President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration has begun to address the twin problem of poverty and youth unemployment fuelling insecurity in the country.

He also said the daunting security challenges had not consumed the nation due to the Nigerians’ can-do spirit.

These are part of his address to the nation this morning to mark the 2021 Democracy Day, which his administration shifted from May 29 to June 12 in memory of Chief MKO Abiola, who won the 1993 presidential election but was annulled by the ruling government then and he eventually died in detention.

The President said, “In the last two years, we have witnessed and overcome a good number of testy challenges that would have destroyed other nations especially relating to our collective security.

“The indefatigable can-do spirit of the Nigerian has sustained us and would keep pushing us to put these challenges behind us.

“Unfortunately some of these challenges came in the shape of violent outrages leading to the loss of lives of many of our dear compatriots and the destruction of some of our infrastructure, including those devoted to improving our democratic processes.”

He expressed worry of the persistent attacks, abduction and killing of innocent people by terrorists and hoodlums, adding that his administration would move against the perpetrators and their sponsors.

He said, “Let me assure my fellow citizens that every incident, however minor, gives me great worry and concern and I immediately order security agencies to swiftly but safely rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.

“ When you elected me as your President in 2015, you did so knowing that I will put an end to the growing insecurity, especially the insurgency in the North East, but the unintended consequences of our scattering them in the North East pushed them further in-country which is what we are now facing and dealing with. We will, by the Grace of God put an end to these challenges too.

“Unfortunately, like in most conflict situations, some Nigerian criminals are taking undue advantage of a difficult situation and profiteering therefrom with the misguided belief that adherence to the democratic norms handicaps this Administration from frontally and decisively tackling them.”

The President said the FG was already addressing the twin underlying drivers of insecurity – poverty and youth unemployment.

“Interventions led by government and the Central Bank of Nigeria driving economic growth over the past six years are targeted mostly to the agricultural, services, infrastructure, power and health care sectors of the economy.

“In the agricultural sector, for instance, the Anchor Borrowers Programme resulted in sharp decline in the nation’s major food import bill from $2.23 billion in 2014 to $0.59 billion by the end of 2018,” he said.

Specifically, the President said his administration had assisted many farmers, artisans and small-scale business owners, with a total of 10.5 million Nigerians saved from poverty in the last two years.

Buhari said, “In the last two years we lifted 10.5 million people out of poverty – farmers, small-scale traders, artisans, market women and the like.”

The President said his administration remained strongly committed to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.

“I will be the first to admit that in spite of our efforts and achievements which are there for all to see, there is still much more to be done and we are doing our best in the face of scarce resources and galloping population growth rate that consistently outstrips our capacity to provide jobs for our populace. Our over-all economic target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is our goal notwithstanding COVID-19.

“I am very convinced that the 100 million target can be met and this informed the development of a National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy. The specific details of this accelerated strategy will be unveiled shortly.”

Buhari disclosed that his administration disbursed N5,000 to one million Nigerians using a rapid response register and advanced N20,000 to 750,000 beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer progamme and provided 1.37 million Nigerians with palliatives from the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), a private sector-led organisation established to assist the government in combating COVID-19 pandemic.”

Buhari said his administration was not opposed to constitutional reform as part of our nation building process, noting that everyone must understand that the primary responsibility for constitutional amendments lies with the national assembly.

“This body which, as I said, is the arm of government responsible for constitutional changes has concluded the preliminary stages of amending and improving our constitution in a way that the majority of Nigerians will be happy with.

“Government is, however, willing to play a critical role in the constitutional amendment process without usurping the powers of the National Assembly in this regard.”