Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has proved the opposition parties wrong, for believing that President Muhammadu Buhari only done well in infrastructure development but said the administration’s legacy is far beyond infrastructure.
Alhaji Mohammed who made this known at the 16th Edition of the “PMB Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023) in Abuja on Monday, stated that Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of putting Nigeria on the path of self sufficiency in many staples.
He said, “Between the last edition of
the PMB Administration Scorecard Series on Dec. 22nd, 2022, and today’s opening edition for 2023, a lot of things have happened in the polity. But the most significant has been naysayers and the opposition trying to distort the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari for their own selfish ends.
“While some of the Administration’s fiercest critics said we have achieved nothing, others have admitted, though seemingly tongue in cheek, that it’s only in area of infrastructure that Administration has performed. Well, I want to say that both groups are wrong, very wrong.
“Yes, infrastructure development under the Buhari Administration is unprecedented since the nation’s return to democratic rule in 1999, and it has set the country on the path of development. But no, the legacy is more than infrastructure”, he said.
The Minister said Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of a social investment programme that is unprecedented in the whole of Africa, a programme that has enhanced the quality of life of the beneficiaries.
“Our pace-setting social investment programmes like N-Power, School Feeding, Conditional Cash Transfer and GEEP (Government Enterprise Empowerment programme) have benefitted millions of our citizens, both young and old, and this can neither be trivialized nor denied.
“The Buhari Administration is leaving legacy of putting Nigeria on the path of self sufficiency in many staples, including rice. Fertilizer blending plants in the country have increased astronomically from 10 in 2015 to 142 today, the number of rice mills in the country has increased markedly from 10 in 2015 to 80 today.
He emphasized Nigeria, which was the number one export destination for rice in 2014, according to Thai authorities, is now ranked as number 79, adding that “this is why we can’t understand the campaign promise of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar to throw open our borders if elected, because this will simply reverse all the gains of the past seven years plus.
“But for Mr. President’s insistence that Nigeria should produce what it consumes and consume what it produces, it would have been doubly difficult for our country to survive during the global lockdown because of Covid-19.
Alhaji Mohammed further said Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of a revamped security sector, in the face of unprecedented security challenges in the country. “Today, the Nigerian military is being restored to its glorious past, thanks to Mr. President’s foresight, doggedness in re-equipping the various services.
“And this has made it possible for the military to tackle insurgency and all other security challenges facing the country. As you can now see, this military has been recording successes after successes.
“Compare this with those who literally passed a vote of no confidence in our military by bringing in mercenaries to fight insurgency. Not only that, they looted dry all the funds earmarked to buy arms and ammunition for the military”.
The Ministry knocked the alleged looters who said they spent billions just praying against Boko Haram. “The Nigerian military, which has excelled in global peacekeeping operations since 1960 and sacrificed a lot to keep our country united, has regained its respect and influence.
“Ditto the Nigeria Police, which is steadily being repositioned to be efficient and well-motivated, and to improve its capacity to face modern day security challenges. As the Honourable Minister of Police Affairs told us here last month, the Nigeria Police now has a state-of-the-art National Command and Control Centre.
“This is unprecedented. Other security agencies have not been left behind in the area of capacity enhancement through training and modernization of equipment”.
He pressed on that Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of inclusiveness, especially in the areas of infrastructure and social development. “There is no state in Nigeria that is not witnessing at least a road, or a bridge or a housing project.
“None! The Honourable Minister of
Finance, Budget and National Planning has also told us here how Mr. President approved tranches upon tranches of funds to states, irrespective of their party affiliation, to enable them meet their obligations to the people.
“We dare any part of this country to say that it has not benefitted from the programmes of the Buhari Administration in one way or another and we will happily counter that with verifiable evidence. The Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of leapfrogging Nigeria into the digital era.
“President Buhari has signed into law the Startup Bill to make Nigeria a global hub for digital talent and investment. Also Nigeria has kick started the national rollout of 5G while increasing 4G base stations from 13,823 in 2019 to 36,751 today.
“Nigeria’s digital economy has generated 594% of revenue target above the 2019 baseline; the country’s fiber optic cable network has grown from 15,000km in 2015 to over 60,000km in 2022, and the country’s NIN-SIM integration has enhanced the integrity of the National Identification Number database
Alhaji Lai said the Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of probity, mocking some critics who say “oh, they say they are fighting corruption and some public
officials have stolen money under their nose”.
“We say the fact that they were caught and are being tried is a reflection of our zero tolerance for corruption. Where others covered and pampered corrupt people, we exposed and put them on trial.
“Whereas the immediate past
administration came up with such programmes as TSA (Treasury Single
Account) and IPPIS (Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System), they were implemented largely on paper until we came on board and ensured total implementation.
“The EFCC, the ICPC and other anti-corruption agencies have gone beyond merely arresting and prosecuting alleged corrupt officials to institutionalizing the fight against corruption through various programmes.
“The Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of a petroleum sector that can serve the interest of the nation, thanks to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. This Act, which came into being after Mr. President signed the PIB into law, seeks to provide legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the Nigerian Petroleum Industry.
“The Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of enacting landmark laws, including the Harmonized Mental Health Bill and the Discrimination Against Persons With Disability (Prohibition) Bill, both of which have been signed into law by Mr. President.
“The Harmonized Mental Health Act, which came after more than two decades of advocacy, has been described as a relief to the mental health care and practice in the country,
“While the Discrimination Against Persons With Disability (Prohibition) Act caters for the 15% of Nigerians with a disability by establishing the National Commission for Persons With Disability and prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability”.
He pointed out that building Second Niger bridge almost 60 years after the commissioning of the Niger Bridge and years of political gimmickry by successive leaders is a huge legacy of the Administration that cannot be erased. “The ease of travel it provided during this past holiday period attests to its importance”.
The Minister who concluded that the list of Buhari Administration’s legacy projects could not be exhausted Irrespective of the antics of the opposition, said President Buhari’s legacy is assured.
“Naysayers, most of whom are closet opposition members masquerading as objective analysts, can continue to snipe at us. They can continue to trumpet only the negatives, both real and imagined But they cannot erase these legacies. They cannot rewrite the history of these past seven years plus”, he said.