PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has warned Western nations against issuing travel advisories on Nigeria.
The President handed the warning at an interactive session entitled, ‘A conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria’, co-hosted by the United State Institute of Peace (USIP), the International Republican Institute, the National Endowment for Democracy, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
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In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu, on Saturday, the President recalled how Nigeria had battled insurgents and other non-state actors threatening its cohesion and peace, resulting in some countries such as the US, UK and Canada warning their citizens against embarking on non-essential travels to Nigeria.
“We are nonetheless winning the war and making significant progress in dealing with the threats to Nigeria’s and the Africa sub-region’s safety and survival.
“This steady progress is in spite of the negative reportage in international media as well as the nonchalant actions and attitudes of some of our friends and allies to sufficiently appreciate our efforts in the fight against terrorism.
“Rather than focus on negativity, which is what travel advisories have become, Nigeria, the sub-regions of Africa and the rest of the world can work more concertedly together to combat terrorism and prevent violent extremism, both of which are challenges to global peace and stability and not just Nigeria and Africa alone.”
The President noted that notwithstanding these attitudinal deficits from Nigeria’s friends and allies, the country was open to working with the international community and other development partners to enhance global security and stability.
He urged the United States to do more to improve the quality of governance in the West African sub-region, warning that the survival of democracy was being challenged in the aftermath of the democratic setbacks witnessed in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso recently.
The President also highlighted the gains of Nigeria’s investments in agriculture, infrastructure, security and democracy under his watch.
He said Nigeria’s agricultural revolution created over 13 million direct and indirect jobs in the last seven and half years of his reign.
The President said interventions in the agriculture sector driven by the Central Bank of Nigeria transitioned the country from being a net importer of rice, Nigeria’s staple food, to becoming self-sufficient in its production.
“This same scheme has financed the establishment and operations of our 50 integrated rice mills. It has also financed over 4.5 million smallholder farmers, ensured the cultivation of almost six million hectares of farmland, and almost 700 large-scale agricultural projects have been funded.”
The President also used the occasion to urge Western nations not to be in a rush to eliminate the usage of fossil fuels in a bid to ensure a healthy climate.
He recounted that as a member of the global community, Nigeria participated in several rounds of talks regarding climate change and various decisions emerging from COP26 and the recent COP27.
“But as I stated in my Washington Post article, there can’t be double standards, wherein Western nations use their influence and weight to turn the taps off global financing for fossil fuel transactions which are much needed by developing nations, yet when they feel the pinch, they are quick to turn on their coal-powered plants.
“We owe it to our people to create jobs and livelihoods, and we can’t accomplish this without maximizing our comparative advantage in energy to build up our manufacturing and industrial base.
“Therefore, stronger commitment needs to be made to the fund for climate adaptation and mitigation, if indeed there is intent to establish equity and fairness.”
Speaking on the 2023 elections, the President reiterated his commitment to ensuring free, fair and transparent elections, whose outcome would be largely accepted by the contestants.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org