Why Poverty is Still Prevalent in Country -Sule Lamido

from All Africa

Vanguard (Lagos)

By Funmi Komolafe & Tordue Salem
Abuja

THE Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido has blamed the prevalent poverty in the Country on the failure of successive governments for implementing policies that did not benefit the mass of the people.The Governor gave his assessment of the plight of the masses amid abundance after he received an award for "implementing social security" in Jigawa State at the opening of a three-day Conference on Social Security, organised by the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) in Abuja yesterday.

Alhaji Lamido who was presented with the award by the President of the Senate and the Guest of Honour at the occasion, Mr. David Mark, while taking a swipe at Governors and other public office holders lamented that "If governments in Nigeria since 1960 have been up and doing, poverty would have been eradicated. If there had been continuous rehabilitation since, you would find that the only crippled people would be Okada riders. When people ask me why I am wasting money on cripples, I ask: whose money? Because the money accruing to the Federation Account is for all Nigerians. So for those who think I am wasting money, I tell them that they should pray to get blind, and I will pay you. Pray to get crippled and I would pay you. The majority are poor and suffering, while we who are Governors, Executives and Ministers are been paid from the public money."

According to him the worst corruption in the Country lies with the political leadership and Government agencies.

The Governor who delivered his remarks extempore, said though Jigawa was a poor state, "We are very very morally rich", dedicating the award of service to the poor and the deformed. He said "to the poor and the deformed and to the memory of Late Mallam Aminu Kano, the Champion of the masses in the North and his fallen comrade, Alhaji Sa'ad Zungur."

The Senate President, David Mark in his short address said poverty "Is not just the worry of the rich who cannot sleep, but what would happen to their wealth when they fail to wake up."

According to him, there are too many statistics been churned out by scholars and government agencies that hardly tally with the plight of Nigerians.