National Co-ordinator of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in Nigeria Princess Gloria Akobundu has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to good governance and national growth.
Mrs. Akobundu, who is also the head of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA) in Nigeria, observed that the Buhari-led government has impacted the nation’s democracy, economy and infrastructure positively within the last five years.
In a statement by her media assistant, Abolade Ogundimu, Mrs. Akobundu was quoted as saying that the President deserves applause for his commitment to development in all sectors of the nation’s economy.
“The APC-led government came in with a roadmap for the development of every sector of the economy and deepening democracy, which have been vigorously pursued.
“Nigeria, a nation of over 200 million population, is now self-sufficient in rice and other foods due to President Buhari’s policy backing the production of crops grown in the country and deliberate support to farmers and other allied workers.
“Similarly, infrastructural deficits are getting better attention through improved funding, for example, ongoing road constructions across the country, standard railway constructions and many more,” she said.
Akobundu added that Buhari has further proved his passion for good governance, in line with the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063.
“AUDA-NEPAD and APRM are AU vehicles of continental development and promoting good governance and the present Federal Government has renewed Nigeria’s commitment to their mandates.
“It is on record that President Buhari approved transformation of NEPAD to AUDA-NEPAD in Nigeria, overseeing its complete domestication process, which will include enacting of enabling law for effective operation.
“He has also led other African leaders to AUDA-NEPAD/APRM and EFCC Nigeria’s Special side events at 73rd and 74th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“Also, the country is in the process of conducting its Second Cycle Review because President Buhari gave the approval last year after 11 years of initial Review.
“He carefully appointed members of National Governing Council of APRM, which had been inaugurated as required for successful second Review by APRM Continental,” she said.
Akobundu said the review exercise will be conducted at the grassroots to get their inputs in certain areas of governance and submitted to the Federal government for consideration as National Programme of Action.
She added that the review exercise would be completed this year, despite the challenges being posed by COVID-19 pandemic, hoping to deploy technology in some aspects of the process.