The Nation Newspaper

Tag: President

  •   Shall we tell the president?

    Nigeria’s democracy has advanced another year. Yet three years into President Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency, telling  him and his team how well or badly the administration has fared, remains a hot-button issue.   The opposition dwells on it.  Nigerians regardless of social strata, consider it topical at the coffee table or buka joint.  The polls try to stay neutral and reflective of the national consensus.  Still as members of the ruling party and Buhari aficionados underline the accomplishments, they also upbraid anyone who says otherwise.

    On the cusp of a general election year, what is required is unvarnished assessments. Nigeria needs someone or persons who can tell the president the truth, but not in President Obasanjo’s  self-serving ways.  Indeed, PMB needs to know the state of play, as he seeks reelection, if indeed he wants to correct past mistakes and move the nation forward.

    To mark the president’s third anniversary in office, a public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls in partnerships with Gallup (USA), evaluated ten critical governance and sectoral issues, and produced a cumulative result. The president did not reach the fifty percentile mark in any specific category.

    The president’s highest score was 43% on security and his lowest 12% on poverty alleviation.  His other performance indicators ranged from 32% for corruption; 34% for agriculture; 25% for healthcare; 21% for infrastructure; 24% education; 16% for economy; and  15% for job creation.  Overall, the cumulative average is  not-too-heartwarming.  Bluntly, it was non-stellar. For street voices in Nigeria there’s nothing to celebrate. Then again, we must also consider that subjective core areas like national cohesion, peace and stability, patriotism, dividends of democracy and trust were not even ranked.

    Looking forward, shall we tell the president he has not done so well without encountering a hard push back? Who will tell the president that our democracy, having arrived at the beyond nascent point, is experiencing de-consolidation. In my recently published book, Prime Witness – Change and Policy Challenges in Buhari’s Nigeria, policy performances relating to these ten categories, amongst others, were similarly evaluated, albeit, within the president’s first two years in office.

    As I noted at a recent book presentation, my book, like every opinion poll, and constructive assessment seeks to “analyze evolving policies from the very onset of the Buhari administration; focusing on lessons learned, missed opportunities and choices before Nigeria.”  Undertaking such assessment, more so, where it is non-partisan remains a national imperative. Yet any foray into that realm is not for the faint-hearted.

    On the balance, one must acknowledge on its face value, Minister Lai Mohammed’s contention that “President Buhari’s administration had achieved a lot in the delivery of dividends of democracy and campaign promises despite the challenges it encountered in the last three years.  We are putting our nation on the path of sustainable growth and development, diversifying our economy like never before, tackling corruption at its very core and devising creative measures to secure life and property.” A cogent assessment but one with equally cogent flip-side.

    As I observed recently, Nigeria’s democracy is foundering on the issue of restructuring. The contending point; were Nigeria to be doing so well, the clamor and clangor for transformation and restructuring would be at a lower din and decibel. If our national debate and assessment of government is dichotomous, reasons for such disposition abound.

    Nigerians have become escapists in confronting critical national issues collectively. Now, expediency and convenience  decree compartmentalization and sectionalism. Consequently, critical issues, “national questions, the quest for parity in resources, and attachment to identity” suddenly and conveniently become divisive, creating unwarranted dichotomy. Nonetheless, the assessment of any leadership, more so in a democracy cannot be avoided.

    The observations and conclusions in my book are broad and the concluding assessment pointed. Some who have read the book have chided my seeming empathy towards President Buhari. One in particular, a revered “Silk”  hitherto a hard core Buhari  supporter wrote,  ”It appears to me that the marks…ought to be less charitable and patronizing than you awarded.”  My response is that my evaluation was of policies not personalities, even as both often intertwine and are fungible.

    Borrowing a paragraph from my book might address and clarify the interface.  ”Effective political leadership is generally perceived as one that delivers on its promises. Statesmanship, on the other hand, entails employing great tact in steering the affair of state and in better management of unanticipated crisis that other leaders would have in similar circumstances.” It’s pertinent to recall that even President Buhari’s biographer, when confronted with a heady question on Buhari’s presidency and leadership prospects, responded thus:  ”Whether he can achieve further political change in Nigeria is hard to predict.”

