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Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has commended the Federal Government for restoring hope in the lives of the ordinary Nigerians through the laudable initiative of the social investment programme.
He called for collaboration between the federal government and legislators in selecting beneficiaries of the programme and also pledged the minority parties’ support for beneficial programmes initiated by the APC-led federal government.
Akpabio, who made the statement at an event, tagged: “National Social Investment Programme” in celebration of 2017 Democracy Day at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, also assured of the PDP senators support of initiatives aimed at job creation, poverty alleviation and curbing insecurity.
“If there’s anything you want us to do by way of an enabling law to put a statutory seal on these programmes or to make more money available for this kind of initiative, henceforth, I assure you of the support of PDP senators.
“He also pledged the support in terms of budgetary initiative, like in the event of supplementary budget to make money available for the social investment programme.
He pointed out that when a country is in recession, everyone must come together, irrespective of party affiliations.
“We have the war on our hands, a war against poverty, a war against unemployment, and the solution means all of us must, by all means, help one another to grow,” Akpabio said.
He added: “There are lots of poor Nigerians in the hospitals, most especially, on the outskirts of the FCT, who are not able to pay their medical bills and are detained because of as little as N7,000.
“So, it would be good to look at these areas as well as the IDPs camps and orphanages, among others.”
Speaking on the feeding programme, the Senate Minority leader further said it will help take children off the streets and enable them receive quality education.
“So, for me, this programme, with the activities of the Acting President, so far, Nigerians must key into the programme of government so this country can change,” Akpabio noted.
Akpabio called on Nigerians to support the social investment programme and prayed for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari.
