The presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, has revealed that he would establish 3 banks to move the country from consumption to production in line with his campaign promise if elected in the 2023 election.
Newsonline reports that the former governor of Anambra State stated this in an interactive session organized by the Arewa Consultative Forum in Kaduna on Monday.
In Arewa Joint Committee Interactive Session, Peter Obi stated that the country needs three banks- bank of infrastructure, bank of agriculture and bank of industry- fully functional with aim the to make funds available to Small and Medium Enterprises.
Speaking Obi told the Northerners who arganized the interactive session to hear from top presidential candidates the plans they have for the Northern region which has the lowest Human Development Index figures.
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Peter Obi said, “The mission and vision of the incoming Obi-Datti Administration is to give full expression to our democracy by moving our country from consumption to production; we shall achieve this by giving primacy to implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Our dear country today has become a shadow of itself. Indeed, there is evidence that Nigeria exhibits two known indices of a failed state; parlous economy and loss of territory and emergence of ungoverned spaces.”
He said, “The purpose of politics and governance is to generate economic and social progress for the citizens in larger freedom. But the status quo is the reverse. This is more so here in the North, where poverty, unemployment and insecurity are the new normal.”
Obi regretted that “The North has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world. It has highest number of school kidnappings in the world. The North also has the highest number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.
“The vast agricultural lands of the north -the so-called food basket of the nation stand desolate and abandoned. This situation is painful and needs to be fixed. Great nations are built through visionary policies, programmes and projects, anchored on the people.
“This was always the hope and wishes for Nigeria by our founding fathers. Sadly, things changed. Our leaders became selfish, myopic and stopped listening and caring for the common man. Bad leadership, divisive rhetoric, and impunity became the norm.”
The Labour Party presidential candidate further added, “Nigerians have suffered; they have lost jobs, and lost their farms and herds and their trust in our leaders. That narrative must change.
“The Nigerian people want solutions to the many problems confronting them. After all economic prosperity for all is an all-important aspect of a successful leadership, there is hope. We know this for sure. A new Nigeria is Possible.”
Peter Obi promised, “If elected President, I shall govern with the fear of God and with all good conscience and intent. The Constitution and the rule of law will always prevail. I thank you for your kind attention. May Almighty God bless you all and bless Nigeria.”
