By Rotimi Ijikanmi
Lagos – The Federal Government has hailed the ringing global endorsement which President Muhammadu Buhari received from world leaders at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly in the U.S.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it was delightful to hear from world leaders that Buhari’s determined and committed leadership was yielding fruits.
The minister said that the president’s committed leadership and his integrity had given the country a positive image in the comity of nations and, therefore, appealed to Nigerians to continue to support the administration.
“The global community appreciated the giant strides that have been made by President Buhari’s administration in fighting terrorism and corruption, as well as in deftly managing the nation’s
economy at a time of global economic downturn
“This is an indication that the administration is on course in its quest to ensure a better life for the people,” he said.
The minister said in spite of “the attempts by naysayers to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians”, the achievements of the administration in the areas of economy, security and the fight against corruption had not gone unnoticed globally.
“World leaders, including U.S. President Barrack Obama, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, French President Francois Hollande and Switzerland’s President Johann Schneider-Ammann, all took turns to extol President Buhari’s leadership.
”This should be a source of hope and pride to Nigerians, who have
borne the brunt of the difficulties associated with the current
economic downturn as well as the country’s negative global image in
the past,” he said.
The minister thanked Nigerians for their perseverance and support and added that the tough times would not last.
He said that the fact that the president was able to highlight and seek a global rallying point on critical issues during his trip, would have a positive effect on the country.
”The president sent ‘a clear and direct message to world leaders on
such issues as poverty, climate change, terrorism, plight of IDPs
arising from Boko Haram activities.
“He also passed the message on diversification of the economy and the creation of enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria.
”The timing of the president’s message and the platform in which he
highlighted those issues could not have been more apt.
“It will undoubtedly complement the Administration’s efforts at tackling those key issues,” he said.
The minister expressed optimism that the country would soon begin toreap the benefits of the US-Africa Business Forum and the meeting withtop Nigerians professionals, which took place on the sideline of the UN General Assembly.
