By President Muhammadu Buhari 2015

October 1st is a day for joy and celebrations for us Nigerians, whatever the circumstances we find
ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago; we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism
and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness.

Advertisement

No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honouring this day. Let us remind
ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth
most populated country on the planet. We have in addition arable land; water; forests; oil and gas;
coastline; and solid minerals

We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one important commodity
we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve
not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress.

Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of
purpose.

Nonetheless, that we have remained together is an achievement we should all appreciate and try to
consolidate. We have witnessed this year a change in our democratic development.

Advertisement

The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is
indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system. Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must
thank former President Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country
untold consequences.
As I said in my inaugural speech, I bear no ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody should fear
anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I
hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.

My countrymen and women, every new government inherits problems. Ours was no different. But what
Nigerians want are solutions, quick solutions not a recitation of problems inherited.

Accordingly, after consultations with the Vice President, senior party leaders and other senior
stakeholders, I quickly got down to work on the immediate, medium-term and long-term problems
which we must solve if we are to maintain the confidence which Nigerians so generously bestowed on
us in the March elections.

Advertisement

And since then, as you know, I toured the neighbouring countries, marshalled a coalition of armed
forces of the five nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram. I met also the G-7 leaders and other
friendly presidents in an effort to build an international coalition against Boko Haram.

Our gallant armed forces under new leadership have taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely
weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the
run.

That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as I.D.P. camps is indicative of their
cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in
vulnerable places. On power, government officials have held a series of long sessions over several weeks
about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost-effective way.

In the meantime, improvement in the power situation is moderately encouraging. By the same token,
supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country. All the early signs are
that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better.
Advertisement

Preliminary steps have been taken to sanitize NNPC and improve its operations so that the inefficiency
and corruption could be reduced to a minimum.

Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back into partial production would be
enabled to resume operations so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing
finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped.

In addition to NNPC, I have ordered a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly
CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation.

Prudent house-keeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil
prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what accrues but how
we manage our resources that is important.

We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The
new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing.

At an early stage, the federal government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, a
situation capable of degenerating into social unrest. The APC government stepped in to improve short-
term support to the owing states and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the livelihood of
millions of Nigerians.

Fellow Nigerians, there have been a lot of anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in
announcement of ministers. There is no cause to be anxious. Our government set out to do things
methodically and properly. We received the handover notes from the outgoing government only four
days before taking over.

Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal
Government structure after studying the handover notes. It would have been haphazard to announce
ministers when the government had not finalized the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden
of governance.

Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent
to the Senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course. Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more
vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better
results for our country is what the APC government for CHANGE is all about.

I would like to end my address this morning on our agenda for CHANGE. Change does not just happen.
You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring change
about. We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must
change our unruly behaviour in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes
and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.

Happy Independence Celebrations. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. God bless you all.

2016

Full text of President Buhari’s Independence Day Speech

By Muhammadu Buhari

01 October 2016   |   7:57 am

President Muhammadu Buhari

Today – 1st October is a day of celebration for us Nigerians. On this day, 56 years ago our people
achieved the most important of all human desires – freedom and independence. We should all
therefore give thanks and pray for our founding fathers without whose efforts and toil we would not
reap the bounties of today.

I know that uppermost in your minds today is the economic crisis. The recession for many individuals
and families is real. For some It means not being able to pay school fees, for others it’s not being able to
afford the high cost of food (rice and millet) or the high cost of local or international travel, and for many
of our young people the recession means joblessness, sometimes after graduating from university or
polytechnic.

I know how difficult things are, and how rough business is. All my adult life I have always earned a salary
and I know what it is like when your salary simply is not enough. In every part of our nation people are
making incredible sacrifices.

But let me say to all Nigerians today, I ran for office four times to make the point that we can rule this
nation with honesty and transparency, that we can stop the stealing of Nigeria’s resources so that the
resources could be used to provide jobs for our young people, security, infrastructure for commerce,
education and healthcare.

I ran for office because I know that good government is the only way to ensure prosperity and
abundance for all. I remain resolutely committed to this objective.

I believe that this recession will not last.

Temporary problems should not blind or divert us from the corrective course this government has
charted for our nation. We have identified the country’s salient problems and we are working hard at
lasting solutions.

To re-cap what I have been saying since the inception of this administration, our problems are security,
corruption and the economy, especially unemployment and the alarming level of poverty.
On Security, we have made progress. Boko Haram was defeated by last December – only resorting to
cowardly attacks on soft targets, killing innocent men, women and children.

