/ 1 October 2009

Nigeria a dream deferred, says president

Nigeria’s independence anniversary is a sad reminder of “a dream deferred for too long”, President Umaru Yar’Adua said on Thursday in a broadcast to the nation.

“Today should be a forceful reminder of the promise yet to be fulfilled, of the dream deferred for too long, and of the work that is still outstanding,” he said in the broadcast to mark the nation’s 49th independence anniversary.

“The promise of independence is yet to be fully realised” in Nigeria almost five decades after it freed itself from British rule, Yar’Adua said.

He said the anniversary provided an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect “on how far we still have to go to give full meaning to our freedom, and the commitment we must continue to provide for the actualisation of the nation’s dream of becoming one of the world’s 20 largest economies by the year 2020”.

He listed challenges facing Africa’s most populous nation as those of critical infrastructure, the Niger Delta crisis, power supply, food security, security of lives and property, human capital development, land tenure and wealth creation.

“The Niger Delta has, over the years, posed major developmental and environmental challenges to our nation which have adversely affected our national economy,” he stated.

Crisis in the oil-rich region since 2006, characterised by bloody violence, kidnapping of mostly oil workers and sabotage of oil infrastructure has affected badly the nation’s oil production and export.

Nigeria, one of Africa’s two largest oil producers, derives more than 90% of its foreign exchange earnings from oil.

He reiterated his government’s stance not to extend the period of amnesty granted to all militants in the region who have declared “oil war” in the region.

Yar’Adua, who came into office in 2007, had in June declared the amnesty for all militants who drop their arms and embrace peace.

The amnesty, which officially began on August 6 and ends on October 4 has recorded “some remarkable progress”, he said.

“Some remarkable progress has been made and it is our hope that all militants would avail themselves of this amnesty which expires on Sunday October 4 2009,” Yar’Adua said.

While some militants have dropped their arms under the amnesty, some others are still foot-dragging, unsure of the programme.

The region’s most sophisticated armed group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), has in response to the amnesty offer, declared a 60-day truce, which it extended by additional 30 days last September 15.

The Mend said it is fighting for a fairer distribution of oil revenue to the impoverished communities in the Niger Delta.

“I will submit that the necessary work of repositioning Nigeria has commenced apace, and the overarching task should be how to remain focused on the twin challenges of enthroning democracy and achieving sustainable development,” Yar’Adua said. — AFP