66th Independence: Akume leads FG’s anniversary charge, says Nigeria’s future lies in unity, shared prosperity

Senator George Akume 
Secretary to the Government of the Federation 

"Nigeria’s 66 years of nationhood provided an opportunity to reflect on the country’s journey, acknowledge its challenges and renew commitment to building a more prosperous, secure and united nation." Mohammed Idris Minister of Information.

.... Says "The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office three years ago amid significant structural and fiscal challenges and chose to confront longstanding distortions rather than postpone them.

.... "While the reforms have imposed real costs on Nigerians, the country was now moving from reform and stabilisation towards growth, production and shared prosperity."

The Federal Government yesterday commenced activities to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, leading the national anniversary programme in Abuja.

The event, a World Press Conference hosted by Akume, brought together senior government officials and stakeholders as the country prepares to commemorate its independence on October 1.

Declaring the significance of the anniversary, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said Nigeria’s 66 years of nationhood provided an opportunity to reflect on the country’s journey, acknowledge its challenges and renew commitment to building a more prosperous, secure and united nation.

Idris, who spoke ahead of Akume’s main address at the conference, said Nigerians at independence had embraced the conviction that their future would be greater together than apart, adding that despite repeated tests to that belief, the country had endured through the resilience of its people and their shared sense of destiny.

He said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office three years ago amid significant structural and fiscal challenges and chose to confront longstanding distortions rather than postpone them.

According to him, while the reforms have imposed real costs on Nigerians, the country was now moving from reform and stabilisation towards growth, production and shared prosperity.

The minister said economic indicators were strengthening, with GDP growth improving, the country’s external position recording progress, domestic refining capacity expanding and investment and productive activities gaining momentum.

He said the next phase must be about ensuring that such gains translate into better living conditions for Nigerians through more jobs, higher incomes, greater access to education and credit, lower costs and wider economic opportunities.

Idris said the Renewed Hope Agenda was addressing these areas through investments in infrastructure, agriculture, education, consumer credit, digital skills, energy and enterprise.

He cited student loans, consumer credit and major highway projects as initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities, while reforms in agriculture, livestock, solid minerals, oil and gas were increasingly being directed towards production and local value addition.

He said the guiding principle was for Nigeria to increasingly produce what it consumes, process what it extracts and create opportunities from its abundant human and natural resources.

On security, the minister said economic progress could not be sustained without security, justice and national cohesion, stressing that the administration was strengthening the country’s security architecture while insisting that state authority must be exercised within the law.

He also stressed the responsibilities of government, the media and citizens in sustaining democracy, saying government must communicate truthfully and remain accountable, while the media must uphold accuracy, fairness, balance and verification.

Idris added that citizens must have access to reliable information to enable them make informed democratic choices.

He acknowledged that despite the progress recorded, Nigeria still had significant challenges ahead, stressing that nation-building remained a shared responsibility.

He said the collective task was to hand over to the next generation a Nigeria that was “more prosperous, more secure, more united and more confident” than the one inherited.

At the event, Idris formally invited Akume, as chairman and host of the World Press Conference, to deliver the main address commemorating Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.