Dear
Compatriots,
I
greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the year 2014 which promises to
be a momentous one for our country for several reasons, including the fact that
it is also the year of our great nation’s centenary celebrations. I join
you all in giving thanks to God Almighty for guiding us and our beloved nation
safely through all the challenges of the outgoing year to the beginning of 2014.
Exactly
100 years ago today, on January 1, 1914, the British Colonial authorities
amalgamated what was then the separate Protectorates of Southern Nigeria and
Northern Nigeria, giving birth to the single geopolitical entity known as
Nigeria. For us therefore, today is not
just the beginning of a new year, but the end of a century of national
existence and the beginning of another. It is a moment for sober reflection and
for pride in all that is great about Nigeria.
Whatever
challenges we may have faced, whatever storms we may have confronted and
survived, Nigeria remains a truly blessed country, a country of gifted men and
women who continue to distinguish themselves in all spheres of life, a country
whose diversity remains a source of strength.
We pay tribute today, as always to our founding fathers and mothers, and
all the heroes and heroines whose toil and sweat over the century made this
country what it is today.
As I
noted, a few days ago, the amalgamation of 1914 was certainly not a mistake but
a blessing. As we celebrate 100 years of
nationhood, we must resolve to continue to work together as one, united people,
to make our country even greater.
I
assure you that our administration remains fully committed to the progressive
development of our country and the consolidation of peace, unity and democratic
governance in our fatherland. Despite several continuing domestic and global
challenges, for us in Nigeria, the year 2013 witnessed many positive
developments which we will strive to build upon in 2014.
We have
diligently carried forward the purposeful and focused implementation of our agenda
for national transformation in priority areas such as power, the rehabilitation
and expansion of national infrastructure, agricultural development, education and
employment generation.
You
may recall that our 2013 Budget was on the theme, “Fiscal Consolidation with
Inclusive Growth”, and I emphasized the need for us to “remain prudent with our fiscal resources and also ensure that the
Nigerian economy keeps growing and creating jobs”. I am pleased to report
that we have stayed focused on this goal.
Our
national budget for 2014 which is now before the National Assembly is
specifically targeted at job creation and inclusive growth. We are keenly aware
that in spite of the estimated 1.6 million new jobs created across the country
in the past 12 months as a result of our actions and policies, more jobs are
still needed to support our growing population. Our economic priorities will be
stability and equitable growth, building on the diverse sectors of our economy.
In 2013, we commenced
implementation of the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) aimed at
industrializing Nigeria and diversifying our economy into sectors such as
agro-processing, light manufacturing, and petrochemicals. We have also
negotiated a strong Common External Tariff (CET) agreement with our ECOWAS
partners which would enable us to protect our strategic industries where
necessary.
I am pleased to note that as a
result of our backward integration policies, Nigeria has moved from a country
that produced 2 million metric tonnes of cement in 2002, to a country that now
has a capacity of 28.5 million metric tonnes. For the first time in our
history, we have moved from being a net importer of cement to a net exporter.
Foreign direct investment into Nigeria has also been strong. In fact, for the
second year running, the UN Conference on Trade and Development has named
Nigeria as the number 1 destination for investments in Africa.
We are
witnessing a revolution in the agricultural sector and the results are evident. We have tackled corruption in the input
distribution system as many farmers now obtain their fertilizers and seeds
directly through an e-wallet system. In 2013, 4.2 million farmers received
subsidized inputs via this programme. This scheme
has restored dignity to our farmers.
Last year we
produced over 8 million metric tonnes of additional food; and this year,
inflation fell to its lowest level since 2008 partly due to higher
domestic food production. Our food import bill has also reduced from N1.1
trillion in 2011, to N648 billion in 2012, placing Nigeria firmly on the path
to food self-sufficiency.
The sector is
also supporting more jobs. Last year, we
produced 1.1 million metric tonnes of dry season rice across 10 Northern
states; and over 250,000 farmers and youths in these States are now profitably
engaged in farming even during the dry season.
This Administration is also developing our water
resources which are key for both our food production and job creation goals. In
2013, we completed the construction of nine dams which increased the volume of
our water reservoirs by 422 million cubic metres. Through our irrigation and drainage
programme, we have increased the total irrigated area by over 31,000 hectares
creating jobs for over 75,000 farming families while increasing production of
over 400,000 metric tons of assorted irrigated food products.
Fellow
Compatriots, I have always believed that
the single greatest thing we can do to ensure all Nigerians realize their
potential and play a full part in our nation’s future, is to invest in
education. The education of our young people is a key priority for this
Government. We take this responsibility very seriously and I urge all other
stakeholders in the sector to recognize the national importance of their work,
and to help advance the cause of education in our nation.
