My fellow countrymen and women, First, I would like to thank
and praise the Almighty who saw us through the year 2020 and has given us the
opportunity to witness the start of another new year. We especially thank God
because the year 2020 was one of the most trying years since our existence as a
Nation.
2. This can also be said about all other nations around the
world, due to the challenges posed on our collective humanity by the novel
COVID-19 pandemic.
3. While acknowledging that 2020 was a very tough year, we
saw this year put to test our national resilience and ability to survive these
tough times and also gave renewed hope that we will again brave any storms that
lay ahead in 2021 and beyond.
4. As we celebrate the opportunity before us in this New Year 2021, we must also acknowledge the passing away of our brothers and sisters who didn’t make it into this New Year. May their souls rest in perfect peace.
5. We must remember that we also celebrated the historic
occasion of our sixty years as an independent and sovereign country on October
1st 2020. In the spirit of hope and gratitude, I would like to remind us again
that as a country on the difficult journey to nationhood and greatness, we have
confounded the many pundits at home and around the world who never gave the
newly-born country that emerged unto the world stage on 1st October 1960 a
chance of surviving much longer than a few years.
6. Yet, here we are, 61 years by the next anniversary in
October, and not only are we here, we are standing tall in the comity of
nations as one country united under the will of God and also actively growing
that indivisible Nigerian spirit that has enabled us, year after year, decade
after decade, to weather all stormy waters and emerge stronger and better where
others have fallen and disintegrated. This nation, this Nigeria will survive
and thrive.
7. In this journey to nationhood, we have experienced the
highs and lows. 2020 indeed came with a lot of challenges ranging from security
and economic issues across the regions to understandable protests that were
mainly led by our youths and served notice to the demand for police reforms and
accountability. This government heard, this government listened and this
government is committed to fulfilling the five demands of our youths, fully
understanding that we all wish well for Nigeria.
8. In the midst of all these challenges, I had initially
pledged that as your elected President and Commander-in-Chief, I would ensure
that these ongoing challenges will be faced head-on with renewed determination
and with all the appropriateness and urgency required. Your voices have been
heard and we would continue to listen to you, and all the key stakeholders who
are committed to the unity of Nigeria to ensure that every region of this
nation is safe for us all, while guaranteeing that the future is also secure
for the coming generation.
9. I wish to also use this occasion of New Year to reaffirm
my commitment to the people of Nigeria, especially the youth who need our
collective encouragement and support. In securing this nation we need to secure
the future of our youth.
10. Our young people are our most valuable natural resource,
at home and abroad. Their ingenuity, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial
spirit is evident to all. Many of our young people are excelling in various
spheres of life including sports, entertainment, information and communication
technology, commerce and are globally recognized as achievers.
11. As a Government we are committed to actively engaging
with the creative energies of our young people. In this regard, we will partner
with the legislature to develop an enabling environment to turn their passions
into ideas that can be supported, groomed and scaled across regions. This will
create vast opportunities in fintech, agriculture, business process startups
and in the entertainment industry.
12. The year 2021 will indeed be a year where we will work
to reinforce the hopes of fellow Nigerians in the vision of a united and
progressive Nigeria. This administration would continue focusing on delivering
key strategic priorities under our “SEA” – (Security, Economy and
Anti-Corruption) Agenda. Some of the key priority areas we would direct our
attention and strengths to include:
ON THE SECURITY:
13. Re-energizing and reorganizing the security apparatus
and personnel of the armed forces and the police with a view to enhance their
capacity to engage, push back and dismantle the operations of both internal and
external extremist and criminal groups waging war against our communities in
some parts of the country.
14. In line with the current security challenges, we are
facing as a Nation, I would like to reiterate the promise I made recently when
over 300 of our boys abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara
were successfully rescued by our security operatives.
15. The professionalism shown by our Security Forces and the
collaboration from all stakeholders across both State and Federal Governments
that led to the successful rescue of the boys is proof that Nigeria has the
internal capacity to decisively deal with terror attacks on our citizens.
