Shettima: We need support and trust of Nigerians to build less challenging economy

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says the current administration under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu needs the support of Nigerians to build a less challenging economy.

According to a statement on Monday by Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to the president on media and communications (office of the Vice-President), Shettima spoke at the Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA) annual lecture and awards ceremony held in Abuja during the weekend.

The theme of the annual lecture was “Expand the horizon for a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges at the meeting point between the citizen and the state”.

The vice-president, who was represented by Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, special adviser to the president on political matters, said there is a need for good governance and a secure country.

“We have to ensure good governance and security as priorities, not least because these are vital to inclusive development and the growth and development of the democratic process. From where we stand, Nigeria has no choice than to think and act boldly,” he said.

“We need the support and trust of all Nigerians. In return, we have pledged to lead the nation towards building a less challenging economy, in spite of the current hardships which we wish were avoidable.

“Nigeria’s greatest asset is its people. We have to rediscover and teach our young wholesome values like service, honesty and hard work. As an administration, we have very clear priorities we believe must be achieved.”

Shettima said the direction Nigeria is heading would be determined by the quality of the country’s human assets.

He added that the nation would overcome its current challenges and “lay the foundations of sustainable growth and security of the citizens and communities” under Tinubu’s watch.

“We are burdened by past and current challenges which will take huge efforts to overcome. We are also beckoned by greatness for which we have been well prepared by our huge endowments in human and other resources,” he said.

“The difference in which direction we go will be located in the quality of our human assets.

“The choices we make today will be critical in determining whether we just continue to grow a population, or we build a strong economy to support and add quality to the life of a huge citizenry because we have invested in developing the quality of our population through good and relevant education, health services, an informed access to developing opportunities in technology and growing our natural resources.”