Moments ago, President Buhari addressed the nation on the
occassion of Nigeria's 59th Independence anniversary.
In his speech, he touched on key topics like security,
creating jobs, economic growth and fighting corruption.
See the full speech below....
Dear Compatriots,
1st October each year is an opportunity for us to reflect
and thank God for his endless blessings on our country.
2. It is also a
time for us, collectively, to:
3. Remember the
sacrifices made by our Founders and great leaders past; by soldiers, by
distinguished public servants; by traditional leaders, by our workers ----
sacrifices on which Nigeria has been built over the 59 years since Independence
in 1960; and
4. Rededicate
ourselves to attaining the goals which we have set for ourselves: a united,
prosperous and purposeful nation in the face of 21st century opportunities and
challenges.
5. In the past
four years, the majority of Nigerians have committed to Change for the Better.
Indeed, this Administration was re-elected by Nigerians on a mandate to deliver
positive and enduring Change – through maintaining our National Security;
restoring sustainable and inclusive Economic Growth and Development; and
fighting Corruption against all internal and external threats.
6. This Change
can only be delivered if we are united in purpose, as individuals and as a
nation. We must all remain committed to achieving this positive and enduring
Change. As I stated four years ago, “Change does not just happen… We must
change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust…
simply put, to bring about change, we must change ourselves by being
law-abiding citizens.”
SECURITY:
7. Good
Governance and Economic Development cannot be sustained without an enabling
environment of peace and security. In the last four years, we have combatted
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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. These
initiatives are being complemented by the ongoing recruitment of 10,000
constables into the Nigeria Police Force. This clearly demonstrates our
commitment to arrest the incidence of armed robbery, kidnapping and other
violent crimes across our nation.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Our attention
is increasingly being focused on cyber-crimes and the abuse of technology
through hate speech and other divisive material being propagated on social
media. Whilst we uphold the Constitutional rights of our people to freedom of
expression and association, where the purported exercise of these rights
infringes on the rights of other citizens or threatens to undermine our
National Security, we will take firm and decisive action.
14. In this regard,
I reiterate my call for all to exercise restraint, tolerance and mutual respect
in airing their grievances and frustrations. Whilst the ongoing national
discourse on various political and religious issues is healthy and welcome, we
must not forget the lessons of our past – lessons that are most relevant on a
day such as this.
15. The path of
hatred and distrust only leads to hostility and destruction. I believe that the
vast majority of Nigerians would rather tread the path of peace and prosperity,
as we continue to uphold and cherish our unity.
ACCELERATING
SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMY GROWTH
16. This
Administration inherited a skewed economy, where the Oil Sector comprised only
8% of Gross Domestic Product but contributed 70% of government revenue and 90%
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%
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 utilize locally
available raw materials and labour for production.
17. 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.
18. 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 9 successive quarters of growth since our exit from recession. The
exchange rate in the last 3 years has remained stable, with robust reserves of
US$42.5 billion, up from US$23 billion in October 2016.
19. 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.
20. 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 N1.74 trillion had been
released for capital projects in the 2018 fiscal year.
21. 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 N600 billion for Capital Expenditure in the next 3
months.
22. 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.
23. As we push to
diversify the economy, we still remain focused on optimizing 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.
24. We will also
continue our fight against illegal bunkering of crude oil and the smuggling of
refined petroleum products across our borders, including the diligent
prosecution and conviction of offenders found guilty of these acts. Whilst
Nigeria remains committed to free and fair continental and international trade,
we will not hesitate to take all necessary steps to tackle illegal smuggling,
transshipment and other predatory trade practices that destroy jobs in our
country.
25. We are resolute
in reforming the power sector. In August this year, we launched the
Presidential Power Initiative to modernize 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.
26. The programme
will also look to localize the development and assembly of smart meters as well
as the operations and maintenance capabilities of transmission and distribution
infrastructure.
27. 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.
28. These
initiatives are important to ensure that the technical and collection losses in
the sector are substantially reduced. I remain confident that Nigerians will
have affordable and uninterrupted electricity supply in the not too distant
future.
29. Our efforts to
improve the power sector will complement other infrastructure investments
projects under the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund, which is
investing in the Mambilla Power Plant project, as well as key economic road
infrastructure such as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge and
Abuja-Kano Expressway. The first set of these projects remain on track to be
completed by 2022.
30. Our journey to
food security and self-sufficiency is well underway. We have made remarkable
progress in almost all segments of the agriculture value chain, from
fertilizers to rice, to animal feed production. We shall sustain these policies
to ensure additional investments are channeled, thereby creating more jobs in
the sector. We must not go back to the days of importing food and thereby
exporting jobs.
