mment
2014 Independence Day Broadcast by
His Excellency, President Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
Wednesday 1 October, 2014
Fellow Nigerians:
1. Today marks the 54th
anniversary of our country’s
independence as a sovereign nation.
This is also the tenth month of our
journey into a new century, having
marked the centenary of our nation in
January this year.
2. The first one hundred years were
marked by triumphs and tribulations,
benefits and burdens, opportunities and
challenges. We made some far reaching
advances in building a strong, united
and prosperous nation. We also
overcame the forces of disunity that
culminated in a debilitating civil war.
We have also renewed our faith in one
another, and in our country. We have
proven that we are truly a resilient
nation.
3. In my address to the nation last
year, I did emphasize that we were in a
sober moment in our country. We are
still in that mood in spite of the many
accomplishments of our administration.
Our sombreness has to do with the
crises of nationhood occasioned by the
activities of terrorist elements who have
done the unimaginable to challenge our
unity as a people.
4. On an occasion like this, it is
important that we remember all the
precious souls that have been lost in the
unprecedented war of terror unleashed
on some parts of our country by these
individuals who want to compel us to
live our lives their way. They will not
succeed!
5. In their mission, they have
maimed and raped. They have killed
men, women and children, rendering
many children orphans and several
women widows.
6. They have made violence their
ideology and are bent on destroying our
country. Dear countrymen and
women, we will not allow them.
7. Night after night, day after day,
our security forces continue to engage
the terrorists in battle. My gratitude goes
out to our armed forces whose will has
been greatly challenged by this
insurgency more than any other time,
since the civil war.
8. Yet, they have remained
undaunted and unwearied in the face of
constant challenge and mortal danger.
Driven by patriotic zeal, they are turning
the tide by their prowess and
determination. As Commander-in-Chief,
I will continue to do all it takes to
enable them to keep on inflicting
devastating blows at the heart of terror.
Fellow Nigerians, it is our collective
duty as patriots to avail our men and
women in uniform of all the support
they need to fight and win this war.
9. This Administration is
committed to making Nigeria safe for all
Nigerians, irrespective of our places of
birth, how we worship God and our
political persuasion. To all those waging
war against our country, I ask that you
lay down your arms and embrace peace.
10. To those who have genuine
grievances, I affirm that Nigeria will
listen to you, if you bring your
grievances to the table of dialogue. To
the good people of Nigeria, let me
restate that our task of building a better
and greater country must not waver.
11. While we continue to deploy our
resources in the fight against the
terrorists, we do recognize the great toll
the conflict is taking on our people.
12. This is why, to assist the afflicted,
we have launched the Victims Support
Fund, an independent multi-sectoral
charity, which will aggressively solicit
resources to augment Government’s
statutory intervention, in bringing
succour to the injured, the displaced and
the bereaved.
13. In partnership with Nigerian
business leaders and international
partners, we have also introduced
the Safe Schools Initiative which is
aimed at promoting safe environments
for education nationwide, starting with
the North East region.
14. The Presidential Initiative for
the North East, a comprehensive
programme to fast-track the economic
restoration of this region, which has
been the epicentre of terrorist activity,
has been set up.
15. Our overall objective is to do all
we possibly can, to sustain in the North-
East, the momentum of economic
advancement, which is on-going in other
parts of the country, despite the
machinations of the terrorists and their
sponsors.
16. It should now be clear to anyone
who was ever in doubt that these
terrorists do not mean well for anyone,
of whatever religion or dispensation.
Their persistent choice of the weakest
and most vulnerable in society, for
gruesome attack, provides an insight
into their abnormal mind-set.
17. I urge every Nigerian to put aside
political, sectional or other parochial
considerations, and support whole-
heartedly the efforts of the government
and the military, in checking this evil.
18. We are grateful to the
international community, and especially
our neighbours who are working closely
with us in confronting this challenge, for
their increased partnership and
solidarity. Our steady progress in
weakening the insurgency has certainly
justified our cooperation.
19. Fellow Nigerians, in my
independence anniversary address last
year, I informed you that we had taken
cognizance of the suggestion over the
years by well-meaning Nigerians on the
need to focus attention on rebuilding and
strengthening the ligaments of our
union. It was in that regard that we
announced the convening of a National
Dialogue on the future of our beloved
country.
20. We have successfully delivered
on that promise as we established the
2014 National Conference headed by
Justice Legbo Kutigi. After months of
deliberations, which did not come
without its challenges, the conference
concluded its assignment and has
handed its Report to me.