    So as we look back to President Buhari’s three years in office and look to his next year or next five years, we must assess the state of play forthrightly, and with hope. Yakubu Mohammed hit the bullseye with this summation, ”government usually gives hope that tomorrow would be better.” His views dovetail well into my closing summation in Prime Witness: “Buhari has the remaining part of his tenure to remediate  his governance style and redeem his already damaged leadership image. He can do so by drastically altering his leadership style and running a much more inclusive government, where a crop of bipartisan skilled personalities can help him deliver his change agenda for Nigeria.”

    Advisers around the president must accept that outside counsel or criticism have their salient value and merit. They must also recognize their unique role. They need to accept the ultimate public service dictum, paraphrased thus; “I have one master, Mr. President. I have one mistress, the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” They must serve both pari passu. That considered, shall we all resolve to tell the president the truth. Things ain’t as rosy as those in officialdom paint it.  Nigeria and Nigerians can do better. And Nigerians remain hopeful.

    Here is the upshot of our present circumstances.  As president, the buck stops at President Buhari’s desk. He is the one Nigerians elected to lead them. Not everyone who evaluates Buhari’s presidency constructively, or even trenchantly is a traducer, detractor or opposition.  Most speak truth to power in order to better and save Nigeria.  Many still believe in the president as a change agent.  Yet the realization persist that for Nigeria, it is not yet eureka.

     

    • Obaze is the author of a public policy book, Prime Witness- Change and Policy Challenges in Buhari’s Nigeria, published recently by Safari Book Ltd. 

  • Why I want to be president, by Ogbonnia

    President Muhammadu Buhari may have a rival at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary. An engineer and management expert, Dr. Sylvester Kenechukwu Ogbonnia, has thrown his hat into the ring. He said he is not intimidated by the power of incumbency.

    “I have what it takes to make Nigeria the toast of the free world. I know the problems and how to solve them,” he told reporters in Lagos, where he unfolded his ambition.

    Ogbonnia has identified the lack of political will and inability of leaders to implement laudable policies as the bane of development. Besides, he noted that indiscipline has persisted because there is no consequence for bad behaviour. “Any system where anything goes, goes nowhere,” he said.

    The Enugu State-born  aspirant has degrees in civil engineering, sociology and public administration. He holds a doctorate degree in Applied Management and Decision Sciences from Walden University. He has worked with the Nigeria Electricity Power Authority (NEPA) and the United Bank for Africa (UBA). Ogbonnia is the Chairman of First Texas Energy Corporation, United States.

    The message on his lip is that help is on the way. He lauded President Buhari for what he has done so far. But, he said he would perform better as a credible alternative, if giving the opportunity. Ogbonnia declared that Nigeria is yearning for a great leadership far more than those behind the change mantra can achieve. “Every extraordinary circumstance requires extraordinary action. Every extraordinary action calls for an extraordinary leader. I make hold to say I am that leader. I have the unique will, passion and the capacity, home and abroad, to unleash the abundant potential of Nigeria to greatness,” he said.

    But, is Ogbonnia not swimming against the tide of zoning? He is conscious of its endless manipulation to score some points. Lamenting the dark side of zoning, he said: “They will cling on region and religion to divide us so that they can continue to loot our country for selfish interests. But, I have a bad news for them.

    “The Nigerian masses, particularly the youths, have become wiser. They have come to realise that we do not talk about region or religion when they think of three square meals. They do not think of region or religion when they lose their loved ones, when they encounter bad roads, epileptic power of fuel supply, poor health facilities, school fees, high unemployment. What these masses want is the solution; a better country for all.”

