The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has stated that though things might not be as expected currently in the country, there is a promising plan to maintain economic health and improve the quality of life for its residents.
Naijaonpoint reports that Sanwo-Olu made this declaration during a special gathering for the 64th National Independence Day, which took place on Friday at the Lagos State Secretariat Community Central Mosque in Alausa, Ikeja.
Nigeria is set to mark its 64th Independence Day on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. This celebration is occurring against the backdrop of severe economic difficulties and the emergence of protests by some groups expressing dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs.
However, Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, encouraged the Nigerian people to remain optimistic about the nation’s future.
The Governor of Lagos State, who was accompanied by Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat during the Jumaat prayer, emphasized that the Nigerian people must not succumb to despair.
He assured that the government is implementing plans and taking actions to help the country navigate through its current challenges.
“As a people, we cannot be hopeless. We must be hopeful because at least there is a plan. We can all argue about the plan, but there is a plan and the plan is to sustain the economic stability of the country.
“As a matter of fact, we must sustain our reserves because we are a nation that imports a lot. We are a nation that is building. We are building infrastructure, building schools, building hospitals, and so on. So, we must sustain our economic stability. There is a plan. If we don’t have a plan, then there is a problem,” a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor (Media), Office of the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Tunde Alao quoted Sanwo-Olu.
The Lagos State governor maintained that he is optimistic about a better Nigeria because there is an ongoing workable plan, stressing that as long as there are plans and visions, everything will be fine for the country and its citizens.
In addition, Sanwo-Olu charged Nigerians to always look at facts in their public discourse and commentaries stating that “these have adverse effects on our nation-building and development.”
“As such, public commentary should emphasise the reason why the country keeps moving in circles despite the quality of intelligent people in the country, noting that Nigerians succeed all over the world,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu expressed his concern that a significant number of Nigerians have abandoned the important principle of living together as a community, pointing out that the adoption of Western lifestyles has resulted in the erosion of traditional family values.
He urged parents to prioritize their role in raising children, highlighting that this neglect has contributed to the decline of moral values in the community.
He also called upon religious leaders to play a role in repairing the fractured family structures within the nation, by delivering frequent sermons that focus on repairing family bonds.