Nigerians should thank our gallant men of the Armed Forces and Police for rescuing large areas of the
country captured by insurgents. Now, residents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, as well as several
neighbouring states go about their daily business in relative safety. People can go to mosques, churches,
market places in reasonable safety.

Commuters can travel between cities, towns and villages without fear. Credit for this remarkable turn-
round should go to our Armed Forces, the Police, various sponsored and private vigilante groups, the
local traditional leaders. Security is a top to bottom concern and responsibility.

Besides Boko Haram, we are confronting other long-running security issues, namely herdsmen vs
farmers, cattle rustling, kidnappings. This Administration is firmly resolved to tackle these challenges and
to defeat them.

A new insurgency has reared up its head in the shape of blowing up gas and oil pipelines by groups of
Niger Delta Militants. This Administration will not allow these mindless groups to hold the country to
ransom.

What sense is there to damage a gas line as a result of which many towns in the country including their
own town or village is put in darkness as a result? What logic is there in blowing up an export pipeline
and as a result income to your state and local governments and consequently their ability to provide
services to your own people is reduced?

No group can unlawfully challenge the authority of the Federal Government and succeed. Our
Administration is fully sympathetic to the plight of the good people of Niger Delta and we are in touch
with the State Governments and leaderships of the region. It is known that the clean-up of the
Ogoniland has started. Infrastructural projects financed by the Federal Government and post amnesty
programme financing will continue.

We have however, continued to dialogue with all groups and leaders of thought in the region to bring
lasting peace.
Corruption is a cancer which must be fought with all the weapons at our disposal. It corrodes the very
fabric of government and destroys society. Fighting corruption is Key, not only to restoring the moral
health of the nation, but also to freeing our enormous resources for urgent socio-economic
development.

In fighting corruption, however, the government would adhere strictly by the rule of law. Not for the
first time I am appealing to the judiciary to join the fight against corruption.

The Third Plank in this Administration’s drive to CHANGE Nigeria is re-structuring the economy.
Economies behaviour is cyclical. All countries face ups and downs. Our own recession has been brought
about by a critical shortage of foreign exchange. Oil price dropped from an average of hundred USD per
barrel over the last decade to an average of forty USD per barrel this year and last.

Worse still, the damage perpetrated by Niger Delta thugs on pipelines sometimes reduced Nigeria’s
production to below One million barrels per day against the normal two point two million barrels per
day. Consequently, the naira is at its weakest, but the situation will stabilize.

But this is only temporary. Historically about half our dollar export earnings go to importation of
petroleum and food products! Nothing was saved for the rainy days during the periods of prosperity. We
are now reaping the whirlwinds of corruption, recklessness and impunity.

There are no easy solutions, but there are solutions nonetheless and Government is pursuing them in
earnest. We are to repair our four refineries so that Nigeria can produce most of our petrol
requirements locally, pending the coming on stream of new refineries. That way we will save ten billion
USD yearly in importing fuel.

At the same time, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Bank have been mobilized to
encourage local production of rice, maize, sorghum, millet and soya beans. Our target is to achieve
domestic self-sufficiency in these staples by 2018.
Already farmers in thirteen out of thirty six states are receiving credit support through the Central Bank
of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme. Kebbi state alone this year is expected to produce one
million tonnes of locally grown rice, thanks to a favourable harvest this year. As part of the 13 states,
Lagos and Ogun are also starting this programme. Rice alone for example costs Nigeria two billion USD
to import.

The country should be self-sufficient in basic staples by 2019. Foreign exchange thus saved can go to
industrial revival requirements for retooling, essential raw materials and spare parts. It is in recognition
of the need to re-invigorate agriculture in our rural communities that we are introducing the LIFE
programme.

Government recognises that irrigation is key to modern agriculture: that is why the Ministries of
Agriculture and Water Resources are embarking on a huge programme of development of lakes, earth
dams and water harvesting schemes throughout the country to ensure that we are no longer dependent
on rain-fed agriculture for our food requirements.

In addition, government is introducing Water Resources Bill encompassing the National Water
Resources Policy and National Irrigation and Drainage Policy to improve management of water and
irrigation development in the country. We are reviving all the twelve River Basin Authorities, namely;

I. Anambra – Imo

II. Benin – Owena

III. Chad Basin

IV. Cross River

V. Hadejia – Jama’are

VI. Lower Benue

VII. Lower Niger

VIII. Niger Delta

IX. Ogun – Osun

X. Sokoto – Rima
XI. Upper Benue

XII. Upper Niger

The intention is eventually to fully commercialise them to better support crop production, aqua –culture
and accelerated rural development.