31. Our commitment
to achieving macroeconomic stability and economic diversification, has been
underscored by the merger of the Ministry of Finance with the Ministry of
Budget and National Planning.
32. This combined
Ministry has the important mandate to enhance the management of domestic and
global fiscal risks; coordinate policies with the trade and monetary
authorities; raise and deploy revenues to fund budgeted expenditure; and
integrate annual budgets and medium-term fiscal strategies.
33. With this, our
revenue-generating and reporting agencies will come under much greater
scrutiny, going forward, as the new performance management framework will
reward exceptional revenue performance, while severe consequences will attend
failures to achieve agreed revenue targets.
34. I recently
constituted an Economic Advisory Council to advise me on inclusive and
sustainable macroeconomic, fiscal and monetary policies. This independent body
will work with relevant Cabinet members and the heads of key monetary, fiscal
and trade agencies to ensure we remain on track as we strive for collective
prosperity. However, we are also committed to ensure that the inconvenience
associated with any painful policy adjustments, is moderated, such that the
poor and the vulnerable, who are most at risk, do not bear the brunt.
35. Our ongoing
N500 billion Special Intervention Programme continues to target these
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.
36. To
institutionalize 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.
37. Our population
growth rate remains amongst the highest in the world, presenting both
challenges as well as opportunities. It is our collective responsibility to
ensure that we provide adequate resources to meet the basic needs of our
teeming youth.
38. Accordingly, we
shall continue to invest in education, health, water and sanitation, as well as
food security, to ensure that their basic needs are met, while providing them
with every opportunity to live peaceful, prosperous and productive lives.
FIGHTING CORRUPTION AND RESTORING GOOD GOVERNANCE:
39. On fighting
corruption, our institutional reforms to enforce the Treasury Single Account
policy, introduce the Whistle-blowers’ Initiative, expand the coverage of the
Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System as well as the Government
Integrated Management Information System have saved billions of Naira over the
last four years, and deterred the rampant theft and mismanagement of public
funds that have plagued our public service.
40. The Ministry of
Justice, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, and the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission will continue to address this menace. We are
determined to ensure that transparency and good governance are
institutionalized in public service.
41. We must commit
to installing a culture of Good Governance in all we do. This Administration
has fought against corruption, by investigating and prosecuting those accused
of embezzlement and the misuse of public resources. We have empowered teams of
prosecutors, assembled detailed databases of evidence, traced the proceeds of
crimes and accelerated the recovery of stolen funds.
42. Furthermore, we
partnered with our friends abroad to combat tax evasion, smuggling, terrorism
and illicit financial flows. In June 2018, I assented to the Mutual Assistance
in Criminal Matters Act, to provide a domestic legal framework for obtaining
international assistance in criminal matters.
43. This measure
has already strengthened our law enforcement agencies in obtaining evidence,
investigating suspects and facilitating the recovery, forfeiture and
confiscation of property implicated as proceeds of crime.
44. An example is
the US$300 million recently identified as part of the Abacha money-laundering
case, working closely with the Government of the United States of America. The
Federal Ministry of Justice is working with the US Department of Justice to
conclude a Memorandum of Understanding to expedite the repatriation of these
funds.
45. The P & ID
Arbitral Award has underscored the manner in which significant economic damage
has been caused by the past activities of a few corrupt and unpatriotic
Nigerians.
46. The policies
that we are putting in place today are to ensure such criminal and unpatriotic
acts do not go without consequences. Our renewed partnership with the 9th
National Assembly will facilitate the swift passage of enabling laws that will
institutionalize these anti-corruption efforts in our criminal justice system.
47. In this
connection, I call upon our States to intensify their own efforts to instill
greater fiscal transparency and accountability. And to ensure greater fiscal
efficiency and optimum use of our very scarce resources.
48. The blight of
Corruption is fighting back. Nevertheless, this is a battle that we shall see
through and this is a war, which we shall win by the Grace of God.
49. I will also
call upon all Nigerians, from every walk of life, to combat Corruption at every
turn. By choosing to question and confront corrupt practices, by reporting
unethical practices or through whistleblowing. Together, we can overcome
corruption and will no longer be a country defined by corruption.
50. Fellow
Nigerians, let me reiterate my call for
unity across our dear nation.
51. Nigeria will
emerge from our present challenges stronger and more resilient than ever – but
only if all of us join hands to entrench Good Governance, foster Inclusive
Economic Development, and defend and protect our Nation from all those who
would wish us ill.
52. I thank you
most sincerely and wish you a Happy Independence Anniversary.
53. May God bless
you all, and may He continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
