#DemocracyDay: Nigerians deserve a country that works —Osinbajo

IN the absence of ailing President Muhammadu Buhari, acting President Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday morning, made a nationwide radio and television broadcast to the country to mark the second year anniversary of the present administration, using it to highlight the achievements of government and to reassure citizens of a more prosperous future.

He pointed out that as citizens, Nigerians deserve a country that works, not merely for the rich or connected, but for everyone.

According to him, the administration with the support and cooperation of all, would take every step needed to create that country of their dreams.

He observed that the journey would not be easy “but we will not succumb to the temptation to take short-cuts that ultimately complicate the journey. We did not find ourselves in crises overnight, and we simply do not expect overnight solutions to our challenges.”

Osinbajo remarked that the administration spent much of 2016 to clear the mess it inherited from the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that it was now involved in creating a country of the dreams its people.

“Indeed, much of 2016 was spent clearing the mess we inherited and putting the building blocks together for the future of our dreams; laying a solid foundation for the kind of future that you deserve as citizens of Nigeria,” he said.

Giving the highlights of the performance of the administration so far, Osinbajo pointed out that under the Power Sector Recovery Programme, which was launched in March, there was a N701 billion Payment Assurance Scheme that would resolve the financing bottlenecks that have until now constrained the operations of the gas suppliers and generation companies.

He assured that very soon, the country would begin to see the positive impact of these steps.

The acting President noted that the implementation of the 2017 Budget, which would soon be signed into law, would bring added impetus to the ongoing economic recovery.

He said government during the 2016 Budget, spent N1.2 trillion on infrastructure projects, which he noted was another milestone in the history of the country.

According to him. “Our 2017 Budget will double that investment.”

Osinbajo also noted that as the nation commemorated the second anniversary of the present administration “with confidence and optimism,” he believed that “we have put the most difficult phase behind us; and we are witnesses to the ever-increasing intensity of the light at the end of the tunnel.”

While asking for the cooperation and support of all to enable government to realise its goals and ambitions for the country, he added: “On our part We will continue to carry you along on this journey, speak to you, explain the challenges, and share our Vision.”

He admonished that while the Nigerians were daily pre-occupied with pursuing the Nigerian Dream – which is the desire to better our lives and circumstances vigorously and honestly – it was inevitable that grievances and frustrations would arise from time to time.

He added: “This is normal. What is not normal, or acceptable, is employing these frustrations as justification for indulging in discrimination or hate speech or hateful conduct of any kind, or for seeking to undermine by violent or other illegal means the very existence of the sovereign entity that has brought us all together as brothers and sisters and citizens.”

S-Davies Wande