21. I have made a firm commitment
that we would act on the
recommendations of the conference.
This, I have started by setting up the
Ministerial Committee headed by the
Honourable Attorney General of the
Federation to work out the modalities for
implementing the Report. Every promise
I make, God willing, I will see to its
fulfilment. I assure you, we shall
implement the report.
22. One major lesson which the 2014
National Conference has taught us as a
country is that, a multi-ethnic country
like ours, must learn to embrace
painstaking dialogue until consensus is
established.
23. To me, the National Conference is
the greatest centenary gift to our country
that we must cherish and sustain.
24. Fellow Nigerians, our 54 year-
journey as a nation has not been easy.
There have been tough periods, but the
Nigerian spirit and the unflagging
resilience of our people have seen us
through. We will continue to march
forward to greater heights.
25. We have been able to sustain a
big, strong and influential country with a
robust economy. We are currently in our
sixteenth year of uninterrupted
democratic rule, daily improving on the
consolidation of our democratic process.
26. Our Administration has made a
commitment to ensure that we build and
sustain a democratic infrastructure
anchored on free and fair elections.
International and local observers have
attested to the positive evolution of
electoral credibility and we cannot
afford to relent.
27. We will continue to ensure that
the will of the electorate prevails so that
political leaders would be reminded at
all times that there is a day of reckoning
when they have to go back to the people
at the polls. Election days must not be
days of violence and death. We must
remain vigilant to ensure that our
electoral process is characterised by
peace, security and transparency.
28. I enjoin the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC), all
security agencies, politicians and the
electorate to work conscientiously and
peacefully, together, to consolidate on
the gains of the recent elections.Free
and fair elections have come to stay;
nothing else will be acceptable to our
people.
29. My dear countrymen and women,
occasions such as this present an
opportunity to thank God for our country
and to report to you, on our journey so
far.
30. Our power sector reform is on
course with the ultimate objective of
generating enough electricity to power
our homes, industries and businesses.
We are making giant strides in the
Agricultural Sector which we are re-
positioning to diversify our economy.
We will continue to upgrade our
infrastructure to make life easier for all
and create an enabling environment for
enterprise to flourish.
31. Over the last four years, the
implementation of the Nigerian Content
Act in the Oil and Gas Sector has
ensured major increase in the
participation of indigenous Oil and Gas
companies in the industry. Several
critical infrastructure projects have been
commissioned and commenced. The
level of indigenous asset ownership has
greatly increased and utilisation of
Nigerian-owned and built assets such as
marine vessels and rigs is being
progressively enforced.
32. There has been maximised local
value addition by encouraging the
manufacture of equipment components
and parts within the country. There has
also been massive growth in indigenous
participation in the provision of goods
and services to the upstream sector from
10% to 60% within the last four years.
33. Today, following the rebasing of
our economy, every international
monitoring and ratings agency now
acknowledges Nigeria as the largest
economy in Africa, with a Gross
Domestic Product of five hundred and
ten billion dollars ($510 billion) which
also places us as the 26th largest
economy in the world. This is progress.
34. Earlier in the year, we launched
the Nigeria Industrial Revolution
Plan (NIRP) and the National
Enterprise Development
Programme (NEDEP) with the stated
objective of fast tracking inclusive
growth, job creation, enterprise
development and industrialisation.
35. The success of these policies is
already evident in the increased value
addition in the agricultural and
manufacturing sectors.
36. In line with our objective of
encouraging the production of made-in-
Nigeria vehicles and making Nigeria a
regional hub for the automobile industry,
a number of foreign auto manufacturers
have established plants in Nigeria,
complementing the laudable efforts of
our local vehicle manufacturers who
have also demonstrated great innovation
and competitiveness.
37. We have also launched a special
support programme for Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises with an initial
intervention fund of two hundred and
twenty billion naira (N220 b). This is in
addition to the Presidential Job
Creation Boardwhich I inaugurated
recently with the charge to create three
million jobs annually.
38. In demonstration of our
Administration’s commitment to
addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit, we
have commenced the new mortgage re-
finance programme with the
establishment of theNigerian Mortgage
Re-finance Company. It is expected
that, in addition to creating additional
housing units across the country, this
initiative also represents a huge job
creation opportunity.
39. We have recorded notable success
in the social sector. Nigeria has been
globally acknowledged for reducing
extreme hunger by more than half, with
the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) formally presenting the country with
an award for achieving the Millennium
Development Goal on Hunger three years
ahead of the 2015 target date set for the
Millennium Development Goals.