This Administration is committed to the revival of Lake Chad and improvement of the hydrology and
ecology of the basin. This will tune in with efforts to rehabilitate the thirty million people affected by the
Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad basin countries.

The second plank in our economic revival strategy is centred on the Ministry of Power, Works and
Housing. The Ministry will lead and oversee the provision of critical infrastructure of power, road
transport network and housing development.

Power generation has steadily risen since our Administration came on board from three thousand three
hundred and twenty four megawatts in June 2015, rising to a peak of five thousand and seventy four
megawatts in February 2016.

For the first time in our history the country was producing five thousand megawatts. However, renewed
militancy and destruction of gas pipelines caused acute shortage of gas and constant drop in electricity
output available on the grid.

There has been during the period June 2015 to September 2016 big improvement in transmission
capacity from five thousand five hundred megawatts to the present seven thousand three hundred
megawatts.

There were only two system collapses between June and December 2015, but due to vandalism by Niger
Delta militants the over-all system suffered 16 system collapses between March and July 2016 alone. As
I have said earlier, we are engaging with responsible leadership in the region to find lasting solutions to
genuine grievances of the area but we will not allow a tiny minority of thugs to cripple the country’s
economy.
In the meantime, government is going ahead with projects utilizing alternate technologies such as
hydro, wind, and solar to contribute to our energy mix. In this respect, the Mambilla Hydro project, after
many years of delay is taking off this year. Contract negotiations are nearing completion with Chinese
firms for technical and financial commitments.

The project is to be jointly financed by Nigeria and the Chinese-Export-Import Bank. In addition,
fourteen Solar Power Projects have had their power purchase agreements concluded. Hence the plan to
produce one thousand two hundred megawatts of solar electricity for the country would be realized on
schedule.

And in line with the objective of government to complete all abandoned projects across the country, the
Rural Electrification Agency’s projects needing completion are provided for in the 2016 Budget. Bringing
electricity to rural areas will help farmers, small scale and cottage industries to integrate with the
national economy.

Roads Construction and Rehabilitation has taken off. The sum of twelve billion naira was allocated to
this sector in the 2015 Budget, not enough even to pay interest on outstanding unpaid claims.

Notwithstanding the budgetary constraints, the current budget allocated two hundred and forty billion
naira for highway projects against twelve billion naira in 2015. Many contractors who have not been
paid for three years have now remobilized to sites. Seven hundred and twenty point five billion naira has
so far been released this budget year to capital projects.

The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has received one hundred and ninety seven point five billion
naira. Work on the following highways has now resumed.

1. Dualization of Calabar – Itu Road in Cross River/Akwa Ibom States.

2. Dualization of Lokoja – Benin Road, Ehor – Benin city, Edo State.

3. Re-construction of outstanding sections of Benin – Shagamu Express way, Edo/Ogun States.

4. Expansion works on Lagos – Ibadan Dual carriageway, Ogun/Oyo States

5. Rehabilitation of Onitsha – Enugu Expressway, Anambra/Enugu States.

6. Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Enugu – Port Harcourt Dual carriageway, Abia/Rivers States.

7. Rehabilitation of Hadejia – Nguru Road, Jigawa State.

8. Dualization of Kano – Katsina Road, Kano State.

9. Dualization of Kano – Maiduguri Road, Borno State.

10. Dualization of Azare – Potiskum Road, Azare – Sharuri Road, Bauchi State.

11. Rehabilitation of Ilorin – Jebba – Mokwa – Birnin Gwari Road, Kwara State.

12. Construction of Oju/Lokoja – Oweto Bridge over River Benue, Benue State.

Other major highways are in the queue for rehabilitation or new construction.

Already contractors have recalled about nine thousand workers laid off and Government expects that
several hundreds of thousands of workers will be reengaged in the next few months as our public works
programme gains momentum.

On railways, we have provided our counterpart funding to China for the building of our standard gauge
Lagos -Kano railway. Meanwhile, General Electric is investing two point two billion USD in a concession
to revamp, provide rolling stock, and manage the existing lines, including the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri
Line. The Lagos-Calabar railway will also be on stream soon.

We have initiated the National Housing Programme. In 2014 four hundred million naira was voted for
Housing. In 2015 nothing. Our first budget this year is devoting thirty five point six billion naira. Much of
the house building will be private – sector led but Government is initiating a pilot housing scheme of two
thousand eight hundred and thirty eight units uniformly spread across the 36 states and FCT.

We expect these units to be completed within 4 – 6 months. These experimental Nigeria House model
Units will be constructed using only made in Nigeria building materials and components. This initiative is
expected to reactivate the building materials manufacturing sector, generate massive employment
opportunities and develop sector capacity and expertise.
The programmes I have outlined will revive the economy, restore the value of the naira and drive
hunger from our land.

