President expressed his commitment to building a united and secure country, noting the peace and security in the state.
He added, “Before now, people were afraid of coming to Imo state, but today, Imo is safe and open for business.
“What we have learnt from this experience is the importance of unity, cooperation, and a focus on our internal security.”
Tinubu implored the governor to work even harder for the people, emphasising that hard work is the reward for re-election.
“I assure you that your hopes are renewed. Be assured of the support of the federal government to ensure rapid development of your state,” he concluded.
Speaking after the administration of oaths of office by the Imo State Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Chukwuemeka-Chikeka, Uzodinma pledged that his second tenure would be an uncommon tenure in the execution of policies.
He said, “We have been able to lay a solid foundation for accelerated economic growth and development of our state.
“We also addressed the decay we met in the civil service, the decay we met in the education sector, and the health sector. In addition, we addressed the lingering problem of unemployment through a variety of youth empowerment initiatives.
“We carried out a digital version of dealing with the unemployment market, which included the provision of digital and other portable skills, including artificial intelligence, to our teeming young men and women,” he said.
The governor stated his priorities, stating that the next four years of his administration would be devoted to implementing the shared prosperity mantra through significant infrastructure development. He also mentioned that the foundation of his government’s vision is a ten-year development plan that can achieve state self-sufficiency.
