Buhari addresses Nigerians, Saraki, Umahi seek better economy

President Muhammadu Buhari is to address Nigerians today in obeisance with his New Year message.

A statement yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, enjoined all media outfits to be alive to the broadcast, which holds in the morning.

However, the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola has called on the presidency to frankly tackle the nation’s fragile economy.

He stressed that only a strong economy could help government achieve development and improve the lot of the citizens.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, he stated: “God has blessed Nigeria with all the potentials necessary for her to have a strong economy that would take care of its growing population but it is unfortunate that there is still so much underdevelopment in the country.”

He said most of the problems threatening the unity, progress and peace of the country were rooted in the parlous state of the economy, adding that there was need for government and the citizenry to partner this year in ensuring that the nation was self-sufficient.

Also, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State urged Nigerians to enthrone an economy where oil is virtually unimportant. According to him, it was time Nigeria diversified her sources of living.

In a New Year message by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, the governor said the nation had lost agriculture, the mainstay of the economy and lived in an elusive petroleum economy over the years.”

He noted that his administration was priotising to displace the oil economy.

The statement read: “As we graciously and thankfully enter into the new year 2018, I want to thank God for His love in the past years especially 2017 that just ended with various challenges that faced us as a people. It is my earnest desire that we must live beyond oil and dust and fan to flame our agriculture, which used to make us tick before the discovery of oil.

“As it stands now, a day Cometh when there will be no revenue coming from petroleum sector and that is why we, in Ebonyi State, have started to go back to agriculture evident in our 2018 budget which we tagged Budget of Divine Manifestation.”