    In Ogbonnia’s view, leadership is the base. The bad leadership is responsible for poor medical facilities, bad roads, armed robbery and kidnapping. In the midst of the rot, he noted that few privileged leaders appear insensitive to the plight of the poor majority. Quoting former American President John Kennedy, he said: “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”

    The aspirant said he will implement socio-economic problems that will liberate the poor. He promised an efficient healthcare delivery, saying that his administration will implement existing policies to make health care efficient and affordable for all. “We will start by equipping eight existing hospitals to international standards within six months of being in office. This will also curb the current wave of medical tourism,” he added.

    Ogbonnia said his education policy will ensure that teachers are well paid so that they can focus on teaching and research, instead of handouts and petty trading to supplement their income.

    If the power crisis is resolved, the aspirant said the country will heave a sigh of relief. He said his government will usher in a power revolution through decentralized energy policy that will involve state and federal government and the private sector. “No state or zone can hold the nation hostage because of perceived monopoly of the source of power,” he stressed.

    Ogbonnia promised to tackle youth unemployment through diversification of the economy and sustained local and foreign investment. However, he stressed that “it is wishful thinking to expect good results in any of the above without first being able to produce adequate power supply in the country.”

    Reflecting on the agitation for restructuring, the APC chieftain said the first step is the scrapping of the bi-cameral legislature. He said the Senate should be abolished to reduce the cost of governance. “Besides serving as an added conduit to siphon money for selfish interests, there is nothing the Senate can do that the House of Representatives, a more representative body, cannot do,” he added.

    To reduce farmers/herdsmen clashes, Ogbonnia said he will build ranches similar to the patter where traders will rent market stalls and pay taxes. Noting that the killings are barbaric, he said he sid he will disarm the herdsmen so that they will not pose any threat.

    Ogbonnia agreed with President Buhari that corruption is the greatest problem. “Nigeria is a place of negative freedom, where people are free to be corrupt. They give three year jail term to a person who stole a goat. There is endless adjournment for people who stole billions,” he said, adding: “Nigeria is not more corrupt than the USA. The difference is that there are serious and immediate consequences for bad behaviour in the American history.” To properly wage war against graft, he said Nigeria will require a Patriot Act similar to the one that is operating in the United States.

    Ogbonnia said democracy is on crutches, stressing that operators lack democratic credentials. He said the doctrine of democracy was hanging as a member of the opposition became the Deputy Senate President in a national Assembly where the ruling APC has the majority. The mistake, he said, should not be repeated in the future.

    The aspirant chided former President Olusegun Obasanjo for mocking his antecedent as an exponent of one-party system. He wondered why the former leader is pushing the third force to fight the ruling party, having failed tom lay a good example while in power.

    “In 1989, Obasanjo faulted multi-party system. He canvassed a one party system. In 2003, he mocked behind new parties, saying that the proliferation of parties will be to his advantage as he was seeking a second term. He said the PDP will defeat the smaller and weaker parties. Why is he now going about with a third force?” he queried.

  • President ‘ll have an easy ride in 2019 polls, says minister

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will have an easy ride to the Presidency in the 2019 general election, Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has asserted.

    Buhari administration, the minister said, has kept on delivering on its campaign promises.

    Mohammed spoke yesterday during an inspection of the Section 2 of the dualisation of Ibadan-Ilorin road, which covers between Oyo-Ogbomoso road.

    The minister noted that government is undertaking projects that impact directly on the lives of the people.

    According to Mohammed, the projects have endeared the administration to the public.

    He said: “There is only one way you can get the electorates to vote for you and that is simply by keeping your promises, delivering your promises and embarking on projects that will touch their lives. And I am confident that our re-election will be easy because either in terms of infrastructure or in terms of social intervention, we are everyday working for the common man in the country.

    “As of today, we feed 8.2 million primary school students across the country, we have employed a total of 7,000 cooks in about 24 states covering 62,000 primary schools just in the area of social intervention. Our response to critics is not to exchange banters with them, but by showing them what we have done.”

    The funding for the road project, the minister said, was accessed through the Sukuk loan, where it was able to draw N100 billion, which is divided into six equal parts, for the six geopolitical zones.

    He explained that the share for the Southwest region is being used to complete the Oyo-Ogbomosho section of the road.

