• We share common goals with Nigeria, says Trump
• All is not well – Atiku
• We’ll address challenges – Senate
President Muhammadu Buhari today hinted that the newly created Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development would oversee the administration’s Special Intervention Programme.
President directs release of N600bn for 2019 capital projects
Buhari, who said this in his broadcast to the nation to mark the country’s 59th independence anniversary, also stated that he had directed the release of N600bn for capital project implementation from the 2019 budget in the next three months.
Speaking on the Special Intervention Programme, which is under the supervision of the office of the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the President stated, “Our ongoing N500bn Special Intervention Programme continues to target vulnerable groups, through the home-grown School Feeding Programme, Government Economic Empowerment Programme, N-Power, Job Creation Programme, loans for traders and artisans, Conditional Cash Transfers to the poorest families and social housing scheme.
“To institutionalise these impactful programmes, we created the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development which shall consolidate and build on our achievements to date. To the beneficiaries of these programmes, I want to reassure you that our commitment to social inclusion will only increase.”
He also said the newly set up Economic Advisory Council would advise him on inclusive and sustainable macroeconomic, fiscal and monetary policies.
He also said that as of June this year, total capital releases from the 2018 budget, stood at N1.74trn to underscore the commitment of his administration to build infrastructure and take Nigerians out of poverty.
The President noted that for change to happen, all Nigerians must support him and think like him to get the country from the old ways of doing things.
On security, he said, “In the last four years, we have combated the terrorist scourge of Boko Haram. We owe a debt of gratitude to our gallant men and women in arms, through whose efforts we have been able to achieve the present results. We are also grateful to our neighbours and allies – within the region and across the world – who have supported us on this front.
“The capacity of our armed forces to defend our territorial integrity continues to be enhanced by the acquisition of military hardware as well as continued improvements in the working conditions of our service men and women.
“The Ministry of Police Affairs has been resuscitated to oversee the development and implementation of strategies to enhance internal security. My recent assent to the Nigerian Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act has created a legal framework to support our Police with increased fiscal resources to enhance their law enforcement capabilities.
“We remain equally resolute in our efforts to combat militant attacks on our oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta and accelerate the Ogoni Clean-up to address long-standing environmental challenges in that region.
“The recent redeployment of the Niger Delta Development Commission from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs underscores our commitment to enhance the living standards of our communities in the Niger Delta, through coordinated and appropriate programmes.
Speaking further, he said, “This administration inherited a skewed economy, where the oil sector comprised only 8 per cent of Gross Domestic Product but contributed 70 per cent of government revenue and 90 per cent foreign exchange earnings over the years. Past periods of relatively high economic growth were driven by our reliance on oil sector revenues to finance our demand for imported goods and services.
“Regrettably, previous governments abandoned the residual investment-driven non-oil sector, which constituted 40 per cent of Gross Domestic Product and comprised agriculture, livestock, agro-processing, arts, entertainment, mining and manufacturing activities that provide millions of jobs for able-bodied Nigerians and utilise locally available raw materials and labour for production.
“To address this imbalance, our commitment to achieving economic diversification has been at the heart of our economic strategies under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which I launched on the 5th of April, 2017.
Says he built reserves to $42.5bn
“This medium-term development plan charted the trajectory for our economy to exit from recession and return to the path of sustainable, diversified and inclusive growth for Nigerians. Pursuant to these reforms, the economy has recovered and we have had nine successive quarters of growth since our exit from recession. The exchange rate in the last three years has remained stable, with robust reserves of US$42.5 billion, up from US$23bn in October 2016.
“Learning from the mistakes of the past, this administration is committed to responsibly managing our oil wealth endowments. We will continue to prudently save our oil income and invest more in the non-oil job-creating sectors.
“In this regard, we are significantly increasing investments in critical infrastructure. Last year, capital releases only commenced with the approval of the Budget in June 2018. However, as at 20th June this year, up to N1.74tn had been released for capital projects in the 2018 fiscal year.
“Implementation of the 2019 capital budget, which was only approved in June 2019, will be accelerated to ensure that critical priority projects are completed or substantially addressed. The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has been directed to release N600bn for capital expenditure in the next three months.”
Buhari spoke on other measure being taken, including partnering the private sector to deliver infrastructure and strengthen the economy.
