Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has decried the worsening state of governance in Nigeria, saying that those who work are not cared for while those who don’t work, particularly government officials and politicians, are busy stealing public funds.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Godfrey Okoye School of Nursing Sciences in Enugu, where he donated N20 million to support the school, Obi expressed his disappointment with the country’s leadership, citing reports from the World Bank and United Nations Children’s Fund, that highlight the worsening poverty and malnutrition situation in Nigeria.
“It is not easy to be working in our country today, because those who work are not cared for, those who don’t work, which are the government officials and politicians, are busy stealing up the money,” he said.
Obi emphasised the need for a change in governance, stressing that the country’s resources should be used to benefit the people, not just a select few. “We’ve turned governance into a crime scene. Instead of using the resources to do the right thing, we’re using it to do the wrong thing,” he said.
The former governor of Anambra State also highlighted the critical shortage of nurses in Nigeria, citing a demand of 1.2 million nurses against less than 200,000 registered nurses.
He urged students of the College of Nursing Sciences to take their studies seriously, emphasising that the world needs nurses and Nigeria, particularly needs them to staff community hospitals and village hospitals.
Obi commended the work of volunteer agencies, particularly the church, in supporting projects like the teaching hospital.
“What you people are doing is what we are supposed to be doing in government. That’s what the job of government is,” he said.
The former governor’s remarks underscore the need for a shift in governance priorities, with a focus on addressing the country’s pressing challenges, including poverty, malnutrition, and healthcare.
In his remark, the Proprietor and Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Most Rev. Dr. Callistus Onaga, thanked Obi for his charity, assuring him of their continued prayers for him.
“We are praying for you as I said why praying – not everybody loves what is right, not everybody likes trying to look into the plight of the poor people but you have done it. We are happy that you are here and you are associating with us. God will continue to protect you. We are happy this is not the only thing you are doing in Enugu, there are other areas, other hospitals you have been helping.
“What we are praying is that your dream of Nigeria must come through, and God will make it possible that somebody who can handle that dream will take over. That is why I want to talk prophetically – we are not into politics here, but the truth has to be said, things are not working out well in our country. We will continue to remember you in prayer,” he said.
