Fides Media Living the Faith
By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba
The Vice Presidential Candidate of the PDP in the last Nigerian General Election, Sir. Peter Obi, CON, has called on Nigerian leaders at all levels of government to pause, ponder and come up with better ways to prioritize the welfare of the children, who he said, are the future of the nation.
Obi, who stated this when he spoke to the media after he a delivered his Key Note Speech at the Aba Business Leadership Summit held at the Aba Sports Club, Aba, Abia State, last Wednesday, May 26, noted that better welfare of the children should be the priority of the leaders as the World celebrates the 2021 Children’s Day.
Recalling his favourite slogan of “The society we abuse today will take its revenge on our children tomorrow,” Sir Peter Obi berated politicians, who he said had the belief that countries survive by recklessness and extravagance. He stated that the above slogan was borne out of the pattern he observed over the years, where most politicians do not think about tomorrow and about the children.
He noted that the thought of the future of the children of Anambra and his passion to bequeath them a sustainable State, was part of the reason he saved over 75 billion Naira, and did not leave any debt to burden the children, as a former governor of Anambra State. According to him, it was in a bid to improve the wellbeing of the children, who were the leaders of tomorrow that he his best and improved educational infrastructure in the State.
Obi, who said he was unhappy over the current rate of abuse of children, called on the government to come up with more strident measures to tackle the menace.
Speaking further, the former Anambra State Governor, categorised retirees and old people as children. According to him, the retirees and the aged were children, because they had passed their productive age, and a good number of them depended on their pensions and gratuities to survive. He also called on the leaders to strive to pay such category of people their pensions and gratuities.
‘I do not know what it is now, but as Governor, I cleared arrears of pension and gratuities owed workers to the tune of over 35 Billion Naira. I urge everybody concerned to treat these people with reverential care and love,’ Obi said.
Obi, wished all Children well and urged them to always open their minds to learning good and beautiful ideas which he said, would sharpen their future.