As Nigeria celebrates her 64th Independence anniversary on October 1st it is undaunting that many look back at the past years with a view as to how Nigeria’s development shifts between growth and stagnation.
The highlight of the event is the President’s address which as always has not forgotten to pinpoint the achievements of their administration. Long as it is, he still pleads for the patience of Nigerians for the policies being made by the government but for how long can the people’s patience last.
Are we really realising the lofty dreams of our founding fathers who made sacrifices for our independence 64 years ago?
Since independence, Nigeria has witnessed various crises and upheavals, but as the President said, it would be indifferent of us to only look at the stumbles of the country and not “lose sight of how far we have come in forging and holding our country together.”
Tinubu says that “our independence anniversary gives us another chance to reflect on how far we have gone in our journey to nation building and to renew our commitment to building a better nation that will serve present and future generations of Nigerians.”
While recounting the administrative efforts of his regime, the president talked about winning the war on terror and banditry with over 300 boko haram and bandit commanders being eliminated.
“As soon as we can restore peace to many communities in the troubled parts of the North, our farmers can return to their farms. We expect to see a leap in food production and a downward spiral in food costs. I promise you we shall not falter on this.” He spoke.
On Natural disasters, the President has promised proactive measures in addressing the recent natural disasters particularly flooding with the establishment of a disaster relief fund to help them respond faster to emergencies. Of course, this initiative would be much more effective if efforts are geared towards preventive measures.
Economically, the country is experiencing reforms and retooling to help the government serve the people better. This has attracted over $30 billion foreign direct investments in the last year according to him.
The president also mentioned the commitment to free enterprise, free entry, and free exit in investments. Thus, the development of divestment transactions in the upstream petroleum sector. “As such, the ExxonMobil Seplat divestment will receive ministerial approval in a matter of days, having been concluded by the regulator, NUPRC, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA.”
He further explained that the CBN has adopted a “disciplined approach to monetary policy management which has led to the payment of $7 billion forex backlog, the clearance of the ways and means debt of over N30 trillion and reduction of the debt service ratio from 97% to 68% while keeping the foreign reserve at $37 billion.
The President also talked about stimulating productive capacity and creating jobs through the economic stabilisation bills. The bill is targeted to make the business environment friendly and stimulate investment.
While the government shall implement the supreme court judgement on financial autonomy of local government, it shall ensure measures to reduce food costs are implemented in the country.
He mentioned that the FEC had approved the establishment of a local assembly plant for 2000 John Deere tractors, combine harvesters, disc riders, bottom ploughs, and other farm equipment in six months to support mechanised farming.
In the aspect of energy, a transition programme with the adoption of compressed Natural Gas for mass transit is currently in play. The FG is also assisting all 36 states in acquiring CNG buses for cheaper public transport.
To foster national unity and ensure the success of the youths, the president is organising a 30-day National Youth Conference to provoke meaningful dialogue and empower young people in nation building. Youths would be given the opportunity to develop solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice. These solutions would be considered and implemented by the government.
The President also mentioned the 3 million Technical Talents Programme (3MTT) and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) which would help youths have access to education and develop their technical skills. The government also plans to launch the renewed hope labour employment and empowerment programme (LEEP) which is aimed at Job creation.
While the president talked about honour being conferred on worthy Nigerians, he encouraged the citizens to join the administration in the journey towards a greater Nigeria.
While the President recounted the achievements and future plans of his administration, it is important to note that the most important aspect of life-food, liberty, and pursuit of happiness remains the major concerns of the masses. If government actions do not affect such areas, other efforts would be non-effective. The issue of fuel pricing between Dangote Refinery and NNPCL was absolutely ignored in the speech too.
Whilst Nigerians celebrate 64 years of absent colonial rule, its citizens mourn hardship whilst they suffer the consequences of the administration’s decisions.
