Buhari Promises To Use ICT In Creation Of Jobs In 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Frank Oshanugor

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has promised to “intentionally leverage ICT (information communication technology) platforms to create jobs in 2022, while ensuring that the diversification of our economy creates more support to other emerging sectors.”

“I am proud to announce that several foreign investors are taking advantage of our ranking as one of the leading start-up ecosystems in Africa to invest in our digital economy.”

The President made this disclosure in his New Year message to Nigerians on Saturday.

While expressing gratefulness to the Almighty God for yet another year attained as a country, united by a common destiny and resolute in the determination to overcome the several challenges along the path to build a great and prosperous nation, he commended the “courage and resilience of all Nigerians, which was evident in 2021 as this nation.”

He said that like other countries of the world, Nigeria faced “significant challenges that occurred as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts to restore the global economy and social order.”

He noted that the persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country may have threatened to unravel the incremental gains achieved in the real sectors of the economy and in the administration’s overall objective to position the nation on the irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth and progress, “but I assure you that we will remain resolute in our commitments and shall continue to press ahead with our programmes and plans.

According Buhari, “the path to nationhood is often fraught with unpredictable difficulties and challenges, and most tried and tested nations have often prevailed through dogged determination, resilience, concerted commitment to unity, and the conviction that the whole of the nation, standing together against all odds, is by far greater and would ultimately be more prosperous and viable than the sum of its distinguishable parts.”

The Commander-in-Chief posited that “there is no doubt that the issue of Security remains at the front burner of priority areas that this Administration has given utmost attention to. As a follow up to our promise to re-energize and reorganize the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police, it is on record that this Administration has invested heavily in re-equipping our military in line with upgrading the platforms and firepower required to tackle the current challenges being faced in the country.”

He added that the net results of these efforts have been the number of insurgents and bandits who have willingly surrendered to our Security Forces and continue to do so through various channels and the Safe Corridor created for that purpose.”

He noted however, that victory on the battlefield was just one aspect of sustainable victory explaining that we know that to fully win this war, we must also win the peace as real security lies in winning the hearts and minds of the affected citizens.”

“To this end, working with our international partners and neighbouring countries, we would be deploying multi-faceted solutions that will be targeted at addressing human security at the grassroots, before it leads to insecurity.

He paid tribute to soldiers and other security agents who lost their lives in the battlefield of insurgency, banditry and other areas.

“We equally remember and commiserate with Nigerians who have lost loved ones as a result of insecurity in different parts of the country. Every life matters and every single death caused by any form of insecurity is a matter of personal concern to me both as a citizen and as the President of this great country.”

On the issue of corruption, President Buhari said “we have given the utmost priority to fighting corruption and other related offenses which have been a bane to the growth and prosperity of our dear nation. We have made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of our administration is succeeding.”

He emphasised that in the meantime, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the nation’s anti-corruption Agencies which have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties.”

Written by: Frank Oshanugor

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