FOR the second time in a row, the federal government has decided to celebrate the October 1 independence day on a low key basis due to the mood of the nation.
Speaking yesterday during a press conference to unveil the activities of the 64th Independence Day celebration, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume said the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was aware of and sympathised with all Nigerians over the economic conditions they were passing through, hence the treason for a low key celebration.
Last year’s 63rd independence anniversary was low-key with Senator Akume, saying then that foreign leaders would not be invited, owing to the economic realities in the country.
Akume at Thursday’s briefing said that the decision was in alignment with the mood of the nation, thus President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved that the 64th Independence celebration would be low-keyed.
He noted that the unavoidable policy choices including the removal of fuel subsidies, which the president had to make were part of the factors that have affected the economy of the nation.
According to him, ceaseless efforts were all made to cushion the immediate impact and to create new opportunities on the short, medium and long term basis, through diligent implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Akume listed some achievements of the president, which are imparting in the daily lives of the citizens as the establishment of the Presidential CNG Initiative (Pi-CNG) and the launch of the first phase of thirty buses powered by hybrid Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), which he explained was established to ease the transportation difficulties of the citizens.
He said that the government also gave priority to the growth of the economy through the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as he re-focused on strengthening the back bone of the economy through empowering Nigerians to start or grow their businesses.
While speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said President Tinubu is implementing series of transformative policies and reforms to address the missteps of the past and make Nigeria emerge as a formidable economic superpower very soon.
The Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, also outlined strategies to increase domestic agricultural production and increase food security, stressing that the era of food importation must end in the country.
He said this shift is a cornerstone of the government’s economic recovery plan.
He, however, noted the importance of balancing this with domestic production.
Also, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu, noted the country’s growing population is a critical challenge.
Bagudu said with Nigeria’s population doubling from 119 million in 1999 to 230 million today, the demands for infrastructure, education and healthcare have surged.