Between
2007 and 2013, we have almost tripled the allocation for education from N224
billion to N634 billion – and we will continue to vigorously support the
sector. We have improved access to education in the country with the
construction of 125 Almajiri schools, and the establishment of three additional
Federal Universities in the North, bringing to twelve, the number of
universities established by this administration.
In
2013, we rehabilitated 352 laboratories and constructed 72 new libraries in the
Federal Unity Schools; and also rehabilitated laboratories of all the 51
Federal and State polytechnics across the country.
In
the Health sector, we are building strong safety nets and improving access to
primary health care under the Saving One
Million Lives programme. In 2013, we recruited 11,300 frontline health
workers who were deployed to under-served communities across the country. Over
400,000 lives have been saved through our various interventions. We have
reached over 10,000 women and children with conditional cash transfer
programmes across 8 States and the FCT and we intend to scale up this
successful initiative.
Our national immunization coverage has
exceeded 80%. And for the
first time in the history of the country there has not been any transmission of
the Type-3 Wild Polio virus for more than one year. We have also eradicated the guinea worm that
previously affected the lives of over 800,000 Nigerians yearly. In tertiary
health care, we upgraded medical facilities across the country. Two of our
teaching hospitals – the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, and
the University College Hospital in Ibadan – commenced open heart surgeries this
year after the installation of new facilities.
Fellow Nigerians, I have dwelt on
some of our administration’s achievements in 2013 to reassure you that we are
working and results are being achieved on the ground. As we enter our
Centennial year, there is still much work ahead. We are determined to sustain our
strong macroeconomic fundamentals, to strengthen our domestic institutions, and
to invest in priority sectors. These investments will create more jobs for our
youth. Government will at the same time, continue to scale-up investments in
safety nets and the MDGs to take care of the poor and the vulnerable so that
they too can share in our growth and prosperity.
In 2014, we will continue to
prioritize investments in key sectors such as
infrastructure development, power, roads, rail transportation and
aviation. In the past year, the Federal Government completed the privatization
of four power generation companies and 10 power distribution companies. We are
also in the process of privatizing 10 power plants under the National
Integrated Power Projects (NIPP).
We shall boost investments in
transmission to ensure power generated is properly evacuated and distributed. In
this regard, we have already mobilized an additional $1.5 billion for the
upgrade of the transmission network in 2014 and beyond. Government will also strengthen regulation of
the sector, and closely monitor electricity delivery to increase this beyond 18
hours per day. We will complete the privatization of the NIPP projects,
accelerate work on our gas pipeline infrastructure and also continue to invest
in hydro-electric power and clean energy as we monitor the effects of climate
change on our economy.
Our administration believes that the
cost of governance in the country is still too high and must be further reduced.
We will also take additional steps to stem the tide of corruption and leakages.
We have worked hard to curb fraud in the administration of the pension system
and the implementation of the petroleum subsidy scheme. We have introduced a
Pensions Transition Arrangement Department under a new Director-General. This
department will now ensure that those of our pensioners still under the old
scheme receive their pensions and gratuities, and are not subjected to fraud.
Prosecution of all those involved in robbing our retired people will continue.
The Petroleum Subsidy Scheme is also now being operated under new strict
guidelines to tackle previous leakages in the scheme and prevent fraud.
Foreign travel by government
personnel will be further curtailed. This directive shall apply to all
Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government. Our strategy to
curb leakages will increasingly rely on introducing the right technologies such
as biometrics and digitizing government payments.
I am therefore pleased to inform
you that we shall complete the deployment of the three electronic platforms in
2014 – namely, the Treasury Single
Account (TSA), the Government
Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information
System (IPPIS) – which are all geared towards improving efficiency and
transparency in our public finances. Through these reforms, we have already
saved about N126 billion in leaked funds and intend to save more.
To sustain Nigeria’s ongoing
agricultural transformation, we have planned further investments in the sector.
We will provide input subsidies to five million farmers nationwide using the
e-wallet system. This Administration
recently launched a self-employment initiative under the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP), called the Nagropreneur programme. This scheme would encourage our youth
to go into commercial agriculture as entrepreneurs and we plan to develop over 750,000 young Nagropreneurs by 2015.
We will also establish new
agro-industrial clusters to complement the staple crop processing zones being
developed across the country. In 2014, this Administration will continue to work
with the private sector to improve financing in the agricultural sector. For
example, we will launch the Fund for
Agricultural Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN) which will serve as a private
equity fund to invest in agri-businesses across the country.
Our Small and Medium scale enterprises (SMEs) will be the
bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization. We have about 17 million registered
SMEs, and they employ over 32 million Nigerians. When our SMEs grow, more jobs
will be created for our youth. Therefore, in 2014, this Administration will
focus strongly on implementing the Nigeria Enterprise Development Programme
(NEDEP) to address the needs of small businesses. Our interventions will
include helping SMEs with access to affordable finance, business development
services, and youth training. In addition, our new CET policies will enable us
to support our emerging industries.
