As
the National Assembly begins debating the 2016 Budget submitted by President
Muhammadu Buhari, there are specific provisions in the proposals that will
confront poverty in the country in a bold and direct way according to the Vice
President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
“We
are dealing with the issues of poverty with the 2016 Budget that is currently
being debated,” the Vice President says noting that in a country where more
than 110 million Nigerians are extremely poor, we are bound to have such health
challenges as having about 110,000 deaths yearly from Diarrhea.
All
together there are 6 social protection programmes of the Buhari administration
for which funds have been allocated in the 2016 budget. These are Teach
Nigeria, where 500,000 graduates would be hired as teachers, Youth Employment
and Empowerment-where between 300,000-500,000 youths would go through skills
acquisition and vocational training, the Conditional Cash Transfer, where one
million extremely poor Nigerians will receive N5000 monthly this year,
Homegrown School Feeding where one meal a day would be served to public primary
school children across the country, Free Education for tertiary education
100,000 students of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and the
Micro-Credit Scheme that will give N60,000 one time soft loans to market women,
and artisans.
The
Vice President spoke during a courtesy visit by a delegation of Reckitt
Benckiser West Africa, a household care products’ company lead by its West
Africa Managing Director, Mr. Rahul Murgai and the Chairman in Nigeria, Chief
Olu Falomo. The company had earlier discussed with the VP its Safe the Children
Initiative, a Corporate Social Responsibility programme designed to curb the
deaths of Nigerian children caused by Diarrhea.
While
welcoming the initiative, Prof. Osinbajo explained that a lot has to be done in
the country to confront poverty and its impacts on Nigerians.
According
to him, “when you have the number of extremely poor Nigerians that we have in
this country we are bound to have these kinds of health problems, “ adding
however that the 2016 Budget proposals will deal with the overall problem of
poverty.
He
said for the first time in the nation’s history about half a trillion Naira is
being provided for the six social investment programmes-(as listed above).
The
Vice President commended the company for its intervention saying “this is the
sort of thing we expect from those who have the resources.”
Speaking
earlier, Mr. Murgai said Reckitt Benckiser which has been doing business in
Nigeria for several decades wants to ensure that the people of Nigeria are
healthier and happier. He said the company is worried about Diarrhea deaths and
has set aside about N1.2 billion to fight the situation in Nigeria.
Also
today the Vice President received a delegation from the Twelve-Twelve Polo and
Turf Club, Abuja led by Mallam Murtala Aliyu, the Club’s Advisory Board
Chairman.
Prof.
Osinbajo while appreciating the visit and commending the efforts to set up such
a club, urged the members to consider making polo, horse-racing and other
equestrian sports open and available to young people who otherwise may not be
able to afford playing in such expensive games.
“There
would be many who can benefit from this sport, young people in colleges who
might become great polo players, but won’t be able to afford it,” the VP noted.
FOR MORE STORIES VISIT
CKN NEWS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS:
Twitter: @CKNNigeria
Facebook: CKNNigeria
CKN NEWS Hotline:
08080054001
Whatsapp: 08099677755
BBM : 2BE329DF
Website: www.cknnigeria.com
Tags
Business