...............................My independent Day Message......................... Fellow citizens: On the eve of 54th anniversary of our Independence, I extend warm greetings to you and to all Nigerians around the world. I convey my special greetings to members of our armed forces, paramilitary forces and internal security forces, for the War against the deadly group (BOKO HARAM). I also congratulate all our sports persons, who have participated and won laurels in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games held at Glasgow. Friends: 1.Freedom is a celebration; independence is a challenge. In the 54th year of freedom, we have reaffirmed the power of our individual and collective liberties by electing through a remarkably peaceful electoral process, a stable government with a clear majority for a multi-party system. This achievement has given us an opportunity to take up the challenge of governance by reforming the policies, practices and systems of governance so that the enormous aspirations of our people can be fulfilled with vision, commitment, integrity, speed and administrative capability. 2.Stagnant minds create immobile systems which become roadblocks to growth. Nigeria demands creative thinking in governance that enables fast-track development and ensures social harmony. The nation has to be placed above partisan impulses. The people must come first. 3.In a democracy, good governance is exercise of power for efficient and effective management of our economic and social resources for the well-being of the people. This power has to be exercised within the framework of the Constitution through the institutions of state. With the passage of time and changes in the ecosystem, distortions do appear making some institutions dysfunctional. When one institution does not function in the manner expected of it, phenomenon of overreach sets in. While some new institutions might become necessary, the real solution lies in re-inventing and restoring the existing ones to serve the purpose of effective government. 4.Good governance is critically dependent on rule of law, participatory decision-making, transparency, responsiveness, accountability, equity and inclusiveness. It calls for wider involvement of the civil society in the political process. It calls for deeper engagement of the youths with the institutions of democracy. It calls for quick dispensation of justice to the people. It calls for ethical and responsible behavior from the media. 5.A country of our size, heterogeneity and complexity calls for culture-specific governance models. It calls for cooperation in the exercise of power and assumption of responsibility, by all stakeholders. It calls for constructive partnership between the state and the citizen. It calls for taking a responsive administration to the door step of every hut and habitation in the land. 6.The decisive challenge of our times is to end the curse of poverty. The focus of government policies now has to move from alleviation of poverty to elimination of poverty. The difference is not mere semantics: alleviation is a process; elimination is a time-defined objective. In last five decades, the poverty ratio has increased from over 30 per cent to more than 60 per cent. Two-third of our population still lives below the poverty line. Poverty is not a mere statistic. Poverty has a face, which becomes unbearable when it scars the visage of a child. The poor cannot, and will not, wait for yet another generation to see the very essentials of life - food, shelter, education and employment - being denied to them. The benefits from economic development must percolate down to the poorest of the poor. 7.Economy is the material part of development. Education is the essential part of it. A sound education system is the bedrock of an enlightened society. It is the bounden duty of our educational institutions to provide quality education and inculcate the core civilization values of love for fatherland; compassion for all; tolerance for pluralism; respect for women; performance of duty; honesty in life; self-restraint in conduct, responsibility in action and discipline in young minds. By the end of the 2030, we should Plan to have achieved a literacy rate of eighty per cent. Then we would be able to say that we have provided quality education and skills to our children to be good citizens and successful professionals? 8. Our Constitution is a consequence of our democratic culture, which reflects our ancient values. It pains me to note that this great national asset is becoming increasingly vulnerable to rash excess. Our right to freedom continues to flourish, and may that always be the case, but what about the leader’s duty to the people? I sometimes wonder: has our democracy become too noisy? Have we lost the art of contemplation and calm thinking? Is it not the time to restore the grandeur and glory of our institutions that have sustained and nourished our beautiful democracy? Should not Lawmakers again become the great hall of somber thought and well-debated legislation? Should not our courts of law become temples of justice? This calls for collective action by all the stakeholders. 9. Our nation is very young at 54. Nigeria has the will, energy, intellect, values and unity to claim the 21st century. The vision to win the battle of freedom from poverty is set; the journey will seem formidable only to those without conviction. As an old saying goes, success is born of action”. 10. Now is the time for action
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 01:36:45 +0000
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