Leading opposition figure, Peter Obi has said that the Bola Tinubu administration’s N3 billion spending to verify the National Social Register “can only happen in Nigeria”.
The 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) said this in a statement on Wednesday.
“It is very surprising to hear that the sum of N3 billion was approved for verification of national register of the poor. This can only happen in Nigeria. I have maintained that we must decisively deal with the issue of cost of governance in Nigeria now as a matter of urgency.
“Sadly, this very huge amount approved just for verification of national register of the poor is more than three times the amount of N908,699,435 which was budgeted for our National Library.
“This is happening at a time in our nation when we need all the manpower training to to keep our work force productive. Our national library, a very critical infrastructure in our nation, seemingly abandoned, lacks books and educational materials,” he said.
Obi noted that such amount would have made a significant impact if prudently and transparently managed.
The former Anambra governor said that with more than half of the nation’s population battling with absolute and multi dimensional poverty, it beggars belief that such a huge sum was approved for just verification of national register of the poor, when the same amount could have been directed towards actual poverty alleviation.
He said that this approval raised a fundamental question of how come the data for poverty alleviation has not been verified on a regular basis.
“The inability of we the leaders to prioritise our expenditure and focus on the critical areas of national development, and national security, are the challenges weighing down on our nation today.
“Unless we begin to sacrifice our personal comfort for the good of society, and begin to care more for the people, especially the less privileged ones, our nation will continue to grapple with all forms of societal ills caused by high level of poverty,” Obi said.