He stated, “To maximise impact, we shall continue to increasingly welcome and encourage private capital for infrastructural development through Public Private Partnerships. Through the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, which I initiated in January this year, we are giving incentives to private sector inflow of over N205 billion in 19 Nigerian roads and bridges of 794.4km across in 11 States of the Federation.
“As we push to diversify the economy, we still remain focused on optimising the revenues generated from the oil and gas sector. We will, working with the Legislature, soon pass the Petroleum Industry Bill and amendments to the Deep Offshore Act and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act into law, to ensure Government obtains a fair share of oil revenues, whilst encouraging private sector investment.
On the power sector, the President said, “We are resolute in reforming the power sector. In August this year, we launched the Presidential Power Initiative to modernise the National Grid in 3 phases: starting from 5 Gigawatts to 7 Gigawatts, then to 11 Gigawatts by 2023, and finally 25 Gigawatts afterwards. This programme, in partnership with the German Government and Siemens, will provide end-to-end electrification solutions that will resolve our transmission and distribution challenges.
“The programme will also look to localise the development and assembly of smart meters as well as the operations and maintenance capabilities of transmission and distribution infrastructure.
“I am pleased with the improved inter-agency collaboration between the Ministry of Power and the regulators in the banking and power sectors to ensure that electricity sales, billings and collections are automated and become cashless.
We share common goals with Nigeria – Trump
The United States’ President, Donald Trump, and prominent Nigerians assessed prospects of Nigeria as it celebrates its 59th independence anniversary today (Tuesday).
Trump, who congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on Nigeria’s 59th independence anniversary, described the country as one of America’s strongest partners in Africa.
The US President, in a statement in Washington on Monday, said Nigeria and America shared common goals of expanding trade and growing their economic relationship.
He said, “We are allies in the global battle against terrorism, and we want to see Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa driven out of the region and other insurgencies like them dismantled.
“The United States welcomes efforts by your administration to diversify opportunities for your talented, creative, and hardworking people to the benefit of both our countries, Africa, and the world.”
The American President said he was pleased that the vice presidents of the two nations were building on the longstanding history of cooperation between the US and Nigeria.
But at home, Nigerian politicians and other prominent Nigerians disagreed on the achievements of the country and its prospects.
All is not well with Nigeria – Atiku
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in February 23, 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, painted a gloomy picture of the country and said all was not well with it.
The former Vice-President, in his message on Nigeria’s 59th independence anniversary, said the nation’s founding fathers could not have imagined that 59 years after independence, free press would be endangered in the largest black nation in the world.
He also said they could not have imagined that the judiciary would be under attacks, and that youths and activists, who should ordinarily be the future of Nigeria, would be facing threats of arrest and intimidation.
He, however, called on Nigerians to work for the development of the country and insist that no one in the country, no matter how highly placed, should be bigger than the laws of the land.
Atiku stated, “I could call for prayers, as others would indeed call for today. I could also call on Nigerians to show more understanding, as indeed many have said in the past and will undoubtedly say again today. But I am mindful of the fact that the time for rhetoric has long since passed and now is the time for all lovers of Nigeria to take concrete steps to aid Nigeria’s progress, by not just praying and showing understanding, but also to take democratic action to ensure that the ideals of our founding fathers – unity and faith, peace and progress – are not set aside on the altar of tyranny.
“All is not well when judges are persecuted for enforcing the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights of Nigerian citizens. All is not well when Nigeria is now officially the world headquarters for extreme poverty and out of schoolchildren, yet the cost of maintaining those in government continues to grow, while the needs of the governed are not being met. And certainly, all is not well when the media cannot freely express itself without the fear that those who wield the big stick would use it on them for saying things as they are.”
Also, the National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, said Nigeria was dying under the watch of Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
In a statement by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, Secondus said every index at 59 years of Nigeria showed that the country was going down. He stated that only truth and nothing else would save Nigerians.
He said, “What happened in the country last February at the presidential election remains a sad reminder of the damage this administration has done to our democratic psyche as a nation.”
Buhari has done well – APC
But the APC, in its message lauded the President, saying despite inheriting challenges he had made huge marks in the country.
The party, which stated this in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said Nigerians were better together than being apart.
It stated, “In spite of the inherited and our current challenges, President Muhammadu Buhari administration has made commendable strides on so many fronts, most significantly the fight against graft, diversifying and revamping the economy, curbing insurgency and emerging crimes, promoting positive values in our national life, strengthening our democratic institutions and processing and achieving a respectable international standing.”
