President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has criticized the country’s elite for being “very selfish” rather than working together for the welfare of their fellow citizens.
Buhari made these remarks on Thursday at a luncheon in Katsina State, after commissioning several infrastructural projects executed by the state government.
According to Buhari, the standard of living in Nigeria would be more bearable if the elite thought more of the people.
He also regrets that previous administrations did not maximize available resources for infrastructural growth when a barrel of crude oil sold for $100.
“Our elite did not put their heads together in the years past in order to move the country forward. They were very selfish. I insist that they should think of the country more than themselves,” Buhari said.
The President also praised Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State for prioritizing basic infrastructure for the people despite limited resources.
During his two-day state visit, Buhari inspected and unveiled several developmental projects in education, healthcare, and road infrastructure.
Some of these include the Kofar Kaura Underpass, Kofar Kwaya Underpass, Kofar Kaura Water Works, and the Katsina State General Hospital.
In his address, Masari revealed that his administration spent about N358bn on essential services such as salaries, pensions, health, and tertiary institutions, despite the aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also thanked the President and the federal government for various interventions given to Katsina State, such as Bailout Funds which assisted the state government in promptly paying outstanding entitlements to its employees.
