President Muhammadu Buhari
has appealed to religious leaders to keep calming their followers, and
carry the message of hope to them that things will improve.
The president made the appeal at a meeting with the Council of Abuja Imams at the State House, Abuja on Thursday.
According to a statement issued by the
president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Buhari
requested the religious leaders across the country “to keep calming the
people”, as government is aware of challenges of life facing the average
citizen.
President Buhari reassured that
leadership at various levels are working to solve problems of poverty,
unemployment and insecurity bedeviling the country.
Buhari said government has decided to
give priority to agriculture so as to create jobs for unemployed
citizens and ensure food security in the country.
He said although efforts have begun,
there is a bigger plan for the provision of fertilizers, insecticides
and land preparations starting next year.
The president requested state
governments and community leaders across the country to organize the
population into cooperative societies to enable them key into the
programme, stressing that “extension services, not money, will be
provided”.
He also told the religious leaders about efforts to improve power supply in the country.
He said efforts had reached advanced
stage to bring foreign investment from China and some friendly countries
that indicated willingness in developing the proposed Mambila and other
hydroelectric power projects.
Buhari assured that the steps the
government was carefully taking on the crisis situation in the Niger
Delta will lead to long term peace and stabilize the region.
On the war against corruption and the
Boko Haram terrorism, the president said his government will remain
resolute and relentless.
“We have no plan to humiliate or
embarrass anyone through these actions. We are only interested in
instituting justice and fairness for all,” he assured.
He reiterated that whoever was caught as
having stolen from the public “will be forced to return the loot to the
treasury. The nation needs the money.”
Chairman of Abuja Council of Imams, Dr. Tajudeen Adigun, commended the efforts of the Buhari administration in the war against corruption and terrorism.
He also drew the president’s attention to problems in the economy, health services, education and unemployment.
