Sector By Sector Highlights Of President Buhari’s 61st Independence Address.

The 61st Independence Anniversary Address to Nigerians by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday October 1, contained a lot of high and low points worthy of more than a passing glance. RovingNaija presents below is a sector-by-sector breakdown of the highlights of Mr. President’s Address to the Nation.

General Overview:

• Despite the challenges the country faces, most Nigerians still maintain the spirit of 1st October -that positive outlook and determination to make Nigeria a peaceful and prosperous nation. It is due to this collective attitude that Nigeria doggedly continues to remain a united and indivisible nation.
• Low Points: The past eighteen months have been some of the most difficult periods in the history of Nigeria and it is doubtful whether the country has witnessed a period of more heightened challenges than it is currently facing.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on all nations forced the country to shift gears and re-strategise on its original priorities to stabilize the economy following deep recession while trying to restore peace in areas confronted by security challenges.
• Health Sector:
• ​High Points: Nigerians came together as one to fight against COVID-19 and the country continues to survive the pandemic as a nation.
• Five million vaccine doses have been administered to Nigerians through efforts led by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and FG continue to explore options for the purchase or acquisition of vaccines such as through COVAX and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust.
• Government has directed the Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Health, Education and Science and Technology to work with Nigerian and International pharmaceutical companies and research organisations to enhance Nigeria’s domestic pharmaceutical capacity. This is with the view to support local pharmaceutical and research agencies to come up with ideas for locally developed vaccines.
• FG is sparing no efforts to access the vaccine for all Nigerian despite the global inequity to access.
• Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority is raising a $200 million fund for this initiative that will complement the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ongoing N85 billion Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme to support local researchers in the development of vaccines and drugs to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, including COVID-19.
• Action Points: Nigerians urged not to take the COVID-19 challenge lightly by adhering to public health and social measure.
• Security:
• High Points: The nation’s gallant security forces have, in the last four months, taken the fight to the enemies from all angles in fighting the resurgence of insecurity in the country.
• 8,000 Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered in the wake of renewed security onslaught by gallant forces.
• Launch of Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, the Deep Blue Project to secure the nation’s waterways up to the Gulf of Guinea.
• Recruitment of 17,000 personnel across all ranks by the Armed Forces.
• Approval of the recruitment of 10,000 Police officers annually over the next six years.
• Most Airforce platforms acquired in the last three years are now arriving in Nigeria.
• Government has expressed readiness to arrest and prosecute all persons inciting violence through words or action.
• The recent arrests of Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Adeyemo, and the ongoing investigations being conducted have revealed certain high-profile financiers behind these individuals. We are vigorously pursuing these financiers including one identified as a serving member of the national assembly.
• Points To Note: ​The seeds of violence are planted in people’s heads through words. Reckless utterances of a few have led to losses of many innocent lives and destruction of properties.
• ​Unfiltered and unsubstantiated lies and hate speeches by a few evil persons must be stopped.
• Media houses and commentators must move away from just reporting irresponsible remarks to investigating the truth behind all statements and presenting the facts to readers.
• Action Point: We shall continue to work on dialogue based solutions to address legitimate grievances. But we remain ready to take decisive actions against secessionist agitators and their sponsors who threaten our national security.
• Economy and Business Sector
• High Points: Enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to resolve an almost two-decade stalling on the management of our Petroleum resources and ensure equitable consideration to host communities.
• Amendment of sections 11(2)(b) and 34(2)(b) of the PAI to improve the governance framework
• The commissioning of a modular refinery in Imo State in line with the vision to commence local refining.
• The siting of two mega refinery projects in Lagos and Akwa Ibom state is already in the offing.
• The support and promotion of various gas-based projects including NLNG Train 7 and the mega urea and ammonia projects in the South-South region.
• Government to tap into its vast gas resources to reduce dependence on oil. Also committed to “Decade of Gas” initiative.
• Government’s economic diversification strategy remains on course with the persistent increase in Non-Oil Sector contribution to GDP.
• The country recovered from economic recession in quarter four of 2020 with a GDP growth rate of 0.11%, and grew by 0.51% and 5.01% in real terms in the first and second quarters of 2021.
• Agricultural Sector:
• High Points: Agriculture is a major driver of non-oil sector contributing 22.35% and 23.78% to the overall GDP in the first and second quarter of 2021.
• The country has seen significant private sector investments in almost all areas of the agricultural value chain. And these have continued even during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Details not given).
• Low Points: Inflation: Increase in food prices due to artificial shortages created by middlemen who have been buying and hoarding these essential commodities for profiteering.
• Action Points: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is directed to rehabilitate the National Food Reserve Agency and also work with security agencies, the Nigerian Commodity Exchange, and the National Assembly to find a lasting solution to the disruptive and unpatriotic hoarding of food items to create artificial scarcity and price inflation.
• Transportation Sector:
• High Points: Over 13,000 kilometres of roads and bridges under construction all over the country of which a fair percentage have been completed.
• Progressive extension and upgrade of Nigeria’s railway network with the notable opening of the Warri- Itakpe standard gauge rail line.
• Introduction of more locomotives, coaches and wagons (details not given) including the establishment of a Wagon Assembly in Kajola, Ogun State.
• Low Points: The sea ports still remain problematic as the effect of various interventions to reduce the gridlocks and inefficiencies have been slower than expected
• Government is concerned about the significant transportation infrastructure deficit and the challenges faced by commuters and lorry drivers on the motorways is still a high priority.
• Action Points:  Implementation of the Electronic Call-Up System as well as the conversion of the Lillypond Container Terminal to a Vehicle Transit Area expected to further enhance the ease of cargo evacuation.
• Institution of a Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund and the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme and the  established a N15trillion Infrastructural Corporation of Nigeria Limited (INFRACO), to leverage on resources on a public-private sector basis for infrastructural development in Nigeria. INFRACO is expected to begin operation by the fourth quarter of this year.
• Water Resources:
• ​Government has completed several new dams {details not given} and is in the process of rehabilitating several River Basin Development Authorities {details not given) to enhance ground water supply for rainfed agriculture as well as surface water for irrigation agriculture.
• Water projects completed between 2015 to 2020 have improved Nigerian’s access to potable water to 71% between 2015 and 2020.
• 12.5 million additional Nigerians now have direct access to potable water.

