Politics
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has told ministers-designate and other presidential appointees that they have a collective responsibility to improve the welfare of Nigerians.
He urged them to hit the ground running, bearing in mind that four years was not a very long time to deliver on their targets.
The President gave the charge at the end of the two-day presidential retreat for ministers-designate, federal permanent secretaries and top government functionaries at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
He said, although the retreat has ended, their work has just begun, urging them to use the opportunity to meet the needs of the people who were poor and anxiously hoping for a better life.
Buhari noted that Nigerians expect a lot from the current government.
“Majority of our people are poor and are anxiously hoping for a better life. A Nigeria in which they do not have to worry about what they will eat, where they will live or if they can afford to pay for their children’s education or healthcare.
“Our responsibility as leaders of this great country is to meet these basic needs for our people,” he said.
He recalled that his administration inherited many challenges from his predecessors, some of which include “a country in which 18 local governments in the North-East were under the control of Boko Haram; decayed infrastructure in which our rail lines and roads had severely deteriorated; a rent-seeking economy that depended largely on oil revenues and imports; significant unpaid pensions, subsidy debts, legacy contractor debts. I can go on and on.”
The President noted that, “While we have obvious successes to celebrate, the challenges ahead are significant, as you would have observed in detail over these two days. Nevertheless, from the quality of the deliberations, it is clear that solutions to our problems are well-researched and have been well-articulated.”
He challenged them to see their appointment as an opportunity to give their best to deliver on this mandate for a more prosperous Nigeria, not for some, but for all Nigerians: “You will find that working collaboratively and purposefully will enable us to achieve quicker results, recognising that four years is not a very long time.
“For the new ministers, make sure you engage and benefit from the experience of the older ministers and former governors in the cabinet.”
Buhari averred that he had not no doubt in their individual capacities and collective patriotic commitment to deliver a better Nigeria “for us, our children and a brighter future for all.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who read the resolutions of the retreat, said participants agreed to facilitate investment in the oil and gas sector by ensuring speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill and Deep Offshore Oil and Exploration and Production Bill, as well as resolve the liquidity challenge in the power sector and facilitate private sector investment.
Sunonline
AUG 21, 2019 @11:55 GMT |
Tags: We’ve responsibility to improve welfare of Nigerians – Buhari
