Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, has responded to reports that the federal government has approved a large sum of N3 billion for the verification of the national social register.
In a post on his X platform account on Wednesday, Obi questioned the reasoning behind such approval and expressed his frustration that this kind of thing could only happen in Nigeria.
It is worth noting that there have been reports that President Bola Tinubu has approved the release of N3 billion for the verification of the National Social Register, which has sparked a variety of reactions from Nigerians both online and offline.
In response, Obi expressed regret that the money authorized for national register verification exceeded the funds allocated for several crucial operations in the 2024 budget, calling the report a somber surprise.
He went on to say that rather than putting their own comfort first, the nation’s political leaders have to learn to prioritize national security and growth.
The former Anambra State Governor wrote: “It is very surprising to hear that the sum of N3 billion was approved for verification of national register of the poor. This can only happen in Nigeria. I have maintained that we must decisively deal with the issue of cost of governance in Nigeria now as a matter of urgency.
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.
“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?
“The inability of we the leaders to prioritise our expenditure and focus on the critical areas of national development, and national security, are the challenges weighing down on our nation today.
“Unless we begin to sacrifice our personal comfort for the good of society, and begin to care more for the people, especially the less privileged ones, our nation will continue to grapple with all forms of societal ills caused by high level of poverty.”
