“The Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of putting Nigeria on the path of self-sufficiency in many staples, including rice”
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has accused the opposition of discrediting and distorting the achievements recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari since he assumed office in 2015.
The Minister stated this on Monday at the 16th edition of the PMB Administration Scorecard held in Abuja.
He said while some oppositions insist that Buhari has not achieved anything, some critics of the government reluctantly agreed that the present administration had recorded achievements in the area of infrastructure.
Mohammed however, said that President Buhari did not just perform exceptionally in infrastructural development only, but he has performed better in all sectors of the Nigerian economy.
“Between the last edition of the PMB Administration Scorecard Series on Dec. 22nd, 2022, and today’s opening edition for 2023, a lot of things have happened in the polity.
“But the most significant have been naysayers and the opposition trying to distort the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari for their selfish ends.
“While some of the Administration’s fiercest critics said we have achieved nothing, others have admitted, though seemingly tongue in cheek, that it’s only in the area of
infrastructure that the Administration has performed.
“Well, I want to say that both groups are wrong, very wrong. Yes, infrastructure development under the Buhari Administration is unprecedented since the nation’s return to democratic rule in 1999, and it has set the country on the path of development. But no, our legacy is more than infrastructure”, the Minister said.
He said the Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of a social investment program that is unprecedented in the whole of Africa, a
program that according to him has enhanced the quality of life of the beneficiaries.
“Our pace-setting social investment programmes like N-Power, School Feeding, Conditional Cash Transfer, and GEEP (Government Enterprise Empowerment programme) have benefitted millions of our citizens, both young and old, and this can neither be trivialized nor denied.
“The Buhari Administration is leaving a legacy of putting Nigeria on the path of self-sufficiency in many staples, including rice.
Fertilizer blending plants in the country have increased astronomically from 10 in 2015 to 142 today, and the number of rice mills in the country has increased markedly from 10 in 2015 to 80 today.
“Little wonder that Nigeria, which was the number one export destination for rice in 2014, according to Thai authorities, is now
ranked as number 79″ the Minister noted.
He expressed concern over the campaign promise of the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar to open the land borders if he is elected as President.
He said this action alone will reverse all the gains of the past seven years plus.
Speaking further, the Minister said that this administration had boosted the morals of the Military by re-equipping them which has led to the achievements recorded in the war against terrorists.
In terms of infrastructure, Mohammed said that Buhari had to ensure inclusiveness in the development process, and no state in the country that is not witnessing at least a road, bridge, or housing project.
Commenting on ICT, the Minister said President Buhari has signed into law the
Startup Bill to make Nigeria a global hub for digital talent and investment, and Nigeria has also kickstarted the national rollout of 5G
while increasing 4G base stations from 13,823 in 2019 to 36,751 today.
“Irrespective of the antics of the opposition, President Muhammadu Buhari’s legacy is assured. Naysayers, most of whom are closet
opposition members masquerading as objective analysts can continue to
snipe at us.
“They can continue to trumpet only the negatives, both real and imagined But they cannot erase these legacies. They cannot
rewrite the history of these past seven years plus”, the Minister added.
