The Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Friday declared the nation has no excuse not to be great.
He made the assertion at the Jumat service in commemoration of the 63rd independence celebration of the nation in at the Central Mosque, Akure, Ondo State capital.
Akeredolu charged all Nigerians that with all hands on the deck, the current socio-economic challenges being faced by the country could be surmounted.
The governor, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Hon. Raimi Aminu, emphasised that with the support and cooperation of the Nigerians for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government would solve the problems and put smile on the faces of the people.
He stated that President Tinubu’s team is not relenting on designing socio-economic measures that stem the hardship accompanied the drastic step taken to take the nation out if the woods.
Akeredolu, therefore, urged Nigerians to be patient and cooperate with the government as well as double their efforts.
He said: “The task before us is to build a viable and strong economy that would generate a prosperous, progressive and dignified country.
“We can only attain this by more hard work,,enterprise, peace, creativity and defence of our country.”
The governor, however, stated that his administration had put in place some palliative measures to cushion effects of fuel subsidy removal.
He disclosed that his administration decided to give out farm inputs to farmers to boost food production in the state, adding that payment of registration and consultancy fees had been put on hold in all government hospitals and health facilities in the state.
Akeredolu, therefore, promised that the state government would not relent in improving the lots of people of the state, appealing to the citizens to eschew evil and defend the state.
Earlier, the Chief Imam of the state, Sheikh Abdulhakeem Yayi Akorede, called on President Tinubu to fix the country’s economy and infrastructure quickly so that Nigerians’ suffering would not linger.
Akorede lamented the situation the citizenry is currently going through as a result of economic hardship.
He, however, expressed optimism in President Tinubu’s agenda rescuing the nation from the socio-economic quagmire, describing the president as a listening person.
The Chief Imam appealed to those challenging the victory of the president in the election tribunal to withdraw their suits so that the President could face governance squarely and provide security for an enabling environment for Nigerians to thrive.
Akorede also enjoined they state governor to reconcile in good term with his deputy, Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa, so that the state would progress.
He commended the state government for the return of school free shuttle scheme, saying it would go a long way in cushioning effects of transportation fare on students in the state.