“We Leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it”—Buhari to Bloomberg.
“We Leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it”, The 61 years of gunning independence have surfaced Nigeria on the global map as a window through which the world views Africa. With its diversity and unique land, its sentient inhabitants and many years of abundance no one would believe there exist a reality where
crippling fuel subsidy is at its peak, concurrent strike from various organizations is normal, economic loopholes and corruption are annual sporting events, the epileptic power supply is more prevalent than educational standards, cancerous insecurities are left unchecked and inflated market prices are flourishing.
Regardless of all these, the President, Muhammed Buhari has acclaimed his dual tenure—his 8-year run— as one that outstripped his predecessor. In his words; he’s leaving Nigeria better than he found it.
“We Leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it”, He had attempted to prove this in an interview with Bloomberg.
“We Leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it”, President Muhammed Buhari was questioned concerning his anti-corruption promise, his administrative impact on economic growth, and his anti-insurrection agenda.
His interview began with an overhaul of his office and his promises;
1) fixing the economy
2) securing the national
3) tackling insurrection
and their outcomes.
To this he began with;
“We leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it. Corruption is less hidden for Nigerians feel empowered to report it without fear, while money is returned; terrorists no longer hold any territory in Nigeria, and their leaders are deceased, and vast infrastructure development sets the country on course for sustainable and equitable growth.”
“We Leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it”, He went on giving precepts and pointing out the signature line that his administration drew upon swearing-in.
He recounted how magnanimous the influence of Boko Haram was before his administration, stating that they “held territory the size of Belgium within the borders of Nigeria.” But soon seized operation as they were neutralized and their fellow compatriots; Iswap, lost its leader to an airforce airstrike in march.
“We Leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it”, He, however, accredited such feat to aid from The US; which provided fighter jets, and Britain which supplied intelligence.
He further called on international organizations to reiterate such aid against the IPOB, whose leaders are enjoying comfort in the west.
He said
“We urge those same international partners to take additional steps costing them nothing, by proscribing another group – IPOB – as a terrorist organization.
Their leadership enjoys safe haven in the West, broadcasting hate speech into Nigeria from London, spending millions lobbying members of the US Congress, and freely using international financial networks to arm agitators on the ground. This must stop.”
President Buhari also addressed the farmer-herder conflict that has refused to be pacified. He moved that his administration, in the whole existence of Nigeria, was the only one to effectuate a solution to their conflict.
He said;
“My administration is the only in Nigeria’s history to implement a solution to decades-long herder-farmer conflicts, exacerbated by desertification and demographic growth.
The National Livestock Transformation Plan, putting ranching at its core, is the only way to deplete the competition for resources at the core of the clashes. Governors from some individual states have sought to play politics where ranches have been established; but where they have been disputes have dramatically reduced.”
In regards to his economic promises and deflation of market prices, the president gave Blomberg an insight into how his administration impacted the nose-dividing economy of Nigeria to facilitate its growth and generally tender to the surplus demands of the masses.
“We Leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it”, He said;
“How prescient our policies for boosting domestic production have become!
For years we have been criticized by the likes of the FT, the Economist, and others for supposedly mistaken attempts to de-globalise and re-localize food production and boost manufacturing. Now with the war in Ukraine breaking global food supply chains “Davos Man” is in retreat as the energy crisis makes countries everywhere think again about energy independence and security.”
“We have spent our two terms investing heavily in the national road, rail, and transport infrastructure set to unleash growth, connect communities, and lessen inequality. This is structural transformation. It may not show on standard economic metrics now, but the results will be apparent in good time.”
The president also addressed his arrest for corruption. He stated that his enacted whistle-blowing policy was key to minimizing the outgrowth of corruption.
“We Leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it”, According to him, hundreds and millions of illegally gotten government funds have been returned and channelled into the welfare and social growth of the country.
“Starting with our Whistleblowing Policy enacted in my first year in an office hundreds of millions in stolen funds have been returned within Nigeria.”
“Working with our international partners, hundreds of millions of various currencies have been returned from abroad – primarily from the UK, US, and Switzerland – and used as social and welfare funds distributed directly to the poorest during the Covid pandemic and the provision of long-delayed infrastructure-roads, bridges, rail, and power.”
“As an illustration, Monetary recoveries (January-December) 2021 show that more than N152 billion has been recovered. Dollar recoveries for the year amount to over USD 386 million; GBP, more than 1.1 million; Euro, about 157,000; Saudi Riyals about 1.7 million some more in Digital and other currencies.”
“Those partners refused to return these monies held for decades to previous Nigerian administrations in the certainty they would simply be re-stolen. They changed their approach with us because they knew my administration could be trusted.” “We Leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it”
