President Bola Tinubu says it is imperative for Nigerians to have a change of value system for the country to make progress.

Tinubu said this during a meeting with a delegation from the National Assembly who came to felicitate with him on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir in Lagos on Monday evening.

The delegation, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, included Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, among others.

“Good economics at a harsh time is the challenge that we must face. As I said in my speech, no matter how difficult it is and how challenging it can be, I will not turn my back on Nigeria,” Tinubu said.

He challenged Nigerians to have a change of mindset about Nigeria for the nation to overcome its current challenges.

The president added: “The need (for some citizens) to change the rent-seeking mindset and become more productive to the economy is a challenge. The need to stop smuggling and all economic sabotage.

“Why should we have people removing rail tracks and all that, stealing electric cables and sabotaging the economy?

Tinubu to Nigerians: I’ll never turn my back on you

“We must embrace the campaign to change our value system. We must tell our people that the challenge we face is for all of us to change our mindset about our country.”

President Tinubu further commended the leadership of the National Assembly for the support extended to his administration, which he said resulted in some of the important developments recorded by his administration.

Tinubu said: “It is great pride for me to have the best of partners in the National Assembly. We have to drill down and be all-inclusive in our bid to satisfy our people.

“It is daunting, but we cannot run away from the fact that this country must survive the hardship.”

The president acknowledged the challenges and the task ahead, assuring Nigerians of his determination to turn things around.

He said: “Yes, there is poverty; there is suffering in the land. We are not the only people facing such, but we must face our challenges. We must find a way to eliminate banditry and terrorism so that farmers can bring out food from the farmland.

“If you do not have good roads to bring the food to the population, even if you grow the food and you are losing 60-70 per cent to damages, you will pay the price.”

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Akpabio said he came with the leadership of the National Assembly to pay homage and felicitate with Tinubu on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir.

Akpabio added that the visit was to thank the president for the purposeful leadership in the first year of his administration.

On what Nigerians should expect from the legislature in the days ahead, the Senate President said: “Looking forward, the National Assembly will tinker with some existing legislations to further improve on the nation’s ease of doing business.”

The Star