Over 16,000 lawyers across the country are attending the conference.
President Bola Tinubu has declared that Nigeria will not sustain failed economic theory that sees to the wastage of 90% of its scarce revenue in the servicing of external debt.
The President made the remark in Abuja while declaring open the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
While energising the gathering of more than 16,000 lawyers in attendance with his style of public speaking, President Tinubu said the prosperity Nigerians had been craving would only occur once poverty was banished from the society.
"Can we continue to service external debts with 90% of our revenue? It is a path to destruction. It is not sustainable. We must make the very difficult changes that are necessary for our country to get up from slumber and be respected among the great nations of the world," the President emphasised.
Speaking on the theme of the conference “Getting it Right: Charting the Course for Nigeria’s Nation-Building”, the President said hard decisions must be made to set the country on a growth trajectory, despite the initial pains which meaningful reforms would usually bring.
"We cannot have the country we desire without the reforms we have initiated. It is painful at the beginning, in the short and medium term, but we must do what we have to do to take this nation to its great destiny. It is not about you and it is not about me. It is about our generations yet unborn, for whom we must bequeath a great and prosperous country," he affirmed.
The President renewed his commitment to deal conclusively with the pressing issue of remuneration for judicial officers and legal practitioners, noting that true justice reform must begin with world-class salaries and benefits for legal professionals in Nigeria.
Referring to the Keynote address delivered by the Chairman of UBA, Tony Elumelu, whom he praised for setting an agenda for economic growth and development, President Tinubu bemoaned the inability of the country to eradicate poverty and tackle poor electricity supply, despite Nigeria possessing abundance of gas.
Under his administration, Nigeria would generate and distribute the electricity the economy required to thrive, he promised.
The NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, had expressed the confidence of the NBA in the ability of President Tinubu to deliver good governance to Nigeria, judging from his pedigree and track record of excellent performance in Lagos State, where he was the governor between 1999 and 2007.
"President Tinubu got it right in Lagos, and it is our considered expectation that, as President of Nigeria, you will not only replicate your achievements in Lagos, but surpass them for our country."
The conference was attended by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; past NBA President’s, and many other senior government officials.
Leave a Comment