    The minister added that “funding will no longer be a challenge to many of our critical road projects”.

    If there is any challenge, Mohammed noted that N199 billion presidential infrastructure fund has been set aside for the benefit of projects.

    Federal Controller of Works in Oyo State Omotayo Awosanya, an engineer, said the section 2 of the Ibadan-Ilorin dualisation road was awarded in June 2010 with an initial completion period of 40 months but could not be achieved for lack of funds.

    Omotayo noted that if funding is sustained, the road will be completed between middle and the end of next year.

    He said the road is 58 per cent completed.

    He gave the contract sum of the project as N47.5 billion and that contractors have been paid N26 billion so far.

    The Federal Controller of Works noted that about 700 workers were employed for the project.

    On the importance of the road, the engineer said: “The road is a corridor of the extension of Lagos- Ibadan road and the traffic that is generated in Oyo, going towards the North, will pass through this road. So, the importance of the road cannot be over-emphasised.”

     

     

  • Scout council inducts Lagos cj as president

    The Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Opeyemi Oke, has been  inducted as the state Scout Council president.

    The investiture held at the Ikeja High Court.

    Lagos Scout Council Commissioner Chief Jonathan Tawose thanked the CJ for agreeing to be the president.

    He sought Justice Oke’s assistance for investing Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as Patron.

    He said: “We need your support to assist in speeding up the investiture/decoration process for His Excellency as the patron of the Lagos State Scout Council as stipulated in the approved Constitution of The Scout Association of Nigeria.

    “We are obliged by international laws to train and mould youths throughout their formative stages to become useful and purposeful leaders. In order to achieve these objectives, the Council needs financial assistance.

    “Normally, we are supposed to draw our finances from government subventions and donations from philanthropists. We have not really been blessed with these sources in abundance, yet our trainings should not suffer,” he said.

    Tawose said the Council had not received funding from the government for the past 15 years, urging CJ to intervene.

    “We will appreciate if you can speak with the Ministry of Youth and Social Development to please reinstate and review upwards the subventions of the Lagos State Scout Council of the Scout Association of Nigeria so as to function effectively,” he pleaded.

    The Council’s Chief Commissioner Alhaji M. D. Sanni also solicited funding.

    “We appreciate if financing and the necessary tools are provided for the Scout Council like a new bus, gadgets and equipments,” he said.

    Justice Oke thanked the Council for giving her the opportunity to serve.

    “I appreciate the honour bestowed upon me. It is a call for service. I am really grateful that you have found me worthy to be the president of the State Scout Council. I am not going to take this for granted,” she said.

    The CJ said she was suited for the job because of her previous experience in scouting roles.

    “I was a member of the Man O’ War group in my university days over 40 years ago and I was a Squadron Commander.

    “Once you are a member of the Man O’ War club,  the discipline, the teaching, the learning remains with you for life and I am carrying out that now as the President of the Lagos State Scout Council,” she said.

    Justice Oke said she was also not  new to the Girls Scout club,  as she was  a member at the international level.

    “I have been told my responsibilities and I promised to abide by the promises that I have made here.

    “Our governor is an amiable person and very approachable, I am making the promise on his behalf that you will soon come to honour him as you have honoured me.”

  • NJC names Anabor, Saddeeq CCT member, President, FCT Customary Court of Appeal

    The National Judicial Council (NJC) yesterday made public names of 21 individuals it nominated for appointment as Chief Judges, Judges, Grand Kadis and a member of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    Mrs. Julie Abieyuwa Anabor is named as the new member of the CCT. If the President accepts her nomination, she will become the third member of the CCT panel, currently made up of two people, with Danladi Umar (as Chairman).

    NJC’s Director, Information, Soji Oye, in a statement yesterday, said the council, at its 86th meeting held between May 8 and 9 this year, also approved the appointment of Justice Abbazih Musa Abubakar Saddeeq (as President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    Oye gave names of other appointees as: Justice Elizabeth A. Karatu (Chief Judge, Kebbi State); Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar (Chief Judge, Katsina State); Alhafiz Mikail Abubakar (Grand Kadi, Katsina State); Bilikisu Gambo Yusuf and Ishaku Usman (as judges, High Court, Kaduna State).

