TheCable

The federal government says President Muhammadu Buhari‘s administration is leaving behind unprecedented development legacies.

Lai Mohammed, minister of culture and information, said insinuations that the administration has only performed in the area of infrastructure are wrong.

Mohammed spoke at the PMB administration scorecard series on Monday in Abuja.

He said beyond infrastructure, the Buhari administration is leaving a legacy of a social investment programme that is unprecedented in Africa and had enhanced the quality of life of the beneficiaries.

“Our pace-setting social investment programmes like N-Power, School Feeding, Conditional Cash Transfer and GEEP (Government Enterprise Empowerment programme) have benefitted millions of our citizens, both young and old, and this can neither be trivialised nor denied,” he said.

The minister said the Buhari government has also put Nigeria on the path of self-sufficiency in many staples, including rice.

He said fertiliser blending plants in the country have increased from 10 in 2015 to 142 while the number of rice mills has increased from 10 in 2015 to 80 presently.

The minister said that based on the achievements, Nigeria, which was the number one export destination for rice in 2014, according to Thai authorities, is now ranked 79.

On security, he said the Buhari administration has revamped the sector in the face of unprecedented challenges in the country.

“Today, the Nigerian military is being restored to its glorious past, thanks to Mr. President’s foresight and doggedness in re-equipping the various services,” he said.

“And this has made it possible for the military to tackle insurgency and all other security challenges facing the country.

“As you can now see, this military has been recording successes after successes.”

He added that the current administration has ensured inclusiveness, especially in the areas of infrastructure and social development.

The minister said there is no state in Nigeria that has no road, bridge or housing project irrespective of party affiliation.

He added that while other administrations pampered corrupt people, the Buhari government exposed and put them on trial.

“Whereas the immediate past administration came up with such programmes as Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), they were implemented largely on paper until we came on board and ensured total implementation,” he said.

“The EFCC, the ICPC and other anti-corruption agencies have gone beyond merely arresting and prosecuting alleged corrupt officials to institutionalising the fight against corruption through various programmes.”

The minister also said the Buhari administration is leaving a petroleum sector that could serve the interest of the nation, especially with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.