Tinubu to Bill Gates: Tell the West more about our plight

•Pledges to prioritize health, safety

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Bola Tinubu Monday urged the Co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Bill Gates, not to relent in letting the West know the challenges facing the developing nations.
Tinubu specifically told the philanthropist that the West needed to hear more from him with respect to the plight of the developing countries, saying “you have all it takes to help developing nations more.”
He, nevertheless, pledged to give priority attention to the health and safety of Nigerians, noting that for any country to develop, the health of its people, particularly the workforce, is critical.
The President spoke when he received in audience the Co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Bill Gates, and President of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
While saluting the courage and commitment of Bill Gates in working for humanity, he commended the partnership with Aliko Dangote Foundation.
The President said his administration would do all that is required to make their work in Nigeria and Africa successful, particularly in the area of eradicating polio, measles, malaria and other diseases from the continent.
But he warned about the budgetary constraints and other issues around funding.
The President praised Bill Gates’ efforts in the area of Climate Change and in eradicating polio and malaria from Africa.
Dangote, in his remarks to the media after the visit, congratulated President Tinubu on his election and successful assumption of office.
He said the visit to the Villa was to brief the President on the activities of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Aliko Dangote Foundation, highlighting their commitment to improving the health sector in Nigeria.
Dangote expressed the Foundations’ willingness to cooperate further with the government in achieving its goals.
He seized the opportunity to commend the President for the removal of fuel subsidy, expressing confidence that more state funds would be allocated to education, health, infrastructure, and other critical areas of the economy.