Misplaced priority: Obi faults approval of N3b for verification of National Register of the poor

Former Governor of Anambra and 2023 Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, has expressed his dissatisfaction of the Federal Government’s N3 billion allocation for verification of National register of the poor.

He made the statement on his X handle.

Obi maintained that the issue of cost of governance in the country, in recent time, calls for urgent decisive intervention.

Obi said, “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 happening at a time in our nation where we all need all the manpower training to keep our work force productive.

“Our National Library, a very critical infrastructure in our nation, seemingly abandoned, lacks books, and educational materials.”

He further said that, “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.”

…

Questioning the brain behind the approval and reasons for no verification of data for poverty alleviation on a daily basis, Obi asserted that inability of leaders to prioritize expenditure and focus on the critical areas of national development, and national security, are the challenges weighing down the nation.

“Unless we begin to sacrifice our personal comfort for the good of the society, and to 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,” he added.