We will address challenges – Senate
Also, the Senate pledged to support Nigeria’s efforts at achieving greatness through quality representation and making of relevant laws at all times.
The upper chamber made the pledge in a statement by its Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye.
The Senate noted there were challenges facing the nation, but its members would work as a team to address the obstacles hindering the nation’s progress.
Challenges, necessary steps to greatness – Senate President
On his part, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said that the current challenges confronting the country were necessary process to attain greatness.
Lawan, in a statement, noted that the challenges were insurmountable. He said, “We must not waver or be discouraged by the challenges of nation-building.”
Pray for your leaders, Gbajabiamila urges Nigerians
Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, urged Nigerians to remain united and pray for their leaders.
In a statement in Abuja, the Speaker said Nigeria had come a long way as one indivisible entity, which every citizen must work to protect. He added that at a time like this, prayers and unity of purpose would help ensure the country remain one.
Omo-Agege raises hope of better Nigeria
The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo -Agege, expressed the hope that Nigeria would achieve greatness if the citizens embraced love and unity.
Omo -Agege, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, also said the nation could surmount the current challenges with the determination of all citizens.
Focus on solutions to Nigeria’s woes, CAN tells leaders
Also, the Christian Association of Nigeria said that godliness, impeccable leadership, patriotism and responsible following were the panaceas for the nation’s woes.
The CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, who said this in a message on Monday, in commemoration of Nigeria’s 59th independence anniversary, called for a change of heart and attitude.
He said, “We all need a change of heart in Nigeria, a new life, so to say. The leaders and the led must be ready for a new heart. We must allow God to change us; He is always willing to do that but he will not force it on us.
Ortom calls for unity
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, urged Nigerians to sustain their faith in the unity and capacity of the country to overcome the current challenges and realize its full potential as a prosperous nation.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, Ortom said that the grace of God had steered Nigeria out of challenges and threats to its corporate existence.
Ours is history of dashed hopes, some successes – Ohanaeze
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a statement by its National Deputy Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chuks Ibegbu, said although Nigeria had attained political independence, it had yet to build the nation of “our dream.”
Obaseki calls for collective efforts
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, called for collective efforts among Nigerians, regardless of ethnic, religious and political leanings.
He stated, “Today, our belief in the Nigerian nation has not waned. Instead, we are encouraged by our common determination to work together as a people to build this country into a strong, formidable and prosperous nation.”
Ugwuanyi sues for peace, unity
On his part, the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, appealed to Nigerians to eschew divisive tendencies capable of tearing the nation apart.
Ugwuanyi in his message on the 59th anniversary of the nation’s independence, advised Nigerians to remain steadfast in the pursuit of peace, unity and brotherhood among all citizens of the country.
ACF seeks better infrastructure
The pan-Northern socio-political organization, Arewa Consultative Forum, said that despite the insecurity and other challenges in the country, it had recorded many achievements.
The group, in a statement by his spokesperson, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim-Biu, urged “government at all levels to pay special attention to the improvement of infrastructure.”
Nigeria’s future bright, says Abiodun
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said that Nigeria had the potential to emerge as an economic powerhouse in the near future.
The governor said this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin.
Makinde commends Nigerians’ perseverance
His Oyo State counterpart, Mr Seyi Makinde, called for renewed patriotism, perseverance and prayers to enable the country to wade through the myriads of socio-economic challenges currently facing the people.
He stated, “With perseverance and the never-say-die instinct of Nigerians, we will get to our goal of a great country, successfully,” the governor said.
Whatever happens in part of Nigeria, affects others – Masari
The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, in a statement by his Director General , Media and Publicity, Labaran Malumfashi, urged Nigerians to remain steadfast.
He stated, “In the race towards building a better, stronger and more united nation, we should not allow divisive sentiments to pull the baton out of our hands.
Independence: IG beefs up security nationwide
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Monday directed all commissioners of police and their supervisory assistant inspectors-general of police in the state and zonal commands to beef up security nationwide.
This, he said, was to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free 59th independence anniversary celebration on Tuesday.
Adamu, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, by the force spokesman, Frank Mba, assured Nigerians of a smooth celebration in all the states and the Federal Capital Territory.
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