President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the next few months will witness his administration taking more pragmatic actions in a bid to improve the nation’s economy and boost their living condition.
The president gave the assurance at the 8th Annual Bola Tinubu Colloquium held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
Buhari was the Chairman of the Colloquium themed: ‘Agriculture: Action, work, revolution’.
A former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is the Jagaban of the Borgu Kingdom in Niger State, was one of the pillars of the then opposition APC that played a frontal role in the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the 2015 Presidential election and the emergence of Buhari as president.
The colloquium was held to mark the 64th birthday of the APC leader.
Speaking at the occasion, President Buhari eulogized Tinubu, whom he noted possesses some unique qualities that have contributed immensely to the growth of Nigeria.
“There are very few patriots alive today that can match the commitment, zealous, creativity that Bola Tinubu has demonstrated in his contribution to national growth”, Buhari stated.
He said that his government’s desire was to invest heavily in human capital development towards reducing high level poverty in the country.
“In the coming months, Nigerians will see much more actions. Government will continue to invest substantially in human capital development and this is just the beginning”, he said.
He also welcomed more companies that are willing to invest in the country.
The president said: “We are going to hold ourselves accountable. We will measure results. There will always be some skepticism, some have even become disorientated and impatient enough to think that barriers are insurmountable. Anyone who claim great change is impossible can only look as an ordinary success”.
Despite the odds, President Buhari said that there are incredible examples of entrepreneurs who have set up processing factories, green house farming and commercial up taking systems.
He added: “We can achieve more with partnership that link up and scale up our respective efforts.
“I am declaring that we need a new approach that challenges more states and local governments, more organisation, companies and non-governmental organisations and individuals, some of the younger people who are here to step up and play a role because government cannot and should not do it alone. All hands should be on deck”, he said.
He also explained that the opportunities that the government sees in the agriculture value chain were enormous.
Buhari commended the organizers of the Bola Tinubu Colloquium for the choice of the theme of the event, which focused on improving agriculture.
The president said: “We intend to organize an efficient market infrastructure that will make agriculture viable for investors. We are providing an enabling environment so as to ensure certainty and predictability for the private sector”.
“We intend to also ensure that the market is fair and worth to transform small holder farmers from beggars to businessmen”, he added.
President Buhari also assured that government will speed up actions that will improve food production techniques as technology will play a huge role in better seeds, better harvest, weather forecast and predictable market prices.
“Furthermore, we are going to keep focusing on improved nutrition for children. We know the effects of hunger and poor nutrition can last a life time. Children are thrown out of school to earn a living”, the president said.
Dignitaries that graced the occasion included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo; wife of the celebrant, Senator Remi Tinubu; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu; state governors of Zamfara – Abdulaziz Yari, Osun – Rauf Aregbesola, Ogun – Ibikunle Amosun, Kebbi – Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Adamawa – Jibrilla Bindow, Cross River – Ben Ayade, Bauchi – Muhammed Abubakar, Lagos – Ambode Akinwunmi, Kaduna – Nasir el-Rufai, Oyo – Abiola Ajimobi.
Also at the event were the APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, Senator Smart Adeyemi, cabinet members and other top government officials.
