Buhari made this known in an
opinion he wrote, which was published by NewsWeek on Monday, to coincide with
his official visits to the United States where he met President Donald Trump.
The Nigerian leader said climate
change, amplified by rapidly growing population, was another challenge his
administration was facing head-on.
“We are working hard to resolve
these challenges – through improved law enforcement, peace- building efforts
and necessary reforms in the management of our land and water resources.
“Last December, Nigeria became
the first African country to issue Sovereign Domestic Green Bond to raise
financing for clean energy infrastructure.
“Our commitment to restoring
Nigeria to the path of growth and development is not in doubt.
“I am enormously confident that
we can continue to count on the friendship and support of the American
government and people, as we work to fulfil our vision of a Nigeria – Africa’s
largest economy and most populous country – that is secure , stable and
prosperous,” Buhari said.
The President disclosed that in
the last two years , his administration had committed over $ 1 bn to upgrading
road infrastructure, adding that a significant infrastructure initiative to
modernise major national highways and complete the development of a 3 ,050MW
hydroelectric power project had been established.
Buhari went further to explain
that in addition to concession arrangement with an international consortium,
his government had completed a $900m rail network linking Abuja, Nigeria’s capital,
to one of the key agriculture hubs in the North; commenced construction of a $
1 .2 bn standard gauge line to facilitate trade and travel between the
commercial capital city of Lagos and two major cities in the south ; and was
set to inaugurate West Africa’s first intra – city light rail projects in
Abuja.
Buhari recalled that the US was
one of the first countries he visited after he was inaugurated as President in
2015.
He described the trip as a
necessary one aimed at rebuilding what “was at the time a troubled
relationship” between the two countries.
He added, “I am pleased to note
the success of the rapprochement; nowhere has the impact of this been more
visible than in the remarkable progress we have made, with American support, in
the fight against Boko Haram.
“Before my administration assumed
office, the terrorist group controlled an area the size of Massachusetts, New
Jersey and Connecticut combined.
“Today, they are a substantially
degraded force, with a capacity limited largely to cowardly attacks on soft
targets.
“The Global Terrorism Index
report for 2017 indicated that the number of terrorism-related deaths in
Nigeria attributed to Boko Haram dropped by 80 per cent in 2016.
“An arms sales embargo imposed on
Nigeria by the US government during my predecessor’s time in office has since
been lifted. When President Trump and I spoke on the telephone in February
2017, he expressed full support for the sale of US- built A – 29 Super Tucano
aircraft to Nigeria, to boost the capacity of the Nigerian Air Force to respond
decisively to the threat of terrorism and banditry.
“That deal has now been
finalised; I expect that we will continue to enjoy similar levels of the US
enthusiasm in our security cooperation.
“Only two weeks ago , our two
armed forces collaborated to host in Abuja, Nigeria, the largest gathering of
African Army chiefs to discuss cooperation aimed at improving security on the
continent.”
Buhari said his administration
came to office on the back of a three- pronged agenda: “To secure the country,
rebuild the economy and to determinedly fight corruption – “the biggest single
threat to development and the prosperity of our Nigerians.”
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Yes, you still want to allow more killings of Christians and others!
ReplyDeleteDon't mind him, he is a total failure, shame to their so called change
ReplyDelete