The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, expressed astonishment at the approval of N3 billion for verification of national register of the poor in Nigeria, emphasizing the need for investment in National Library and poverty alleviation instead.
In his statement on his X handle, he highlighted the urgent need to address the issue of the high cost of governance in the country.
“Sadly, this very huge amount approved just for verification of national register of the poor is more than three times the amount of N908,699,435 which was budgeted for our National Library.
Obi lamented that the approved amount for the verification process was more than three times the budget allocated to the National Library, which plays a crucial role in the nation but is currently lacking in books and educational materials.
Obi emphasized the importance of investing in manpower training to enhance workforce productivity, especially at a time when the nation faces significant challenges. He criticized the seemingly disproportionate allocation of funds, suggesting that the approved amount could have been prudently and transparently managed to make a more significant impact.
“This is happening at a time in our nation when we need all the manpower training to to keep our work force productive. Our national library, a very critical infrastructure in our nation, seemingly abandoned, lacks books and educational materials.
“The same amount, would have made a significant impact, if prudently and transparently managed. Moreso, with more than half of our population battling with absolute and multi dimensional poverty, one wonders why such a huge sum was approved for just verification of national register of the poor, when the same amount could have been directed towards actual poverty alleviation.
“This approval raises a fundamental question: how come the data for poverty alleviation has not been verified on a regular basis? Obi said.
He stressed the need for leaders to sacrifice personal comfort for the greater good of society, particularly for the benefit of the less privileged.
Obi warned that unless the nation shifts its focus and cares more for its people, especially those in poverty, it will continue to grapple with various societal issues stemming from high levels of poverty.