President Muhammadu Buhari during his presentation at the meeting.
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria remain a top priority for protection and lifting from the poverty cycle, assuring that social safety nets will be further sustained, while access to education and opportunities will be expanded.
Speaking at the virtual official presentation of the Country Review Report of Nigeria to the 31st Africa Peer Review Forum of the African Union, President Buhari said the government will also take advantage of Information, Communication, and Technology to ensure inclusiveness, access, and create more opportunities.
“Your Excellencies, Nigeria’s strategic focus, as we set out to achieve the objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063, has been around the following: Building a thriving and sustainable economy; Enhancing social inclusion and alleviating poverty; Enlarging agricultural output for food security and sufficiency; Attaining energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products.
“Expanding transport and other infrastructural development, business growth, entrepreneurship, and industrialization; Access to quality education, affordable healthcare and productivity, social cohesion and security; and, building a system that fights corruption and improves governance.
The President reiterated that Nigeria had remained a committed and dedicated member of the African Peer Review family, after acceding to the Mechanism in 2003.
President Buhari said Nigeria remains grateful to be at the esteemed Forum of the Heads of State and Government, which provides a unique opportunity to present the Country Review Reports of some countries, including the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Let me use this opportunity to commend the President of South Africa for his dedication to the Forum since his election as the Chairperson of the African Peer Review Forum.
“I also recognize the distinguished Panel of Eminent Persons for their continued good work in steering the African Peer Review Mechanism process in all member countries. I recognize specifically, Dr. Abdoulie Janneh who led the Review Mission to Nigeria,” the President said.
President Buhari congratulated the other three countries (Namibia, Niger, and South Africa) that had been reviewed alongside Nigeria, commending the boldness and courage to present their countries for the comprehensive exercise.
Editing by Daniel Adejo