2017: Aregbesola, Dickson, Others Call for Hard Work, Patience

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, on Sunday, called on Nigerians to embrace hard work to earn money and create wealth, as dependency on oil revenue was no longer visible.

He made the call in his 2017 New Year broadcast to people of the state in Osogbo.

He said “it is clear to us all that there is no free money again; no one should be under any illusion about this.

“Oil price doesn’t look like it will pike up very soon as we had in the past; even if it will, we may never find ourselves in a position of dependency again.

“If oil windfall should come, it should go into special projects and savings for the future. The way to go therefore is that we should work hard and earn our own money.

“We should develop the capacity to create wealth from which we provide jobs and generate revenue to take care of ourselves.’’

The governor said “2016 came with huge trials, travails and tests for the state.

“2016 was a year that Osun State became hardest hit financially due to falling oil price and eventually turned out as a year of great victory.’’

He, however, noted that “ 2017 is going to be a year of consolidation; we are going to consolidate on programmes, especially in education, agriculture and road infrastructure.

“We are not going to abandon any of our projects. It is going to be our busiest year so far.’’

Aregbesola then thanked the people of the state for the support and understanding and prayed that the New Year would be peaceful and successful.

In Bayelsa, Gov. Seriake Dickson, applauded the people of the state for their support and encouragement to his administration.

The governor, who gave the commendation in his New Year message, attributed his administration’s achievements to divine grace of God and love of the people.

He also expressed appreciation to the state’s workforce “for their extreme show of understanding, especially with dwindling resources.’’

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Dickson encouraged the organised labour and the entire people of the state to continue to work with the government in the New Year.

In Abeokuta, the Ogun capital, the Bishop of Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Peter Odetoyinbo, had urged Nigerian leaders to be alive to their responsibilities in addressing the prevailing hardships in the country.

Odetoyinbo gave the charge in his New year Message, made available to newsmen in Abeokuta on Sunday.

The bishop said Nigerians needed to pray for God’s intervention “and for the fear of God in

leaders as we look into year 2017 with revitalised hope.’’

In Minna, the Niger capital, Bishop Martins Nzuokwu, the Catholic Bishop of Minna Diocese on Sunday urged Nigerians to seek spiritual revival for the country to sustain good democratic governance.

Uzoukwu made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna, stressing that “prayers would greatly assist leaders to fashion out policies and programmes that would improve the lives of Nigerians.’’

He said President Muhammadu Buhari needed the support of Nigerians in his commitment to reposition the country for optimal growth and lauded the political commitment demonstrated by the President in dealing with the activities of insurgents in the North East and the fight against corruption.

Alhaji Kabiru Rurum, the Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly had pledged rapid economic development in 2017 across the state and the country in general.

The Speaker made the pledge while conveying his New Year message in a statement signed by the Director, Press of the Assembly, Alhaji Ali Bala, issued to newsmen on Sunday in Kano.

Rurum assured people of Kano Sate that the Assembly would do everything possible to ensure rapid development in 2017.

He urged the public to renew their commitments toward moving the state and the nation further to the path of greatness in the New Year.