…says re-energizing and reorganizing the security apparatus
…says committed to continuing along the path of eradicating corruption
While acknowledging that 2020 was a very tough year, President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged that his administration would continue to focus on delivering key strategic priorities under its “SEA” – (Security, Economy and Anti-Corruption) Agenda.
While addressing Nigerians on January 1st, 2021, the President stated that the Agenda will reinforce the hopes of fellow Nigerians in the vision of a united and progressive Nigeria.
In the area of security, Buhari said insecurity is one of the major challenges that has direct repercussions on the country’s national economic stability, growth, and development and setting the nation back at critical points through the destruction of public and private investments.
He also said his administration is fully aware of the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians, and it will not relent in learning and adapting to changing threats to the country’s national security and civic wellbeing.
Stating out measures, the President said “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” will help in addressing security challenges in the country.
He also said “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.
“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.
“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,” he said.
In the same vein, Buhari said his administration is focused on revamping the economy through the national economic diversification agenda that supports the primary goal of national food self-sufficiency.
He further stated that the above economic plan 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.
Buttressing the plans for economic growth, he said “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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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,” he explained.
In the area of anti-corruption, Buhari said it has 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.
“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.”
