VP debate: What we have done to free Nigerians from poverty – Osinbajo

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has revealed what the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari has done within the last four years to change the economic fortunes of the citizens.

According to him, the government has succeeded in blocking the leakages in the treasury, fought grand corruption in the handling of government affairs, and made a N500bn social investment in the welfare of poor people.

Osinbajo stated this yesterday while giving his closing remarks at the Vice-Presidential debate organised by the Nigerian Election Debate Group, NEDG, in Abuja.

He said: “Nigeria is where it is today because of 16 years of misrule. Poverty in 2004 was 80 million. As at 2014, it went to 112 million in Nigeria.

“What we set out to do from 2015 was to reduce the poverty and contain it. That’s why we set up a social investment programme of N500bn despite the fact we are earning 60 percent less.

“What we have tried to do in the past four years is to reduce the damage that has been done. First of all, we have prevented leakages, and fought the corruption that has brought us to where we are.”