Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammad Buhari (rtd) said that he will ban the importation of Rice and Tomato if elected so as to increase the consumption of locally made products.
Buhari while speaking at a meeting with the Organised Private Sector in Lagos said “How can Nigeria be importing virtually everything? How can we be importing even tomatoes? If I am elected, basic items like rice and tomatoes, which we have the capacity to produce, will be banned from being imported.”
He also added that his administration would concentrate on road construction in states, he said “Road construction alone will unlock value chain of opportunities for construction companies, builders, engineers, architects, quarry operators, cement and iron rod producers and suppliers.
“The successful opening up of Nigeria by the construction of new roads and highways will revive road transport, truck manufacture, tyre manufacture as well as engine oil and brake pad production on one hand.
“It will also create a demand for job for mechanics, drivers and those engaged in transport support businesses. We expect a revival of all the interstate economies to thrive across Nigeria, providing support to travellers by way of canteens, restaurants, farm produce etc.”
Furthermore the Buhari Support Group has also said that the government under the administration of Buhari would focus on the education sector.
Spokesman of the organisation, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe during a news conference in Abuja said “It is regrettable that the nation’s educational system which produced world class graduates a few years back is now a shadow of itself, stressing that the current state of affairs is an indication that the future is bleak for the nation.
“It is regrettable that our educational system which just barely a couple of decades ago produced world renowned scholars is now a shadow of itself. The current deplorable state means that our present generation and the future ones will continue to suffer its consequences.
“Presently, Nigeria is recorded to have about 37 per cent of the out-of-school children (about 9 million) in the world, according to the Mo Ibrahim report on ‘African Youth Fulfilling Their Potentials’. Most Nigerian children are out of school.
“Free and quality education needs to be embraced so that parents can afford to educate their children by enrolling them in schools. The cost of acquiring qualitative education is too high to encourage parents’ enrolment of their children in school. More so, free education will make it easier for them to develop interest in schooling and the rate at which children drop out of school as a result of financial incapability being reduced.”