Full text: Buhari's speech for the 62nd Independence Day

INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH BY MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE 62ND ANNIVERSARY OF NIGERIA'S INDEPENDENCE ON OCTOBER 1, 2022< /p>

Nigerian colleagues,

I speak to you today with a deep sense of gratitude to God and a high level of appreciation to all Nigerians whose immense goodwill has given me the opportunity to lead our great country at one of the difficult times in its history.< /p>

2.​ Recognizing that today's address would be my last on Independence Day as your President; I speak to the millions of Nigerians who have believed in me, propelled me and supported me in my quest to bequeath a country where all citizens have equal opportunity to fulfill their life desires in a peaceful atmosphere.< /p>

3. I am honored to say that my story in the annals of Nigerian history is not a family secret. My various attempts, failures and eventual successes to be elected Democratic President in 2015 were made possible by the majority of Nigerians.

4. When you elected me, I readily recognized that the tasks ahead of me were daunting but surmountable due to the growing national consensus that our chosen path to national development was democracy.

5.​ This democracy was to be anchored on clear understanding, application and separation of powers principles supported by a more efficient reformed public service.

6. I then pledged to improve the economy, fight corruption and tackle insecurity, and this was further reinforced by my commitment to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years as a central pillar of my second mandate in 2019.< /p>

7.​ To the glory of God and His grace and the commitment and passion displayed by many Nigerian supporters, we have made good progress in these areas, but not yet at the destination.< /p>

8.​ Realizing the task ahead, we took some time to settle in and reposition the economy by providing strategic interventions in key areas at the federal and sub-national levels.

9. ​One of the areas where we have made significant progress is in rooting out deep-rooted corruption that permeates every facet of our national development.

10.​ We have strengthened anti-corruption institutions and cultivated international support, which has facilitated the repatriation of huge sums of money held illegally outside the country.

11.​ The growing number of lawsuits and convictions, with associated large sums of money being reimbursed, is still ongoing. Additionally, we will continue to block opportunities that encourage corrupt practices.

12. In order to combat insecurity, we have worked methodically to reduce insurgency in the North East, militancy in the Niger Delta, ethnic and religious tensions in parts of Nigeria as well as other issues threatening our country. .

13.​ Our efforts to revive the economy have manifested themselves in Nigeria, emerging from two economic recessions, through very practical and realistic monetary and fiscal measures to ensure effective management of public finances. In addition, the effective establishment of the Treasury Single Account and the reduction of governance costs have also facilitated early exits from recessions.

14.​ Dear Nigerians, this administration has removed decades of uncertainty for potential investors in the oil and gas sector with the passing of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. This historic legislation has created opportunities for foreign investment in addition to improving transparency in the sector. sector management.

15. Our administration has given the desired priority to the agricultural sector through a series of incentives for micro, small and medium enterprises that have resulted in the creation of millions of jobs. Leading this initiative, the intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria in a number of areas along with the anchor borrowers program had created the necessary levers for Nigerians towards food self-sufficiency and the necessary attraction for agriculture as a business.

16. The growing contribution of non-oil exports, particularly in agriculture, information and communication technology, and the performing arts, to our national economy will strengthen our foreign exchange earning capacity.

17.​ We are facing current economic challenges such as debt burden, rising inflation, living standards and rising unemployment, accentuated by the growth of our young population. These issues are driven globally and we will continue to ensure that their negative effects are addressed in our policies.

18.​ This administration will continue to ensure that our fiscal policies are supported by a robust and contemporary monetary policy that recognizes our uniqueness...