Buhari achievements laudable – Minister

 

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the Buhari administration has recorded laudable achievements, despite an empty purse foisted on it by those who mismanaged the economy.

The minister stated this in Abuja at the launch of a book: “Chronicling the Buhari Administration’s Achievements”.

He said: ”Despite those who are daily trying to muddle the waters, this administration has, through fidelity to discipline, determination and transparency, recorded landmark achievements that are putting our country on the path of sustainable growth.

”Taking a broad view, this administration is delivering in the broad areas that form the plank of its policies; security, fight against corruption and the economy, which includes the massive provision of infrastructure, ease of doing business and agriculture, just to mention a few.”

Mohammed said with the fact that nothing could be achieved without security, the administration has successfully tackled the menace of Boko Haram, which had crippled the North-east and even put residents of the Federal Capital Territory on tenterhooks, following attacks on the UN Complex, the Police Headquarters and crowded motor parks, all in the FCT.

He reeled out the administration’s achievements in several sectors, including power, where he said, generation had increased from 2,690MW on May 29, 2015 to 6,619MW; transmission capacity from 5,000MW to 6,700MW and distribution capacity from 4,000MW to 4,600MW as at September 2017.

On infrastructure, the minister said the administration has increased, many times over, the budget allocated to roads from N18 billion to N198.25 billion, power from N5 billion to 91.2 billion and housing from N1.8 billion to N71.559 billion, hence was able to construct or rehabilitate a total of 766 kilometre roads across the country in 2017.

On the economy, he said headline inflation has fallen for nine consecutive months this year and that foreign reserves are up to $34 billion, from $24 billion a year ago.

”Nigeria is out of recession and the economy is on the growth trajectory again, after the economy contracted for five consecutive quarters. Despite the downturn in oil prices, this administration was able to invest an unprecedented sum of over N1.2 trillion in capital projects through the 2016 budget, the highest ever in the history of this country.

”Our Sovereign Wealth Fund, which was established in 2011 with US$1 billion, did not receive additional investment for 4 years when oil prices were as high as US$120 per barrel. This administration was able
to invest an additional US$500 million into the Fund,” Mohammed said.

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