The president of Nigeria in his new year address to the Nation
President Bola Tinubu, has today, as the country joined other nations to welcome in the new year, made his public speech about sustaining his visions and economic goals carried on from 2023 into 2024 for the greater good of a unified and prosperous Nigeria. (2)
Speaking, during the press from his presidential office, Tinubu said, “the time may be rough and tough but our spirit remains unbowed ” and we are made for this period never to fail.
“Everything I have done in office, every decision I have taken and every trip I have undertaken outside the shores of our land, since I assumed office on 29 May 2023, have been done in the best interest of our country,” said the president.
“Over the past seven months of our administration, I have taken some difficult and yet necessary decisions to save our country from fiscal catastrophe. One of those decisions was the removal of fuel subsidies which had become an unsustainable financial burden on our country for more than four decades.
“Dear Compatriots, take this from me: the time may be rough and tough, however, our spirit must remain unbowed because tough times never last. We are made for this period, never to flinch, never to falter. The socio-economic challenges of today should energize and rekindle our love and faith in the promise of Nigeria. Our current circumstances should make us resolve to work better for the good of our beloved nation. Our situation should make us resolve that this new year 2024, each and everyone of us will commit to be better citizens”.
He Also spoke about his confidence in his previous meeting at COP28 in Dubai, highlighting that this will boost the performance of the Energy sector for reliable electricity distribution, which he believes is necessary for the effective operations of other economic sectors across Nigeria.
“Just this past December during COP28 in Dubai, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and I agreed and committed to a new deal to speed up the delivery of the Siemens Energy power project that will ultimately deliver reliable supply of electricity to our homes and businesses under the Presidential Power Initiative which began in 2018. Other power installation projects to strengthen the reliability of our transmission lines and optimise the integrity of our National grid are ongoing across the country.
“My administration recognises that no meaningful economic transformation can happen without steady electricity supply. In 2024, we are moving a step further in our quest to restart local refining of petroleum products with Port Harcourt Refinery, and the Dangote Refinery which shall fully come on stream.”
The government is working on a new plan to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands in 2024, Said Tinubu.
The president also said, counting on his administration’s, new year, 2024 economic plans implementation, he will ensure that new “codified and simplified” tax and fiscal policies regarding businesses are addressed to support wealth and value creations.
“To ensure constant food supply, security and affordability, we will step up our plan to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands across the country to grow maize, rice, wheat, millet and other staple crops. We launched the dry season farming with 120,000 hectares of land in Jigawa State last November under our National Wheat Development Programme.
“In this new year, we will race against time to ensure all the fiscal and tax policies reforms we need to put in place are codified and simplified to ensure the business environment does not destroy value. On every foreign trip I have embarked on, my message to investors and other business people has been the same. Nigeria is ready and open for business.”
Bola Tinubu said he plans to implement a new living wage for all industrious workers, and it’s in his agenda to ensure a fair competitive environment for all businesses
He added that Nigerians, including every poor household, will experience the positive impact of his administration.
“I will fight every obstacle that impedes business competitiveness in Nigeria and I will not hesitate to remove any clog hindering our path to making Nigeria a destination of choice for local and foreign investments”.
“We will work diligently to make sure every Nigerian feels the impact of their government. The economic aspirations and the material well-being of the poor, the most vulnerable and the working people shall not be neglected. It is in this spirit that we are going to implement a new national living wage for our industrious workers this new year. It is not only good economics to do this, it is also a morally and politically correct thing to do.”
The president reiterated his awareness of the presidential oath of service of which he said, there is no excuse for “poor performance” and having seen in the new year all his ministers and heads of Agencies are required to work and provide their service.
“I took an oath to serve this country and give my best at all times. Like I said in the past, no excuse for poor performance from any of my appointees will be good enough. It is the reason I put in place a Policy Coordination, Evaluation, Monitoring and Delivery Unit in the Presidency to make sure that governance output improves the living condition of our people.
We have set the parameters for evaluation.
“Within the first quarter of this new year, Ministers and Heads of Agencies with a future in this administration that I lead will continue to show themselves.”
“Fellow Nigerians, my major ambition in government as a Senator in the aborted Third Republic, as Governor of Lagos State for eight years and now as the President of this blessed country is to build a fair and equitable society and close the widening inequality.
The government will continue to give every Nigerian the equal opportunity to “strive and thrive” in their various crafts and businesses, according to the president.
All citizens must work collectively hard to build the wealth of the Nation, it’s not only in the hands of the president or his ministers, he noted.
While I believe the rich should enjoy their legitimately-earned wealth, our minimum bargain must be that, any Nigerian that works hard and is diligent enough will have a chance to get ahead in life. I must add that because God didn’t create us with equal talents and strengths, I can not guarantee that we will have equal outcomes when we work hard. But my government, in this new year 2024 and beyond, will work to give every Nigerian equal opportunity to strive and to thrive.”
“Our destinies are connected as members of this household of Nigeria.”
“For the new year to yield all its good benefits to us as individuals and collectively as a people we must be prepared to play our part. The job of building a prosperous nation is not the job of the President, Governors, Ministers, Lawmakers and government officials alone. Our destinies are connected as members of this household of Nigeria. Our language, creed, ethnicity and religious beliefs even when they are not the same should never make us work at cross purposes.”
“In this new year, let us resolve that as joint-heirs to the Nigerian Commonwealth, we will work for the peace, progress and stability of our country. I extend this call to my political opponents in the last election. Election is over. It’s time for all of us to work together for the sake of our country”.
“We must let the light each of us carries – men and women, young and old – shine bright and brighter to illuminate our path to a glorious dawn”.
