I join my fellow citizens this morning to welcome and
celebrate the New Year 2018. This year promises to be pivotal in our quest for
CHANGE.
Unfortunately, I am saddened to acknowledge that for many
this Christmas and New Year holidays have been anything but merry and happy. Instead
of showing love, companionship and charity, some of our compatriots chose this
period to inflict severe hardship on us all by creating unnecessary fuel
scarcity across the country.
The consequence was that not many could travel and the few
who did had to pay exorbitant transport fares. This is unacceptable given that
NNPC had taken measures to ensure availability at all depots. I am determined
to get to the root of this collective blackmail of all Nigerians and ensure
that whichever groups are behind this manipulated hardship will be prevented
from doing so again.
Such unpatriotism will not divert the Administration from
the course we have set ourselves. Our government's watch word and policy thrust
is CHANGE. We must change our way of doing things or we will stagnate and be
left behind in the race to lift our people out of poverty and into prosperity.
My address to fellow Nigerians this morning is devoted
mainly to informing you about the intense efforts this Administration is
putting to address our country's huge infrastructural deficit.
We are going to make significant in-roads in advancing road,
rail and power projects across the country.
The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing is one of the
drivers of this Government’s commitment to renew and increase Nigeria’s stock
of infrastructure in order to achieve global economic competitiveness as
targeted under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.
With regards to Railways, we have set ourselves ambitious
targets. Already in construction stage is the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge
Railway.
The line should reach Ibadan from Lagos by the end of 2019
and will carry two million passengers per year and five million tons of cargo
will be transported every year giving a substantial boost to the country’s
economy.
Construction of the Kano – Kaduna segment is expected to
commence this year and reach Kaduna by the end of 2019. By the end of 2021 the
two ends will be joined so that we will have standard gauge railway across the
main North-South trading route.
The Abuja – Kaduna route will be boosted by additional
rolling stock next Thursday and will be able to handle one million commuters
annually.
At the same time I have approved and negotiations will be
concluded in the first part of this year for the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri
line covering Aba, Owerri, Umuahia, Enugu, Awka, Abakaliki, Makurdi, Lafia,
Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, Yola and Damaturu. The Abuja to Itakpe line will go through
Baro and terminate in Warri with construction of a new seaport at Warri.
Negotiations are also advanced for the construction of other
railway lines, firstly from Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic passing through
Kazaure, Daura, Katsina, Jibia to Maradi.
Secondly, Lagos to Calabar the “Coastal Rail” through Ore,
Benin, Agbor, Asaba, Onitsha, Sapele, Ughelli, Warri, Yenagoa, Otuoke, Port
Harcourt, Aba, Uyo and Calabar. In the next few years, all these Nigerian
cities will be linked by functional modern rail systems, giving enormous boost
to the social and economic life of our people.
With respect to the Abuja Capital Light Rail, progress has
reached 98% completion, as at 64% completion when we assumed office. Only test
runs remain before start of operations.
This train service will stimulate economic activities in the
Federal Capital and provide residents with an efficient and safe transportation
system. Twelve railway sub-stations around the capital over a 45.2 kilometre
route will serve as a catalyst and a pull factor to the economy of the area.
The Light Rail System will reduce traffic congestion and carbon emission in
line with the Administration’s policy on climate change.
Management of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA)
has been reconstituted and has been charged with a 12 week rapid intervention
in road repairs to cover all the geo-political zones. Government is undertaking
repairs and maintenance of 44 roads within the six geo-political zones.
Twenty five major highways will be funded under the N100b
SUKUK facility. Each geo-political zone will benefit by an equal amount of
N16.67b. The following major highways are to receive special attention:
a. Oyo – Ogbomosho,
b. Ofusu – Ore – Ajebandele – Shagamu,
c. Yenagoa Road Junction – Kolo Otuoke – Bayelsa Palm,
d. Enugu – Port Harcourt Dual Carriage Way,
e. Onitsha – Enugu Expressway,
f. Kaduna Eastern Bypass,
g. Dualization of Kano – Maiduguri Road,
h. Dualization of Abuja – Lokoja – Benin Road,
i. Dualization of Suleja – Minna Road.
In addition, Government has approved work to start on the
re-construction of Abuja – Kaduna – Zaria – Kano road which is in a state of
disrepair. Work will soon start and is expected to be completed in 2019.
More Nigerians across the country are experiencing improved
power supply to their homes and businesses. However, power remains a concern to
this government because too many people still do not have regular and reliable
supply.
The Payment Assurance Guarantee Scheme which started in
January 2016 has enabled the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader to raise so far
N701 billion to assure Generation Companies of at least 80 per cent payment for any
power delivered to the national grid.
Consequently, generation has now reached 7,000MW. On
December 8, 2017 the country achieved 5,155MW of power delivered to consumers,
the highest level ever recorded.
Several moribund projects have been revived. Repairs of Afam
Power Station added 110MW in 2017 and another 240MW will be added this year
through a private investment partnership.
Katsina Power Project is now being tested and producing 10MW
of power from wind for the first time in Nigeria. It should be fully
operational this year.
