Democracy Day: Buhari unveils how government will end economic hardship faced by Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday unveiled what he termed “by far the most ambitious social protection programme” in Nigeria’s history, which contains measures to be used by his administration in reducing the current economic hardship being faced by Nigerians. While noting in a national Democracy Day broadcast to mark his one year in office that there is widespread poverty in the land owing largely to certain policies of the federal government, the President, however, explained that such policies were “necessary pills” that Nigerians would have to swallow in order to have a better future.

Disclosing that “five hundred billion Naira has been appropriated in the 2016 budget for social intervention programmes in five key areas,” he explained that the social protection programme would seek to start the process of lifting many citizens out of poverty, while at the same time creating the opportunity for many to fend for themselves.

Buhari also restated the commitment of his administration to create job opportunities for five hundred thousand teachers and one hundred thousand artisans across the nation.

According to him, “5.5 million children are to be provided with nutritious meals through our school feeding programme to improve learning outcomes, as well as enrolment and completion rates.

“The conditional cash transfer scheme will provide financial support for up to one million vulnerable beneficiaries, and complement the enterprise programme which will target up to one million market women; four hundred and sixty thousand artisans; and two hundred thousand agricultural workers, nationwide.

“Finally, through the education grant scheme, we will encourage students studying sciences, technology, engineering and maths, and lay a foundation for human capital development for the next generation,” he stated.

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