President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the legislature to work with the executive to strengthen and grow the economy as well as fight poverty in the land.
The President expressed discomfort at having 63 per cent of the population in poverty, saying this is unacceptable to his administration.
He assured of his commitments to engender a better life for all Nigerians.
President Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, spoke at the opening of a two-day retreat on fiscal policy and tax reforms for senators of the 10th National Assembly at Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the President promised to ensure that the three per cent progress made in developing the economy would be sustained.
He said,
“We will ensure life is better for all Nigerians. It is unacceptable that we are quoted as having 65 per cent of the population, 84 million people, are found as multi-dimensionally poor.
“The antidote to this is that this government is committed to doing all we can to make the Nigerian economy grow and achieve rapid, sustained and inclusive growth.
“I cannot do this alone. There has to be a team network and, of course, legislations. The senators have a key role to play.”
He urged the National Assembly to remain committed, as it has always been, in passing the 2024 budget early so that it could be signed into law before December 31.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio restated the commitment of the 10th National Assembly to legislating on economic reforms that would bring more revenue to the national coffers for national survival.
The Senate President urged fellow senators to follow the dreams of their forebears in the development of the country.
He expressed the National Assembly’s commitment to an economy with double-digit gross domestic product (GDP) growth, greater food security, and one with a strengthened manufacturing base.
The organiser of the retreat and Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS),
Prof. Abubarkar Sulaiman, said the retreat would strengthen measures to deepen legislature–executive relationships and address issues of insecurity, which have hampered meaningful development in the country.