The Zungeru 700MW Hydroelectric Power Project, stalled by
court cases is due for completion in 2019. The transmission and other
requirements to operate the 30MW Gurara Phase 1 Hydroelectric Plant, the 40MW
Kashimbilla Hydroelectric Plant and the 215 MW Kaduna Gas/LPG/Diesel Power
Plant will also be completed this year.
A landmark project, Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project is
at last taking off. This project has been on the drawing Board for 40 years,
but now the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the 3,050MW
project has been agreed with a Chinese joint venture Company with a financing
commitment from the government of China. Completion is targeted for 2023.
As I mentioned earlier, the Transmission Company of Nigeria
can now distribute all the 7,000MW that can be generated. TCN and the Niger
Delta Holding Company have added 1,950MVA of 330 down to 132KV transformer
capacity of 10 transmission stations and 2,930MVA of 132 down to 33KV
transformer capacity of 42 sub-stations including Ikot Ekpene, Aba, Alagbon,
Ajah, Ejigbo, Funtua and Zaria.
This Administration is working with the privatised
distribution Companies to overcome the continuing challenges of distribution.
These massive public works should spearhead the recovery and
lead millions back to employment. You will recall that it was not until last
year that we got out of the economic recession into which the country had
fallen as a consequence of past unsustainable economic policies which projected
short-term illusory growth.
The government is slowly stabilizing the economy.
It was in order to change the steady and steep decline that
we adopted the more sustainable policies and programmes captured in the
Economic Recovery Plan. Diversification efforts have resulted in improved
output particularly in agriculture and solid minerals sectors. The relative
exchange rate stability has improved manufacturing sector performance.
We have got to get used to discipline and direction in
economic management. The days of business as usual are numbered.
Two years ago I appealed to people to go back to the land. I
am highly gratified that agriculture has picked up, contributing to the
government's effort to re-structure the economy. Rice imports will stop this
year. Local rice, fresher and more nutritious will be on our dishes from now
on.
By the same token, I am today appealing to enterprising
Nigerians with ideas and unemployed graduates and other able-bodied and
literate men and women with ideas not to just sit and wait for employment from
the government or the Organized Private Sector. Great nations are built by
enterprising people who turn their hands to anything that circumstances
dictate.
In respect of political developments, I have kept a close
watch on the on-going debate about "Restructuring". No human law or
edifice is perfect. Whatever structure we develop must periodically be
perfected according to changing circumstances and the country's socio-economic
developments. We Nigerians can be very impatient and want to improve our
conditions faster than may be possible considering our resources and
capabilities. When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my
firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure.
We tried the Parliamentary system: we jettisoned it. Now
there are shrill cries for a return to the Parliamentary structure. In older
democracies these systems took centuries to evolve so we cannot expect a copied
system to fit neatly our purposes. We must give a long period of trial and
improvement before the system we have adopted is anywhere near fit for purpose.
However, there is a strong case for a closer look at the
cost of government and for the public services long used to extravagance, waste
and corruption to change for the better. I assure you that government is ever
receptive to ideas which will improve governance and contribute to the
country's peace and stability.
As the electioneering season approaches politicians must
avoid exploiting ethnicity and religion by linking ethnicity with religion and
religion with politics. Such must be avoided at all costs if we are to live in
harmony.
In this respect the rest of Nigeria could learn from the
South Western States who have successfully internalized religion, ethnicity and
politics.
Political discourse should be conducted with civility,
decorum and in a constitutional manner. We all have a collective responsibility
to strengthen our democracy and entrench the rule of law. We should draw
encouragement from the series of bye-elections conducted by INEC last year
which were generally violence free and their outcomes adjudged to be free and
fair.
Before I conclude my address I must reassure my fellow
citizens that security of life and property is still top of our government’s
agenda. We have since beaten Boko Haram. Isolated attacks still occur, but even
the best-policed countries cannot prevent determined criminals from committing
terrible acts of terror as we have seen during the past years in Europe, Asia,
Middle East, elsewhere in Africa and in America.
Our government remains determined to protect all Nigerians
in line with our election pledge and promises. On behalf of all Nigerians let
me offer our thanks to the Armed forces, the Police, other para-military forces
and traditional authorities who are working round the clock to ensure that you
and I go about our normal business in reasonable safety.
Terrorism and urban crimes are world-wide phenomena and our
security forces are continuously adapting their responses to changing threats.
With regard to rampant cases of kidnappings, we are taking
immediate short-term measures to combat this new evil creeping into our
societies. Tighter police methods and swift and severe punishment for those
proved to be engaged in kidnapping are on the way.
With respect to Niger Delta, Government is still engaging
responsible leadership of the Communities to help in identifying and addressing
genuine grievances of the region. Our clean-up programme in collaboration with
the United Nations is making satisfactory progress.
I am grateful to all the Governors and other Political &
Community leaders of the Niger Delta States for their part in bringing relative
peace to the areas.
Finally let me again express my heartfelt thanks to all
Nigerians who prayed for me during my illness last year. I feel deeply humbled
by your prayers and good wishes and I am more determined than ever to serve you
to the best of my ability.
Good morning. And I wish everyone a Happy New Year.
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