    Also appointed are: Musa Mustapha, Baba Gani Karumi and Waziri Alhaji Abubakar (as judges, High Court, Borno State); Husaini Alhasan Saidu, Zubayr Saliu and Ruth Alolo Alfa (as judges, High Court, Kogi State); Muhammad Haruna and Fatima Musa (as judges, High Court, Gombe State) and Muhammad Inuwa Gombe and Hadi Aminu (Kadis, Sharia Court of Appeal, Gombe).

    Also appointed are: Ahmad Muhammad Gidado,        Mustapha Lalloki, Dalha Bashir Ahmad And Atiku Muhammad Bello (as Kadis, Sharia Court of Appeal, Gombe State).

  • Security expert to run for president under GDPN

    •Aspirant pledges to proffer solutions to challenges

    A SECURITY expert, Pastor Davidson Akhimien, has declared his intention to contest for the presidency on the platform of Grassroots Democratic Party of Nigeria (GDPN) to provide solutions to the challenges bedevilling the country and improve on the welfare of the masses.

    Akhimien, who is he National President of the Association of Licenced Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN) and managing director of King David Group of Companies, announced his intention at a news conference during the week.

    He said he decided to join the presidential train because of his patriotism after witnessing the country in which he was born and grew up degenerating in the area of maladministration and mismanagement of resources for many years.

    His words: “I decided to contest having seen my country not being able to carry its weight in the international community as a result of the manner governance at the local and national levels has been bastardised; having seen the attitude of the political class in complete disregard for the welfare of the masses of Nigeria. These reasons made me to stick out my neck to contest for the position of the president to bring about a transformation or a rebirth of Nigeria so that it can take its rightful place in the comity of nations and so that the lives of the generality of people will be bettered.”

    He decried the manner the government has left its responsibilities for the citizens to bear.

    Akhimien said: “If you look at what has been happening in our communities over the years, individuals have become government onto themselves. Individuals provide potable water; they dig boreholes in their homes; individuals provide electricity for themselves. Everywhere you go in the country you hear the sounds of generators. Individuals come together to construct roads. Individual also provide security for themselves. But it is the responsibility of government to ensure these amenities and security architecture are made available. Look at the ratio of policemen to the population of Nigerians. About 250,000 policemen to about 180 million population is no bargain; it’s abysmally low. Because of this you find communities establishing vigilance groups to provide security.”

    He also warned the government to tackle the herdsmen and farmers clashes headlong.

    Akhimien said: “With the clashes we have seen between pastoralists and herdsmen, there is no doubt that if something is not done at the level of government in the area of policy formulation that will be agreeable to the two sides, they will continue. But there is a role the security agencies must play. There must be a will on the part of government to attack this problem headlong.”

    The retired intelligence officer said what Gen. T.Y. Danjuma was saying the community vigilance group should be stepped up to complement the security agencies, since “security agents are inadequate because of lack of manpower, equipment and logistics support”.

    “As a general in the Army, I don’t think he will recommend anything that will lead to anarchy,” he said.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • PDP to President: youths are not lazy

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disputed President Muhammadu Buhari’s alleged statement describing youths as lazy.

    According to the main opposition party, Nigerian youths, by their demonstrated industry, could not in any way be described by anybody as lazy.

    A statement yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Nigerians find it extremely shocking that Buhari could make such a “false, derogatory and unpatriotic” comment against our citizens at a time the nation was looking up to him to properly present the country’s potentials to the global business community.

    The statement said: “It is alarming that at every international event, the President makes it a favorite past time to de-market, paint and denigrate our dear nation and her citizens in very negative light, an indication that he has stopped believing in Nigeria.

    “Mr. President’s latest salvo is totally unacceptable and must be condemned by all right-thinking people to avoid further verbal assault against our country, particularly at international fora.”