Abroad, Nigeria’s standing has changed beyond belief in the last 18 months. We are no longer a pariah
state. Wherever I go, I have been received with un-accustomed hospitality. Investors from all over the
world are falling over themselves to come and do business in Nigeria. This government intends to make
business environment more friendly because we can not develop ourselves alone.

All countries, no matter how advanced, welcome foreign investments to their economy. This is the
essence of globalization and no country in the 21st century can be an island. Our reforms are therefore
designed to prepare Nigeria for the 21st century.

Finally, let me commend Nigerians for your patience, steadfastness and perseverance. You know that I
am trying to do the right things for our country.

Thank you and may God bless our country

• Guardian TV

Home  Latest News 2017

• Latest News
• Press Releases

• Speeches

Broadcast by President Muhammadu Buhari on October 1st, 2017

By

 Lawrence Eckson

 -

October 1, 2017

My dear Nigerians,

October 1st remains a special date for all Nigerians as this marks the day when we attained one of the
most precious of human desires — freedom.

Over the years the country has gone through trials and tribulations, but October 1st is always a day for
celebrations.
It is a day for thanks giving, reflection and re-dedication.

It is also a day for remembrance. We should remind ourselves of the recent journey from 1999 – 2015,
when our country happily returned to democratic rule.

However, in spite of oil prices being an average of $100 per barrel and about 2.1m barrels a day, that
great piece of luck was squandered and the country’s social and physical infrastructure neglected.

We were left with no savings and huge infrastructure deficit.

The APC Government’s Campaign rallying cry to restore security, re-balance the economy and fight
corruption was not all rhetoric.

The country must first be secured. The economy must be re-balanced so that we do not depend on oil
alone. We must fight corruption which is Nigeria’s Number One Enemy. Our Administration is tackling
these tasks in earnest.

In the past two years, Nigeria has recorded appreciable gains in political freedom. A political Party at the
Centre losing elections of State Governor, National Assembly seat and even State Assemblies to the
opposition parties is new to Nigeria. Added to these are complete freedom to associate, to hold and
disseminate opinions. Such developments clearly attest to the country’s growing political development.
But like all freedoms, this is open to abuse.

Recent calls on re-structuring, quite proper in a legitimate debate, has let in highly irresponsible groups
to call for dismemberment of the country. We can not and we will not allow such advocacy.

As a young Army Officer, I took part from the beginning to the end in our tragic civil war costing about
2m lives, resulting in fearful destruction and untold suffering. Those who are agitating for a re-run were
not born by 1967 and have no idea of the horrendous consequences of the civil conflict which we went
through.
I am very disappointed that responsible leaders of these communities do not warn their hot-headed
youths what the country went through. Those who were there should tell those who were not there, the
consequences of such folly.

At all events, proper dialogue and any desired constitutional changes should take place in a rational
manner, at the National and State Assemblies. These are the proper and legal fora for National debate,
not some lop-sided, un-democratic body with pre-determined set of objectives.

Government is keeping up the momentum of dialogue with stakeholders in the Niger Delta to keep the
peace. We intend to address genuine grievances of the communities.

Government is grateful to the responsible leadership of those communities and will pursue lasting peace
in the Niger Delta.

SECURITY

On security, Nigerians must be grateful to our gallant Armed Forces for rolling back the frontiers of Boko
Haram’s terrorism, defeating them and reducing them to cowardly attacks on soft and vulnerable
targets.

Nigeria is grateful to its neighbours and the international community for the collective efforts to defeat
this world-wide menace of terrorism.

Not even the most organized and most equipped police and security forces in the world can escape the
menace of modern day terrorism, as we have seen in recent years in Europe and other parts of the
world.

But we are not letting up. Our Armed Forces in an effort to enhance the operational capability of troops
of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE have established Mobile Strike Teams in the North East. These will ensure
the final push to wipe out the remnants of Boko Haram.
In addition, through targeted air strikes most of the leadership and identified logistics bases and routes
of the insurgents have been neutralized. The Armed Forces have established a Naval presence in the
Lake Chad Basin as part of the coordinated military efforts to curtail the movements or re-emergence of
the sect in the area.

Government is working round the clock to ensure release of the remaining Chibok girls, as well as other
persons in Boko Haram captivity. Government will continue to support the Armed Forces and other
security agencies to fight not only terrorism, but kidnapping, armed robberies, herdsmen/farmers
violence and to ensure peace, stability and security in our country.

