SAN FRANCISCO, February 21, (THEWILL) – The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has reiterated the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to its Change agenda, adding that although the delivery may be a bit slow, the promised Change will come in no distant time.
Noting that the dwindling oil prices and disruption in supply occasioned by the insecurity in the Niger Delta region had highlighted the urgent need to diversify the nation’s economy, he declared that militants in the Niger Delta will not be allowed to hold Nigeria to ransom.
The Acting President stated this on Tuesday at the 16th National Productivity Day and conferment of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award on 15 individuals and five organisations in Abuja.
“Boko Haram has been defeated and is only resorting to cowardly attacks on soft targets, killing innocent men, women and children. Despite this, the residents of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, including several neighbouring states are now going about their daily business in relative safety.
“Besides Boko Haram, a new insurgency has risen in the form of blowing up gas and oil pipelines by groups of Niger Delta militants. This administration will not allow them to hold the country to ransom. While security is being beefed up in the area, we shall intensify our ongoing dialogue with the various stakeholders in the region,” he said.
Acknowledging the onerous task ahead, especially in pulling the country out of the recession, Osinbajo was optimistic that with more productivity, the nation will once more be on the path of sustainable growth and development that will guarantee the people an improved standard of living.
This was as he pointed out that without visible level of productivity in any nation, employment generation and wealth creation could not be guaranteed.
The Acting President disclosed that government will facilitate the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises, MSMEs, by putting in place friendly policies to motivate entrepreneurs because of its ability to grow the economy and provide jobs.
He added that economic stabilisation measures, including import restriction will be sustained to increase dependency on local manufacturing enterprises.
Osinbajo stated that this year’s theme: “Productivity for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Employment,” was timely and apt, assuring that government will ensure the actualisation of the security programmes.
