President Bola Tinubu challenged his ministers on Friday to set personal aspirations aside and focus on his administration’s endeavour to lift Nigeria out of poverty.
The President delivered the charge at the conclusion of a three-day retreat at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja for ministers, presidential aides, permanent secretaries, and top government workers.
“Let’s put aside personal ambitions and focus on the progress of our nation
It’s through this we can be truly proud”, he said.
Tinubu stressed that renewed hope agenda, is more than growing the economy, but an indication that the government has a responsibility to all Nigerians to change the narrative about the country, noting that if they have any problem about Nigeria, they should have a conversation about it.
“The renewed hope agenda more than economic growth. Like I said at the opening we can spend the money but we cannot spend the people.
“We have a responsibility to our country to make sure we change completely the narrative about Nigeria.
“If we have problems, let’s talk to one another, let’s have conversations, gentle conversations about our country.
“It’s not about just leave me alone I’m going home, you may not have a home.
“There’s nothing you can do successfully without good healthcare, reduction poverty. Like I said before, poverty is not a shameful thing but is not acceptable.”
The president stressed the need for the officials to bond together and ensure that the country recovers from “elephantiasis.”
While reiterating that Nigeria has a lot of work ahead, President Tinubu added that responsibilities the ministers have are not just titles, but aimed at bringing hope to Nigerians.
“The responsibility we bear are not just titles, they are hope and aspiration of millions of Nigerians.
“You might be ready to forget about the rest of the world but as a Nigerian, let’s go out there, let’s bond together and make sure our country is fully recovered from elephantiasis”, he said.
Tinubu further stressed that no one can make excuses including himself.
The President who said he was proud of the moment they are in, also said that he is proud of himself, added that “I ran for election I won, they took me to court and I also won”.
He then said to the ministers: “I want to obtain a promise that we are going to work as a team, we are going to work for Nigerians. If you agree stand up and say, I am a Nigerian” to which the participants all stood up and repeated the phrase three times.
The President said the retreat tinkered and twigged focused areas.
He listed them to include: “Area one, reform the economy to deliver sustain inclusive growth; Two, strengthen national security for peace and prosperity; Boost agriculture to achieve food security; and Unlock energy and natural resources for sustainable development.”
Others are: “Enhanced infrastructure and transportation as enablers of growth; Focus on education, health and social investment as essential pillars of development;
Accelerate diversification through industrialisation, digitization and creative industry, manufacturing and innovative technology.”
Hadiza Usman, Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination, gave an overview of the details of the Key Performance Indicators ( KPI)