7.      ICT Sector:

• High Points: FG’s development of the nation’s Digital Economy has positively impacted the contribution of the ICT sector to GDP.
• Efforts ongoing to ensure Nigerians use a National Identification Number.
• Planned roll-out of the fifth generation (5G) network technology to ensure Nigeria stay in line with the global innovation curve as a nation.
• Policies emplaced  to enable Nigerians take advantage of the prospects and avoid the perils of digital technologies.
• ​Social media has enabled millions of Nigerians to connect with loved ones, promote their businesses, socialise, and access news and other information.
• Low Points: Some users have misused the platform to organise, coordinate, and execute criminal activities, propagate fake news, and promote ethnic and religious sentiments.
• Actions Taken: Suspension of Twitter on June 5, 2021 to afford the Govt ample time to put measures in place to address some challenges.
• The constitution of a presidential committee to address the issues of National Security and Cohesion, Registration, Physical presence and representation, fair taxation, dispute resolution and local content with Twitter:
• The President has ordered the suspension of the ban to allow Nigerians continued use of the platform for business and positive engagements if the conditions precedent to the ban are met

8.      Foreign Affairs Sector:

• The nation’s progressive diplomacy continues to manifest through growing numbers of highly placed Nigerians in positions of regional and global influences. Very recently, Nigeria won election for the position of Commissioner for the expanded Political, Peace and Security Affairs of the African Union.
• FG’s consistent call for reforming and reorganization of ECOWAS is paying off with the acceptance of the Authority of Heads of State and Government to commence the agreed reforms in the organization ahead of the next elections of the organization’s principal officers in December 2021.
• At the African Development Bank, World Trade Organization and indeed, the United Nations, footprints of Nigeria’s Diplomacy are clearly evident (No clear evidence given)

​9.      Poverty Alleviation:

• Commitment to the goal of lifting 100million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is achievable
• FG has approved an increase in the number of N-Power programme beneficiaries from 500,000 to 1,000,000.
• A total of 510,000 Nigerians have started the programme while the process to select 490,000 beneficiaries is ongoing.
• ​The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is ongoing in 35 States of the Federation and the FCT.
• Over 103,000 women have been engaged and empowered as cooks under the programme, while about 10 million pupils are being fed across public primary schools in the country.
• FG to grant increased access to credit to the most poor and vulnerable in the country.
• FG has directed an increase in the disbursement of Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme loans to an additional one million beneficiaries with emphasis on the smallholding farmers through the farmers Moni program

10.    Labour And Employment:

• Government is repositioning the civil service to provide world -class service to Nigeria.

11. Youths And Social Development Sector:

• FG is expanding opportunities for youth’s involvement in politics (details not given).
• Appointment of youths into positions of authority (details not given). 
• Girl-Child Education: Female scholarship schemes, life skills and digital literacy programmes put in place by the government.
• Rape and Gender Based Violence remains a sore point in our Nation as in many countries worldwide and this worsened during and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Government is committed to the well-being of people with disabilities.
• Government has directed all relevant Agencies to pay special attention to the peculiarities of different abilities in the implementation of policies and programmes.
• FG is currently engaging Heads of Courts to establish Specialised Courts for the speedy and seamless trial of Rape/Gender-Based offences especially’ and to ensure that justice is done for child victims of sexual violence.
• Work has advanced in the reformation, reintegration and reunification of Minors involved in one crime or the other.

12. Conclusion:

• Government has achieved in the last six years on many fronts including infrastructure, social care, governance, Nigeria’s image and influence in Africa and the international community. No government since 1999 has done what we have done in six years to put Nigeria back on track. FG shall continue to serve the country: listen to all and protect our democracy and country.

President Muhammadu Buhari