President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, pledged to give priority to the health and safety of Nigerians.

He said that the development of a country was critically tied to the health of its people.

The President stated this during an audience with the Co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, and president of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Aliko Dangote, in Abuja.

While saluting the courage and commitment of Bill Gates in working for humanity, he commended the partnership with Aliko Dangote Foundation.

Mr Tinubu said his administration would make their work in Nigeria and Africa successful, particularly in the areas of eradicating polio, measles, malaria and other diseases from the continent.

He, however, warned about budgetary constraints and other issues around funding.

Mr Tinubu praised Bill Gates’ efforts in the area of climate change and in eradicating polio and malaria from Africa.

He 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.”

Mr Dangote, in his remarks to the media after the visit, congratulated Mr 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 commitments to improving the health sector in Nigeria.

Mr Dangote expressed the foundations’ willingness to cooperate further with the government in achieving its goals.

He used 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.

(NAN)