The Federal Government says with the bold and courageous leadership provided by President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria is marching surely and steadily to join the comity of great nations.
Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed said this in Abuja on Friday at a press conference to mark the first anniversary of the second term of the President Buhari administration.
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The minister, however, noted that “Change is never easy, and the birth of a new nation comes with pains.”
He said the federal government thanked Nigerians for their support and perseverance, reassuring them of its unrelenting commitment to making life more meaningful for them.
Mohammed reeled out achievements of the present administration in major sectors of the economy, saying the president “is taking Nigeria to the next level of irreversible change for the better.”
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He said though the COVID-19 pandemic might have briefly slowed down activities in the infrastructural sector, “work is set to resume in over 50 major infrastructure projects spread across 26 states.
He listed the projects as including the Second Niger Bridge, the Abuja-Kano Expressway, the Owerri Interchange, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Port Harcourt-Enugu Expressway.
He said similarly, all was set for the commencement of road repairs in 92 locations across 24 states by the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency.
“Work has also continued on the laying of rail tracks on the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge rail line, which has already commenced test-run,” he added.
According to him, as the second year of the second and last tenure of Buhari begins, the stage is set for the implementation of “the greatest agricultural revolution in the history of Nigeria.
“The unprecedented recent approval by the Buhari administration to inject $1.2billion in in-kind loan into the agriculture sector through the government-to-government bilateral loan from Brazil, with support from Deutsche Bank and the Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Export Credit of the Islamic Development Bank, will revolutionize our agriculture at scale.
“Together with the Hon. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, we will be briefing Nigerians on this project in the days ahead.”
On the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister noted that but for the right reaction by the administration, the situation could have been worse.
Timeous response to COVID-19
He said: “The administration is not happy that Nigeria has even recorded a single case of COVID-19 or a single death, but the figures we have today (Friday) could have been much worse, but for a series of proactive actions and the right leadership by Mr. President.
“One month before the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in Nigeria, the Federal Government had already announced it was strengthening surveillance at the nation’s gateway international airports to prevent the spread of the virus.
“By 31 Jan. 2020, the Federal Government had set up a Coronavirus Preparedness Group to mitigate the impact of the virus if it eventually spreads to the country.”
Asset recovery
The minister said in the last one year alone, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission had recovered assets worth N81.23bn and secured 25 convictions.
He gave the breakdown of the recoveries by the ICPC as N41.98bn restrained on review of MDAs’ Personnel Cost Expenditure and Capital Development Fund; N35.011bn-Lands, Buildings & Vehicles; N1.167bn, cash in TSA; N770million from constituency projects tracked; N1.097bn, completed constituency projects on the return of contractors to site; N865millionn, cash (other accounts); $1.113m, cash (other domiciliary accounts).
Mohammed said for its part, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had secured 1,270 convictions and recovered huge amounts of money within the period under review.
“The recoveries include N32.6 billion; $10,348; 758,155 Pounds Sterling; 183,475 Euros; 294,950 Saudi Riyal; 2,800 Chinese Yuan; 300 Canadian Dollars and 500 CFA.
“The 1,270 convictions include high profile ones, such as the liquidation and forfeiture of the P&ID Nigeria Limited to the Federal Government, after the conviction of the company for fraud and tax evasion.”
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