Buhari Delivers Last Independence Day Speech, Says I Have Done Well, Gives Self Pass Mark

President Muhammadu Buhari has scored the performance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration high.

Buhari in his last Independence Day Address on Saturday morning said the efforts in re-setting the economy manifested in Nigeria as it exited two economic recessions by the very practical and realistic monetary and fiscal measures to ensure effective public financial management.

He added that the effective implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and cutting down on the cost of governance facilitated early exits from recessions.

President Buhari said his administration had given the desired priority to the agricultural sector through a series of incentives to micro, small and medium scale enterprises that resulted in creating millions of jobs.

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“Leading this initiative, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention in a number of areas as well as the Anchor Borrowers Programme had created the required leverages for Nigerians towards self-sufficiency in food and the necessary attraction for farming as a business,” he said.

On the industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), he said: “I must confess that I am very pained by the recurring disruption to our tertiary education system and I am using this Independence Day celebration to re-iterate my call for the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities to return to the classroom while assuring them to deal with their contending issues within the limits of the scarce resources available.

“This administration has made appreciable progress in redressing these issues that have been lingering for over eleven years.”

On the significance of credible leadership, the president said: “No matter what gains we make, without a good governance system anchored on electing credible leaders on the basis of free, fair, credible and transparent elections, our efforts would not be enough.”

While speaking on the country’s challenges, he said: “In the past few years, we have witnessed and overcome a good number of challenges that would ordinarily have destroyed our nation. However, the indefatigable spirit of the Nigerian people has ensured that we overcome our challenges.

“It is in this spirit that I call on all of us to individually and collectively bring to the fore in dealing with all our development issues.

“I was called to serve, along with my team, I saw an opportunity to create a better Nigeria which we have done with the support of Nigerians. Almighty God and the good people of Nigeria supported us in laying a solid foundation for the Nigeria of our dreams.”