Oscarline Onwuemenyi
06 September 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – President Muhammadu Buhari has said Nigerians will soon feel the impact of coming out of recession.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Tuesday that Nigeria grew by 0.55 percent in GDP terms for Q2 2017.
The president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, quoted him as saying this on Tuesday in his country home of Daura, Katsina State while receiving the president of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Issoufou.
He said the real gain should be improved conditions for Nigerians.
Responding to questions from journalists, Buhari said, “Certainly I should be happy for what it is worth. I am looking forward to ensuring that the ordinary Nigerian feels the impact.”
Buhari added that more work needed to be done to improve the growth rate. “Until coming out of recession translates into meaningful improvement in peoples’ lives, our work cannot be said to be done,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Nigeria’s exit from economic recession is a clear testimony that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is working for the progress and prosperity of all Nigerians.
Adesina, who is the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), made the declaration on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing a solidarity rally for the Federal Government organised by the Centre for Civil Society and Justice.
Speaking to the rally at the precincts of the Presidential Villa, Adesina said: “You have chosen a very auspicious day for this solidarity rally.
“Earlier today, we were told that Nigeria had officially exited recession. That shows that we have a government that is working for us; we have a government that is interested in our welfare; we have a government that is interested in our well-being.
“Recession came due to some mistakes of the past and in just about a year, the government battled it and today we are officially out of recession and we give all glory to God.”
Adesina assured the rally that he would relay their message of support and solidarity on the unity of Nigeria to the President.
“You know the President swore to uphold the Constitution and the Constitution recognises Nigeria as one indissoluble entity. The President has sworn to keep the unity of the country and whatever it takes; he will keep to that pledge,’’ he added.
The presidential aide advised those “beating the drums of separation” to keep their peace, adding that the present government is resolute to preserve the unity, cohesion and togetherness of Nigeria.
Earlier in his remarks, the convener of the rally, Mr Goodluck Obi said the group wholeheartedly supports President Buhari’s uncommon resolve to fix a nation “plundered and pillaged by irresponsible leadership in the past at various levels of government.”
Obi called on the National Assembly and the Judiciary to support the executive arm of government in the war against corruption, insurgency and economy recovery programmes.
“We want to sound a note of warning to both organs of government, that we the Nigerian people would no longer allow our collective destiny to be toyed with like a game.
“We are more than ever ready to mobilise the people to do the needful within the ambit of the law. Enough is enough,” he said.
