By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Abuja – The Coalition of Civil Society and Youth Groups has urged Nigerians to keep faith with government, support and focus on recorded progresses by President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
Malam Suleiman Musa, Executive Director, Independent Public Service Watch and Co-Convener of the Coalition, made the call in Abuja at a news conference on “Post-Election Review of the Successes Recorded by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration.’’
Musa said it was high time Nigerians shunned all distractions, especially from those head bent to stop the progress of Buhari’s administration and the development of the country.
He said that the Buhari-led government had made outstanding achievements in areas of fight against corruption, citizens’ welfare, fight against poverty and insecurity and development of key sectors of the economy.
Musa said it was an incontestable record that the anti-corruption drive of Buhari had put to a halt the several acts of brazen financial fraud with notable convictions.
“The economy was rescued from the cesspit of depressive economic recession through a deft mix of policies, programmes and projects that placed emphasis on non oil export and innovative exploration of the agricultural value chain.
“The anchor borrowers’ financial scheme also push our rice production to the point of self sufficiency with other outputs also garnering foreign exchange for the nation.
“It must be emphasised that the Federal Government during Buhari’s administration has manifestly demonstrated that welfare of the masses must be given prime attention.
“Thus the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises (LIFE) programme was initiated by the Buhari Administration,” he said.
Musa said that the programme aimed at bringing life back to rural communities through the empowerment of youth, women and other vulnerable groups with community based on-farm and off-farm business activities.
He added that 1,000 cottage industries were being established in the country to engage about 1,995,500 youth and 997,500 women for enhanced productivity.
“The various social safety net programmes have also been effective short to medium term measures that have assuage the plight of the average Nigerian while meaningfully engaging the youth.
“There is also no doubt that massive road construction projects have all come on stream under the watch of the president and his team.
“Railway transport has been revived and numerous industries have been given stimulus back to life,” he said.
Musa said that as the government hauled in successes, the citizens must remain wary of the enemies of the nation who could do everything to halt the rapid pace of progress.
“We must maintain abiding confidence in the president that he will also overcome these new strains of fabricated challenges in the manner which he overcame the others before.
“Let us all explore available vistas for the continuous advancement of our dear nation as we remain in resolute support of the good works of the Buhari government,” he said.
Mr Danesi Momoh, Convener, Guidance of Democracy, also said that Buhari-led administration through its economic diversification policy had helped to reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.
Momoh said that the present administration was doing everything possible to tackle insecurity, noting that the operations of the Boko Haram in the north eastern region had been reduced.
He said that before the advent of Buhari administration, Boko Haram was in-charge of over 40 local government areas of the country but today the insurgents had no claim over any territory.
Momoh, while commending the efforts of security agencies to secure the country, appealed to them, especially the military, to put in more efforts to end insecurity and operations of bandits in the country.
(NAN)