  • Looters did not cover tracks well, says President

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday bemoaned the looting of the treasury by past administrations, saying the stealing was too much.

    The looters, he said, were so inept that they did not cover their tracks well.

    The President spoke in London while receiving the Buhari Diaspora Support Organisation  led by Mr. Charles Sylvester.

    Buhari also met with All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Abuja House in London yesterday. Details of their meeting were not disclosed.

    The President said his administration would justify the people’s trust in it, but lamented that it was impossible to “identify and recover all the loot.”

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina said the failure of some past administrations put the country where it is today.

    The statement reads: “I am happy that people like you are here, on your own, defending the country. You have shown courage and sacrifice. I assure you that your confidence in us won’t be abused, we will do our best to justify it.”

    “The failure of some of the leadership we had in the past led to our not being able to capitalise on resources to improve the lot of the people”.

    Wicked people, the President said, plundered the country, “and kept Nigerians poor”. He added that looking at the condition in which his administration met the country, without savings and the economy badly vandalised, “we have not done too badly.”

    The damage done to the economy in the years of plunder, he said, was massive, adding that the government was doing its best to recover some of the loot.

    The President said: “If they had used 50 per cent of the money we made, when oil prices went as high as $143  per barrel, and stabilised at $100  with production at 2.1 million barrels per day for many years, Nigerians would have minded their businesses.

    “You could almost grow food on our roads, as they were abandoned. The stealing was so much, and they were so inept that they could not even cover the stealing properly. I wonder how all those things could have happened to our country.”

    He hailed the group for identifying with the country, “when you could have stayed here, and be comfortable.”

    Sylvester said the group was happy with the President’s achievements so far.

    He said: “You met a difficult situation, but you have overcome most of them. We are happy with the agriculture revolution, the ease of doing business, the anti-corruption war, the employment of youths through the N-Power programme, and the blockage of leakages in the public sector through the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

    “We are proud of the speed with which you recovered the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls. It shows you as a worthy General. We are happy that you have declared for 2019. Majority of Nigerians are happy, but agents of corruption and darkness are unhappy.

    “The same God, who healed you when you were ill, will grant you victory in the 2019 elections. You are a General who does not fear combat, either with Generals or non-Generals. We declare our love and support for you. You are fixing the faulty foundations of our country and second term is when you will build the enduring structure.”

  • Ex-military governor, Abe back President

    FORMER Plateau State Military Governor Maj.-Gen. Aliyu Kama (retd) and Senator Magnus Abe (River Southeast) have declared support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s second time bid.

    Maj.-Gen. Aliyu Kama urged those trying to contest against Buhari in 2019 to wait till 2023.

    He was apparently referring to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor Kingsley Moghalu among others.

    According to him, it would be unwise for anyone, irrespective of their inclinations, to want to contest against Buhari.

    The ex-governor under the regime of former Military President Ibrahim Babangida spoke on Saturday in Abuja at the Hoba Community Grand Reception for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha by the Hoba Elders Council.

    He also said the Hoba people of Adamawa State were grateful to Buhari for appointing two sons of the community as SGF successively and pledged continuous support for the Buhari administration.

    Mustapha, at the occasion, promised to conduct himself creditably in office and that he would work hard to ensure that at the end of his service, his people would be proud of him.

    He acknowledged the individual and collective role as well as contribution of some of the dignitaries to his political career, beginning with his nomination into the then constituent assembly in old Gongola State.

    Abe insisted that ahead of the 2019 election, there was no one to compare with Buhari’s pedigree.

    He also lauded the President for declaring to run for a second term in office next year.

    Abe, who spoke yesterday in a live television programme, said: “As far as we are concerned, the APC is all set for 2019 elections. The announcement by President Buhari means that barring the formalities that are still left – there will hopefully be a formal declaration and of course, we will have a convention to pick the President as our candidate – we now know who our candidate will be for the 2019 election.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • We’ve restored stability in foreign exchange market, says President

    President Muhammadu Buhari  yesterday said the government had restored stability to the foreign exchange market.

