FULL TEXT OF NATIONAL BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU ON THE 64TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA OCTOBER 1, 2024
Fellow
Nigerians, as I address you today, I am deeply aware of the struggles many of
you face in these challenging times. Our administration knows that many of you
struggle with rising living costs and the search for meaningful employment. I
want to assure you that your voices are heard.
As your
President, I assure you that we are committed to finding sustainable solutions
to alleviate the suffering of our citizens. Once again, I plead for your
patience as the reforms we are implementing show positive signs, and we are
beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.
Exactly
64 years ago, our founding fathers chose democracy as a form of government and
launched the dream of a great country that would lead the rest of Africa out of
poverty, ignorance, and underdevelopment, a beacon of hope to the rest of
Africa and the world.
Over six
decades later, we can look back, and Nigerians worldwide can see how well we
have succeeded in realising the lofty dreams of our founding fathers.
The
world is witnessing and benefiting from the can-do spirit of the Nigerian
people, our massive intellectual capacity, and our enterprise and industry in
all vocations, from arts to science, technology to infrastructure. The dreams
that our founding fathers envisaged are still a work in progress. Every day, we
put our hands on the plough, determined to do a better job of it.
While it
is tempting to focus on what has been left undone and where we have stumbled as
a nation, we must never lose sight of how far we have come in forging and
holding our country together.
Since
independence, our nation has survived many crises and upheavals that led to the
dissolution and disintegration of many other nations worldwide. Six years after
independence, our country descended into a political crisis that led to a
bitter and avoidable civil war. Since returning from the brink of that darkest
moment, we have learned to embrace our diversity and manage our differences
better as we continue to work towards engendering a more perfect union.
Despite
the many challenges that buffeted our country, we remain a strong, united, and
viable sovereign nation.
Dear
compatriots, our independence anniversary gives us another chance to reflect on
how far we have gone in our journey to nation-building and to renew our
commitment to building a better nation that will serve present and future
generations of Nigerians.
While we
celebrate the progress we have made as a people in the last sixty-four years,
we must also recognise some of our missed opportunities and mistakes of the
past. If we are to become one of the greatest nations on earth, as God has
destined us to be, our mistakes must not be allowed to follow us into the
future.
My
administration took over the leadership of our country 16 months ago at a
critical juncture. The economy faced many headwinds, and our physical security
was highly impaired. We found ourselves at a dizzying crossroads, where we must
choose between two paths: reform for progress and prosperity or carry on
business-as-usual and collapse. We decided to reform our political economy and
defence architecture.
On the
security front, I am happy to announce to you, my compatriots, that our
administration is winning the war on terror and banditry. Our target is to
eliminate all the threats of Boko Haram, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and
the scourge of all forms of violent extremism. Within one year, our government
has eliminated Boko Haram and bandit commanders faster than ever. As of the
last count, over 300 Boko Haram and bandit commanders have been eliminated by
our gallant troops in the Northeast, Northwest, and some other parts of the
country.
We have
restored peace to hundreds of communities in the North, and thousands of our
people have been able to return home. It is an unfinished business, which our
security agencies are committed to ending as quickly as possible. As soon as we
can restore peace to many communities in the troubled parts of the North, our
farmers can return to their farms. We expect to see a leap in food production
and a downward spiral in food costs. I promise you, we shall not falter on
this.
Our
government has been responding to the recent natural disasters, particularly
the flooding in parts of the country. After Vice President Kashim Shettima
visited Maiduguri, I also visited to assure our people that this federal
government will always stand with our people in their times of trouble. At the
last meeting of the Federal Executive Council, we approved a Disaster Relief
Fund to mobilise private and public sector funds to help us respond faster to
emergencies.
Our
government has also ordered integrity tests of all our dams in the country to
avert future disasters.
The
economy is undergoing the necessary reforms and retooling to serve us better
and more sustainably. If we do not correct the fiscal misalignments that led to
the current economic downturn, our country will face an uncertain future and
the peril of unimaginable consequences.
Thanks
to the reforms, our country attracted foreign direct investments worth more
than $30 billion in the last year.
Fellow
compatriots, our administration is committed to free enterprise, free entry,
and free exit in investments while maintaining the sanctity and efficacy of our
regulatory processes. This principle guides the divestment transactions in our
upstream petroleum sector, where we are committed to changing the fortune
positively. As such, the ExxonMobil Seplat divestment will receive ministerial
approval in a matter of days, having been concluded by the regulator, NUPRC, in
line with the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA. This was done in the same manner as
other qualified divestments approved in the sector.
The move
will create vibrancy and increase oil and gas production, positively impacting
our economy.
