THE United States of America (USA) has congratulated Nigeria on the occasion of the country’s 56th Independence Anniversary.
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Friday, US Secretary of State, John Kerry, on behalf of President Barack Obama and the American people, expressed confidence that Nigerians are working hard to address current national challenges. Below is the full text of Kerry’s statement:
The statement quoted Kerry as saying: “On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the citizens of Nigeria as you celebrate your Independence Day today.
“I recently returned from my third trip to Nigeria as Secretary, and I came away with a strong sense of the nation’s resolve to build a better future. During my trip, I was reminded that many Nigerians are engaged in bringing people together across the divides of culture, religious practices, and ethnicity.
“There is still much work to be done to provide economic opportunities for all, end corruption, win the fight against Boko Haram, ensure broad respect for human rights and provide humanitarian relief for millions of displaced people. But we know that Nigerians are hard at work to address these challenges.”