    “We have restored stability in foreign exchange market and have recorded improvements in our foreign reserves which have grown from 24 billion US dollars in September 2016 to 42 billion US dollars by mid-February 2018 and now 46 billion US dollars.

    “This has been achieved partially because of the recovery of oil prices on the international market.”

    The President spoke during the launch of the Focus Labs for the Administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) in Abuja.

    He added that his administration had made remarkable strides in creating a conducive business environment for investors, earning the World Bank’s ranking as one of the Top 10 most improved economies in 2017.

    “This has encouraged both local and foreign investments in the last few months,” Buhari added.

    The ERGP is a medium-term plan, 2017-2020, launched by the President in April 2017.

    ERGP sets out the direction of government policy for the economy to put it on the path of a strong, diversified, inclusive and sustainable growth.

    According to Buhari, the focus labs are part of the strategies being put in place to ensure implementation of the ERGP.

    He also pointed out that focus labs had been successfully used in other countries to boost their economies.

    The President said: “Many will recall that almost a year ago, I made a promise that this Administration will be committed to its full implementation.

    “The Labs we are flagging off today constitute one of the many strategies this Administration is taking to ensure that the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan is effectively implemented.”

    The President listed the key goals in the ERGP to include achieving sustainable, diversified and inclusive growth, becoming self-sufficient in basic commodities to curtail our food imports, diversifying economic base from crude oil dependence, empowering local businesses to create thousands of jobs and, improving the general wellbeing of the people.

    “In the past ten months, we have achieved several noteworthy milestones. As you are aware, economic growth returned in second quarter of 2017 due to a clear follow-through of some of the economic initiatives we set out to implement. Since then, we have consolidated on the recovery path reaching a Real GDP growth of 1.92% by the fourth quarter of 2017.

    Significant progress, he said, has also been made in the Agricultural sector with the expansion of the Anchor Borrower’s programme to more beneficiaries to boost local production.

    “We plan to build upon the success of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative to double the 500,000 metric tons of fertilizer delivered to States, agro-dealers and farmers in 2017, by achieving production output of 1 million metric tons in 2018.

    “Today, our local food production, particularly rice, has witnessed a remarkable growth and has saved the nation millions of dollars of foreign exchange.

    “However, we are not relenting on our efforts until these improvements in economic indices translate to visible improvements in the lives of our citizens.”

    Minister of Budget and National Planning Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, said the Government had so far screened 240 projects for the ERGP focus laboratories.

    He said the government’s target was to mobilise at least 25 billion dollars or its Naira equivalent in private investments through the labs.

    “Many have asked whether we are not being too ambitious in targeting 25 billion dollars. My answer is that we have no choice.

    “We actually need multiples of 25 billion dollars, or its equivalent in Naira of new investments to create enough jobs to address the high unemployment rate in the country.

    “So, we will not stop after the first set of labs. After this first set of labs, we will hold more labs and more labs.

    “We shall keep on addressing all the constraints to investments until we achieve the goals we have set for ourselves,” he said.

    According to him, the implementation of the initiative will further drive quick delivery of some of the outcomes of ERGP and contribute to accelerating the growth momentum of the country.

    He said:  “The expected deliverables are the identification of projects followed by detailed implementation plans for each project with identified budgets and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

    “The process has become imperative because government is fully committed to the achievement of the primary objective of the ERGP, which is restoring the strength of the economy.

    “We cannot rest until we achieve the ERGP’s vision of a new Nigeria.

    “We cannot rest until we see a Nigeria that is transformed from a consuming nation to a producing nation, from an import dependent nation to an export oriented nation.

    “A Nigeria from a nation that survives on one single commodity to a nation that runs on multiple engines of growth,” he said.

    Udoma said that the government had invited potential and existing local and foreign investors, who may be interested in investing in any of the three focus areas to attend the closed-door sessions.

    “The three sectors are: Agriculture and Transportation, Manufacturing and Processing, and Power and Gas.”