• Says, Nigeria on path of recovery
By Moshood Adebayo
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, admitted that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government is aware of the difficulties Nigerians are going through.
He, however, described the current hard times as ‘the birth pangs of a great future’, stressing that the recent increase in petrol price and liberalisation of the oil sector were meant “to set Nigeria on the path of recovery.”
The president, who was represented by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, spoke in Lagos yesterday at the beginning of a two-day working visit to the state.
He assured Nigerians that the current pains would eventually give way to prosperity and bring about the desired success in the country.
To achieve greatness, he said his administration had perfected plans on series of palliative measures to encourage industry and manufacturing, stressing that agriculture remains the centre piece of Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts.
Osinbajo said: “I want to also say, on behalf of Mr. President that we are fully aware of all the difficulties that Nigerians have had to go through, but, these difficulties are birth pangs of the great future. This country is going high and it is going to be a great nation indeed. It is going to be a nation where there will be abundance and prosperity. But, there are teething problems; there are a lot of repairs and re-adjustments to be done to ensure that our country becomes what it really should be.
“A lot of damage had been done in the past and it is that damage that is being repaired today. But Mr. President has asked me to assure every single Lagosian and every Nigerian that we are on the path of progress.
Buhari commended the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) for deciding to work with Federal Government, not only to ensure the liberisation of the petroleum products market, but to “make fuel supply more efficient and profitable.”
According to him, competition in the petroleum market would reduce the price of fuel in the country.
The president said 30 percent of the 2016 budget would go into funding of infrastructure, especially rail and road projects.
He also said the Federal Government had set aside N500 billion for social investment to ensure that 500,000 graduates were offered direct employment, while 370,000 non-graduates would be offered vocational training.
He added that micro-credit would be provided for one million market women across the country and urged Nigerians to be patient as the current administration had a lot to offer them.
Osinbajo inaugurated the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Rescue Unit and the Ago Palace Road Project on behalf of President Buhari.
He also handed over pick up vans and power bikes provided by the Lagos State Government to security agencies on behalf of the president.
Earlier, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode commended the president and said the projects were demonstration of his administration’s resolve to strengthen the capacity of the security agencies and said the vehicles and equipment would be distributed among the 107 police stations and 13 police area commands in Lagos State, and all the security agencies would also be beneficiaries of the equipment.
Responding on behalf of all the security agencies, Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase thanked Ambode for the security equipment, and assured that they would be put to optimal use.