President has brought millions out of poverty - Abba Kyari

Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, has told the president that he should be proud of his administrations achievement as he has brought millions of Nigerians out of poverty.

Kyari said the only people who keep saying the president has not achieved anything are those who can no longer plunder government resources at the expense of Nigerians.

He made these remarks during a meeting with members of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, March 2, 2018.

He said, "Mr President has achieved the impossible at no cost to the government. There's no scam, no subsidy, no fraud. Last year, our efforts made sure that N60 billion of subsidy was saved.

"Mr President, we saved $200 million in importation. Of the four ingredients from which fertiliser is made, we have two in Nigeria. It's not a small achievement.

"Mr President, they say your government has not achieved anything. Yes they say Nigerians are poorer; it is true Nigerians are poorer because there are less billionaires and less private jets.

"They are millions of farmers who are rich, very happy and looking forward to this programme, but the poor beneficiaries of this programme have no lobby groups, they don't talk to the Financial Times, they have no face no voice, they have no face; that is why people are saying you haven't done anything but you have achieved millions of people out of poverty, Mr President."

The Chief of Staff further said before Buhari's administration, the country had regressed and became too reliant on importing food when it's well-equipped to fend for itself.

"To begin to create food security is not a mean achievement. Mr President, you should be proud of the achievement yourself and even if they're not saying it, today we're saying it," he said.

Buhari promises support for PFI

During the meeting, President Buhari also pledged that his government will continue to support the PFI initiative unlike during previous governments.

"Unlike in previous governments where trucks conveying fertiliser will miraculously disappear in transit, in 2017, none of the 3,733 trucks which participated in this programme went missing.

"I want to assure all participants of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) initiative that we will continue to provide adequate security so that this programme and it's positive impact on Nigeria is sustained," he said.