The more
disciplined approach adopted by the Central Bank to monetary policy management
has ensured stability and predictability in our foreign exchange market. We
inherited a reserve of over $33 billion 16 months ago. Since then, we have paid
back the inherited forex backlog of $7 billion. We have cleared the ways and
means debt of over N30 trillion. We have reduced the debt service ratio from 97
per cent to 68 per cent. Despite all these, we have managed to keep our foreign
reserve at $37 billion. We continue to meet all our obligations and pay our
bills.
We are
moving ahead with our fiscal policy reforms. To stimulate our productive
capacity and create more jobs and prosperity, the Federal Executive Council
approved the Economic Stabilisation Bills, which will now be transmitted to the
National Assembly. These transformative bills will make our business
environment more friendly, stimulate investment and reduce the tax burden on
businesses and workers once they are passed into law.
As part
of our efforts to re-engineer our political economy, we are resolute in our
determination to implement the Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy
of local governments.
The
central concern of our people today is the high cost of living, especially food
costs. This concern is shared by many around the globe as prices and the cost
of living continue to rise worldwide.
My
fellow Nigerians, be assured that we are implementing many measures to reduce
the cost of living here at home.
I
commend the Governors particularly, in Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa, Kwara, Nasarawa,
and the Southwest Governors that have embraced our agricultural production
programme. I urge other states to join the Federal Government in investing in
mechanised farming. We are playing our part by supplying fertilizer and making
tractors and other farm equipment available. Last week, the Federal Executive
Council approved establishing a local assembly plant for 2000 John Deere
tractors, combine harvesters, disc riders, bottom ploughs and other farm
equipment. The plant has a completion time of six months.
Our
energy transition programme is on course. We are expanding the adoption of the
Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas for mass transit with private
sector players. The Federal Government is ready to assist the thirty-six States
and FCT in acquiring CNG buses for cheaper public transportation.
Fellow
Nigerians, while we are working to stabilise the economy and secure the
country, we also seek to foster national unity and build social harmony and
cohesion. Our economy can only thrive when there is peace.
As we
work to overcome the challenges of the day, we remain mindful of the next
generation as we seek to galvanize their creative energy towards a better
future. We lead today with the future we wish to bequeath to our children in
focus, recognizing that we cannot design a future that belongs to them without
making them its architects.
Considering
this, I am pleased to announce the gathering of a National Youth Conference.
This conference will be a platform to address the diverse challenges and
opportunities confronting our young people, who constitute more than 60 per
cent of our population. It will provoke meaningful dialogue and empower our
young people to participate actively in nation-building. By ensuring that their
voices are heard in shaping the policies that impact their lives, we are
creating a pathway for a brighter tomorrow.
The
30-day Confab will unite young people nationwide to collaboratively develop
solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and
social justice. The modalities of this Confab and selection of delegates will
be designed in close consultation with our young people through their
representatives. Through this confab, it will be our job as leaders to ensure
that their aspirations are at the heart of the conference’s deliberations. The
government will thoroughly consider and implement the recommendations and
outcomes from this forum as we remain resolute in our mission to build a more
inclusive, prosperous, and united Nigeria.
Our
government is implementing several other youth-centric programmes to give our
young people an advantage in the rapidly changing world. We are implementing,
amongst others, the 3 million Technical Talents programme (3MTT) of the
Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, aimed at building
Nigeria’s technical talent backbone.
We have
also enthusiastically implemented the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND),
which provides cheap loans to our students to pursue their tertiary educational
dreams. In addition, later this month, we shall launch The Renewed Hope Labour
Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP). It is conceived as a comprehensive
suite of interventions at job creation by the Federal Ministry of Labour and
Employment that is aimed at facilitating the creation of 2.5 million jobs,
directly and indirectly, on an annual incremental basis whilst simultaneously
ensuring the welfare and safety of workers across the country.
As is
the tradition, the government will soon announce all the beneficiaries of our
national honours for 2024.
The
Senate President and the Chief Justice of the Federation have been conferred
with the honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). The
deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives have the
honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), while the
deputy speaker of the House has been awarded Commander of the Order of Niger
(CON).
Fellow
Nigerians, better days are ahead of us. The challenges of the moment must
always make us believe in ourselves. We are Nigerians—resilient and tenacious.
We always prevail and rise above our circumstances.
I urge
you to believe in our nation’s promise. The road ahead may be challenging, but
we will forge a path toward a brighter future with your support. Together, we
will cultivate a Nigeria that reflects the aspirations of all its citizens, a
nation that resonates with pride, dignity, and shared success.
As
agents of change, we can shape our destiny and build a brighter future by
ourselves, for ourselves and for future generations.
Please
join our administration in this journey towards a brighter future. Let us work
together to build a greater Nigeria where every citizen can access opportunities,
and every child can grow up with hope and promise.
May God
continue to bless our nation and keep members of our armed forces safe.
Happy
Independence anniversary, my fellow Nigerians!
–
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
