NIGERIA @57: PRESIDENCY RELEASES BUHARI'S 57 ACHIEVEMENTS
NIGERIA @57: PRESIDENCY RELEASES BUHARI'S 57 ACHIEVEMENTS
The Presidency on Saturday released
what it called the 57 achievements of the Muhammadu Buhari administration as
the nation marks 57 years of Independence.
The list was released by the Vice
President’s Office.
The achievements were listed under
different categories that included security and related matters, economy,
anti-graft war and others.
Topping the list of Buhari’s
achievement under security, according to the document, is the release of 106
Chibok girls, as well as taking as captives over 16,000 Boko Haram members.
Other achievements under security are
tackling insurgency, decimation of Boko Haram in the North East, recovering of
14 local governments and territories previously under Boko Haram’s control in
the North East, rebuilding lives of citizens there, with about one million
displaced persons in the region returning to their communities in two years of
this administration.
The Presidency also listed curbing
the incidence of kidnap across the country, including the arrest of kidnap
kingpins and dismantling of kidnap cells across the country.
Others are restoring morale of the
Nigerian military; re-organising and better equipping of the Nigerian Armed
Forces; purchase of 12 Super-Tucano aircraft worth $600m to aid the Nigerian
military’s current operations in the North East; ensuring continued peace in
the Niger Delta through consistent funding of the FG amnesty programme for
ex-militants; and the introduction of an improved mechanism for distribution of
aid to IDPs in the North East through the establishment of the Special
Intervention Programme of the Federal Government called door-to-door strategy.
On economy, the document listed the
implementation of the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan to aid
economic recovery and taking the country out of her worst recession in 29
years, despite fall in oil prices.
It noted that N1.2trn was expended on
capital/infrastructure projects nationwide, describing it as a milestone in the
nation’s history.
It also mentioned the effective
implementation of the Treasury Single Account, and increasing government
revenue by over N3trn as well as entrenching transparency and accountability.
It cited the implementation of the
Bank Verification Number, thus tackling corruption by plugging loopholes for
siphoning of public funds and tracking of illicit funds through multiple
accounts
On ease of doing business, it said
the Federal Government signed into law two bills from the National Assembly
(the Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Act, 2017 (otherwise known as
Collateral Registry Act) and the Credit Reporting Act, 2017) which has
facilitated access to more affordable credit for Nigerians, fast tracked budget
submissions and promotes Made-in-Nigeria products.
The establishment of the Presidential
Quarterly Business Forum to enhance interaction and private sector
participation in the development of the economy, as well as institutionalising
E-governance setting the foundation for the creation of a truly digital economy
were also mentioned.
On anti-graft war, the document
mentioned prosecution of alleged corrupt public officers and recovering
billions of naira of stolen public funds; the successful establishment of the
whistle-blower policy; signing of Executive Order 004 – Voluntary Income Asset
Declaration Scheme which aims to increase tax awareness and compliance, and
reduce incidence of tax evasion.
Others are signing of agreements with
a number of nations to provide Automatic Exchange of Information; signing of
the Extradition Treaty between Nigeria and United Arab Emirates toward
strengthening Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign; and the establishmen of PACAC
– a think-tank that has provided leadership, direction and also built capacity
of personnel in the fight against corruption.
Under the last category, the
Presidency mentioned the eradication of polio in the country and the
introduction of the One Primary Health Centre per ward programme of the Federal
Government.
