‘We remain grateful to Almighty God for another year as a country, united by a common destiny and resolute in our determination to overcome the numerous challenges that stand in our way of building the great and prosperous nation of our dreams.’
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to look forward to the year 2022, which he sees as a year of continued progress in the face of a slew of security and socioeconomic challenges.
In his New Year’s message to the nation, President Obama said that persistent insecurity in some parts of the country may have jeopardized incremental gains in the real economy and the administration’s overall goal of putting the country on an irreversible path of sustainable growth and progress.
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According to him, the road to nationhood is often paved with unforeseeable difficulties and challenges, and the most tried and tested nations have often triumphed through tenacity, resilience, a concerted commitment to unity, and the belief that the whole nation, standing together against all odds, is far greater and, in the end, more prosperous and viable than the sum of its distinguishable parts.
While noting that security is still a top priority for his administration, Buhari said that as part of his promise to re-energize and reorganize the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and police, his administration had invested heavily in re-equipping the military in line with upgrading the platforms and firepower required to meet the country’s current challenges.
According to him, the net result of these efforts has been the number of insurgents and bandits who have willingly surrendered and continue to do so through various channels, including the Safe Corridor.
“As to fully win this war, the government must also win the peace, and real security lies in winning the hearts and minds of the affected citizens,” the President said, adding that victory on the battlefield was only one aspect of a long-term victory.
To that end, he stated that his administration would collaborate with international partners and neighboring countries, as well as implement multi-faceted solutions aimed at addressing human security at the grassroots level, before it becomes a source of insecurity.
Buhari praised all Nigerians for their courage and resilience, which he said was evident in 2021 as the country, like the rest of the world, faced significant challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to restore global economic and social order.
He thanked the brave military, police officers, and other security agents who had given their lives to protect the country’s territorial integrity from both internal and external aggressors, assuring their families that their sacrifices would not be in vain.
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Buhari also paid tribute to Nigerians who had lost loved ones as a result of insecurity in various parts of the country, emphasizing that every life matters and that every death caused by any form of insecurity is a matter of personal concern to him as a citizen and as President.
On the economy, he said that despite the turbulence that has characterized the nation’s and global economies, his administration had shown a high level of resilience in achieving some significant accomplishments.
Buhari stated that the major victories could be seen in Nigeria’s most recent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which showed a 4.03 percent growth in the third quarter of 2021, indicating the economy’s recovery and the confidence displayed through the policies put in place by his administration following the pandemic’s outbreak.
“We remain grateful to Almighty God for yet another Year as a country, united by a common destiny and resolute in our determination to overcome the numerous challenges along the path to building the great and prosperous Nation of our dreams,” Buhari said.
“We have given the highest priority to combating corruption and other related offenses, which have hampered our dear nation’s growth and prosperity. Through the innovative use of technology and forensics in investigative and prosecutorial procedures, we have made significant progress and achieved commendable results, demonstrating that our administration’s anti-corruption drive is working.
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“In the meantime, the nation’s anti-corruption agencies have received the necessary support to effectively prosecute their duties, as evidenced by their achievements thus far.” As we look forward to 2022, let us hope that it will be a year of continued progress in addressing our combined security and socioeconomic challenges.
“The past is just a story told, but the future will still be written in gold,” as the saying goes. Let us be united in our fight to keep our country united in the face of adversity, and let us celebrate life in this new epoch with gratitude. I wish you a prosperous and happy New Year.”