We will also intensify our investment promotion efforts
abroad, to ensure we bring the biggest and best companies from around the world
to invest in Nigeria.
Dear Compatriots, the
housing and construction industry is a critical sector in most developed
economies. When the housing sector booms, it creates additional jobs for
architects and masons, for electricians and plumbers, for painters and interior
decorators, and for those in the cement and furniture industries.
Today, I am pleased to inform you
that this Administration is reinvigorating our housing and construction sector.
We have established the Nigeria Mortgage
Refinance Company (NMRC) which will increase liquidity in the housing
sector, provide a secondary market for mortgages, and thereby increase the
number of people able to purchase or build homes at an affordable price in the
country.
In 2014, we will work in a number
of pilot states where the State Governors have agreed to provide fast-track
land titles, foreclosure arrangements, and serviced plots. This new institution
will enable us to create over 200,000 mortgages over the next five years at
affordable interest rates. In addition, those at the lower end of the economic
ladder will not be left behind as this new initiative will expand mass housing
schemes through a re-structured Federal Mortgage Bank and other institutions to
provide rent-to-own and lease-to-own options. I am confident that very soon,
many more hardworking Nigerian families will be able to realize their dream of
owning a home.
In this our centenary year, we will continue our
efforts, through the Saving One Million
Lives initiative to strengthen primary health care services. We will scale
up interventions in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health,
nutrition, routine immunization, HIV/AIDS, malaria elimination, tuberculosis,
neglected tropical diseases, and non-communicable diseases. We will pay greater
attention to the provision of universal health coverage. Besides the
implementation of new initiatives such as my comprehensive response plan for
HIV/AIDS, we shall continue to collaborate with global health partners to
deliver our health sector transformation agenda.
I am
glad that the issues responsible for the long-drawn ASUU strike have been
resolved and our children are returning to their campuses. We are committed to
making our tertiary institutions true centers of learning for our young people.
We will therefore focus on upgrading hostels, laboratories, classrooms, and
halls. As the 2015 deadline for the
Millennium Development Goals approaches, we will continue to expand access to
basic education for all Nigerian children. Working with State Governments, we
shall decisively tackle the problem of the large numbers of out-of-school
children in this country. We will also invest in technical and vocational
education to promote skills development for our youth across the country.
Nigerian entrepreneurs still lack
access to affordable financing, with medium-to-long-term tenors. To address
this gap, a new wholesale development finance institution will be established in
2014 to provide medium-to long-term financing for Nigerian businesses. We are
working with partners such as the World Bank, the Africa Development Bank, the
BNDES Bank in Brazil, and KfW in Germany, to realize this project. Our existing
Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry will be re-structured as specialized
institutions to retail financing from this new wholesale development bank.
In addition to the foregoing, our
administration will also do all within its powers to ensure the success of the
forthcoming National Conference. The report of the Presidential Advisory
Committee on the Conference is undergoing urgent review and the approved
structure, guidelines and modalities for the conference will soon be published
as a prelude to its commencement and expeditious conclusion.
It remains our sincere hope and
expectation that the success of the national conference will further enhance
national unity, peace and cohesion as we move ahead to the 2015 general
elections.
In keeping with our avowed
commitment to progressively enhancing the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral
process by consistently upholding the principle of one man, one vote, our
Administration will also ensure that the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) receives all required support to ensure that it is adequately
prepared for the next general elections.
As
peace and security remain prerequisite conditions for the full realization of
our objectives, we will also do more in 2014 to further empower our security
agencies who are working in collaborative partnerships with our friends in the
international community to stem the scourge of terrorism in our country and
enhance the security of lives and property in all parts of Nigeria. The
allocation of over N600 Billion to Defence and Policing in the 2014 Budget
attests to this commitment.
Fellow
compatriots, the task of making our dear nation a much better place for present
and future generations cannot be left to government alone. I therefore urge you
all to be ready and willing to do more this year to support the implementation
of the Federal Government’s Agenda for National Transformation in every
possible way.
Let us
all therefore resolve as we celebrate the new year, and Nigeria’s Centenary, to
place the higher interests of national unity, peace, stability and progress
above all other considerations and work harder in our particular fields of
human endeavour to contribute more significantly to the attainment of our
collective aspirations. I urge all Nigerians, no matter their stations in life,
to rededicate themselves to contributing meaningfully to further enrich our
national heritage. The time for that re-dedication is now, not tomorrow.
I wish
you all a happy and rewarding 2014. God bless Nigeria. Happy New Year.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria
December 31, 2013
1 comment:
I pray o!
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