Ilorin – President Goodluck Jonathan says the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector is the only way to stimulate the economy of Nigeria.Addressing the second quarterly meeting of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Ilorin on Tuesday, the president urged Nigerians to see reason for the deregulation.
“The issue of the stimulation of our economy should be of paramount importance in the heart of well meaning Nigerians.
“The Federal Government is coming out with the programme that will reduce unemployment and poverty among Nigerians.
“We believe that with government coming out with a robust programme to create employment opportunities, the fear being expressed by Nigerians will be allayed,” he said.
The president said, “the issue of state police is okay but it will be abused, looking at the political environment in the country.
“ We must be sure that our state governors can be neutral on issues affecting them before we can talk of introducing state police.
“If the conduct of local government elections across the country is anything to go by, then we are not ready to have state police.
“In the country today, the party controlling the state clears the seats at the detriment of the opposition parties.
“The first test is creating confidence with the local government elections and ensure that the state police does not become a tool of oppression in the hand of the state.”
Jonathan said that the Federal Government would not celebrate corruption.
According to the president, the Federal Government is committed to putting in place strong structures and system that will not give room for corruption and manipulations.
Earlier, in his address, the Kwara Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, promised to organise seminars and workshops for youths on religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence.
He said Kwara had directly benefitted from NIRECmeetings because of the peaceful and harmonious relationship among the people.
Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger in his message said that the politicisation of religion had led to crisis of confidence among many lay Nigerians.
He said this had resulted in the disconnection of many people from their religious lives, parody of socio-cultural woes, a surge in crime and suicides, ethnic cleavages, truancy, among others.
According to him, if more attention is paid to NIREC, ethnic and religious conflicts will disappear.
Aliyu urged political leaders to continue to search for ways of empowering their people so as to create a balance in their lives to enable them to worship God righteously.
The governor urged religious leaders to see themselves as influential agents of change and people that could mobilise the grassroots for national development. (NAN)
“The issue of the stimulation of our economy should be of paramount importance in the heart of well meaning Nigerians.
“The Federal Government is coming out with the programme that will reduce unemployment and poverty among Nigerians.
“We believe that with government coming out with a robust programme to create employment opportunities, the fear being expressed by Nigerians will be allayed,” he said.
The president said, “the issue of state police is okay but it will be abused, looking at the political environment in the country.
“ We must be sure that our state governors can be neutral on issues affecting them before we can talk of introducing state police.
“If the conduct of local government elections across the country is anything to go by, then we are not ready to have state police.
“In the country today, the party controlling the state clears the seats at the detriment of the opposition parties.
“The first test is creating confidence with the local government elections and ensure that the state police does not become a tool of oppression in the hand of the state.”
Jonathan said that the Federal Government would not celebrate corruption.
According to the president, the Federal Government is committed to putting in place strong structures and system that will not give room for corruption and manipulations.
Earlier, in his address, the Kwara Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, promised to organise seminars and workshops for youths on religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence.
He said Kwara had directly benefitted from NIRECmeetings because of the peaceful and harmonious relationship among the people.
Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger in his message said that the politicisation of religion had led to crisis of confidence among many lay Nigerians.
He said this had resulted in the disconnection of many people from their religious lives, parody of socio-cultural woes, a surge in crime and suicides, ethnic cleavages, truancy, among others.
According to him, if more attention is paid to NIREC, ethnic and religious conflicts will disappear.
Aliyu urged political leaders to continue to search for ways of empowering their people so as to create a balance in their lives to enable them to worship God righteously.
The governor urged religious leaders to see themselves as influential agents of change and people that could mobilise the grassroots for national development. (NAN)
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