2018 Budget: Buhari begs National Assembly to support his economic policies

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday called on the National Assembly to support his economic policies.

Buhari made the appeal in his speech at a joint session of the National Assembly, during the 2018 budget presentation.

The President noted that his administration was committed to reforming the country’s economy.

Buhari also warned against food smuggling, saying anyone caught will be dealt with.

He said, “Mr Senate President, I am asking you to continue to support our economic policies.

“We cannot afford to go back to the dark days of insecurity and vandalism, we must come together to address issues through dialogue.

“Despite the down-turn in crude oil, 1.2 trillion was expended on capital project through the 2017 budget. This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to our economic reforms.

“I’m delighted that Nigeria is among the top ten performing countries in the world. We are committed to ensuring ease of doing business in the country which are critical to creating jobs.

“We shall continue to develop our infrastructure all over the country. As a responsible administration, we are determined to clear the backlog of deficit created by the past administration.

“We will consolidate on existing economic policies and develop new ones especially in the area of Agriculture.

“Food security is an important aspect of this government; anyone involved in the smuggling of food is a threat to our national security and will be dealt with according. I will like to assure investors in the area of Agriculture that the issue of smuggling will be adequately handled.”