President Muhammadu Buhari in his last Independence Day speech perhaps, said one his major achievement in his almost eight year rule was the eradication of corruption. But as Nigerians celebrate the 62nd Independence Day anniversary, they continue to groan under the weight of the burden of corrupt practices by elected leaders in almost two decades of uninterrupted democracy that has heaped on the nation. Buhari acknowledged the unending hardship Nigerians are going through because of failed economic and social policies of his administrations promising that he would ensure that Nigeria’s democratic culture endures. “One of the areas where we have made significant progress, is the eradication of deeply entrenched corruption that permeates all facets of our national development. “Our efforts in re-setting the economy manifested in Nigeria exiting two economic recessions by the very practical and realistic monetary and fiscal measures to ensure effective public financial management. In addition, the effective implementation of the Treasury Single Account and cutting down on the cost of governance also facilitated early exits from recessions. “I must confess that I am very pained by the recurring disruption to our tertiary education system and I am using this Independence Day celebration to reiterate my call for the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities to return to the classroom while assuring them to deal with their contending issues within the limits of the scarce resources available. “In order to address Insecurity, we worked methodically in reducing Insurgency in the North East, Militancy in the Niger Delta, Ethnic and Religious Tensions in some sections of Nigeria along with other problems threatening our country. “This administration has made appreciable progress in redressing these issues that have been lingering for over eleven years.”
He lamented the spate of crime and terrorism that has bedevilled the nation. He added, “I share the pains Nigerians are going through and I assure you that your resilience and patience would not be in vain as this administration continues to reposition as well as strengthen the security agencies to enable them to deal with all forms of security challenges.