40. This progress is as a result of the
deliberate policy of government to
increase capacity in our agricultural
sector of which the first step was to
address and eliminate the graft in our
fertilizer procurement system and ensure
that the product gets directly to the
farmer. We are expanding our irrigation
infrastructure to ensure that our farmers
have sufficient water supply for dry
season farming.
41. A benefit of these combined
actions is that our national food import
bill has declined from 1.1 trillion naira
(6.9 billion dollars) in 2009 to 684.7
billion naira (4.35 billion dollars) by
December 2013, and continues to
decline.
42. Modern hybrid schools are being
provided for less privileged children
across the country, resulting in
significant increase in the national
school enrolment figure.
43. In order to further enhance access
to education at the tertiary level,
fourteen new Federal Universities have
been established; and, to encourage
persons of exceptional abilities, our
Administration has also introduced a
Presidential Scholarship Scheme based
strictly on excellence and merit.
44. On infrastructure, we are building
roads, bridges, and new rail lines to
make it easier to traverse Nigeria and
increase the integration of our people
and our ability to do business with each
other. In this regard, we have
commenced the process of building the
Second Niger Bridge. The Loko-Oweto
Bridge over River Benue in Nasarawa
and Benue States, will significantly
reduce travel time by road between
Northern and Southern Nigeria. The on-
going dredging of the River Niger up to
Baro in Niger State is opening up large
parts of the Nigerian hinterland to
maritime activity.
45. The Zungeru and Mambilla
Hydro-electric power projects are on
course, and the Kashimbilla dam which
we started a few years ago, is nearing
completion. The successful privatisation
of our power sector will in the long run
enhance industrial growth. Policies such
as this and others have raised Nigeria to
the enviable status of being the number
one recipient of Foreign Direct
Investment in Africa in the past year.
46. The result of this infrastructure
drive is that two and a half million jobs
have been created over the past two
years. This is a record, which we are
committed to improve upon to continue
to provide jobs for our youth.
47. An unprecedented number of
Airports across the country, are not only
being reconstructed at the same time,
but being re-equipped and reassessed
with emphasis on maintaining global
standards.
48. Fellow Nigerians, the goals we set
to achieve for our country involve
expanding the frontiers of economic
freedom. Let us therefore unite with one
heart and one mind. All our people must
have access to the good things of life.
All our people must be empowered to
pursue the gift of life with
happiness. This is our country; we
must build it for our common
posterity.
49. As we move into an election year,
desperate moves to overheat the polity
are becoming a regular occurrence. Our
political leaders in particular must know
that the contest for power should not
translate to the destruction of the polity.
50. The contest for the leadership of
our country must yield good
governance, and not ungovernable
spaces. The love of country should rank
higher than our individual ambitions.
51. We must remain committed to a
united and indivisible Nigeria within
democratic parameters. The protection
of individual rights, liberty, equality
before the law, freedom of thought, and
a progressive pursuit of a sound
economy must be our goal.
52. I cannot end this address without
commenting on the deadly Ebola Virus
Disease (EVD) which was sadly brought
into our country recently. My directives
to the Federal Ministry of Health saw
the ministry leading the charge in
curtailing the spread of this deadly
scourge and managing its impact. This
is how it should be:swift, effective and
comprehensive action in defence of
citizens.
53. It must be pointed out that the
Ebola battle is still raging elsewhere in
our sub-region. I therefore enjoin all our
citizens to continue to adhere strictly to
all the guidelines that have been given
by our health officials to keep Ebola out
of our country.
54. I appreciate and welcome the
spirit of collaboration, unity and
partnership with which we confronted
the threat of the Ebola Virus Disease. I
thank all Nigerians for working together
to prevent what could have become a
major epidemic. I particularly thank the
medical personnel, some of whom made
the ultimate sacrifice.
55. This is the spirit which we must
demonstrate at all times as we face up to
our challenges as a nation: one people,
united by a common resolve, in the
pursuit of one common national interest.
56. As we look forward to another
year in our national life, I am more than
confident that our tomorrow will be
better than our yesterday and today.
Nigeria has got the human and material
resources to excel and we shall lead the
way in that journey to our manifest
destiny.
57. Fellow countrymen, brothers and
sisters, in all our plans, and in all our
words and our actions, we must stand
together in love and unity, as one people
under God.
58. We are one people from the
womb of one Nigeria. We are brothers
and sisters. We are one family. We are
Nigerians.
59. God bless the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.

E go better, naija

Good pple, great nation