ECONOMY

With respect to the economy, the Government has remained pro-active in its diversification policy. The
Federal Government’s agricultural Anchor Borrowers Programme, which I launched in November 2015,
has been an outstanding success with:

· N43.92 billion released through the CBN and 13 participating institutions,

· 200,000 small holder farmers from 29 states of the federation benefitting,

· 233,000 hectares of farmland cultivating eight commodities, namely Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, soya-
beans, Poultry, Cassava and Groundnuts, in addition to fish farming.

These initiatives have been undertaken in close collaboration with the states. I wish to commend the
efforts of the Governors of Kebbi, Lagos, Ebonyi and Jigawa States for their support to the rice and
fertilizer revolutions.

Equally commendable are contributions of the Governors of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Imo, Cross River, Benue,
Ogun, Kaduna and Plateau States for their support for the Presidential initiative for palm oil, rubber,
cashew, cassava, potatoes and other crops.
With the abundance of rainfall last year and this year, agriculture has enjoyed Divine intervention.

Since December last year, this Administration has produced over 7 million 50Kg bags of fertilizer. Eleven
blending plants with a capacity of 2.1 million metric tons have been reactivated. We have saved $150
million in foreign exchange and N60 billion in subsidy. Fertilizer prices have dropped from N13,000 per
50Kg bag to N5,500.

Furthermore, a new presidential initiative is starting with each state of the Federation creating a
minimum of 10,000 jobs for unemployed youths, again with the aid of CBN’s development finance
initiatives.

Power remains a huge problem. As of September 12th, production of power reached an all — time high
of 7,001 Megawatts. Government is increasing its investment, clearing up the operational and financial
log jam bedeviling the industry. We hope to reach 10,000 Megawatts by 2020.

Key priorities include better energy mix through solar and Hydro technologies. I am glad to say that after
many years of limbo, Mambilla Power Project has taken off.

Elsewhere in the economy the special window created for manufacturers, investors and exporters,
foreign exchange requirements has proved very effective. Since April, about $7 billion has come through
this window alone. The main effect of these policies is improved confidence in the economy and better
investment sentiments.

The country has recorded 7 consecutive months of lower inflation, Naira rate is beginning to stabilize,
appreciating from N525 per $1 in February this year to N360 today. Broad-based economic growth is
leading us out of recession.

Furthermore, in order to stabilize the polity, the Federal Government gave additional support to states
in the form of:

· State Excess Crude Account loans,

· Budget Support Facility,

· Stabilization Fund Release

to states and local governments as follows:

· N200 billion in 2015

· N441 billion in 2016

· N1 trillion in 2017

Altogether totaling N1.642 trillion.

This was done to enable states to pay outstanding salaries, pensions and small business suppliers who
had been all but crippled over the years.

In addition, the Government’s current N500 billion Special Intervention Programme is targeting groups
through;

· Home Grown School Feeding Programme,

· N-Power Job creation to provide loans to small-scale traders and artisans,

· Conditional Cash Transfer,

· Family Homes Fund and

· Social Housing Scheme.

CORRUPTION

Fellow Nigerians,

We are fully aware that fighting corruption was never going to be a straightforward task. We expected
corrupt elements to use any weapon to fight back, mainly judicial obstruction and political diversion. But
we are determined to eradicate corruption from our body politic.

In this fight, the Government has:

· Empowered teams of prosecutors,

· Assembled detailed databases,

· Accelerated the recovery of stolen funds.

The Administration’s new institutional reforms include:

· Enforcing Treasury Single Account,

· Whistle-Blowers Policy,
· Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System.

We have signed multi-lateral cooperation agreements on criminal matters with friendly countries. There
are signs of increasing cooperation from the Judiciary. Recently the Chief Justice of Nigeria directed
Heads of all our Courts of first instance and Appeal to accelerate hearings of corruption cases and
dismiss any judicial officers found to have been compromised.

Justice Salami has just been appointed to chair the Judiciary’s anti-graft committee. Government expects
a lot from this Committee.

I commend the National Assembly for refocusing on its oversight committees. They should, in addition,
ensure swift passage of enabling corruption laws. But fighting corruption is a bottom to top operation. I
call on all Nigerians to combat corruption at every turn. By not asking for and refusing to accept a bribe,
by reporting unethical practices or by blowing a whistle, together we can beat corruption. The
government for its part will work for accountability at all levels – Federal, State and Local Governments.
CHANGE will then be real.

As we enter the second half of our term of office, we intend to accelerate progress and intensify our
resolve to fix the country’s challenges and problems.

Thank you and a happy holiday to all of you.

God bless our country