16. However, we recognize that we rapidly have to move to a
more proactive and preemptive posture to ensure that these sorts of traumatic
incidents do not become a norm. Our administration is fully aware of the
responsibility we have to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians, and
we will not relent in learning and adapting to changing threats to our national
security and civic wellbeing.
ON THE ECONOMY:
17. Our focus is on revamping the economy through the national
economic diversification agenda that supports the primary goal of national food
self-sufficiency. This has helped reduce the growing food related inflationary
figures and have in considerable measure positively impacted our food security
status during the long months of the pandemic lock down.
18. We are also currently rebuilding our national
infrastructure base and, in the process, introducing transformation through the
rehabilitation, modernization, and expansion of the railway system, national
roads and bridges both in rural and urban centres, alongside the airports and
seaports.
19. The reforms we have put in place in the power sector
would guarantee increased efficiency in our drive to significantly expand the
generation and distribution of electricity for use in homes and factories.
20. As an administration we are currently undertaking a
series of special interventions designed to boost job creation and support the
entrepreneurial drive of our youths.
21. With the recent opening of our borders, we expect that
the pent-up demand of legitimate cross-border and international trade will
boost the fortunes of the many small businesses and agricultural enterprises
that depend on Nigeria’s trade and commerce.
22. The message to our West African neighbours is that
Nigeria is once again fully open for those willing to conduct business in a
fair and equitable way.
ANTI-CORRUPTION:
23. On the anti-corruption drive of our administration, we
have recorded substantial gains so far and this year, we are committed to
continuing along the path of eradicating corruption, through collaboration with
all the arms of Government to effectively prosecute this fight.
24. While we would be working with the Legislature to enact
laws that would strengthen this fight, we would also be looking at reviewing
some of our laws which would ensure that this fight is more effective. On the
part of the executive, we would ensure the diligent and timely prosecution of
corruption cases, while appealing to the judiciary to ensure that corruption
cases are dispensed with expeditiously.
25. The persistence of various forms of violence has meant
that in the most affected parts of the country, the fabric of inter-communal
harmony woven through years of investment of effort at building trust, mutual
respect, and harmony has been threatened.
26. Insecurity as a challenge has direct repercussions on
our national economic stability, growth, and development, setting us back at
critical points through the destruction of public and private investments.
27. In parts of the country where chronic poverty, social
exclusion, and disillusionment among sections of the youth were already a
problem, the cycles of violence that have been unleashed by mindless groups
like Boko Haram and others have thwarted the efforts of government to undertake
the social policy and associated investments that could make a huge difference
in the quality of life of our citizens.
28. I am aware that for some of our compatriots, the
progress we have registered since the inception of this administration is not
nearly as fast or as sufficient as they would wish. I do not begrudge them
their views in so far as they signify a wish, in which we all share, for only
the very best for our country.
29. Nevertheless, I call upon all Nigerians to carefully
recall the circumstances of our coming to office, the facts on the ground and
the resources at our disposal since 2015 with the accomplishments of this
administration.
30. As a people, we have shown admirable resilience in the
face of every adversity, an unmatched capacity to recover speedily from every
setback, an unparalleled generosity of spirit when we resolve our differences,
and a constant readiness to invest faith and hope in the destiny we share as a
united country built on the diversity of its peoples.
31. It is these attributes that underpin the Nigerian spirit
of “can do, will do” that gives me hope that we shall yet get to destination
and fulfill our calling together, especially with the solid resolutions we are
setting in this new year.
32. Keeping our country on a forward march is a duty which
we all have and share. In this regard, keeping our country safe from a
resurgent cycle of COVID-19 as this administration finalizes its plans to
procure and efficiently and effectively distribute the COVID-19 vaccines, I
urge you all fellow citizens to observe strict COVID-19 prevention protocols.
33. As your elected President, my pledge to you is the same
as it has always been; I will play my part fully and without fear or favour. I
invite all of us to do the same. It is what we owe to the founding generation
of our beloved country and also to the coming generation. It is what we desire
for national prosperity for all demands.
34. Long Live the Nigerian spirit of oneness, togetherness,
and unity. Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I wish you a Happy and
prosperous New Year.
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com